And the print just STOPPED

[Proto]

I'm having a bit pf trouble printing with my Rostock MAX and MatterControl. I am currently live printing and about 1/2 way through everything just Stopped. This is not the first time I have had this problem. And on certain jobs, it doesn't matter if I'm live printing or printing off of a SD card.

This time I am printing basically a 3.5"od x 3"id x 3" long tube. I have had this issue on other prints.

program - MatterControl 1.2.1
Slicer - CuraEngine (I've had similar problems with MaterSlicer also)

On the Max's Display
Hot End 229.4°/230° Bed 100°/100°
Z: 33.29
Mul:100 Buf: 0
Idle

I have tried to turn off the heaters and cancel the print through MatterControl and nothing on the printer is responding. If I hit reset on The MAX the print will restart and crash into the item that has already been printed.

All of the electronics are cool to the touch except the stepper motors which I would describe as Warm.

As I mentioned this happened about 1/2 way through a 4 hour print. I need to print out 2 of these parts, and the next parts are going to be 8-10hour prints.

[Earthbound]

Since it happens from SD card or live, and is not specific to one model, I'd say the problem is in the firmware. What version of firmware is in it?

[Proto]

EDIT - Firmware Version .8

of course I just HAD to restart the print using Cura. My timing is as bad as ever

I know it is not the most current firmware. I purchased this MAX used, and it has a bunch of upgrades including modified firmware. I have been a bit reluctant to update the firmware because of this.

I was blaming Mattercontrol because it always seems to happen when it generates the G-Code (either through live print or from SD-Card)



Now I am realizing why I avoid Cura. The fact that it does not program in retracts (doing rapid moves as the hotend scrapes across the to of the part)
EDIT - I ended up stopping the print with Cura. A completely flat print cross section looked more like a Lunar Landscape, filled with mountains and valleys. and Cura trying to rapid the Hotend through every mountainpeak.

[Proto]

I knew it had happened before. http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=79&t=7059
Actually, it probably happened more than this. I probably just avoided that part ( namely http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:60750 )

So far here are the consistent inconsistencies.

• This time it happened in the middle of a 4 hour print, but I have printed other items that reached past the 4 hour mark.
• This time the part was of my own design using Solidworks 2012. Most of my own parts print without problems.
• I thought it was a part height issue, but I have printed taller parts with no problem.
• There seem to be NO overheating issues
• The link between MatterControl and the Maxx just seems to die
• I have tried multiple different USB ports, and even SD Cards. Certain parts will not print past a certain point.

I have tried both MatterSlice and CuraEngine. Slic3r just seems to crash and burn in the g-code generation.

[JFettig]

Is USB plugged in while printing from SD?

[geneb]

FYI, there were known stopping issues with the .80 firmware. You might want to take the time to upgrade to the .91 branch on SeeMeCNC's github.

g.

[DavidF]

FYI, there were known stopping issues with the .80 firmware. You might want to take the time to upgrade to the .91 branch on SeeMeCNC's github.

g.

Ditto that! is especially bad when slicing round objects with cura. Been there!! Put your fears aside and upgrade your firmware!!! just doccument you config.h settings before you do.

[Proto]

FYI, there were known stopping issues with the .80 firmware. You might want to take the time to upgrade to the .91 branch on SeeMeCNC's github.

g.

Oh BOY. Fun times are coming NOTE:Sarcasm

did I mention the fact that I bought this printer used, and that it has upgrades to it that require modifying the firmware.

Well, I guess I know what I need to do

• backup & print out the current firmware.
• download the upgrade.
• figure out the differences and modify the update.
• load the new firmware onto the Maxx.
• PRAY REAL HARD that it works and I didn't screw it up.

Wish me luck.

[mlapaglia]

What customizations does the firmware have?

[Proto]

Well this Maxx has Hall Effect End Stops, 24v Bed, Carbon Fibre Arms, and possibly longer tower extrusions. I just talked to JJ on chat, and he says it maybe a long process to update the firmware without the original values.

Strange that there is no way of backing up the firmware off of the machine.

I sent Cambo3d an email to see if he still has a copy of the firmware he used to set this puppy up.


I'm starting to regret buying used.

[626Pilot]

Upgrading the firmware is kind of a pain the first time, but after that it's not too hard. It's best to learn it sooner or later because it's highly useful, as you can see! Whatever trouble you go through now will mean you have less trouble in the future, so think of it as doing a favor for "Future Me."

This is what I did:

• Find Configuration.h in the existing firmware - you'll need it soon
• Use Repetier Host to back up the EEPROM
• Download/unzip the new firmware
• Go through the new firmware's Configuration.h line-by-line and copy the settings from the old Configuration.h (you can also use a diff viewer like Meld - it will be a lot easier because it compares everything for you)
• Compile & upload the new firmware
• Go into Repetier Host and restore the EEPROM from backup

If you don't have the existing firmware's source, see if you can get it from the guy who sold it, with whatever modifications he made intact. If not, you will just have to go through the new firmware's Configuration.h and make sure everything's correct to your printer. We can help you with that if anything is unclear.

[Proto]

Alrighty

I finally got brave enough to update my firmware, and it wasn't as hard as I imagined. I even started printing up some of the parts that gave me problems before. Everything seemed to be working, until last nite.

I started up a long run print job (14 hour) and went to bed. I woke up this morning with it still "printing", but it wasn't. sometime during the nite it stopped extruding. Thinking it was a bind in the filament spool I tried to strip everything back and restart.

Well, it wasn't a bind in the spool. it was a clog in the nozzle. I have the nozzle in the freezer hoping that the ABS will shrink enough that I can pop out the clog. Since I do not have a punch pin small enough to fit the nozzle, if the freezer doesn't work I may have to burn it out instead.

the fun just doesn't want to stop

[Howler]

Alrighty

I finally got brave enough to update my firmware, and it wasn't as hard as I imagined. I even started printing up some of the parts that gave me problems before. Everything seemed to be working, until last nite.

I started up a long run print job (14 hour) and went to bed. I woke up this morning with it still "printing", but it wasn't. sometime during the nite it stopped extruding. Thinking it was a bind in the filament spool I tried to strip everything back and restart.

Well, it wasn't a bind in the spool. it was a clog in the nozzle. I have the nozzle in the freezer hoping that the ABS will shrink enough that I can pop out the clog. Since I do not have a punch pin small enough to fit the nozzle, if the freezer doesn't work I may have to burn it out instead.

the fun just doesn't want to stop

If it's ABS, drop the nozzle in some acetone. It will dissolve the ABS out, and hopefully let the obstruction work loose.

[calabus]

I'm pretty much having the exact same issue, but it happens near the end of the print job. It just reaches the end of the countdown timer and just stops. I lose complete control of the printer. I have .91 firmware and use Repetier host and Slic3r

[HumanLiberty]

This just happened to me with Firmware v 1.6.3. Updating now to 1.6.4, but if it's still happening, I doubt they've fixed it. Very discouraging - is there no other more stable firmware that could be used instead? How the hell can you try to due a long/large print if its a crapshoot that this can randomly happen and ruin the whole thing?

[K.E.N.]

Howdy again:
My issue is the same, found a cause that you can only catch if you are in the area of the printer at the time of failure, print head heat loss, how could this be, well that switching power supply most likely, had you checked it out, you just might be surprised at the voltage,(check while unit is failing) I found a 1.2volt drop when it was not printing good and the screen said the print head was at about 165 C, checked Voltage 10.68vdc, that was well below the needed voltage of 12, but everything else was running just fine. Well, did find a fix, found a really stable 12volt power supply that the power is very, very stable and a rated 30 amps out continues and 33 amps intermittent, and can be adjusted from 9.5 to 15 volts, which means you can get that max wattage to the print head at all times, that is real important with ABS, was always having problems with heat not able to stay up. OK, the company trademark name is MegaWatt, Item # is S-350-12, 30 Amp 9.5-15 volt adjustable Ham CB Radio Power Supply. Found on Amazon for $63.49, that included shipping. Another issue you may want to head off is the input power plug to the Rambo board, SKU: UMTBLK6PLUG, can become a resistive connection for the heated print bed and quit working, that part you can get from UltiMachine.com for 4 dollars each with $2.41 shipping charge. Now, the better news is this, ran the new power supply voltage up to 12.7 volts, will not hurt the equipment or the heating elements, bed or head, and now the RMax is doing nicer prints, checked voltage, only varied about .1 volts all day, this also gave about 5 plus more watts to the print head, giving a more uniform heat throughout the printing.