Equipment/Makerbot Cupcake
| Makerbot Cupcake
| |
|---|---|
| QR code |
Please don't touch or fiddle with the Makerbot unless you have been trained.
Training Session 1: Wed 7th September @12:30pm Samthetechie showed Billy Smith
DO NOT UPDATE OR EDIT THE FIRMWARE ON THE BOARDS.
Please document the customizations which prevent upgrading the firmware <3
Status
To try to reduce the stagering amount of damage the Makerbot sustains I've added a key. operator log for more information.
Model
We have a Makerbot Cupcake (batch 9, #402)! Now modified to a hipsterbot, extended x, y, z-axis. It's to cool.
Specification
Instructions
If you haven't used it before, please contact Glen or Russ and get him to show you how it works.
If you're using the Makerbot and have issues with it, or have to do maintenance/modifications to it, please note them in the operator log. This lets other users know what the state of the machine is, and helps us to avoid repeating errors which lead to breakage.
Calibration
Connection voodoo
- USB cable maker bot
- USB cable laptop
- Makerbot PSU power on
- Use key to turn power on to system
- ~RepRap motherboard power on
- replicatorg
Temperature settings
ABS melts at 220 °C. PLA melts at 210 °C
Use ReplicatorG 0025, setting the Machine driver the "Cupcake w/ automated build platform", but the Gcode profile set to "Cupcake w/ heated build platform" (for now, because we don't have a scrubber).
The heated build platform should be set to 100-120 °C, and shows up in GCode as the "cooling fan". If controlling the extruder, set it to 255.
The PTFE Barrel insulates the extruder nozzle
- PTFE is a thermoplastic polymer. Its melting point is 327 °C, but its properties degrade above 260 °C
The default "3mm" thermistor settings are as follows:
- Temperature of Raft: 230.0
- Temperature of Shape First Layer Outline: 215.0
- Temperature of Shape First Layer Within: 215.0
- Temperature of Shape Next Layers: 220.0
Troubleshooting
- Replacing the heater barrel
- Uncloging the extruder
- Extruder
- The extruder mechanism is now the MK5 plastruder.
- For unknown reasons, the heater resistors needed replacing. Replacements were obtained but were the wrong physical size (didn't fit the mounting hole spacing). The correct resistors are 5R, 10W, 1% and the mounting screws are M2 at the diagonally opposed corners of a rectangle 15.9 x 14.3mm (ohmite series 810 footprint pdf). Also Welwyn parts from Farnell (only 5% tolerance but I can't see why that would be an issue).
- They also need to be able to stand a maximum temperature of 250C. .. which the aluminium-cased ones can't, apparently : "Derating: Linearly from 100% @ +25°C to 0% @+275°C" (Ohmite datasheet). Is this just their way of saying you can't dissipate any power (and hence increase the temperature) above 275C ? Or that Makerbot have underspecified the resistors ? Or is there another manufacturer that permits higher temperatures ?
Consumables
I've bought plastic, lots of plastic.
ABS Black, white, clear, red, yellow, pink green & blue.
PLA Clear, green, white and metallic.
Prices range from 4 to 2.5 pence per gram. Put money for plastic used in the box marked Glen in the box store room.
More information
Software
- Drivers for USB-serial cable (also here).
- skeinforge
- http://replicat.org/
