Printing pauses when HDD/USB goes to sleep

[Chris @chris86]

I’ve encountered this incident twice. The problem is that If I leave Robox connected to my PC, the print pauses after some time of inactivity. This is (apparently)caused by either HDD or USB going to sleep, as it occurs without the computer going to sleep or hibernating itself. Has anyone else encountered this and is there anything else that can be done except disconnecting the printer after transferring data?

Thanks!

 

[Chris White @chrisyt]

@chris86 I think this may be an issue we are seeing with some revisions of the PCBs that we’re diagnosing right now - can you test something for us? If you put an un-powered USB hub 1.0/2.0 between Robox and your PC, do you still experience the issue?

[Chris @chris86]

I’ll test it and keep you updated.
Edit: I also disabled “USB selective suspend”. Not exactly sure how it will affect the machine, but I’m going to see if it has any effect on printing-

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  Chris.

[amuse @amuse]

I’m using 10 meter active usb extension cable for my Robox, because I can’t (don’t want to) place the machine on the desk next to my computer. First few prints without the extension cable everything went smoothly, but with that extra long cable I have also experienced pausing.

Now I disconnect the cable when gcode has been send to printer and let the Robox finish the print without monitoring it.

[Chris White @chrisyt]

@amuse anything over 5m with a USB cable is risky as it is a peripheral standard for short distances (unlike Cat5 for example which is for ~100m), it usually only works for very simple devices such as mice and keyboards. You can extend this distance with a powered hub half way along the length, but Robox requires a lot of data transferral to start a print. Serial data transfer like this can be easily interrupted by electrical noise/interference, particularly with low quality USB cables which don’t have much shielding.

[biscuitlad @biscuitlad]

@chris86 - did disabling “USB selective suspend” sort out your problem? I’ve also had my printer just stop dead while printing and start to cool the nozzles, sometimes resulting in the head getting completely stuck to the bed. I’m generally sat at the machine, so it’s not a power saving mode kicking in that causes it.

The printer hasn’t been moved or changed since it was returned from CEL, so I don’t know why I’m suddenly getting this problem, but it’s got so bad that the print now pauses even before it starts. The nozzles / bed heat up, head moves, gets ready, then lights flash, the nozzles & bed start to cool down again. No error message.

[Chris @chris86]

Selective suspend did not solve the problem. I too noticed that the problem is not directly related to computer going to sleep, as I’ve had few stops while working on my computer.

At one point I was thinking that my new 5 m USB cable was the cause of the problem, but what strikes me is that the stops occur long after print data has been transferred to the printer. Also, everytime the printing stops, Automaker looses connection with Robox (says no printer connected).

I’ve managed to continue printing by closing a reopening automaker. Automaker then no longer recognizes the ongoing print, but still gives you the resmue and end print arrow buttons in the user interface. By pressing the green resume arrow, it is possible to continue and finnish the print. However, Automaker states that Robox is idle while it is actually printing.

Basically, when printing stops, Robox starts to blink red. After reopening Automaker, robox continues to blink green until I resume the print

[ian @whiteline]

I can confirm this problem.

It happens regardless of usb lead length and does not appear to be directly related to the computer sleep mode.

Unplug the printer, plug back in and press play.

Starts from where it left off.

Mostly.

I have had one occasion where the nozzle paused but the valve failed to close and there was a lump of abs left on the print

 

[Uzbeckin @uzbeckin]

I’ve now had three issues where I started the print then the printer flashes green - it stops the head right on the object leaving a burn mark and a blob on the item printing (thus ruining the 10+hours of printing) and on one particular print it failed to resume - leaving me with no other choice but to scrap the whole thing to get the door open. Let me be honest - I’ve wasted a huge portion of my green ABS on this issue and nothing seems to help. I have to be honest - I’m a bit frustrated here as I’m watching a web cam from my third project which is over 60% done and I’m watching a green flashing light. I know it’s ruined burned and blobbed so all that time making it a fine print with large fill was a waste of time…. If this is an issue with the printer - I know I can’t ever get all the time I’ve wasted on this back - but can you at least hook a brother up with a some ABS until this gets all sorted out? I’m afraid to print out anything that takes longer than a few hours.

[Simon Parker @simon]

@uzbeckin

Until this problem has been resovled you can just disconnect the Robox from the PC after the STL file has been successfully sent to the printer.

[biscuitlad @biscuitlad]

@uzbeckin - I think you’ve got a faulty motherboard. I had that exact same issue. First it started during long prints, then it gradually got worse and worse, and it ended by refusing to print anything. The printer just heated up the nozzles, started a few movements, sometimes it started printing, then it would just freeze with the head on the print, AM lost contact with the printer, nozzles started to cool down. If the head wasn’t moved immediately, it would get stuck in the print itself. This was nothing to do with the computer sleeping or a USB port in sleep mode, it could happen on a purge for example. Plus I was often working on the computer attached to it when it happened.

The only solution for me was to send the printer back and have them fit a new motherboard. There might be some other problem or reason it happens, but I’m afraid that’s what they decided was the solution for me. At the time, new motherboards were like hen’s teeth, so there was a long wait involved.

[Uzbeckin @uzbeckin]

Thanks for all the replies. Let me explain a little further. First print - no PC attached printing overnight - right at the last minute the printer started flashing green - and put a burnt glob on the project. No worries… scrape it off but doubts about long prints. Second print - came back in the morning - same issue - flashing green - no PC attached - half completed project with a glob on it - can’t continue it. My printer is at work and I was very mad and all my coworkers looked on saying things about how 3d printing wasn’t ready for prime time. Third print - much smaller but going to barely take overnight. Hooked up web cam to be able to monitor print. Sure enough - 10 hours or so in - green flashing light and I could see the nozzle practically resting on the body of the print - going to be burnt glob when I go in and the print which was fine with large infill will be worthless with one side that has a glob. The door will be locked and I can’t scrape it off - so the print will be off. Even if I can get the door open and continue it won’t be what I paid for… a 3d printer that prints excellent prints. Little disappointed but I think RoboX guys will do the right thing and we’ll get this resolved.

[Simon Parker @simon]

@uzbeckin

I think @biscuitlad is correct if your seeing this problem with no PC attached then its the Robox..

• This reply was modified 2 days, 8 hours ago by  Simon Parker.

[Clicky @clicky]

@uzbeckin “Second print – came back in the morning – same issue – flashing green – no PC attached – half completed project with a glob on it – can’t continue it. “

Same thing occurred to me, too. But I contributed it to PLA. I was printing long(-ish) prints (~5-6hours) with ABS without any issues. The moment I switched to PLA I noticed occasional ‘noises’ from feeding mechanism and that reel is slightly tangled. I did unroll it a bit to create slack so it can easily pull filament from the reel, but still it, eventually, happened. What I contributed it to is slippage in filament feed.

Now there was a topic here were it was discussed. Somehow it seems that Robox is accumulating amount it slipped and if amount reaches certain number if then stops the print (I am sure someone will link the topic here). If it is true - more it slips sooner we’ll have issue as you described. Since your prints are really long - chances for it to happen are much bigger.

Now, I might be wrong - this is just a theory! And - sorry as this post doesn’t help you a lot! O: )

EDIT: found it: Filament slip

• This reply was modified 1 day, 22 hours ago by  Clicky.

[Uzbeckin @uzbeckin]

So I have a little encouraging news. I had all three prints fail using windows. It would show “sending to the printer” and after about 20 or so percent the status bar for the data completely sent goes away. For this time around I decided to use my Mac. The data seemed to send all and I am viewing the print via webcam at work and it is still going 10+ hours after start. Hope when I come in - I will have a beautiful print to show off. If so then the next question is - when is CEL going to fix the automaker for windows 8?

[René @3dnerd]

@Utzbecklin: when is CEL going to fix the automaker for windows 8?

Good question - since 13 days now no one from CEL took care for this thread anymore

• This reply was modified 1 day, 21 hours ago by  René.
• This reply was modified 1 day, 21 hours ago by  René.

[Clicky @clicky]

@3dnerd “Good question – since 13 days now no one from CEL took care for this thread anymore “

How did you conclude that?

[René @3dnerd]

Hi,

If I am correct (may not?) since last post from Chris White no other CEL member has posted to this thread…

[Clicky @clicky]

Which post? I haven’t seen one for… weeks now! You said he posted 13 days ago…

[René @3dnerd]

Hi Clicky,

you are right, it is much longer. The last post from Chris White was on <span style=”color: #444444;”>08th Oct. 2014.

sorry, my fault!

• This reply was modified 1 day, 17 hours ago by  René.

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