3D Printers

[Paul Gerlach]

33 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

not sure how that affects things

Well, you are right that you still have to probe with a piece of paper. But this time it's a bit different. First you level the bed as you always do; at the corner point by turning the wheel underneath the bed. After you've done that you activate the bed mesh levelling. The process involves probing a grid of 3x3 point. The nozzle is being moved to a point and you place a piece of paper between the bed and nozzle. But now you don't move the bed with the wheels. Instead you move the bed closer or further away from the nozzle with the help of the computer interface of the printer. If the distance is correct you confirm and the deviation is stored. Then the printer will move to the next point and so on. In this way a 3x3 grid map of the deviations is stored. When you print after this calibration routine the map is used to move the bed closer or further away from the nozzle in order to maintain the correct distance.
So in a sense the nozzle is following the contours of the print bed.
You'll probably don't have to repeat this process unless you change the nozzle or make some changes to the bed.

Paul

[Thalestris24]

31 minutes ago, Paul Gerlach said:

Well, you are right that you still have to probe with a piece of paper. But this time it's a bit different. First you level the bed as you always do; at the corner point by turning the wheel underneath the bed. After you've done that you activate the bed mesh levelling. The process involves probing a grid of 3x3 point. The nozzle is being moved to a point and you place a piece of paper between the bed and nozzle. But now you don't move the bed with the wheels. Instead you move the bed closer or further away from the nozzle with the help of the computer interface of the printer. If the distance is correct you confirm and the deviation is stored. Then the printer will move to the next point and so on. In this way a 3x3 grid ma it works.p of the deviations is stored. When you print after this calibration routine the map is used to move the bed closer or further away from the nozzle in order to maintain the correct distance.
So in a sense the nozzle is following the contours of the print bed.
You'll probably don't have to repeat this process unless you change the nozzle or make some changes to the bed.

Paul

Hmm... I think I don't understand how it works. What happens when the bed moves - as it always does (and needs re-levelling pretty much each time I print something)?

Louise

[Gina]

It shouldn't need readjusting unless you move the printer or jolt it severely.  You need to make sure the adjusting screws hold their setting.  The printer saves the bed position corresponding to Z = 0 and this shouldn't change.

[johninderby]

I adjusted the bed a couple of years ago when I got my printer and haven’t had to adjust it since. And it has been moved a few times.

[Thalestris24]

Hmm... my bed seems to move a bit between prints. That's what I was saying about the adjusters/wheel nuts being loose and 'sloppy'. I'll have to have a close look at it tomorrow. I see you can get replacement 'upgrade' springs and metal nuts but it's not clear whether they improve the bed stability. Maybe it's just my printer that has this problem? Maybe it's just me...

Louise

[johninderby]

I think it may simply come down to the quality of the relevant parts suppied with your brand of printer. 🤔

[Thalestris24]

2 minutes ago, johninderby said:

I think it may simply come down to the quality of the relevant parts suppied with your brand of printer. 🤔

I don't know - does anyone else here have an ender 3 pro?

[JamesF]

Not an Ender 3, but I find I need to adjust the bed on my printer from time to time.  I have been wondering about putting locknuts on the height adjustment screws to see if that helps.  I have also wondered if there may be a bit of flex in the mountings that can allow things to shift when the filament is changed.

James

[Thalestris24]

2 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

I don't know - does anyone else here have an ender 3 pro?

There is a mention of a spring upgrade here Maybe I'll get some replacement springs and give them a whirl.

[saac]

2 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

I don't know - does anyone else here have an ender 3 pro?

I have the Ender 5 Louise which shares a lot of the components with the Ender 3 and to date I have only levelled the bed on my initial set up back in October. It holds its level pretty well. I'd re check the tightness of the adjusters and their springs, do a bed level and then monitor it. 

Jim 

[Thalestris24]

1 minute ago, saac said:

I have the Ender 5 Louise which shares a lot of the components with the Ender 3 and to date I have only levelled the bed on my initial set up back in October. It holds its level pretty well. I'd re check the tightness of the adjusters and their springs, do a bed level and then monitor it. 

Jim 

Maybe the ender 5 has better springs?

[Gina]

 Looks like the spring upgrade could fix the problem.  Worth a go.

[saac]

16 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

Maybe the ender 5 has better springs?

I think they may be the same actually the main difference between the two models I think is just the frame arrangement, however the bed is held differently.  I wouldn't imagine that the springs are that expensive nor difficult to swap out so as Ginia says replacements may sort the problem. It would at least eliminate the source and give you peace of mind. 

 

Jim 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by saac

[johninderby]

The springs look quite long on the Ender. On mine the springs are fairly short and have locknuts.

Edited February 19, 2020 by johninderby

[JamesF]

That looks way shorter than the ones on mine.  I'd measure them, but the printer is actually running at the moment, printing a part for a motor mount on my EQ3-2.  I'd guess they're about 20mm long, perhaps a little more.

James

[johninderby]

The springs on mine are 10mm high by 10mm dia. 

[saac]

I suspect  the height of the springs will legitimately vary from model to model. At the end of the day what is important in the spec of the spring is that it provides enough tension to prevent the screw from rotating and hence losing the height setting. The height will differ then as spring constant differs.  Comparisons of height between different models and even similar models will be largely irrelevant .

 

Jim 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by saac

[Thalestris24]

FWIW, here are mine:

Sorry it's a bit crooked - the printer is actually horizontal, honest!

The springs don't look particularly strong - spring length as is , is about 15mm

Louise

ps a slight knock of the wheel nuts can change the bed level. They are very loose to the touch, so to speak

Edited February 19, 2020 by Thalestris24

[johninderby]

Yes the springs don’t look up to the job.

[Thalestris24]

Maybe new springs then, or maybe I need to tighten all nuts 4? Or both things?

Louise

[saac]

If the wheel nuts are able to turn with the lightest of touch then the springs are not exerting enough force to hold. I'd try your idea of upgrading the springs. Notwithstanding what I said above my spring length is 20 mm but the springs are different so the spring constant will not be same as yours. The length is not the crucial factor rather the force being exerted. 

[saac]

1 minute ago, Thalestris24 said:

Maybe new springs then, or maybe I need to tighten all nuts 4? Or both things?

Louise

Yes try tightening them first Louise and see if it holds better. Of course you will need to re level the bed. I see Amazon carry replacement springs - these look like the ones I have on the Ender 5 - they are advertised as suitable for the Ender 3. 

Bed Springs

 

JIm 

 

[Thalestris24]

14 minutes ago, saac said:

Yes try tightening them first Louise and see if it holds better. Of course you will need to re level the bed. I see Amazon carry replacement springs - these look like the ones I have on the Ender 5 - they are advertised as suitable for the Ender 3. 

Bed Springs

 

JIm 

 

I've also seen this ad on Ebay (stuff is nearly always cheaper on there!)
"Pack Of 4 Creality Bed Springs

 

These spring are simply the best and in my opinion the ultimate you can buy for your 3D printer, being of the highest quality Japanese import. If you are tired of your heated bed loosing it's level after a print, and always having to re-level the heated bed this is the solution.

 

On the Creality Ender 3 this is a major frustration caused by low quality bed springs, these improved longer stiffer springs will help.

 

Replacement is very easy just undo and remove the bed level knobs, then lift up the heated bed, carefully remove the old springs from the screws, slide the new stiffer yellow springs into place. Now fit the bed back onto the carriage and attach the knobs and re-level your bed, due to the increased length of these springs you may need to adjust your Z axis end stop on certain Creality 3D printer models.

 

Suitable for Creality Ender 3, Ender 3 Pro, Creality CR-10, CR-10S, CR-10 Mini, CR-20

 

High Quality Stiff Flat Ended Compression Springs"

Louise

[PeterW]

I tighten the bed of mine down so it’s solidly held. Sometimes the bed can wander up with time making it a bit less stuff. The current springs might be OK if you really tighten them down.

PEter

[Chriske]

11 hours ago, johninderby said:

I adjusted the bed a couple of years ago when I got my printer and haven’t had to adjust it since. And it has been moved a few times.

Me too..
My beds are spring-loaded at four corners.