Thanks for great Customer Service !

[cropwell]

Since my last post on this topic the Wanhao 4DS has been behaving, except for when another cable went intermittent. So I changed it and it cured the messy printing.

One thing that I have done is install a WiFi SD card, so I can log onto it and upload and delete files without messing about taking the card out. The card is a Toshiba Flashair and I had to modify files on the card to get it to work the way I want it. Now it works well, but the range of the card is quite limited, so I have to have it near (within 6ft) to get a reliable link.


Now, however, the machine is faulty big time. It won't grip the filament enough to push it thru the hotend. So the feed gear just grinds the filament away. This has come on gradually and I think it may be weakening springs on the pressure rollers (both extruders show the same problem). Having tried all sorts of half arsed solutions, none of which worked, I think I have ended up with stepper motors with bent shafts as the filament extrudes and then stops fairly rhythmically when loading filament.

In my attempts to fix it, I installed some Chinese all-metal feed mechanisms - waste of time and money - they were so badly made I had to mill out the recesses to get them to fit on the stepper motor. Now they are in the scrap bin. Also I think the springs on the all metal extruder were too strong and that caused damage to the steppers.

So yesterday I ordered a new dual extruder complete (Nozzles, hotends with thermocouples and heaters, feed mechanism, heat sinks and fans). The complete works. I hope it does the job as it has used up my pensioner's pocket money for Octember and Novober.



So I have got an old dual extruder in the future projects bin, and my first task once the 3D printer is back working, is to check the steppers with a dial gauge and see if they are actually wonky.

Cheers,

Rob-T

[AndyUK]

One thing that I have done is install a WiFi SD card, so I can log onto it and upload and delete files without messing about taking the card out. The card is a Toshiba Flashair and I had to modify files on the card to get it to work the way I want it. Now it works well, but the range of the card is quite limited, so I have to have it near (within 6ft) to get a reliable link.

Hi Rob,

We had a nightmare time with our Creality CR-10S when the SD card slot started playing up and not recognizing the card. We've instead swapped to using OctoPrint which is a raspberry-pi based controller for the printer (so plugs in via USB). One of the biggest benefits is it runs a webserver as the control interface, so we can slice a model, open a web browser, then drag and drop the G-Code file into the printer, and off it goes. We also get a graph of the temperatures, and a live webcam feed. Can't recommend it highly enough, incase you haven't looked at it before!

[cropwell]

Hi Andy,

I know damn well what you mean about an SD card playing up. The problem with the D4S is that the card slot is stupidly placed so I tried several things. You also have to appreciate that there is a gap behind the card slot, so the card can easily fall into the machine and get lost in the electronics compartment.

First attempted solution :- Fill the gap with a printed fillet. - Result - fewer lost cards, but more awkward to insert and take out card.
Second attempted solution :- SD card extender, good idea but failed very quickly, resulting in card misreads.
Third attempted solution:- Cut away the machine enclosure to get access to the card. (sorry about poor quality photo)
Fourth (successful) solution:- WiFi Card. It works well enough to stick with it and no major change to machine.

Cheers,

Rob-T