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So I think the belt around my platform is too tight since the motor does move the belt at all. I tightened the set screws on the gears of the motor and the belt as well as checked to make sure I wired it correctly with the blue wire into the extruder controller. I still dont know how I can make this belt move.
Can you attach some pictures of the ABP?
Can you see if the axis (the metal rod, not the outside rubber tubing) is indeed moving when the motor turns on?
I dont think the metal rod is moving either. Although, during the testing phase, when I hit the Build platform belt box in the control panel, it moved for maybe a second then stopped. So I know it does move, but something is keeping it from going on any further.
Ok, this happens a lot when people build them, The silicone tubing got pushed on (and maybe you cut it a hair too long) so when compressed from the ends it's innner hole is not gripping the shaft. You need to stretch it out from the middle and then cut any extra to fit the outer bushings back on.
Then the setup was so tight that the little screw in the plastic gear is no longer providing enough friction to hold the gear and axle as one.
Take just the top gear out and file a notch with a metal file on the spot where the screw would touch the axle. That will create a flat spot that will provide greater cohesion between gear and axle.
Be sure that those little pieces of wood that stick out in the middle of the axle have not broken and are stuck underneath the platform preventing the belt from moving.
Before you put the gear back, put a little drop 3 in 1 oil (or WD40 that you sprayed inside a container) in the 4 spots in the nylon bushings where the axles touches the plexiglass and rotate the axle by hand or with a plier (it does normally seat pretty tight) to be sure that the lubricant is distributed inside the bushings. Clean the excess.
Before you put the gear back run the motor through the control panel and see that the motor gear really moves.
Put the top gear back and be sure that the screw is really holding - be careful not to destroy the part ( metal beats plastic! ).
Try the motor again and you should hopefully see some improvement at this point.
I stretched out the silicone tubing as Jetguy suggested as well as made sure the screw was hitting the flat spot of the axle on the motor and the belt still does not move. When i take off the gears, the axle and motor operate fine. When I put the bottom gear on, it still moves. When I put the top gear one but DONT tighten the screw, it moves fine. Once I tighten that screw on the top gear, the whole system does not move; the axle, the bottom gear, nothing moves at all yet I can hear the motor trying. I have oiled where the bushings touch the plexiglass but i was wondering if there was anything else that could be dont to fix this since I dont think oiling it would make that much of a difference.
When the motor gear is not in place, can you rotate the belt by hand by pulling the whole belt? I remember being able to do it before I moved to the HBP.
If that is too tight to move by hand then you should try removing the nylon bushings on the back side (that will give you a little bit more slack on the axis and belt and see if it get easier).
Weird. You can move the belt when both gears are in place and cannot when they are not there?
Is there any way you can post some pictures (actually a link to pictures in flickr or picasa)?
If you try to move the belt with the gears in place (and the screw tightened) you risk damaging the motor!
Without seeing the ABP it is going to be very hard to help you further.
Other things you could eventually do is to try other belts to see if they have the same problem and cut the little pieces of wood that stick out in the front and back of the ABP so they cannot be touching the belt (very remote chance that this is the problem) but I am running out of suggestions without pictures.
The system is very stiff when new. Turn the ABP motor on via the control panel and assist the belt to move, by hand. Sometimes if the belt moves several rounds it will loosen some. Mine had stuck to something (remnant tape, glue, varnish, ???) and I was able to loosen it this way. Also, warm the platform up to about 80C, let it cook for 5-10 minutes and then let it cool to the touch. Next, turn the belt on and if required move by hand to assist.
This is really not highly fragile. This is a machine and believe it or not. It is designed quite well. Mine was quite stiff but now works very well.
And moving the DC motor by hand will do nothing to it. If you worry about any feedback into the electronics while moving the DC motor without being on - just unplug it from the BP connection. You will not risk damaging the ABP DC motor moving it by hand.
So I let it cook for 10 minutes as suggested and turned the motor on and assisted it but it still did not work. I even raised the temperature to 100 and let it cook more. So far I have tried this cooking method as suggested by bstott, above, took off the bushing as suggested by Bluemetal and cut off excess tubing as suggested by Jetguy and I still can not get the belt to move. Maybe I need to increase the power?
You told us that the motor works by command through RepG. The belt turns when not attached to the motor. You install the gears and with the motor attached your system is now not able to turn the belt.
How many total belts do you have? One on the ABP and how many left over?
Do you have the belt threaded under the rubber wiper or did you trim the wiper to clear the belt? Is the belt free running across the top of the build platform. That is without rubbing or catching on anything? Is the belt free running under the build platform too? Does the belt rub against the underneath platform edges?
If you are comfortable taking the belt off. You should be after all this trouble. Right? Then you could possibly review all the places the belt is touching the entire assembly besides just the build surface and the rollers. If there are any other places where the belt is binding then lets see if we can eliminate it. What I did with my ABP was to chamfer the bottom front and back edges of the plywood to make it easier for putting on the belts. Is your belt rubbing at those two locations?
Is by any chance the front plate of the ABP (with the writing) preventing the belt from moving when in place. Have you tried it without it?
I have 1 belt on, and 1 belt left over as a replacement I suppose. The rubber wiper has been trimmed and it all fits under the belt. The belt is free running, it does not catch on anything. The belt does does not rub against the underneath platform edges. And no it is not hitting the front plate.
While setting up, it does require quite a bit of force to put on the belt.
With my TOM I received 3 belts and the Makerbot store sells them in sets of 3. You should have two left for replacement. Outside of seeing pictures or a video of the ABP failing, I have no more ideas.
I've said this before in the forum, when you push the tubing on the shafts, if it too long it will stay expanded. It works like the old fingercuffs so you must cut it short and stretch lengthwise to grip the shaft. Very common mistake during assembly.
