Simple Metal stops moving and just extrudes a blob

I just got a Prntrbot Simple Metal the other day and I'm trying to figure out all the stuff it can do. Unfortunately, I've been unable to print anything because it keeps stopping in the middle of a print. what it will do is, just stop moving in the X and Y access, and keep feeding PLA into a blob until a pull the power. Here's a picture of it http://imgur.com/jX381ET


It happens randomly at different points in the print, but so far it has done it on 3 different models and usually on like the third layer in a different spot. That tells me it's most likely not a corrupt STL. when I check the error log it says

Code:

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Recv: Error:Line Number is not Last Line Number+1, Last Line: 365
Recv: Resend: 366
Recv: ok
Send: N366G1 X94.757 Y93.944 E27.86820*123
Recv: ok
Send: N367G1 X95.065 Y93.636 E27.88993*112
Communication timeout during printing, forcing a line
Send: M105 T0

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But I believe the communication error is because I have unplugged it. The most info I can find on this is a USB cable losing connection, but I would imagine I would hear the windows USB disconnect sound if that happened...


I HAVE successfully managed to print 2 things, which came out kind of crappy, but I can't even begin to get into fine tuning settings if I can't even get it to complete a print >.< Heres my cura settings

Code:

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> M501
< echo:Stored settings retrieved
< echo:Steps per unit:
< echo:  M92 X80.00 Y80.00 Z2020.00 E96.00
< echo:Maximum feedrates (mm/s):
< echo:  M203 X125.00 Y125.00 Z5.00 E14.00
< echo:Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):
< echo:  M201 X2000 Y2000 Z30 E10000
< echo:Acceleration: S=acceleration, T=retract acceleration
< echo:  M204 S3000.00 T3000.00
< echo:Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time (ms), X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s),  Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s),  E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)
< echo:  M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X20.00 Z0.40 E5.00
< echo:Home offset (mm):
< echo:  M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
< echo:PID settings:
< echo:  M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00
< echo:Min position (mm):
< echo:  M210 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
< echo:Max position (mm):
< echo:  M211 X152.40 Y152.40 Z152.40
< echo:Bed probe offset (mm):
< echo:  M212 X25.00 Y0.00 Z-0.20

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1/ have you created a printrbot support ticket ? They answer within the day usually.
2/ thjis seems more linked to your link to the printer than the printer itself.
3/ do the motors seem hot ?
4/ have you tried to autoprint from a sd card ?
5/ Your gcode file is incomplete. Have you tried to read what's in the file for lines 365 and over ?
6/ what's the hotend temp when your blob is created ? is your printer trying to get back to target temp ?

Quote:

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1/ have you created a printrbot support ticket ? They answer within the day usually.

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I haven't, because I'm operating under the assumptio nthat I don't know how to use it, but I'm prett ytech savvy, so I'm begining to suspect I may actually have faulty equipment somewhere, so I will be.

Quote:

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2/ thjis seems more linked to your link to the printer than the printer itself.

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I think so too. I have tried multiple objects and the problem happens on all of them, inconsistently in where and when, but it definitely happens on every print except one I've ever done. I'm actua;;y goona try and make a few of that to see if it happens there.

Quote:

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3/ do the motors seem hot ?

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As a matter of fact the extruder gear motor is getting pretty hot. I had felt it before but it didn't seem to bad, but when I felt it just now about 10 min into a print, it feels pretty hot. not too hot to hold onto, but like a hot jacuzzi.

Quote:

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4/ have you tried to autoprint from a sd card ?

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I tried it once and I believe the same thing happened, but I am going to try it again to confim.

Quote:

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5/ Your gcode file is incomplete. Have you tried to read what's in the file for lines 365 and over ?

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I'm trying to upload the gcode data to pastebin but apparently that's too much for them to handle >.< In notepadd++ here is line 360 to 370. But it is different print to print even on the same item, so I doubt it's the code's fault.

Code:

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G1 X98.843 Y67.041 E16.40095
G1 X99.433 Y67.948 E16.45493
G1 X99.709 Y68.781 E16.49871
G1 X99.816 Y69.493 E16.53463
G1 X99.840 Y70.182 E16.56903
G1 X99.800 Y70.781 E16.59898
G1 X100.339 Y70.798 E16.62588
G1 X101.013 Y70.878 E16.65974
G1 X101.719 Y71.049 E16.69598
G1 X102.512 Y71.389 E16.73903
G1 X103.368 Y72.042 E16.79274

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Quote:

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6/ what's the hotend temp when your blob is created ? is your printer trying to get back to target temp ?

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Printing at 210, and it remains consistent throughout.




I'm wondering if my problem lies in the motor heating up, that might explain the inconsistency. But if the extruder motor got too hot, would that cause the X and Y to stop moving, and the extruder to just push like 5-10 pulses of PLA into a blob? I'm trying to get a video to better explain what's happening but the machine isn't cooperating and I dont have the patience or a set up to sit and record a full print....

Her'es a video of it doing what I'm talking about https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-7l...m-upload_owner

Hi,
I was about to say it could be residual ooze, but hearing in your video that the extruder is working...

Just out of curiosity, what speed have you set ? Try reducing to 30mm/s for starters.

Have you put in your slicer a height max (stop printing over this height) ?

Do you have an end code (like go to X0,Y0) ?

If the motors are hot and it is none of the above, it might be board or motor issue.

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Originally Posted by LambdaFF

Hi,
I was about to say it could be residual ooze, but hearing in your video that the extruder is working...

Just out of curiosity, what speed have you set ? Try reducing to 30mm/s for starters.

Have you put in your slicer a height max (stop printing over this height) ?

Do you have an end code (like go to X0,Y0) ?

If the motors are hot and it is none of the above, it might be board or motor issue.

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I beleive this is the end code

Code:

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;End GCode
M104 S0                    ;extruder heater off
M140 S0                    ;heated bed heater off (if you have it)
G91                                    ;relative positioning
G1 E-1 F300                            ;retract the filament a bit before lifting the nozzle, to release some of the pressure
G1 Z+0.5 E-5 X-20 Y-20 F{travel_speed} ;move Z up a bit and retract filament even more
G28 X0 Y0                              ;move X/Y to min endstops, so the head is out of the way
M84                        ;steppers off
G90                        ;absolute positioning
;{profile_string}

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Does that mean anything? Speed was at 40, I lowered it to 30. I don't know how to put a height limit, although it does this after like 3 layers usually, so I don't know how that would be a problem. I'e successfully printer like 3 things so far of various heights. Is there anther software I should try or should Cura be the best?

Yep, normal end code.

Cura is supposedly good, I personnally use Simplify 3D.

I'm sorry but I don't have the knowledge to help you troubleshoot further. You should try to test your motors and/or contact PB. I'd be interested to hear what's the final answer.