MakerBot Industries

To see the link go to imgur dot com, then put in a slash, and the code I had before. I wish there was a less awkward way to do this but I still have zero karma.

I can't print large objects because slip occurs as it it building layers and this offset ruins the print. If you are able to look at the photo it will be obvious. It is just that sometimes when printing small objects I get lucky and this does not happen.

Here is the link so others can see it: http://i.imgur.com/ZTq1M.jpg

Be sure that the set screws in the pulleys are also firmly in place. The belts may be properly tensioned (not tool much not too little) but the motor axle slips under certain conditions. Just saw someone else with a more serious version of this problem. Have you calibrated the voltages on the stepper boards according to the Wiki?

I would also try a different profile in RepG, like the one for the ABP if you are using the HBP for now (same extruder and filament). I saw that happen to me - a random problem in the print that disappeared with a new profile - sometimes they just get cranky.

This all assumes that the part does not come unglued during the print and that the would build platform moves to a different location than it was supposed to be.

Thanks for the help. I will definitely check the set screw. I need to take out the Y-axis motore anyway because I realized the gasket is on the wrong side of the acrylic. Silly me.

I remember calibrating the voltages on the stepper boards as close as I reasonably could. How accurate do I actually need to be?

I am using the ABP in my bot and on my RepG profile. Should I try changing my settings to the HBP to see if it goes away?

And no, the parts do not come unglued from the platform, unless it is early in the print and the extruder catches one of those plastic flakes, then it gets all messed up.

I checked my belts and re calibrated, but it is still happening, although to a lesser degree.
There is definitely an audible high-pitched uhhhnk sound and the stepper motor slips, causing the print of to offset a bit. Right now I am playing around with my extruder height to see if it will help.

Early on with my printer two gears - the X-axis and the Stepstruder became loose. They each had their own problems. The X-axis printed would shift periodically and the Stepstruder the filament would periodically not feed so the plastic was sparse or non-existant.

If this is a new printer - re-snug the set screws on your motor gears. May not be your solution but, wouldn't hurt. You might find something.

Oh, did you align the bushings? Take the platform in two hands and kinda tweak it around. Do the same with the Z-platform on the ToM. The wood may creak a little but, unless you are some grease monkey from Frisco (This is to someone I owe bananas.) you won't break them. And - Did you oil the rods/bushings? A few drops of 3-in-1 or similar is good enough. Margarine/Butter/veggie oil in a pinch? ;-)

Thanks for the help. It is a new printer, and I am having those same problems where one axis will shift.
At this point the set screws on my motors are quite tight. :)
I have aligned the bushings, it worked really well to loosen up my Y-axis, but I still have the same problems. I have uploaded a Youtube video that captures the sound of what happens when they slip.
It is important to listen to the sound because I noticed when playing around with it that if I physically prevented one of the axis from moving it was a totally different sound.
I have checked the reference voltages on my motor controllers and they are as close as I can get them. If they have to be closer than 0.1 Volts to the recommended settings then I don't think I can get them closer.

put this in after the slash on youtube: watch?v=x8n40bxVC18&t=0m15s
I wish I could post links.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8n40bxVC18&t=0m15s

I am curious about your posting links also - I just cut and pasted the above.

Anyway - I've some drivel below but, I'd just contact MBI support if I were you. Show them your picture and video and ask them. They've got a few years of printing up at corporate.

Well, I'm sorry I can't hear anything out of the ordinary. I hear the shaking when it stutters during infil on a thin section. This is when the table shakes back and forth to zig-zag a fill between to wall sections. Since you are printing that wheel (gear?) the machine will shake a lot. Now, funny thing - if the belts are too tight it will bind and ??? did you oil the idler pulleys at the ends of the X and Y belts opposite of the motors?

Zero karma users cannot post hyperlinks! It is some anti-spam feature.

The noises on the video are absolutely normal except for the little screech at 0:40 when it moves on the X direction. There seems to be a different sound and I would put more oil and check for pieces of plastic or other stuff that could be interfering with the movement. I had a piece of plastic stuck under X-carriage once.

If every thing else fails contact MBI and they should be ble to help as bstoot suggested.

Thanks for all the help. it appears that most of the problem has come from the bushings not being as well aligned with each other as they could be. I took them out and glued them back in place with the metal shaft in there at the same time. It is much smoother now.
I also enlarged the hole that the Y-axis belt goes through. It is currently a lot *Better*. I am hoping that as I continue to use my bot it will free up even more and it will go away.