Going to hit it with a hammer!!

[MathewBuer]

ive been messing around now with my CTC3D Dual printer for well over 2 months now, maybe even 3,

the problem i have is i can not get the printer dial-ed in no matter what settings i input into it.

has anyone got one of these which is printing nicely who wants to share there profile with me ?

i am currently using the makerware software, i have also upgraded the 3dprinter to the latest sailfish firmware.

Regards
Mathew

[Alibert]

It would help us help you if you would tell us what the problem is?

Filament type?
Print settings?
Problem pictures?

I use S3D myself, so do not have Makerbot profiles. However, once knowing what your problem is I may still be able to help.

[MathewBuer]

@Alibert i will get some photos when i get home from work later,

i will also export the profile i am currently using.

Regards

PS is S3D Worth the 150$ ?

[Stwert]

As far as S3D goes I was more than a little bit, let's say cautious, the way people bang on about it. Seemed like a lot of money when there's plenty of free options.
But eventually I bit the bullet to see what all of the fuss was about and I've never looked back. It was worth every penny, really happy with it.

[Alibert]

I do a lot of complex prints and use S3D exclusively as it allows me the highest control and the very complex multi-profile prints (different profles for different objects on the plate, multiple profiles per z-height for singel objects). I also save all my projects as factory files (all stl objects + all profiles 'frozen' in one archive file) so that I can tinker with the settings (or replace stl objects with newer versions) later on.

As such, yes it is worth it. If you do not need that kind of control then a freeware slicer will do fine as well.

[MathewBuer]

Hi Guys,

sorry for taking ages with getting the settings but here they are

{
"_attached_extruders" : [ "mk8", "mk8" ],
"_bot" : "replicatordual",
"_extruders" : [ 1 ],
"_materials" : [ "pla", "pla" ],
"adjacentFillLeakyConnections" : false,
"adjacentFillLeakyDistanceRatio" : 0,
"anchorExtrusionAmount" : 5.0,
"anchorExtrusionSpeed" : 2.0,
"anchorWidth" : 2.0,
"backlashEpsilon" : 0.050,
"backlashFeedback" : 0.90,
"backlashX" : 0.0,
"backlashY" : 0.090,
"bedZOffset" : 0.0,
"bridgeAnchorMinimumLength" : 0.80,
"bridgeAnchorWidth" : 0.80,
"bridgeMaximumLength" : 80.0,
"bridgeSpacingMultiplier" : 1.0,
"coarseness" : 9.999999747378752e-05,
"commentClose" : "",
"commentOpen" : ";",
"computeVolumeLike2_1_0" : false,
"defaultExtruder" : 0,
"defaultRaftMaterial" : 0,
"defaultSupportMaterial" : 0,
"description" : "TEST",
"doAnchor" : true,
"doBacklashCompensation" : false,
"doBreakawaySupport" : false,
"doBridging" : true,
"doDynamicSpeed" : false,
"doDynamicSpeedGradually" : true,
"doDynamicSpeedInteriorShells" : false,
"doDynamicSpeedOutermostShell" : true,
"doExponentialDeceleration" : false,
"doExternalSpurs" : true,
"doFixedLayerStart" : false,
"doFixedShellStart" : true,
"doInfills" : true,
"doInsets" : true,
"doInternalSpurs" : false,
"doMixedRaft" : false,
"doMixedSupport" : false,
"doOutlines" : true,
"doPrintLayerMessages" : false,
"doPrintProgress" : true,
"doPurgeWall" : false,
"doRaft" : false,
"doSplitLongMoves" : true,
"doSupport" : false,
"doSupportUnderBridges" : false,
"endGcode" : "",
"exponentialDecelerationMinSpeed" : 0.0,
"extruderProfiles" : [
{
"bridgesExtrusionProfile" : "bridges",
"feedDiameter" : 1.769999980926514,
"feedstockMultiplier" : 0.930,
"firstLayerExtrusionProfile" : "firstLayer",
"firstLayerRaftExtrusionProfile" : "firstLayerRaft",
"floorSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "floorSurfaceFills",
"infillsExtrusionProfile" : "infill",
"insetsExtrusionProfile" : "insets",
"layerHeight" : 0.20,
"maxSparseFillThickness" : 0.10,
"nozzleDiameter" : 0.40,
"outlinesExtrusionProfile" : "outlines",
"raftBaseExtrusionProfile" : "raftBase",
"raftExtrusionProfile" : "raft",
"restartExtraDistance" : 0.0,
"restartExtraDistance2" : 0,
"restartExtraRate" : 25.0,
"restartExtraRate2" : -1,
"restartRate" : 25.0,
"restartRate2" : 25,
"retractDistance" : 1.299999952316284,
"retractDistance2" : 0,
"retractRate" : 25.0,
"retractRate2" : 50,
"roofSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "roofSurfaceFills",
"sparseRoofSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "sparseRoofSurfaceFills",
"toolchangeRestartDistance" : 18.50,
"toolchangeRestartRate" : 6.0,
"toolchangeRetractDistance" : 19.0,
"toolchangeRetractRate" : 6.0
},
{
"bridgesExtrusionProfile" : "bridges",
"feedDiameter" : 1.769999980926514,
"feedstockMultiplier" : 0.930,
"firstLayerExtrusionProfile" : "firstLayer",
"firstLayerRaftExtrusionProfile" : "firstLayerRaft",
"floorSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "floorSurfaceFills",
"infillsExtrusionProfile" : "infill",
"insetsExtrusionProfile" : "insets",
"layerHeight" : 0.20,
"maxSparseFillThickness" : 0.10,
"nozzleDiameter" : 0.40,
"outlinesExtrusionProfile" : "outlines",
"raftBaseExtrusionProfile" : "raftBase",
"raftExtrusionProfile" : "raft",
"restartExtraDistance" : 0.0,
"restartExtraDistance2" : 0,
"restartExtraRate" : 25.0,
"restartExtraRate2" : -1,
"restartRate" : 25.0,
"restartRate2" : 25,
"retractDistance" : 1.299999952316284,
"retractDistance2" : 0,
"retractRate" : 25.0,
"retractRate2" : 50,
"roofSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "roofSurfaceFills",
"sparseRoofSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "sparseRoofSurfaceFills",
"toolchangeRestartDistance" : 18.50,
"toolchangeRestartRate" : 6.0,
"toolchangeRetractDistance" : 19.0,
"toolchangeRetractRate" : 6.0
}
],
"extruderTemp0" : 211,
"extruderTemp1" : 210,
"extrusionProfiles" : {
"bridges" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 40.0
},
"firstLayer" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 30.0
},
"firstLayerRaft" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 50.0
},
"floorSurfaceFills" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 90.0
},
"infill" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 90.0
},
"insets" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 90.0
},
"outlines" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 40.0
},
"raft" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 90.0
},
"raftBase" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 10.0
},
"roofSurfaceFills" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 90.0
},
"sparseRoofSurfaceFills" : {
"fanSpeed" : 0.50,
"feedrate" : 90.0
}
},
"fixedLayerStartX" : 0.0,
"fixedLayerStartY" : 0.0,
"fixedShellStartDirection" : 215.0,
"floorSolidThickness" : 0,
"floorSurfaceThickness" : 0,
"floorThickness" : 1.0,
"gridSpacingMultiplier" : 1.0,
"infillDensity" : 0.3000000119209290,
"infillOrientationInterval" : 90,
"infillOrientationOffset" : 0,
"infillOrientationRange" : 90,
"infillShellSpacingMultiplier" : 0.70,
"insetDistanceMultiplier" : 1.0,
"jsonToolpathOutput" : false,
"layerHeight" : 0.1500000059604645,
"leakyConnectionsAdjacentDistance" : 0.0,
"maxConnectionLength" : 10.0,
"maxSparseFillThickness" : 0.1500000059604645,
"maxSpurWidth" : 0.50,
"minLayerDuration" : 5.0,
"minLayerHeight" : 0.010,
"minRaftBaseGap" : 0.0,
"minSpeedMultiplier" : 0.30,
"minSpurLength" : 0.40,
"minSpurWidth" : 0.120,
"minThickInfillImprovement" : 1.0,
"modelFillProfiles" : {},
"numberOfShells" : 2,
"platformTemp" : 0,
"purgeBucketSide" : 4.0,
"purgeWallBaseFilamentWidth" : 2.0,
"purgeWallBasePatternLength" : 10.0,
"purgeWallBasePatternWidth" : 8.0,
"purgeWallModelOffset" : 2.0,
"purgeWallPatternWidth" : 2.0,
"purgeWallSpacing" : 1.0,
"purgeWallWidth" : 0.50,
"purgeWallXLength" : 30.0,
"raftAligned" : true,
"raftBaseAngle" : 0.0,
"raftBaseDensity" : 0.6999999880790710,
"raftBaseLayers" : 1,
"raftBaseRunGapRatio" : 0.8000000119209290,
"raftBaseRunLength" : 15.0,
"raftBaseThickness" : 0.3000000119209290,
"raftBaseWidth" : 2.50,
"raftExtraOffset" : 0.0,
"raftFillProfiles" : {},
"raftInterfaceAngle" : 45.0,
"raftInterfaceDensity" : 0.3000000119209290,
"raftInterfaceLayers" : 1,
"raftInterfaceThickness" : 0.2700000107288361,
"raftInterfaceWidth" : 0.4000000059604645,
"raftModelSpacing" : 0.3499999940395355,
"raftOutset" : 4.0,
"raftSurfaceAngle" : 0.0,
"raftSurfaceLayers" : 3,
"raftSurfaceShellSpacingMultiplier" : 0.70,
"raftSurfaceShells" : 2,
"raftSurfaceThickness" : 0.1400000005960464,
"roofAnchorMargin" : 0.40,
"roofSolidThickness" : 0,
"roofSurfaceThickness" : 0,
"roofThickness" : 1.0,
"shellsLeakyConnections" : false,
"solidFillOrientationInterval" : 90,
"solidFillOrientationOffset" : -45,
"solidFillOrientationRange" : 90,
"sparseInfillPattern" : "hexagonal",
"splitMinimumDistance" : 0.40,
"spurOverlap" : 0.0010,
"startGcode" : "",
"startPosition" : {
"x" : -112,
"y" : -73,
"z" : 0
},
"supportAligned" : true,
"supportAngle" : 68.0,
"supportDensity" : 0.2000000029802322,
"supportExcessive" : false,
"supportExtraDistance" : 0.50,
"supportFillProfiles" : {},
"supportLayerHeight" : 0.1000000014901161,
"supportLeakyConnections" : true,
"supportModelSpacing" : 0.4000000059604645,
"supportRoofModelSpacing" : 0.4000000059604645,
"thickLayerThreshold" : 0,
"thickLayerVolumeMultiplier" : 1,
"travelSpeedXY" : 150.0,
"travelSpeedZ" : 23.0,
"version" : "3.9.3"
}


all of my prints are a little crappy tbh, ive used different types/makes of PLA and they all seem to print the same.

Regards

[Alibert]

A picture of a (failed) printed object would be nice to have something to go on.

As to the settings, the temp should work but I would not go any higher. Lower down to 190-195 maybe.

As to the speeds, I presume 'feedrate' means mm/s ? (I don't use Makerbot or its profiles myself)

If so, then lower all feedrates of 90.0 etc down to 45.0 max. 90 mm/s is way, way,way too fast. The extruder can not reliably push plastic out of the nozzle at that speed. This is also dependent on the layer height. The amount of plastic the nozzle can extrude is limited to a volume per time unit, not speed. With higher layers, the speed must come down to remain below the limit of the extruder. You will find a good read on that topic here: http://www.extrudable.me/2013/04/18/...ty-and-limits/

Start slow and then when results are good you can increase speeds in small steps and re-testalong the way.

[MathewBuer]

ill try to print something this morning with the new settings, i will post the outcome of what it looks like in a few hours

thanks for your help Alibert

[MathewBuer]

For some reasons i cant post the images so ive had to link them

https://s32.postimg.org/huf8eybth/20160702_090126.jpg
https://s32.postimg.org/qv3gxq2j9/20160702_090135.jpg

Regards

[Alibert]

Second image is coming the right way. The strings on the bottom is because the heatbed is not levelled right. Or the speed of the first layer is too high. You need to get this first layer put down really, really well for the rest of the print to succeed. A height difference of 0.1mm determines make or fail for a great deal. Take a piece of paper and level it as explained elsewhere (google is your friend). Reduce the first layer speed to 20 mm/s max.

Also, you may need to consider the bed material. I and many others have good success with a glass plate and the right kind of hairspray. If you can't find the right kind of hairspray, then 3Dlac is excellent. I use 3Dlac all the time and it has never failed me. The glass plate can't be scratched/torn like tape or kapton, and you can wash off the hiarspray/3Dlac with warm water to get a perfectely clean heatbed again. Well worth the investment. Also the bottom layer becomes really smooth and shiny.