# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > Other 3D Printers / Scanners / Hardware > German RepRap >  The Story of my NEO

## Luchador

Hi all
I decided to write few words about my NEO maybe thay can help other,

A few weeks ago I decidet to try the NEO as a small backup of my Protos,

After arriving my first Problem were to stay ?
(too many projects at the same time no free space)

So I put him on the bar of my open kitchen, the space was perfect my small netbook connecting and he was ready to start.
IMG_6426.jpg

First Printout with the satandart profile and i was surrprised with the result.

IMG_6773.jpg
I creat this bec one of my rolls was to big for the standard one.

next point I would like to change was the lightning it was simple to dark inside,
so i create a LED Ring Holder.

IMG_6482.jpg

Much Better. ( I now heard there will be a light line in the GRRF shop soon, too late for me)

My next step was the Buldtack printbed I already destroyed it.
so after research in the GRRF Forum I readjust the printbed on a Level that the Filament will only pressed on a bit (its nearly only a lay down)
With a new Buildtackfoil I started again (and this one is still my Printbed).

so this was solved, but I think everyone know the bad sides of PLA so a fan solution for the Filament need to be found.
I created a few ones but run out of time but someone else created one so I removed my LED Ring and mounted the fan holder( and a new light system)

IMG_7044.jpg

Looks not bad so I started testing and the result were great.

Yesterday I get a small accident but waht I could see ther was cool

IMG_7043.jpg

Middle in the print the head moved 1cm but he was printing bridges !
the best bridges I could seen from my printers ever
the left one are 3 lines the 2 middle ones 2 and the right one 1

and a bit you can also see the walls for a printer with this size and price great.(0.2 layer size)

From start to now the printer have now more than 10 days printing time.

I´ll see what happens next if intresting for someone I´ll update this post from time to time

Best wishes 
Thomas

PS: alle models can be found on thingiverse, if the cabeling is intresting let me know than I post a description how to install.

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## efrost

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your experience!

I've bought NEO 3d month ago and still trying to solve problems. I am new to the 3d printing so it takes time to figure out how to make prints better.

So far
1. I have destroyed plastic plate for the printbed. Carbon film has teared off after a few prints and I had to make another plate from plexiglass and it works quite well now.
2. My extruder sometimes creasing the filament and I am waiting for the new extruder from German Reprap.
3. Quite often I can find brown dots or even blobs on the printed models. I was trying to figure out what's happening and it seems that it caused by dirty nozzle. The nozzle becomes dirty when material twisting on the corners. Yesterday I tried to blow to the model with hair dryer in cold mode and I don't see material twisting. Now I am looking for a solution of installing a fan.
4. Default temperature settings are 210 for the first layer and 210 for other layers, but after I've printed a few models for calibration I found out that optimal temperature for other layers is 185.
5. Playing with layer height, the optimal one for me is 0.15mm and first layer is 0.2mm.
6. Also my version of Slic3r has very interesting bug in settings. Speed setting named "Bridges" actually controls speed of printing outer walls :-\ 
7. And the last thing... is there any solution for fixing the printbed so it won't be necessary to calibrate it before each print?

Could you, please, give more details about fan installation?
I have searched through thingiverse but cannot find the correct fan holder and also it is unclear where to connect it? Does NEO 3d have pins for it?

Thank you in advance!

Best regards

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## Luchador

Hi efrost

I readed your post to late today but I will write you tomorow,

if you have a few pictures it would be great (makes it much easier to see what happened)

br
Thomas

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## efrost

Hi Thomas,

Actually, main question is about fan. What model of fan holder to use and where to connect it?
Yesterday I've printed this one and going to install it:
20140811_081316.jpg
On the bottom of NEO I have found 2 available connectors for fans, but those are not controlled from the application. They're always powered on. 
Maybe you know whether inside the NEO there is a connector?

And here are photos just to share experience:

1. Twisted corners when printing without fan:
20140811_081242.jpg
... it causes the nozzle to become dirty and sometimes broun bulbs of burned filament appear:
20140811_080247.jpg
... here is my "test" setup:
20140810_123817.jpg
no filament wrapping!

I was able to print this:
20140810_195220.jpg

Thanks!

Best regards,
Eugene

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## Luchador

Hi Eugene 

Like I promised a few answares, I think I can help you in a few points.

1. Happens also with my plate I changed to a Macrolon (more flexible) one and put a new buildtack foil on it since this time perfect 
 but with the original its also possible but you need to be more carfuly bec the bulidtack foil hold the the printed part realy hard if printed to close to the printbed.
the solution is to adust the bed to the right position ( means the first layer should only pressed down a little bit its realy nearly a lay down not more) and only a small bending of the plate if one side is loosing conection use a tool to remove it.

2. You mean creasing at the point before the bowden ? if yes there is a update part (the black part now goes much closer to the transportation) please check if your Extruder Looks like this picture (you need to remove the 4 screws to see it )


05_08.jpg

if not please tell me.

3, sound like yes a fan could be a soulution.

4. The default Profile is for the GRRF Filament there you get good results with it ( I personaly print around 5 ° colder) with other Filament you need to find the right temperature for it.

6. Slicer specialy the new ones are full of bugs I still use a old one ,but more and more I use Simplyfy3D specialy the support is great.

7. Does yours Move ? My one most times are ok so long I put the plate on the same way back i put it out but also than I need to readjust it only bit.

About the fan Installation, you found already the 2 on the bottom if you want a controlled one you can use the connector on the board ( he is activated in the firmware) theright conetor on the printboard is marked.

BUT you need to open the backplate I didnt know what happens with the warrenty if you open ( I did it bec printer was working the first days and I changed also a few other things so I didnt have warrenty anymore)
if you remove the side panel please be realy careful with the usb conector !

I can ask GRRF about but that will need a bit time ( visiting USA for Holiday so until end of the month can not talk with GRRF)

And I can tell you more A few members from the GRRF-Forum Member were working on a great fan holder ( I can place a picture here this afternoon munich time) he stillnot fully finished but a few people already testing and working with and on it.
I can send you the file if you want or you waiting a bit bec there is a 2 parts model nearly finished who is much easier to assemble.

all for the moment I will prepare a few pictures this afternoon let me know if you want some more detailed informations.

br
Thomas

upadte you can see the fan holder with the ring around the hotend on the pictures of the first post.

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## Luchador

Good News I asked Florian from GRRF about the warrenty , he told me so long nothing goes defekt you can open it without losing your warrenty if something happens because of the deassembly sure you will loose it ( example i hit the usb connector after deassembly the side pannel so i need to solering the connector so i lost it)

A proposal from my side if you remove the left side panel remove the usb connector from the board and connect him again before mount it .

br
Thomas

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## Luchador

I found a Picture of the board

fan connector.jpg

The Marked one is for than fan.

Aditional I can tell you that the Firmware is available on request but if you change the firmware you will not get free support anymore from GRRF.

br
Thomas

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## efrost

Hi,

Thanks for your support! I didn't have time to answer, but I tried almost everything  :Smile: 

This part of the extruder is exactly the same as on your picture. Also I've received new one from German RepRap and it didn't help, but I managed to figure out possible cause - diameter of the filament differs from 1.7mm to 2.2mm! 
After one of jams I had to cut the filament and as usual tried to push it through the tube towards nozzle, but I wasn't able to do so. It just stuck in the middle. then I decided to measure the diameter and I was a bit shocked when I saw 2.2mm. I have 2 different filaments from German RepRap and both of them have the same issue.
On the other side, I checked 2 times cheaper filament from 3d factories and it is just perfect. 

Solution with fan works great. I have connected the fan to the connector at the bottom of printer and it blows constantly. 
By the way, I've found one more problem with the printer. The fan which supposed to blow to board (the one with the bluse light) was tighten too hard and was not working. :-\ Don't know how it has passed QA.

Best regards,
Evgeny

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## Luchador

Hi Evgeny

The Filament from GRRF have this issue ? that sounds not good, please contract the support bec of this Filament 2.2mm never seen this ( cant check at the moment bec not in munich ) 2.2 should be on the Limit the nozzle is a bit bigger but 2.2 could be too much and also the bowden will produce much mord force with 2.2mm.

about the fan thanks for information i'll put forrward this information to GRRF that they can check how this can happen.

About the fan good, with the connector on the printboard you can control it with the slicer 

Best regards
Thomas

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## Duck

Very interesting read guys, how are you making out with your NEO printers now?  Such a good looking little machine.

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## Luchador

Hi 
Im still happy with him he is now my printer for all parts who are fit into the NEO (why should I start the bigger ones) he is printing and peinting and printing..

the lat few weeks a friend take care of him ( I was a few weeks not in Germany) now he already called me if I need him soon back or if he can hold him longer *g* looks like he is infected and there will be soon his own printer in the house.

I already prepared a few next plans with him I working on a Heatbed and a standalone system, the LCD with SD card is already here but I didnt want to change my printrboard  so I waiting for one with a defect connector if I can repair it I will use this one for experimental if all working i can work with the NEO standalone can print from SD card with an LCD and a Heatbed. But still on the begnning erliest start for test is when I get the second printrboard.

br
Thomas

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## Ravikaleova

> Hello,
> 
> Thank you for sharing your experience!
> 
> I've bought NEO 3d month ago and still trying to solve problems. I am new to the 3d printing so it takes time to figure out how to make prints better.
> 
> So far
> 1. I have destroyed plastic plate for the printbed. Carbon film has teared off after a few prints and I had to make another plate from plexiglass and it works quite well now.
> 2. My extruder sometimes creasing the filament and I am waiting for the new extruder from German Reprap.
> ...


I'm new to 3d printing but it seems to me like you could make one from a digtial camera set in a vertical position and then have a turntable and move it a couple of degrees at a time then use autodesk123 ? to stitch the final image together cheaper with the camera that has a better megapixal capture.

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## Luchador

@ Ravikaleova 
What have the camera to do with 3D Printing and specialy with efrost´s problems ??
br
Thomas

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## HSP3D

Interesting !

What size fan ? What kind of connector ? 3 pin / 4 pin ? 5 volt or 12 volt ?

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## Luchador

Think it was a 40mm,

12V

I would connect it with the printport there is a connector for a fan , he can controlled by the slicer.

Br
Thomas

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