Problem With my First Print

I used CraftWare to slice my .stl model and it was exported as ".gcode". I used GPX to convert the ".gcode" to a ".x3g". The printer only recognizes ".x3g". Then I preheated the printer, the bed to 110c and the extruder to 200c. Lastly I put the SD card in with the file and ran it, but the printer said It was preheating as it started to cool down. It cooled the bed to around 40c and didnt even give a temperature for the extruder. After it was finished "preheating" (it was actually cooling) the head started moving as if it were trying to print but the head was moving around in the back left of the machine off of the bed and wasn't laying any material. After a couple of minutes I just canceled the print.

What did I do wrong? How do I get the extruder and bed to stay heated?

Well, first not sure why you would have the bed at 110c and the extruder at 200. If you're printing PLA, turn the bed down to 65 and if you are printing ABS, turn the nozzle up to 230c.

It would normally be a case of just trying for the sake of it another slicing program, but in your case your printer is still saying preheating but its actually cooling down, that's pretty odd mate I don't have any immediate suggestions there sorry. I'd be trying makerware or another slicer and seeing what the result is, just so you can start eliminating issues. I don't think it's craftware tho... but then again it might be outputting dodgy code, you won't know until you try another program. If it happens with both slicers, ok, you know there is an issue with the printer. It's just a process of elimination.

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Originally Posted by Geoff

Well, first not sure why you would have the bed at 110c and the extruder at 200. If you're printing PLA, turn the bed down to 65 and if you are printing ABS, turn the nozzle up to 230c.

It would normally be a case of just trying for the sake of it another slicing program, but in your case your printer is still saying preheating but its actually cooling down, that's pretty odd mate I don't have any immediate suggestions there sorry. I'd be trying makerware or another slicer and seeing what the result is, just so you can start eliminating issues. I don't think it's craftware tho... but then again it might be outputting dodgy code, you won't know until you try another program. If it happens with both slicers, ok, you know there is an issue with the printer. It's just a process of elimination.

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Ok I will try makerware

I had this issue a fair bit when i was first sorting out the startup gcode for simplify3d.
That and heating up but never starting printing.

basically you need to change the startup gcode.

Assuming it works in makeerware, then that's most likely your problem.

One thing you might also try is the knp3d convertor: https://knp3d.com/software/#knp3dconverter

far as I know it's a pre-tweaked version of gpx. My knp works best when setup as a replicaotr dual, so hopefully might make a difference.

But try makerware first.

If you post a link to the gcode file you converted with gpx, I can probably help with the start gcode.