Support stuck to model (fixed extruder temp too high error)

[evietron]

I got the ZT-HE because my ABS was coming out in spurts, and attempting to clean the original hot end tube only made it worse.

The ZT-HE is doing much better, coming out smoothly, but after about an hour into a print it gets the error "011 Extruder Temp Too High"

On successive prints that error can happen earlier or immediately upon starting the print.

I replaced a bunch of parts to try and remedy the error, including the thermocouple, extruder cable and heatbed cable, but still have the temperature problem.

Any ideas?

Evie

[Julia Truchsess]

Might need to replace the thermocouple amplifier PCB that sits above the extruder motor.

Do you have a top cover on the printer? That can trap too much heat up there by the extruder and cause trouble with the amplifier board.

[evietron]

Yes! I got the top cover to help with the warping problem and prevent odors. One time I forgot to turn on the fan in the top cover, and within a minute of turning it on I got that same error.

Maybe I need to install a fan or some kind or heat sinking right above the board?

Thanks,
Evie

[evietron]

OK, here's an update.

Yes, I realized the extruder PCB already has a huge heatsink on it. Turns out 2 pins on the board were shorted, and Zortrax informed me that they are not supposed to be. I used some solder wick to suck up the excess solder, a knife to cut away the remaining solder, and after raising the temperature so the extruder doesn't jam, it seems to be printing fine!

I'm still curious why the temperature needs to be 275 (that's the default setting in Z-Suite) to not jam the machine when the stuff seems to start melting at 230.

Evie

[Julia Truchsess]

Hm, I don't remember the extruder PCB having a heatsink, but I haven't looked at a new one lately. A solder short is a pretty egregious fault, Zortrax QC should have picked that up!

It's pretty common for "premium ABS" like Z-ABS to print best at 260 - 275; it is basically the same as Up! ABS (Zortrax staff admitted as much way back in 2014), which also does best at 260C. It is mixed with a bit of polycarbonate, hence the higher temperature vs "generic" ABS, which does fine at 230 - 240C.

[evietron]

You can see the heat sink in the attached picture which sits right next to the extruder pcb microcontroller. I suppose it's not a direct heat sink for the chip, but I assume it is responsible for dissipating some heat.

I'm using regular ABS from IC3D (and this roll from Hatchbox which is poorly wound). Next I'm going to try PETG.

Turns out my problem is the 3x7x3 bearing. It made a big gash on the metal end of the motor, so I assume it's totally warped. I'm replacing it tomorrow.

Thanks for your help and encouragement, things are coming along bit by bit 

[Julia Truchsess]

That's not really a heat sink per se, more just a mounting bracket. The thermocouple board doesn't generate any heat - it's just an amplifier for the tiny thermocouple voltages. The Zortrax design is not optimal because this amplifier sits on top of the motor, which gets hot, and the board normally operates fairly close to the upper operating temperature of the amplifier ICs.

It's pretty normal for the bearing to scratch the motor front, but replacing the bearing won't hurt. A little-known source of extruder clicking problems is the screw that acts as a shaft for the bearing - the threads wear down and then the bearing doesn't sit straight, which wreaks all kinds of havoc. Try changing that screw, as long as you're refreshing everything else.

[evietron]

Replaced the bearing which really helped with extruder clicking.

The shorted pins were a problem with the extruder PCB, and the other problem was that the socket that holds the extruder cable end was a little warped, so the cable wouldn't stay in place.

The main problem I have now is that the support material is completely stuck to the print. I was able to improve other aspects of "smushing" by tightening the Z-Axis, increasing First Layer Gap, and slowing/extending retraction.

Temperature seems to be happy at around 245 degrees.

I'm a bit confused as to where to go next, since there is no setting to add a gap above the support material, which I imagine would solve the problem I'm having.

The only other components I can think that would be an issue are the perforated plate and motherboard, although that is a bit out of my budget at this point. Even if there is a hacky solution that would be more ideal for now.

Any ideas or pointers would be greatly appreciated :-)

Zortrax advised to go back to the original hotend, but I'm hesitant to do that since it's so crusty and the nozzle is kind of beaten up.

[Julia Truchsess]

245C is really hot for regular ABS, and the Zortrax controller goes way beyond (anywhere from 10 - 20C) that during warmup and raft laying. I've always printed regular ABS at 230C, and the higher temp is probably why your support is difficult to remove.

Do you have the PTFE or all-metal version of the ZT-HE? At a setpoint of 245C, going up to 260 or so during the raft, the PTFE tube inside the hot end will be damaged over time. The all-metal version is better-suited to ABS.

[evietron]

Thanks for your feedback, Julia.

It turns out the problem was my build plate was loose. Those 3 hand screws that you have to tighten for autocalibration were so sticky that I actually had to use pliers to tighten them all the way. But since I did that I can now print with normal settings! Using all defaults and a temperature of 230 works great.

And I am using the all metal hotend. It flows way better than the Zortrax one! :-)

[Julia Truchsess]

Excellent!

[evietron]

So, the thumb screw solution worked for about 1-2 prints, then the height becomes problematic again. It looks like I'm going to need a Z-Sense.

[evietron]

Z-sense relieved a lot of frustration, in particular narrowing down the core problem.

Turns out my build plate is a V1, meaning it's only 1.5mm think, instead of the V2's 3mm. They are known to warp, and mine was in such bad shape anyway, so I just got a new V2 plate for $60.

The magnets on the calibration screws were a little worn from over-tightening, so I added a brass washer between the magnet and the top screw.

I also got a bullseye level and put that right on top of the X- and Y-axes, and propped up the feet of the printer until it made those axes perfectly level.

I was then able to do the Auto-Calibration to accurately adjust the 3 calibration screws.

Finally I recalibrated the Z-sense using a sheet of regular printing paper, and it prints perfectly!

[mandatjew]

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