Flashforge Creator Dual / Pro How to fix Dual Extruders dragging across prints.

[jfkansas]

Would this upgrade help with Ninjaflex?

No difference in NinjaFlex. I have an extruder plastic upgrade that works though. PM your email and I will send the files.

[FrankV]

This thread is an interesting read but I get slight scraping from either extruder when the other is printing. This suggested a different cause than head and bed levelling. First thing I found was that too much plastic was being extruded - printing a cube with 100% infill delivered a domed top. Having sorted this the problem is less severe but still there. Even the same head will scrape its own layer if it happens to go back over it before the next layer starts. Could it be that I am not setting enough gap between the heads and the platform during levelling, so the plastic is squeezing up around the nozzle? I use a sheet of 80gsm paper, 0.1mm thick, adjusting so the paper just drags but without folding up when pushed. Both nozzles seem to excerpt the same drag once the bed is levelled.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

In an ideal world, the head should be able to be retracted vertically by a small amount when not in use. Thinking about reducing the heavy head mass by switching to a Bowden cable solution, perhaps I can think of a clever way to incorporate a small up/down mechanism. Even wondering if having a sprung head with 0.5mm restricted travel and using the extruder pressure to force the head down could work - probably create more problems somehow!

[soofle616]

In an ideal world, the head should be able to be retracted vertically by a small amount when not in use. Thinking about reducing the heavy head mass by switching to a Bowden cable solution, perhaps I can think of a clever way to incorporate a small up/down mechanism. Even wondering if having a sprung head with 0.5mm restricted travel and using the extruder pressure to force the head down could work - probably create more problems somehow!

I've been thinking along the same lines recently. Unfortunately, while I have the mechanical and design prowess to come up with a variety of solutions, I don't have the programming knowledge to make any needed changes to the firmware for an active head retraction method. Something passive like your spring retract might work though.

[FrankV]

I've been thinking along the same lines recently. Unfortunately, while I have the mechanical and design prowess to come up with a variety of solutions, I don't have the programming knowledge to make any needed changes to the firmware for an active head retraction method. Something passive like your spring retract might work though.

Maybe between us we can come up with a solution - if time ever allows! A good read here: http://tinyurl.com/prr48wy regarding extruder forces, seem to be in the 1 to 3Kg range.

I have one of the Airtripper extruders for a 3D project I started a while back and hope to finish one day (this is as far as I got: http://tinyurl.com/ouzpgba ) but two house moves and two more to come next year have put that project on hold. I recently bought the FFCP as a stop-gap as needed parts for my main project (http://www.cine2digits.co.uk/). It was for this project I discovered that a thin white ABS layer (0.4 to 0.6) makes for a good diffuser with performance not to dissimilar to expensive, and soon to become extinct, flashed opal glass. The problem of the head(s) dragging across the surface is not tolerable for this application!

[catalyst]

So, I think I'm also having the issue with my Creator Pro dragging. However, I don't even have hex sockets on the screw I think you're referring to (image is dead on page 1).

Are these the two screws I need to adjust? If so, I would have to loosen mine with vice grips I'm guessing.

extruders.jpg

[jfkansas]

So, I think I'm also having the issue with my Creator Pro dragging. However, I don't even have hex sockets on the screw I think you're referring to (image is dead on page 1).

Are these the two screws I need to adjust? If so, I would have to loosen mine with vice grips I'm guessing.

extruders.jpg

Those aren't screws, they are ceramic heating elements. The set screws are in the back. Horrible place for them because you have to take the steppers off to get to them...

[curious aardvark]

If the nozzles are level and you're getting head drags - you're bed is not perfectly level.
Solution: add a level bed. I use 3mm aluminium.

Also leave both heads in place and level once you've sorted the bed out. Otherwise the head you use gets worn down by rubbing on print (when it goes back over extruded parts of alayer to reach unextruded areas) and you go back to the uneven heads job again.

I fitted two new nozzlkes a while ago and had no height problems since.

But the most important issue is getting a perfectly level print bed.

[jfkansas]

If the nozzles are level and you're getting head drags - you're bed is not perfectly level.
Solution: add a level bed. I use 3mm aluminium.

Also leave both heads in place and level once you've sorted the bed out. Otherwise the head you use gets worn down by rubbing on print (when it goes back over extruded parts of alayer to reach unextruded areas) and you go back to the uneven heads job again.

I fitted two new nozzlkes a while ago and had no height problems since.

But the most important issue is getting a perfectly level print bed.

Just to add, it is important to get a perfectly level bed with the printer fully up to temp, not the nozzles though.

[jaykay2PT]

So as to fully understand this thread, PLEASE can the first photo be re-uploaded?

Ta muchly

[incomenet]

So a couple of weeks ago I decided I needed to do this as left head slightly scraped over printing parts. Read first posts and it seemed simple enough should have read more of thread before starting! Took fans off and no set screws, then read enough more to know they are on the back(PowerSpec Pro), so ok take it apart. Thought why not turn so screws are on front so swapped heads which of course does not work because of offset, but now can't swap back because they are now frozen in place. Tried pulling, prying, and taping for a couple of hours scratching everything pretty good and no movement, so thinking I'm screwed. Last resort before ordering new parts tried spray lube and managed to wiggle them out. Had I carefully read the whole thread it would have saved me a lot of grief.

Got everything back together and it was the same still off just a little so had to take apart and redo with calipers handy. So now I have ordered the part jfkansas designed, looks like it will make things a lot easier.