Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

A pre-assembled Delta Printer that can print a 6" cube 8" tall!
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radicaldev
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Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

Post by radicaldev »

Made one! It works really well..

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:661143

All you have to do is pull the bars out of the existing mount and put them through this one.


I found some strange behavior, though.

I set the z height and went from home to x0 y0 z0, and got 0 on the dial indicator.
I went back to home, and then went to x65 y-35 z0 (Y tower) and got +39 thousandths.
I went back home, and then went to x-65 y-35 z0 (X tower) and got +60 thousandths.
I went back home, and then went to x0 y65 z0 (Z tower) and got +65 thousandths.

I repeated that 10 times for each step and had consistent results.

I went back home, and then went to x0 y0 z0 and got 0 on the dial indicator.
I then moved to x65 y-35 z0 (Y tower), and got -48 thousandths (the pin moved out 52 thousandths)
I then moved back to x0 y0 z0 and got +2 thousandths (the pin moved in 52 thousandths, and then an additionall 2 thousandths)
I then moved back home and back to x0 y0 z0, and got 0 on the indicator.

This also happens on the other towers. Seems that returning to x0 y0 z0 is only accurate when moving all steppers down at the same time.
JFettig
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Re: Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

Post by JFettig »

That is because you're likely changing the geometry of the machine by using that effector. You want to mount an indicator to your existing effector.
radicaldev
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Re: Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

Post by radicaldev »

That could be true... I modelled mine based on the dimensions of the original. I also observed this behavior with the original effector, but wasn't able to measure the difference accurately.

The cheapskate on the Y tower is markedy more difficult to move than the X and Z towers, but I'm not sure if that would have anything to do with it or not.

For mounting it to the effector that came with the Orion, would I do that by using the hotend adapter or just the effector?
JFettig
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Re: Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

Post by JFettig »

Have you calibrated horizontal radius, etc?
radicaldev
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Re: Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

Post by radicaldev »

I had not until today. With the indicator mount on I disabled heating the nozzle and extrusion, and sent my circle print to the orion and saw what was described in the manual as all towers lowering. I tweaked the hr a bit and saw less of that. Gonna switch back to the factory effector, recalibrate it in a bit and see how it goes.
radicaldev
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Re: Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

Post by radicaldev »

Not sure what to try next...

I have the towers leveled, but I can't seem to get a uniform z height around the build plate. Even when adjusting the horizontal radius, all that does is offset the pattern.

e.g., if z at X, Y, and Z are a little lower than z=0 , and z at X!, Y!, and Z! are a little higher than z=0 -- with Horizontal Radius of 75.2 (default),
then increasing or decreasing the HR will increase or decrease, respectively, the value of z at any of those points.

I forget the link to an image of the pattern, but you've probably seen it.

It's a heat map of some sort, indicating (I think) z height at various points along the build plate. As you approach a tower, the z height lowers, and as you move away from a tower, the z height increases.

I mean, I can make some pretty good prints, but I'm trying to eek every last bit of precision out of this thing. What sort of tolerance should I expect with respect to minimum and maximum z height vs what it's supposed to be?

Currently I'm looking at (Z) = Z +/- 20 or 30 thousandths of an inch for the edges of things about 4 inches in diameter.

Also seems to make it rather difficult to print a long, thin cylinder with a (reasonably) consistent diameter.
JFettig
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Re: Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

Post by JFettig »

radicaldev
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Re: Orion Delta HF Dial Indicator Mount

Post by radicaldev »

Yep.

That's the thread where I saw the map.

So from what I've learned, errors in geometry will result in this issue.

Should I take down the machine and look for things that are out of spec?

I haven't measured yet, but the arms of the X tower, with the axes homed, at the end closest to the hotend, extend a little further toward the build plate (maybe .65-.8mm or so) than the others. I suppose the length of the arms is one of the most critical dimensions in the process, along with the effector dimensions, heated bed -> base squareness, buildplate -> heated bed squareness, and tower alignment.

On the build plate: I take care to place all the clips in the same place every time, and I have noticed that clip placement alters the shape of the build plate slightly. I don't really know of a good way of measuring how level the build plate and heater are with the base of the machine.

Out of curiosity, there is a dimple in the center of the heated bed. When I travel to X0 Y0 Z0, the extruder nozzle is on the right edge (side opposite of the arm I think is a little longer than the others) of that dimple, toward the Y tower. It's been that way since I first set up the printer, so I assumed that was normal. Is it?

Note: I do find my attempts to solve this problem to be really entertaining. I've had a big interest in learning how to be precise for a long time, but never really had anything capable of being all that precise. Kind of makes me wish I had bought a MAX kit instead of the Orion, if I'm going to be (re)building a machine anyway =)
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