New Antweight: The Phonebook

[Yer_Dah]

Hi I am currently building (trying to!) my 1st antweight robot called "The Phonebook"

It is a basic rambot with 2 steel plates at the front for protection. I thought I would go with a rambot first to gain experience building an antweight and learn from my mistakes.

I just bought a QIDI Tech dual extruder 3D printer and I am having issues my 3D prints of the roof. I get blotches and my nozzle tends to run over the print creating grooves. Plus the print doesn't look like what I am trying to build.

I have been messing around with the parameters but being a 3D printing noob I was wondering if anyone has experience with the 3D printer I am using and be able to point me the issues I am making. I am using the QIDI print as my splicer.

[Roboteernat]

Hey, fantastic application for any 3D printer is antweight combat robots

It may be better to post a picture of the surface of the print to explain what your issues are, as it could be several, over extrusion, filament diameter? skipping motor steps, but as its a prebuilt machine it should be fine.
I run wanhao duplicator machine myself so should be the same machine.

[Yer_Dah]

In my 1st attempts I would get this thick print that I had to abort as the nozzle was dragging the print around as the filament was stuck in the nozzle20180213_205044.jpg




The 2nd photo was my recent print and I aborted it as again the filament would pool around the nozzle and cause it to drag the print but it's not this big blob like the 1st image

[PaulusSmallus]

I use hair spray to stick my prints down. Not sure if its the best thing to use, but works for me.

[Yer_Dah]

I used the glue stick they provided me.

I've attached my settings and another image of another print. Hoping to solve these issues and get up to speed with 3D printing.
20180213_213306.jpg

[PaulusSmallus]

I am sure there are more experienced people here that would be better at helping.
I have a very similar 3D printer, so I can go through what I did to get it working.

Those settings look ok to me, but it seems to depend a little on the exact plastic used. When it comes to buying more plastic, try and get something that is repeatable (ie. the RS stuff).
The bed needs to be very level for it to stick well. I spent about half an hour trying to get mine level. If you are having problems with it being level, you can use a raft, which will make a layer of plastic that should be a bit more level.
I use some extra wide masking tape on the base then spray it with hair spray to help it stick.

[Roboteernat]

looking at the picture of the print on the bed, it looks like your nozzle is set to far away from the bed, causing it to fail and drag the printed plastic to move around and be dragged by the nozzle.

The first thing you will need to do is level the bed to the nozzle.

This is where you move the nozzle (cleaned and cool) to just above the small sprung screws and adjust/tighten/loosen the screws so that the gap between the bed and the nozzle is small enough that a sheet of paper can just fit in between (with some resistance)

This will mean your plastic coming from the nozzle will be flattened into the glue (assume its magigoo or a purple elmers glue type thing?) and will stick.

Have you looked at bed levelling when you started? - just incase this can be ruled out

[TechAUmNu]

Try using 0.3mm layers to start with, <0.2mm layers are quite hard in some plastics. Especially if the filament is a bit dubious.

I recommend only using good quality filament, this is what I use. https://shop.3dfilaprint.com/filapri...75mm-129-c.asp

[Yer_Dah]

I've been trying to level the bed since I have used it and I know I need to practice more in getting it right. I try the level paper QIDI provided. For levelling do you aim for the nozzle to slightly touch the paper? It's something I am trying to get to grips like how "light" the pressure from the nozzle should be at the levelling nuts. I am starting to get into the habit of running the nozzle over each nut multiple times go over the nuts multiple times when I change the height to check if

I was using ABS QIDI provided and have switched to PLA last night. The nozzle still drags against the print after printing a couple of layers and I was wondering I should put a Z offset when the nozzle isn't printing and just moving. But based on everyone's comments I should spend a lot more time on getting the bed level.

[Roboteernat]

Get the bed level thats the first important thing. When levelling, adjust the sprung nut/screw so that you cannot pull the paper out from between bed and nozzle, then slowly tighten a bit and try moving the paper, and repeat until the paper can move but you can still feel the paper has some very small resistance.

I would advise not using ABS to begin with as its a bit more problematic and PLA will get you going. Then move onto PETG. getting started with printing using ABS is adding a few more hurdles to get going. It also needs a good chamber of heat and a heated bed of 110 degrees, so make sure you are at the right temp. This could also be why it is not sticking if you have the wrong temp.

When the level is right you should be able to just leave it and it will print fine multiple times over.

Let us know how you get on levelling and then with the PLA, you shall find it is good with this. PLA bed temp of 60-70, and nozzle temp of 195-215 depending on the brand/properties.

Z offset is not needed, but if its still dragging in the material after a few layers check the diameter of the PLA filament and check to make sure its correct in the slicer settings.

[Yer_Dah]

Thanks for that I will change to PLA. I will let you all know over the weekend how I done.

[Yer_Dah]

I'm trying to print with PLA however I am still getting the issue with my print head pushing into the print. Plus the print head just goes back and forward without trying to print my parts shape.

I am beginning to wonder if I am using the splicer properly or I have the model incorrect as it looks nowhere near what I am trying to print and it is really frustrating.

[Yer_Dah]

Managed to get my printer to work. I spotted that one of my motors was disconnected which I must have done by accident when I was assembling the extruder assembly for the 1st time. I feel such an idiot for messing around all this time while the most obvious cause to my problems was staring at me in the face.

I have managed to print the roof of my robot out of PLA. I had to redo it because the print stuck to my bed and I applied too much force to get it off. I got the second attempt off by using the chisel they give you and a rubber mallet.

Now it will be time to print the main body then I will assemble it and play around. I am planning on making some adjustments to the design and will be looking to build a 2nd antweight robot and then go and find competitions.