Support removal differencies

Support&troubleshooting Zortrax M200
#1

Hi,

What parameter could have the biggest impact on the support removal process? At the moment we are printing the same model on 5 M200s, Z-code, material, covers on all printers, absolutelly same conditions and we are having large difficulties to remove support from flat surfaces only on 2 specific printers. What could make the diffrence? Material Z-Ultrat.

Thanks for any advice.

#2

There could be extrusion temperature differences. Possible error sources are the thermocouple, the thermocouple amplifier circuit on the extruder PCB, and the A-D converter on the motherboard. The thermocouple and amplifier have tolerances of ±2ºC maximum but are typically better. The accuracy of the ADC is unknown, but if they're using the 3.3V power supply as a reference it could be quite a bit off I'd think. Errors can also be introduced at the junction of the thermocouple wires to the extruder PCB, i.e. the connector.

Nozzle condition is also a possibility; maybe the easiest place to start swapping.

#3

Hi,

Thanks for suggestions, Julia. There is a new problem related to the same printers. Source of the problem looks same - temperature.

Please see the picture attached. During 2 weeks these prints has been made from HIPS with FULLY covered printers. The last (the worst) print has been made without top cover so I think covering the printer might caused some damage to the printer’s components.

Is it possible? Which components it night be?

I have chanded heater and thermocoupler on both printers + extruder PCB on one of them, will type an update.

Thanks

#4

Update:

Problem was a nozzles.

For now only one think is not clear.

Either material Z-HIPS is damaging nozzles after 1 kg of material run, or the FULL coverage of the printers? Dont know.

#5

Thanks for the update. I have never heard of HIPS being abrasive or damaging to nozzles, and I don't see how fully covering the printer could damage a nozzle.

Drilling a perfect 0.4mm aperture is non-trivial, and it's inevitable that an occasional sub-standard one might get through the production process and QC, so maybe you just got a bad one.

Or maybe the sensitive pointed tip of the soft brass nozzle was damaged by the height-sensing process of the M200, which pushes the nozzle into the bed. Due to the small surface area, pressures can be very high.