Hi all,
I built my Rostock following geneb, mhackney, polygonhell, cambo3d and others on this forum and found excellent advice and guidelines (a big thank you to all of you!). In fact, take a look at my first print (first 3d printer and first print ever) - I'm quite pleased! However, I ran into a problem when I attempted a second round of printing. My z axis is moving in the wrong direction regardless of firmware inversion setting. I have made multiple attempts to reload the firmware changing the inversion value, but the odd thing is that it has no effect. The axis continues to move the same incorrect way. The firmware compiles and upload work without any errors. Can someone give me advice or point me in the direction where I need to look? I do be confused on this one!
I'm using Repetier, slic3r and the latest config files from seemecnc. The inversion settings I used for that first print are:
#define INVERT_X_DIR true
#define INVERT_Y_DIR true
#define INVERT_Z_DIR false
Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Cheers!
Lee
Z-Axis Movement Problem
Re: Z-Axis Movement Problem
I'm sure this seems to be my standard troubleshooting reply, but check the crimps on the connector plugged into the RAMBo. If those appear good, try swapping pins 1 & 2 (red & blue for me) and don't forget to undo the configuration.h changes if you do.
I had the same problem on every stepper. I even went back and re-read the manual several times to make sure red was 1 and blue was 2 and still the only way I got them to work was to reverse pins 1 & 2 on each connector.
I had the same problem on every stepper. I even went back and re-read the manual several times to make sure red was 1 and blue was 2 and still the only way I got them to work was to reverse pins 1 & 2 on each connector.
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Jimustanguitar
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Re: Z-Axis Movement Problem
Does it move the right direction if you're using the manual controls in Repetier? Moving Z up and down manually should move all 3 axes in unison, in the same direction. If this works correctly, you may have a slicing/gcode problem. If the manual control doesn't work, you should look at inverting the directions. My personal advice is to switch the wires. It's not as quick and easy as modding the code, but it makes 1 less thing that you have to manually change when you try a new flavor of firmware (which isn't really that often, all things considered).
BTW, when you say that Z is the wrong direction, do you mean that the Z stepper motor is inverted, or that the hot-end moves the wrong direction up and down? Machine language vs Cartesian coordinates are confusing once in a while because they're both Z.
BTW, when you say that Z is the wrong direction, do you mean that the Z stepper motor is inverted, or that the hot-end moves the wrong direction up and down? Machine language vs Cartesian coordinates are confusing once in a while because they're both Z.
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foshon
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Re: Z-Axis Movement Problem
So if you type G28 and hit send what happens? If you type G0 F4000 Z50 what happens?
Purple = sarcasm
Please do a board search before posting your question, many have been answered with very time consuming detail already.
Please do a board search before posting your question, many have been answered with very time consuming detail already.
Re: Z-Axis Movement Problem
Hey all,
The connectors seem solid and I don't see anything amiss with them at this point. I have family coming into town for the weekend so I will have to put this troubleshooting on the backburner for a bit (time to clean the house!). When I said the Z axis was inverted, what I mean is that the x and y move properly, but the z carriage moves in the opposite direction it should. This is the problem I had initially when I started to configure it and a simple change of the INVERT_Z_DIR firmware parameter corrected the issue. Now, when I use a G28 command or any command (foshon - I haven't tried the command you mentioned, but I have tried G1 X0 Y0 Z300 F1200), the Z axis moves in the wrong direction. I have tried multiple times to recompile the firmware and upload it. It compiles without errors, it's connected to the correct COM port and it's successful uploading, but there's no difference in the behavior of the Z axis. I had been configuring a different filament color in the printer and was going to print another cube, I had to abort the print (using the Kill Job command) and when I tried any commands after that point, the Z axis was moving in the wrong direction.
The frustrating part is that my first print was really, really good (thanks to the hints from all the people on this forum). Thanks again for your help and any suggestions!
Lee
The connectors seem solid and I don't see anything amiss with them at this point. I have family coming into town for the weekend so I will have to put this troubleshooting on the backburner for a bit (time to clean the house!). When I said the Z axis was inverted, what I mean is that the x and y move properly, but the z carriage moves in the opposite direction it should. This is the problem I had initially when I started to configure it and a simple change of the INVERT_Z_DIR firmware parameter corrected the issue. Now, when I use a G28 command or any command (foshon - I haven't tried the command you mentioned, but I have tried G1 X0 Y0 Z300 F1200), the Z axis moves in the wrong direction. I have tried multiple times to recompile the firmware and upload it. It compiles without errors, it's connected to the correct COM port and it's successful uploading, but there's no difference in the behavior of the Z axis. I had been configuring a different filament color in the printer and was going to print another cube, I had to abort the print (using the Kill Job command) and when I tried any commands after that point, the Z axis was moving in the wrong direction.
The frustrating part is that my first print was really, really good (thanks to the hints from all the people on this forum). Thanks again for your help and any suggestions!
Lee
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foshon
- Printmaster!
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- Location: Just to the right of SeeMeCNC
Re: Z-Axis Movement Problem
leero wrote:Hey all,
The connectors seem solid and I don't see anything amiss with them at this point. I have family coming into town for the weekend so I will have to put this troubleshooting on the backburner for a bit (time to clean the house!). When I said the Z axis was inverted, what I mean is that the x and y move properly, but the z carriage moves in the opposite direction it should. This is the problem I had initially when I started to configure it and a simple change of the INVERT_Z_DIR firmware parameter corrected the issue. Now, when I use a G28 command or any command (foshon - I haven't tried the command you mentioned, but I have tried G1 X0 Y0 Z300 F1200), the Z axis moves in the wrong direction. I have tried multiple times to recompile the firmware and upload it. It compiles without errors, it's connected to the correct COM port and it's successful uploading, but there's no difference in the behavior of the Z axis. I had been configuring a different filament color in the printer and was going to print another cube, I had to abort the print (using the Kill Job command) and when I tried any commands after that point, the Z axis was moving in the wrong direction.
The frustrating part is that my first print was really, really good (thanks to the hints from all the people on this forum). Thanks again for your help and any suggestions!
Lee
If the z tower moves down the extrusion when you use g28 I would check to make sure that the firmware is set to z-max home and not z-min. G1 X0 Y0 Z300 should move the effector to to 300mm off the bed, regardless of what direction it has to go to get there with any axis. Any command you send "Z" wise is going to specify a distance from the bed. Z0 would be the bed.
Purple = sarcasm
Please do a board search before posting your question, many have been answered with very time consuming detail already.
Please do a board search before posting your question, many have been answered with very time consuming detail already.
Re: Z-Axis Movement Problem
Hey all,
I think cpunches had it. I have a bad connection on my z axis somewhere. I swapped x and z connections to test that theory and suddenly it behaved as it should. I swapped them back to normal and low and behold - z axis is working fine now. That seems to confirm it's a bad connection. When I get back from my family weekend I will rewire the z axis and start printing again. Lesson learned - I saw posts about wiring problems, but I didn't think that was it since the z axis would move up and down, just in the opposite direction I wanted. I should have realized: it was working, then it stopped. Gee, what would normally cause that? A broken wire! Well, this old dog has learned something new today. Thank you all for your help and suggestions.
Cheers,
Lee
I think cpunches had it. I have a bad connection on my z axis somewhere. I swapped x and z connections to test that theory and suddenly it behaved as it should. I swapped them back to normal and low and behold - z axis is working fine now. That seems to confirm it's a bad connection. When I get back from my family weekend I will rewire the z axis and start printing again. Lesson learned - I saw posts about wiring problems, but I didn't think that was it since the z axis would move up and down, just in the opposite direction I wanted. I should have realized: it was working, then it stopped. Gee, what would normally cause that? A broken wire! Well, this old dog has learned something new today. Thank you all for your help and suggestions.
Cheers,
Lee