[left]Hello,[/left][left]I have just finished construction of my Afinibot A1 3D printer.[/left][left]The instructions did have some errors and omissions - I’ve tried to capture them as annotations in this pdf.[/left][left]Step.1 Afinibot A1 Installation Guide.pdf (1.94 MB)[/left][left]I also have three important-looking components left over…[/left][left]
[/left][left]I have played around with the controls and have noticed some unexpected behaviour I hope you could help me with.[/left][left]
1) Stepper motor wiring (fixed?)[/left][left]When moving each axis up and down the X and Y axes were inverted compared to the Z-axis. Moving the X and Y axes into the limit switches at the top didn’t stop the motors and I couldn’t reverse to move away from the limit switches. I thought this would be because the X and Y axes stepper motors were wired in reverse according to the instructions.[/left][left]So I rewired the X and Y stepper motors from Black Green Blue Red as shown in the instructions to Blue Red Black Green. The Z axis remained wired Black Green Blue Red.[/left]
[left]This made all axes work correctly i.e. X Home, Y Home, Z Home and All Home take each slider to the top and quit when they trip the limit switch.[/left]
[left]Does this sound correct?[/left][left]
2) Leveling instructions[/left][left]I’ve tried to follow the levelling instructions for the A1, however, the menus presented don’t match. On page three the is no Z Calib menu. I found a Levelling Auxiliary menu which includes a Z Position sub-menu, but this only controls the single Z-axis motor, not the ‘global Z axis’ position of the nozzle.[/left][left]There is no Set Z=0 option. Furthermore, when the nozzle is low near the bed and All Home is selected, the controller moves each axis back to the top one at a time.[/left][left]This jams up the mechanism and I have to switch off the machine.[/left][left]This printer seems to be controlled as if it had three independent axis arms rather than a delta of motors that must work together to control the position of the nozzle.[/left][left]To move in global x, y or z directions, all three motors need to be involved.[/left][left]
Step.2 Afinibot A1 Leveling Guide -V1.2.3.pdf (1.31 MB)[/left][left]I am thinking that I’m missing some setting or maybe the firmware on the printer is not correct. Do you have any advice?[/left]
[left]Best Wishes,[/left][left]workingmatt[/left]
Hi workingmatt,
First thing to do, as you mentioned, would be to upgrade the Melzi board firmware.
Attached is the current firmware version we got from the manufacturer of the Afinibot A1. There is a user manual to be found inside as well.
Let us know if the proper menu is now available inside.
Best regards,
A1 Firmware & AVRUpdataTool.rar (829 KB)
Hi Eric,
I installed the firmware, rewired the stepper motors as in the original instructions, and have levelled the bed. There were some differences between the instructions and available menus/options but nothing that seemed to stop the levelling process.
I do have an issue in that I can’t get out of dry run mode. It goes through the motions of printing without heating the nozzle or feeding the filament. I’m also finding ‘unknown printer firmware’ and other errors in Repetier-Host when slicing. I think I’m getting through some of those, any advice you may have would be most welcome.
Best Wishes,
WorkingMatt
WorkingMatt,
We looked online and this mode is usually initiated by a bad reading of thermal sensor (termistor).
Please have a look at them to be sure they are connected right.
Info found on RepRap HERE
Hi Eric,
I have connected Repetier-Host to the printer. I am getting a good temperature reading for the extruder that goes up when I hold the extruder with my hot clammy fingers.
I am getting an error “heated bed: temp sensor defect”. The printer doesn’t have a heated bed - the second fan aimed at the extruder heat exchanger is connected to the terminals labelled Hotbed Pwr. I suspect that is what’s causing the problem.
Best Wishes,
WorkingMatt.
We forgot to tell but the Spring Clips are used on the belt to get them tight.
It remove some slop in the belt. (image attached)
for the Bed Thermistor, do you have any settings in your GCode / Slicer for an heat bed ? If the system try to heat the bed it might cause problems.
Otherwise we will have to ask Afinibot to know if their firmware have the temp probe set by default and if they can remove it.
Hi Eric,
thanks for the heads up about the springs.
I can find only one setting related to a heated bed in the Slic3r configuration, on the Filament Settings tab, a temperature setting for the bed. It is currently set to First layer: 0 and Other layers 0.
In Repetier-Host Printer Settings there is a setting for Default heated bed temperature set to 0 degC. This is on the Behaviour tab.
Hope that helps.
Best Wishes,
Matt.
We tried on another printer which use the same control board here (Afinibot A3) and tried to print with the temp sensor removed and we have the same issue.
An email was sent to Afinibot explaining this and requesting another firmware, sorry about this.
Here is a file and updater sent today from our request, try this one.
AfinibotA1 - 07-28-2016.zip (944 KB)
Eric,
the printer is working now. Thanks for your help.
There appears to be an issue with a blocked nozzle which I’ll start a new thread for.
Best Wishes,
WorkingMatt.
Hi WorkingMatt,
No need to create a new topic, you can stay here.
The nozzle is clogged ? What’s the behavior ?
Hi Dailfonzo
Would you be able to share that file again?
The first firmware hex file you loaded also supports a hated bed on a a1 I need that one.
Regards
Gerhard
Hi Gerhard,
Here is the files but be careful as we didn’t tested those files.
A1 Firmware & AVRUpdataTool.zip (937.5 KB)
All the best,
Thank You
For some reason it stil does not want to download it says the file is either private or moved?
Regards
We seems to have an issue with the “click” but you can right click and save as or middle click on your mouse wheel.
Our team will work the issue soon.
thanks,
