Re: 3D Printing A Wheel
 

We observed a similar issue with some of the Makerbot 2X's that the university's engineering program got about a week ago. One of the nozzles clogged, and the printer just kept going. It ended up "printing" in the air about 4-6 inches above the model when we stopped it.

Also, we've noticed a few of the prints have had peeling issues (where the model comes up off the kapton tape). While it hasn't affected the stuff we've been printing (more printer parts), it's something that shouldn't be happening. Have you guys been seeing anything similar?

Re: 3D Printing A Wheel
 

The Kapton Tape MELTED to the nozzle? I thought they used it because it does not melt. (Control F "melting")

Thats crazy scary.

Re: 3D Printing A Wheel
 

Your post encourages me, actually. I assumed that the brownish color of the melted-on plastic meant that it was the kapton. We were using white filament, but maybe some just got on there long enough to burn brown. Most of the kapton-insulation layer sloughed off when I touched it, so I can't be sure.

Re: 3D Printing A Wheel
 

I'm not sure if this is the cure-all, but we've found that EVERY time we start a print we Windex the platform and wipe it dry. Also make sure that the plexi cover is in place. The slightest of convection currents wreaks havoc on the prints and can cause them to release.

Re: 3D Printing A Wheel
 

Yes, white filament can burn brown. The tape wont burn (although I haven't used tape in months, as I use Aquanet on a glass plate instead).

I rarely find myself using .1 mm heights even when needing high precision prints. Usually 0.2 mm does the trick, or 0.15mm at the minimum. 230C should be fine

Recommend rafting to help the prints stick, if that was your issue. Also, you can try playing around with the custom slicer settings (edit profile) to change the thickness and print speed of the raft itself. Thicker base layers help it stick more!

I recently had the plastic fan part fail as well, it can be epoxied back together but Makerbot will send you a new one for free. Just MAKE SURE when you re-assemble, the duct is at least a few mm above the extruder nozzle tip. Sometimes outer parts of the print will warp upwards if building an overhang and that's what hits the duct.
Also, get used to taking the extruder apart and putting it back together. That's a standard maintenance task anyway which should be done weekly. After some practice, I get the stepper motor teeth opened, cleaned, and closed in under 5 minutes.

Re: 3D Printing A Wheel
 

Oh sorry -- I had to look at your failed print more closely. Is that a single wheel that failed or a second next to it?
I saw you have rafting, but the model itself may have had an issue during compile.

I highly recommend you ALWAYS run your stl outputs through Netfabb before printing them, to avoid such errors.
http://cloud.netfabb.com/

the other possible issue is you could have been "air printing" a couple layers before filamenet continued to extrude -- thats a matter of extruder motor gear cleanliness and ensuring there's enough load on the spring-loaded drive block.

Re: 3D Printing A Wheel
 

I'm intrigued...what does this process do? I have been exporting my files as .stl from Solidworks, and using the Makerware software to put them onto the sd card. What change does the netfabb site make to the files?

Re: 3D Printing A Wheel
 

It finds "holes" in the model that end up confusing slicers, sometimes to the point where they will not print in that location at all or even worse, start printing all future layers offset from where they are supposed to be. I can show you several examples of this if interested.
Netfabb replaces those holes with real triangle geometry and "unifies" the mesh.

I will say that the majority of my errors from original drawings come as a result of merged parts (via assembly, output as an .stl for single print), or for unusual geometry particularly from splines, and most especially when I export from Autodesk Inventor (for some reason). I recently switched to Solidworks and have had little issue yet, but I still run everything through netfabb and the program reports on its findings.