Makerbot Replicator 2 build platform not lowering when print is complete!

[jdash3d]

Hey everyone,

This just started happening recently. My Makerbot Replicator 2 build platform just stays where it is when the print is complete and the extruder just sits on the print wherever it last stopped. This results in a glob of PLA at the top of my print and I have to be very careful when removing the platform. The ONLY way to get my platform to reset is to tell the printer to start a new print and then cancel.

So, has anyone experienced this?

1) Is this a print file issue where the command to lower the build plate isn't included?
2) Do I need to reinstall the firmware?
3) Is there a setting in the menu to at least manually reset the build plate to the lowest position if it doesn't do it automatically after printing?

BTW, I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it but this problem seems to have started shortly after updating to the latest version of the Makerbot Desktop software - 3.7.0.95.

Thanks!

[Mjolinor]

Just add a command to your end.gcode to drop the platform

M73 P100
G1 X0 Y0
;G162 X Y F2500
M109 S0 T0; Set bed temperature
M104 S0 T0 ; set temperature to 0
G1 Z145 F150 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<This one lowers the platform
M70 P5 ( We <3 Making Things!)
M72 P1 ( Play Ta-Da song )

G1 Z145 F150 means set Z to 145 mm at a speed of (F) 150. You can probably increase the speed but I am happy doing it slowly because it puts less noise on the wires if it is slower and with all the other motors off they are susceptible to moving when they shouldn't because of the noise.

[jdash3d]

Hello!

Thanks for your thorough response! I just have no idea how to do that! Sorry, beginner here. Where/how do I add the command to the end.gcode?

[MBSupport]

Hey everyone,

This just started happening recently. My Makerbot Replicator 2 build platform just stays where it is when the print is complete and the extruder just sits on the print wherever it last stopped. This results in a glob of PLA at the top of my print and I have to be very careful when removing the platform. The ONLY way to get my platform to reset is to tell the printer to start a new print and then cancel.

So, has anyone experienced this?

1) Is this a print file issue where the command to lower the build plate isn't included?
2) Do I need to reinstall the firmware?
3) Is there a setting in the menu to at least manually reset the build plate to the lowest position if it doesn't do it automatically after printing?

BTW, I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it but this problem seems to have started shortly after updating to the latest version of the Makerbot Desktop software - 3.7.0.95.

Thanks!

Your file/sd card may be corrupt or you may simply need to re-export the file. This is a pretty common issue with 3.7. Please re-format your SD card, re-slice your object, and try the print again.

[jdash3d]

Your file/sd card may be corrupt or you may simply need to re-export the file. This is a pretty common issue with 3.7. Please re-format your SD card, re-slice your object, and try the print again.

Thanks! I'll give that a shot. Hopefully this problem will be solved with the next version of the software. Here's something worth noting if there is an issue with the software:

I've noticed that the new software can be flaky from machine to machine. We have a laptop that seems to export any file without issue. But my workstation seems to have issues exporting anything at "standard" quality. It'll do low and high, but standard exports always error out with a slicing error. And the prints that I'm printing now are standard quality prints. Naturally, I needed to export them from the laptop. Do you know what may be causing that selective issue?

[MBSupport]

Thanks! I'll give that a shot. Hopefully this problem will be solved with the next version of the software. Here's something worth noting if there is an issue with the software:

I've noticed that the new software can be flaky from machine to machine. We have a laptop that seems to export any file without issue. But my workstation seems to have issues exporting anything at "standard" quality. It'll do low and high, but standard exports always error out with a slicing error. And the prints that I'm printing now are standard quality prints. Naturally, I needed to export them from the laptop. Do you know what may be causing that selective issue?

I sent you a PM. I want to get your logs.