B axis stuck error

[Ed_backer909 @ed_backer909 My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Early Bird]

CEL make this right.

It’s not fair to us backers, beta’s and users.

Ed

[Anonymous]

@davidmuss - I kind of feel your pain. My colleague just bought a printrbot simple (metal), got it working over the weekend and came in this morning with a flawless owl print in PLA, better than anything I’ve managed with my Robox.

I was just a tiny bit jealous… particularly given its all open source and he can hack it as much as he likes. He immediately bought a raspberry pi and ‘pi cam’ to hack up a remote controller so he watch his prints at work. Grrr!

[stevnkrn @stevnkrn]

This B axis error and so many of the quality and slicing issues are related to the valve system CEL decided to use. If I was a design engineer at CEL (fyi - I am a mechanical engineer who has designed products for a living for over three decades) I would be thinking very hard about coming up with a lower cost, valveless, single nozzle head that is more in line with what other printers in this class have. At least make it an option. With that option the post processing to add the valve commands would be eliminated. In a perfect world it may not be able to produce the print quality Robox is “theoretically” capable of making, or have the “theoretical”speed, but a machine that makes no prints, or marginal quality prints doesn’t do anyone, including CEL, any favors. The reduced complexity of a single nozzle head has the potential to make the machine lower cost and more reliable too. Seems like an obvious choice to me. I’ve not seen many prints posted by anyone that matches the quality CEL promotes. Most of what I’ve seen is inferior to the prints produced by printers with more basic nozzle systems. I’m not suggesting that CEL give up on the dual nozzle system. I am only suggesting that they consider providing users with a choice.

[Clicky @clicky]

@biscuitlad: ” @davidmuss – I kind of feel your pain. My colleague just bought a printrbot simple (metal), got it working over the weekend and came in this morning with a flawless owl print in PLA, better than anything I’ve managed with my Robox.

I was just a tiny bit jealous… particularly given its all open source and he can hack it as much as he likes. He immediately bought a raspberry pi and ‘pi cam’ to hack up a remote controller so he watch his prints at work. Grrr! “
- You did it deliberately to me, right?

 

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• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  Clicky.

[Anonymous]

@clicky - not at all mate! I’m feeling the pain too - just be grateful he’s not working in your office reminding you all the time!!

@stevnkrn - Sadly I concur, see http://www.cel-robox.com/forums/topic/low-tech-mechanically-cleanable-head/#post-8809

[Ed_backer909 @ed_backer909 My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Early Bird]

Well, we all bought into this “needle valve” design as a potential benefit. Many users seem to have no problems? Or do they just not post here? I heard some use ONE valve and ONE material. Never switching means less problems for them! This is what we paid for? My B-Axis Stuck error stops ALL Printing, purging or any head movement.

I’ve been very vocal on Support, KS and here so as to not let CEL make excuses and set expectations that we will just wait indefinitely, quietly and patiently for them to resolve their issues internally and our problems externally. We will not sit very casually and quietly so as not to get anyone upset or “flamed” in public. Waiting and waiting with no news, no plan and no support other than “were sorry”, “were understaffed”. “were waiting/working on that”… Do they want us to be good KS backers and wait while they do their own thing with our money and keep saying “Woo Backers thanks for your orders”! We’ll get back when we have a fix for you….later!

Yeah right.

This KS funding works BOTH ways. We have a vested interest in the success and problems with this Printer. B-Axis seems a MAJOR issue and case design problem? We did NOT buy a off the shelf product that was mature and solid. We did expect some return for our investments however. Perhaps a working printer with some ‘glitches”. We do need more News, updates, notifications and plans to address any widespread issues & problems with CEL Plans & Dates for fixes and re-engineering these is a must. The lack of parts and support staff is a big miss on CEL leadership. One guy leaving should not bring to halt any organization. One bowden tube or B-Axis issues should not bog down even a smally company.

I get reminded all the time that this is not a “finished” product as a KS backer. We should not expect a finished product, but then we see this Marketing? Here is the CEL Text of the ROBOX to their new buyers and us as KS Owners:

Construction Methodology
All of the motion axes are coupled to a single sheet metal part, reducing the need for factory calibration and ensuring that your Robox® is perfect for printing straight off the production line.

Want something that you can just plug and print? Well that’s just what we’ve done – install the AutoMaker™ software, connect the power and USB, load a reel and click print – it’s as easy as that. All printers have been assembled and thoroughly tested before leaving the production line, so it’s ready to use straight away.

Just don’t switch nozzles, materials or get to fancy. When it fails or breaks please wait until we get to it…don’t expect it’s perfect, or ready to use straight away!

I /we have been more then patient with a printer sitting in a box since September, disassembeled, sans covers waiting on you!

Jeez

Ed

Backer 909

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  Ed_backer909.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  Ed_backer909.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  Ed_backer909.

[Michael Gordon @mikeg]

@stevnkm

Agree fully. I have a similar (not including CEL of course) background.

See my post “Low tech head….” in Forum/Feature Requests

Mike.

[Simon Allen @simonallen]

I have spent some time with this issue including replacing the Bowden tube when the new version arrived. One thing I noticed, and I am not sure if this is just on my printer or whether it is more common but a fault I have found, is that the power cable that attaches to the back of the print head works loose. Quite a few times when the dreaded B Axis error has appeared I have reached through the front of the printer and found the cable loose. By pulling it forward to me and thus pushing back into its socket I have been able to clear the error and keep going. I have only been been able to report fully to Chris on this issue today. What I have also discovered that on my machine there is nothing to retain the power cable in the back of the printhead. Contrast this with the other end that attaches to the wall behind the extruder where it definitely does latch. I have even removed the PCB that holds the Pogo pins to check for a dry solder joint, at Chris’s suggestion, and found no error there. It was while I did this that I saw that there is nothing for the plug to latch on to. The plugs at each end of the cable appear identical. Where latching is really important is at the end of by the printhead as this cable end is moved continually with the motion of the X axis to and fro.

On other matter on this issue is that the power cable seems to be just standard wire and given it is in constant motion, then had I been designing this, ( I quickly add I am not engineer but adept at fixing things) I would have used a cable that is very flexible. That would cause less movement between plug and pins at the printhead end. I mentioned this to Chris and am awaiting his response. I hope this helps others who have been struck by this problem.

One thing you can try is this. Raise the Z axis about half way. Power down the printer and let it go cold. Reach into the machine and with your hand gently feel the plug into the back of the printhead. Check if it is latched or is it loose. Can you push it deeper onto the two pins, that is a movement towards you. If you find that it is not fully on or easily pulls out then you have same problem as I do.

[force @craig-force My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Early Bird]

Add me to the list of Robox owners idled with b axis stuck errors. I can intermittently clear the errors and proceed, but if I initiate a print it will pause/abort with the b axis stuck error at some point during the job.

 

I’m also experiencing what appears to be slicing and/or bridging errors in my prints that result in a large mis-step in the y-axis, creating a “stair-step” print of my model. Maybe related to slic3r, but still trying to verify.

 

Chris in support has been very responsive, but needless to say my build queue keeps growing while my Robox is idling = frustration.

[Ed_backer909 @ed_backer909 My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Early Bird]

I had to “replace” my head unit for errors to go away. CEL offer the online ‘solution’ that trims some plastic and loosens some of the screws that work the B-axis motors. I had some luck sticking with JUST the draft nozzles and setting until the error was added to AM. Then it gives that error Every time and you can’t even use the printer at that point.

Now with new Bowden Tube, new Head and just sticking to one Material (PLA for now) I have see some fair prints… finally after 4 months.

 

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