Aligning the gantry on FFCP 2016 help!

[wirlybird]

Does anyone have instruction/guide for aligning the gantry on a Flashforge creator pro 2016? It looks pretty straight forward but I do see that the pulley's do not have set screws.

Thanks for any tips.

[Sebastian Finke]

Can you be more specific? The printer should be aligned out the box. Are there any issues?

[wirlybird]

Can you be more specific? The printer should be aligned out the box. Are there any issues?

Yes I can be more specific. The gantry is out of alignment. I can see that it is. I know how to do my other machines that have set screws on the pulleys but this one does not so before jumping in to align I was wanting to see what the process is to align it.

Pretty simple, just looking for tips or a procedure on aligning it.

Thanks.

[Sebastian Finke]

Out of alignment how? The X and Y axis need to be square to one another and perpendicular to the Z axis. What exactly is out?

The pulleys don't align anything. Linear bearings on rods do that.

[wirlybird]

Out of alignment how? The X and Y axis need to be square to one another and perpendicular to the Z axis. What exactly is out?

The pulleys don't align anything. Linear bearings on rods do that.

What is not clear? The X is not perpendicular to the Y. It looks like the belt on one side jumped teeth on the pulley. In other words the gantry is crooked when you look down from the top.

The pulleys most certainly do play a part in alignment. On my other machines (same style) you loosen the set screws on the pulleys in each corner then move the gantry back and forth to "exercise" it then move it to the front stops making sure both sides are touching then retighten the rear pulley's set screws then repeat for the front. This is standard practice (straight from the Makerbot manual) but since this printer does not have set screws on the pulleys this method is not applicable.

[curious aardvark]

does it print okay ?

Or are you basing the desire to fiddle just by looking at it ?

[wirlybird]

does it print okay ?

Or are you basing the desire to fiddle just by looking at it ?

I am basing it on when I look down from the top it is very obvious it is very crooked. If I run the gantry to the back the right side will touch and the left is about a 1/4" from the limit switch. There is no mistaking it is way out.

I know everyone is wanting to help but I don't get the 20 questions!! I just asked for a procedure or method to re-align the thing!! I have goggled and found nothing other than jumping teeth on the belt.

Like I said my other machine are slightly different with set screws on the pulleys in each corner. I was just hoping for a little insight before jumping in!!

[curious aardvark]

does it have the standard metal belt tensioner ?
Looks like the spring that works a clothes peg.
If so just take that off to remove belt tension, adjust till you think it's right and put the tensioner back on.

At least that's how I would do it.

And the reason for the questions is that a lot of people will leap at a printer with a tool kit, when there's nothing wrong with it and the issue is often something simple entirely unrelated to the hardware setup :-)

We like to cover all bases before telling someone to start dismantling a working printer.

Given that most questions are asked by people fairly new to their printers, it's an approach that we have found works.
Sorry if it's annoyed you, but most people just don't give enough information for someone, who has not seen the machine in question, to base a proper answer on :-)

[wirlybird]

does it have the standard metal belt tensioner ?
Looks like the spring that works a clothes peg.
If so just take that off to remove belt tension, adjust till you think it's right and put the tensioner back on.

At least that's how I would do it.

And the reason for the questions is that a lot of people will leap at a printer with a tool kit, when there's nothing wrong with it and the issue is often something simple entirely unrelated to the hardware setup :-)

We like to cover all bases before telling someone to start dismantling a working printer.

Given that most questions are asked by people fairly new to their printers, it's an approach that we have found works.
Sorry if it's annoyed you, but most people just don't give enough information for someone, who has not seen the machine in question, to base a proper answer on :-)

I do appreciate the help and I understand - was just messing a bit!! I know you guys were just trying to make sure I was actually explaining a real issue and not just a bad print!! I forget sometimes that I need to be more detailed and remember that just because I know what I am looking at I shouldn't assume that my brief question is crystal clear!!

I was thinking to take off the tensioner and try jumping teeth and see how that goes. I have had to take a different one apart once and that was not fun. I never thought of the clothes pin analogy. I will have to see if I can squeeze that thing like that to get it back on. That would so much easier than the way I have fought it!

[curious aardvark]

never removed one - but looking at it - sees pretty simple.
Squeeze it flat, slide belt out. And reverse to put back.

having just had a tentative squeeze - it's not going to be that easy, and I'd use pliers, the metal ends of the spring are sharp :-)
But i'd put money on them being based on clothes peg springs, they are virtually identical.

Apparently I'm not the only person who noticed either: