Calibration issues

[Dust2Dust02]

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***************EDIT: ANSWERS at the end of this post:****************
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First off, this doesn't look like the manual. I am putting the amount I am away from the bed at Z0 into the homing offset fields and it is now Z0 nicely. The PID settings and the home settings are not staying. Everytime I disconnect they reset, is this normal?

EEPROM

I am also having an issue with my home switch set screw calibration.
See below and the codes that were issued to get me there.

G28

GOOD

GO Z0

GOOD

G0 Z10(5 hits the Onyx) X0 Y90 F3500

As noted the +5 hits the print bed, adjusting the screw makes it better, but then my Z0 gets screwed up...

G0 Z10 X77.94 Y-45 F3500

G0 Z10 X-77.94 Y-45 F3500

GO Z100 X0 Y0

Corrected by Manual to Z0 X24 Y25 (centered)

As I understand it the Commands are going to put me near a tower each time. It seems that the calibration puts me only near my x tower.

The issue mainly is that something is wacky and I am at a loss of where to start. Also it seems I am somehow offset from "0,0" at somepoint. I have to G28 to get it back.

Also, going straight down (Z commands only) sends me down vertically, adding X0 and Y0 seems to make it NOT centered. What am I missing?

Any help is appreciated.

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**************EDIT: You can read the rest of this thread if you like but I have compiled the answers here as well.*************
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So far the issues have been injecting the CORRECT firmware (I had injected Marlin apparently, the one that comes with Audrino). https://github.com/seemecnc/RepetierMAX-Dev NOT http://github.com/seemecnc/RepetierMAX as in the manual.

I found these Videos very useful in this endeavor however it should be noted his settings are not what you should use per say. It REALLY depends on your hardware as you will see.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4yMV18oMbw[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BlvPaii9nw[/youtube]

This one I did not need and is worst case scenario but useful.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC4Pv15Ibco[/youtube]



The steps per mm were off because of a weird combination of Rambo 1.1 and old gears (15teeth)

Current Rostock MAX kits ship with 20 tooth pulleys and RAMBo v1.1, which has 16x microsteps. It sounds like you have an older kit with 15 tooth pulleys. You might also have RAMBo v1.0, which has 8x microsteps.

• 20 tooth, 16x => 80 steps/mm
• 20 tooth, 8x => 40 steps/mm
• 15 tooth, 16x => 106.67 steps/mm
• 15 tooth, 8x =>53.33 steps/mm

(Hope my math is right...)

And me not knowing about the EEPROM and how to over ride it.

Where is that?

Per the link, the Eprom will get you every time. Turn the eprom off when you update the steps per mm by setting it to 0 when you copy the new configuration over
then set the eprom to 1 and upload again. Or you could try the M500 which sometimes does not work per what I have read.

In configuration.h #define EEPROM_MODE 1 (setting this to 0 turns off the EEPROM)

I am still fiddling with the height but all 5 points of an x-50,0,50 y-50,0,50 are now just barely pinching paper.

[Dust2Dust02]

Through watching a video I see M500 command locks in the settings with the old Repetier? I will try that to fix the one issue...

[Dust2Dust02]

So, I thought I had flashed the firmware on my Rambo, guess I didn't. I went through the steps again and flashed the firmware. Lcd works and GO Z100 X0 Y0 gives normal results. Will see if other issues resolved later.

[geneb]

By the first screenshot I saw, you have Marlin installed - all the information in the manual only covers Repetier-firmware, not Marlin.

g.

[Dust2Dust02]

Is Marlin a firmware? That would make sense then.

[geneb]

Yes. There are two common firmware platforms for "reprap" style 3D printers. Marlin and Repetier-Firmware. The Rostock MAX has standardized on the Repetier version.

g.

[Dust2Dust02]

Hokay, so....

Here is my newest issues... Everything got better with the firmware.

Except now it wont go lower than this anymore (about 50mm). Before the Firmware fix I could tell Repetier Go z-(whatever) and it would oblige. It ignores me now.

This on the Repetier says it is 50mm (calipers say 36.85mm)

And when I change the heights in the configuration in Repetier it seems to have no affect. Even after I use M500

Everything else seems to be working fine now. The test position commands go to one axis only now, but not very near it. G28 homes all axis at once.

Here is my Conf as it sits.

Conf-h.txt

(48.74 KiB) Downloaded 368 times

I have the all aluminum gears at 15 teeth, board set to 301, steps set to 16 since I have the Rambo 1.1 , I think?

Thanks guys!

Just to clarify, my questions are how do I fix the issue of it not moving the right distance, and how do I get it to go to real Z0 now?

[Dust2Dust02]

Want

To

Print

So

Bad...

[Eaglezsoar]

Are you sure your gears are 15 teeth?
That doesn't sound right with a Rambo of 1.1b
They are normally 20 teeth, did you count them?

[Dust2Dust02]

These are not my kind. Mine do not have the shoulders on them, they are the all aluminum with the big a$$ screw, not the grub.

[Eaglezsoar]

There have been many iterations of the Rostock Max and I have seen the type of gear you are talking about with the big ass screw
but I do not remember how many teeth it had. I looked it up and your type does appear to have 15 teeth. The picture shows the
15 tooth and the 20 tooth gears. The tooth count is not your problem. We need someone else to jump in and help with this problem
any users reading this and think they can help, please jump in. The original questions are how do I fix the issue of it not moving the right distance, and how do I get it to go to real Z0 now?

15Tooth.jpg (32.24 KiB) Viewed 14076 times

[Dust2Dust02]

Yep, it's the one on the left. It seems to me that the issue I am seeing is slightly because of the fact the Rambo thinks I am going further than I am and it cuts me off, 360mm only being 310 or whatever. That is why I think the "teeth" are screwed up or something, but I changed them? Is there another setting I should look at? Are there anyone else with a working 1.1 with the old gears that can upload their CONF that I can use . Is there a place where people upload working Confs? (There should be )

The other issue of it not "taking" the height change or letting me go to a negative Z is not related but strange all the same.

Whatever the issue I am at a loss for the moment.

[Eaglezsoar]

The steps per mm are off somewhere, that's what is causing it not to move the right distance. See this link for the correct steps per mm.
http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=2474&p=18143

[Eaglezsoar]

If you are using the same configuration.h that you posted you have your steps per mm set to 80 which is incorrect.
They should be 106.x per the link I gave you.

[Dust2Dust02]

NICE, I will try that! Thanks!

[Eaglezsoar]

Per the link, the Eprom will get you every time. Turn the eprom off when you update the steps per mm by setting it to 0 when you copy the new configuration over
then set the eprom to 1 and upload again. Or you could try the M500 which sometimes does not work per what I have read. I will be on board for a few more hours
if you want to get this working, I will monitor this thread.

[Dust2Dust02]

Where is that?

Per the link, the Eprom will get you every time. Turn the eprom off when you update the steps per mm by setting it to 0 when you copy the new configuration over
then set the eprom to 1 and upload again. Or you could try the M500 which sometimes does not work per what I have read.

Edit: Found it.

[Eaglezsoar]

Where is that?

Per the link, the Eprom will get you every time. Turn the eprom off when you update the steps per mm by setting it to 0 when you copy the new configuration over
then set the eprom to 1 and upload again. Or you could try the M500 which sometimes does not work per what I have read.

In configuration.h #define EEPROM_MODE 1 (setting this to 0 turns off the EEPROM)

[Batteau62]

Capture.PNG (6.88 KiB) Viewed 14073 times

I could be wrong, but these eeprom values look to high to me? Mine are more like 386.5 and I have Trick Laser "add an inch" carriages on my Max.

[Eaglezsoar]

Capture.PNG

I could be wrong, but these eeprom values look to high to me? Mine are more like 386.5 and I have Trick Laser "add an inch" carriages on my Max.

Yeah, good catch. They should be around 363 or so. We are changing the steps per mm to what they should be then we can work on the axis lengths.

[Eaglezsoar]

Dust2Dust02- After you get the steps per mm working you need to set your Z height. Your eprom settings show that your X Y Z maximum lengths are not correct or even close.
If you do not have the latest manual for the Rostock Max download it here: http://www.geneb.org/rostock-max/Rostoc ... -Guide.pdf
After you have the manual go to page 168 (actual page, not the one shown on the reader) and follow all the steps to adjust your Z height.
After you complete the adjustments to your Z height you should be ready to print. I am shutting down for the night but after you get this finished please leave me a note
on this thread telling me if you are printing or need more help.

[Eaglezsoar]

Dust2Dust02 - How you doing on that printer? Are you up and running yet?

[Dust2Dust02]

Pppbsh, I wish. I had maybe about 10 min last night to tinker, the GF was wondering why it was taking me so long to "brush my teeth", lol. So the steps per MM seem to be better now. I figured out the EEPROM thing and was fiddling with that as well. I need to measure the run and make sure 50mm is indeed 50mm. However one thing happened that got me really excited, all these coordinates just barely held paper!

GO Z.001 x50 y0
GO Z.001 x0 y50
GO Z.001 x-50 y0
GO Z.001 x0 y-50
GO Z.001 x0 y0

Then as my GF was getting impatient something went crazy and set it all back, I think it was the config in Repetier but now I am on the right track. My Z height that gave me those incredible plot points was 400 I think? So if I am doing something wrong, then I guess it's right. I will have to check, it may also be 370 as well, not sure. I will report back once it is set.

Thanks you guys! So much

Dust2Dust02 - How you doing on that printer? Are you up and running yet?

[geneb]

Oh jeeze. Look, the drive gears make a HUGE difference. They're not only different in tooth count, but in diameter as well. The current firmware is configured for the newer, larger gears. I don't even recall what the steps per mm are for the smaller gears. You want to replace those anyway as they'll eventually eat the belts.

g.

[Dust2Dust02]

I am really having a hard time justifying spending any more money on this "kit" since it was sold to me as a functioning printer.

I upgraded the arms because I did not want to spend the time to "calibrate" the stock ones myself. I have not even printed anything yet. If the smaller gears are indeed a defect I hope SeeMeCNC would offer to replace them even if only at their cost.

I do understand (now) that the drive gear size matters, I just thought it would have been touched on in the manual if it were something that may need to be changed and what it should be changed to.

I did understand that there would need to be a bit of fiddling to get everything right but I was not aware of how much variance there has been between kits and how little centralized documentation there is on how to calibrate for each variance. I believe a simple interactive tree of each part of the Rostock, it's variances and their general settings would be extremely helpful. Or maybe a multiple config repository (one for 15tooth gear and Rambo 1.1, 20 and 1.0, etc...). Or even making all of the options written in the conf like it looks like someone has done with the board options, thermistor type and printer type sections.

Please don't take this as me being negative, this is just constructive criticism. I am explaining the issues I have had and the ways to hopefully fix them. I love the product and hope to assist SMC make it better and more user friendly for people who might not be so technologically adept as us.

I have even been thinking of making a little tutorial to help with the instructions but as many of us have said, SMC is a business not really open source anymore, they should be updating the instructions as they make changes. If I made one now it would not have any of the new pieces in the kit and would probably be just as confusing.

I will write a simple webpage and show you what I mean, if I have time.

Again, please forgive me if this comes of terse, it is not meant to be.

Oh jeeze. Look, the drive gears make a HUGE difference. They're not only different in tooth count, but in diameter as well. The current firmware is configured for the newer, larger gears. I don't even recall what the steps per mm are for the smaller gears. You want to replace those anyway as they'll eventually eat the belts.

g.