It is working fine now

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It is working fine now

After a further update to the Microsoft .Net framework the Repetier software seems to be happy to connect with the printer. I adjusted the temperature down to 190 deg C and it has printed a cleaner test cube via the Repetier software control.

I decided to print something with a bit more form and found an STL of an owl on a log which did not look like it would need support, so I downloaded it and scaled it down (using MeshLab) to make a small figure to test the accuracy of the printer.

The printer in action, printing the owl figure

Close up of the finished owl - I think it is pretty good quality.

The back of the owl is a smooth curve which it has coped with very well.

All in all I am pleased with the printer but would have appreciated better software/instructions but I got there in the end.

Software and first print

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Software was provided on a flash card (with the kit), it contained:
Assembly Manual

• User Manual (including some software instructions)

• Marlin (to flash the printer motherboard with Arduino)

• Arduino (to configure the printer motherboard)

• Reptier (to control the printer - includes Slic3r to configure the build)

• Pronterface (to control the printer - used for initial set up - seems to be the best package and the one I ended up using for the first print)

Instructions were quite vague particularly about setting the nozzle height above the bed, after doing the paper contact test you need to put the new value in the Arduino software and re-flash the printer motherboard. A word search for "define MANUAL_Z_HOME_POS" found the file, then I replaced the 270 value with the new one (in my case 281.1). After the reflash the new Z value appears on the printer display.

Note - gcode is the key to making things work, a useful code is G28 as it raises and resets the printer head to the top positions, G29  is auto set up, I only attempted to use this after setting the new Z value.

After some failed attempts to use Repetier to perform the print (it did not seem to be able to communicate with the printer although it said it was connected) I gave up and ended up using Repetier to create the gcode with the embedded Slic3r and then importing the gcode into Pronterface and then set it to print.

After all this fiddling about, it finally printed the test cube, from the STL file provided (pictures below).

 

Orange cube on bed

 Close up of Orange cube

There should be an outer reference square ring but this didn't stick, I think the set Z height may still be too high. Also the print accuracy seemed to drop off, I think it was getting too hot and temperature should reduce as it moves away fom the cold build plate.

Conclusion - More experimentation required to produce quality products. I also need to decide if I will use PLA or ABS.

I prefer to use Linux, so will also explore alternative printer control software.

Build the kit

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Today was spent building the kit, pictures taken at various points below:

 Four stepper motors, one has longer wires for filament feed

 First fix stepper motors to bottom brackets

 Two per motor

 Then fit arms - good idea to invest in ball ended Allen keys for assembling many parts

 Assemble top parts into a triangle

 Assemble bottom parts into a triangle (slide together at same time)

 Fit belt pulleys

 Fit hot end contact switch

 Fit arms

 Assemble roller sets

 Fit limit switches to uprights

Fit rollers to arms

  Assemble all the bits into a frame with rollers connected to arms

 Assemble hot end into carrier

Fit and trim drive belts

 Filament feed motor mounting position

 Main board and display mounted and connected up

 Power and USB connections

Glass bed (covered in what looks like masking tape) held in place with six screws and deeper nuts



Thoughts - generally quite fiddly to build and instructions sometimes lacked detail.
Some screws are only threaded into plastic which could become a weakness over time but they currently feel quite secure. One area of particular concern was the hot end hinge was not free floating against the micro switch, I spent a lot of time working the screws in and out to create a running clearance but with no slop. The adjustment of this seems quite vague too.
The nuts inside rails sometimes turn rather than grip, so they need to be held when tightening the screws, I wedged them with a small Allen key.
The main circuit board and display were easy to wire up and mount but there wasn't much wrap for double insulation, so I taped up the wires with black insulation tape. I decided to mount the filament feed motor on the side of the frame rather than the top as this seemed to give a smoother curve across the whole working range. This may change once tested and may depend on spool position.
Tomorrow the software.

It has arrived

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I have just taken delivery of a Kossel delta 3d printer kit.

I thought I would blog my experiences as a 3D printer novice, I hope you find it useful.

Below are the unpacking pictures:

Open the box - contents list provided to check off parts against (but no pictures to help check the parts)

Embargo means you don't get the Silicon

Box 1 contents

Box 2 contents

 Box 3 contents

Box 4 contents

Box 5 contents

Box 6 contents

Box 7 contents

Short frame rails

Long frame rails

Test filament, filament feed tube, memory card containing instructions and software and a USB adapter for the memory card. Note that the Software only works with Microsoft.

Just reading the assembly manual 80+ pages.