Calibration Problem!

[enesoz]

I'm nearly towards the end of my build, few more steps to go..but I'm having issues in MatterControl and within the movement controls. When I select the home button so the x,y,z arms return to their home position it works once maybe twice. Then if I leave it and press the home button nothing happens. I have to disconnect and re-connect for it to move again. That's not my only issue.. I cannot seem to move the arms individually. For example if I press the 'x-' button in movement controls nothing happens. Same with all the other axis..nothing happens. Please could someone direct me to the issue im really eager to start printing now.

Thanks

[IMBoring25]

Are you coming off the endstops with a -Z first? Any move in an X-Y plane will involve at least one tower moving up, and if all three are already at the endstops, they can't move up any more.

[enesoz]

I tried -Z first with no effect

[enesoz]

here is a video that might better describe it
http://sendvid.com/5mf3trdl

[mhackney]

Maybe if you voiced over while you made the video we could understand what was supposed to happen. My only observations from that video are:

1) you are homing much too fast - especially when just getting started and set up
2) it does't look or sound like it is backing off the homing switches enough after homing

Other than the, I couldn't understand what you were trying to demonstrate.

[enesoz]

So what I was trying to demonstrate in the video is how I cant freely keep on homing within matter controls, i can do it once or twice then I'm not able to unless I disconnect the machine and re-connect it. As well as the homing issue I don't seem to have any other control over the individual axis in movement controls.

[mhackney]

If it is not backing off the switches then it will not home again until it does. First slow down - about 1/2 as fast as you are now.

Next home and then jog Z down 100mm and home. Try that several times and see if it fails. If not, then don't jog down and home repeatedly. Report results.

[enesoz]

http://sendvid.com/6lp5n9w8

another video voiced over this time

[geneb]

The homing operation is ok - it hits the switches and then backs off. If you move the Z axis up, it's going to close the switch and then ignore home commands because the end stop switches are closed.

g.

[mhackney]

Ok, when this happens issue an M119 command. This will tell the status of the endstops. I suspect you'll discover that at least 1 is still closed.

http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M119:_Get_Endstop_Status

Let's determine that first and I'll have some possible causes if so.

[enesoz]

So I have issued an m119 command. Can anyone tell if this is normal behavior from the Rostock? How is the printer supposed to respond when you press the x, y, z values in movement controls?

[enesoz]

I'm also receiving this message now

[mhackney]

M119 reads the state of the endstop switches. If the switch is depressed, it will show 1, if not, 0. Yours are showing 0 so no switches are triggered. Try this - hold one of the switches closed and issue M119 - you will see that switch show a 1 (and build experience with M119!).

Is there any possibility that static electricity is a factor? I just had odd problems like this with my Taz 4 (known to have issues with static) and ended up having to ground the frame. Now the problem is gone. Could be something like that here too.

X, Y Z in movement...

Firstly, as mentioned above, if Z is homed you will not be able to move side to side (X Y) much because all 3 towers must move. A little "secret" about max print height on a delta is that it is actually not a perfect cylinder with a flat top, it is a cylinder with sort of hemisphere top.

So, move Z down 100mm or so. At that point it works like this:

X buttons will jog the effector left and right (with Z tower at back)

Y buttons jog front to back (towards the Z tower)

Z buttons jog up and down

Try it and watch how the carriages actually move and you'll understand why you can't jog X and Y with the printer homed (Z all the way up).

[enesoz]

Thanks for you're help so far however I keep discovering more problems in my calibration process
I will list these out and post a video

- Their is still limited communication with the printer and matter control. What I mean by that is I'm able to adjust the temperature of the bed and extruder fine however I'm still having the same issues with moving the individual axis through Movement Controls.
- Tower Cal script sends arms to home position instead of performing the script, as a result cannot continue calibration.
- Sometimes MatterControl terminal does not perform commands typed in (eg. G0 Z200 F3500) with no effect. I have to disconnect - reconnect the printer several times then try to input the command, However the command: G0 Z200 F3500 has no effect.

What could be causing these problems?

Video:

http://sendvid.com/kwc5cwoo

[mhackney]

Try slowing the communication speed down in firmware and in MC. You might be sending requests too fast and they are dropping. What do you have it set at now? Trying lowering it a level or 2.

[enesoz]

Thanks for the quick reply @mhackney , how is it that I can change the communication speed in the firmware and MC?

[mhackney]

You can set the printer speed in eeprom. And you should do that first. The printer setup in mc lets you change communication speed but I don't use mc so I can't help.

[enesoz]

What do you use? Because I think my issue lies with matter control and the communication with the printer.. do you recommend a better software?

[Eaglezsoar]

Repetier Host is good, basic software for printer control. It is what I use all the time. MC is too buggy for me.

[mhackney]

I'm in a different world altogether. Duet.

[Eaglezsoar]

I'm in a different world altogether. Duet.

You have been in a different world since I've known you and I am glad, those other worldly write ups and tips
you have made through the years have helped a lot of people.

[mhackney]

Ah shucks.