Modified CR-10 Smart Pro Printing Issues

I recently replaced the stock Sprite extruder on my CR-10 Smart Pro in favor of an E3D V6, Orbiter v2, 4020 Noctua fan, and 2 5015 blower fans, photo below.

Ever since, the printer is unable to print basic calibration tests let alone anything else, I set the klipper configuration (I am using Sonic Pad), and did E-steps, I also set the retraction to the recommended amounts on the Orbiter website (1-1.5mm at 120mm/s) yet the print is still a very stringy mess. I also tried calibrating extrusion multiplier through different methods, but the differences are near to zero. I also noticed while doing auto bed leveling that there is a significant sag in the center of the bed, which shows when printing a bed level test, the center one is always worse than the corners, photo below.

Any help would be much appreciated!


What are your fan settings?

You’ve got some pretty big ones there and I wonder if the filament is hardening before it can melt with/into already placed filament. What happens if you turn them down a notch or three?

For printing PLA, which I do these calibration tests with, the part cooling fan is off for the first layer, 33% for second, 66% for the third, and 100% for the rest of the print.

That is quite a set of fans for cooling. I use this setup for pla+ at 210 with 50 % on both fans to start and 75% for the rest of the print no bed heating.


I know pretty ugly eh.

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That’s the standard Cura settings - what happens if you turn off print cooling? Does it affect what you are seeing?

HI @cy1der

I would be curious to know what filament you are using and the print temps you are using as well.

Did you run a temp tower for your filament and see the sweet spot for printing that particular filament is?

Jason

@Jason

Before I replaced my sprite, I ran the temperature tower that’s built into SuperSlicer and found that 200 degrees is the best, so that’s what I have been using since. However, in this new setup, I can’t even get one to print without failing. :confused:

I am using the PLA+ from 3D Printing Canada

Still some noticeable stringing at the maximum recommended retraction settings on an Orbiter v2 (1.5mm, 120mm/s retraction, 80 mm/s de-retraction).
I capped the part cooling fan at 60%, off on the first layer, then it increases by 10% each layer until 60%.

That looks like a cooling issue to me.

What happens when you turn the model 90 degrees?

I didn’t print the model at 90 degrees but I don’t think it will affect the results?

I’m curious to see if the direction of stringing moves with the model. The left side of the model looks good.

If you still get stringing to the right, like what you have here, then you have uneven cooling part airflow.

When doing a different string test (4 towers in a square shape) there were strings along all 4. Also, regarding the uneven part cooling, that might make sense since I’m using blower fans, photos below of how the air flows. The air on one side has to travel further to reach the end.


Do you have an .stl you can share of the ducts?

I’m not sure what the airflow looks like but if you’re having problems with stringing that is consistent, then you have uneven airflow.

If you’re running the two blowers at 100%, that’s definitely going to affect how the filament cools which could lead to the original problem.

Here you go
drive.google.com

Thanx. Where exactly did you get the extruder and what are the installation instructions for it? I can’t find it doing a web search although I think I’ve found a couple of sources for purchasing the piece, but none outlining every aspect of it including how to install it.

This will sound weird, but could you send me some pictures from the bottom looking up? I want to see if there is an air path from the heatsink fan to the bottom of the extruder assembly. If there is, that could explain your original problems.

With regards to your stringing problems, that could be a result of one of your fans not working or a blocked air path. How have you checked the operation of each one?

There aren’t any instructions on how to install it, since the extruder is open source, it’s basically up to the designer of the cover (the file I sent earlier) to provide instructions. In regards to the fans, they’re wired in parallel, and yes they both work.

Instructions for that specific cover

Here’s what the extruder looks like when removed:


I’m looking for images of the other end - the nozzle end.

You’ve given me a link to a patreon.com source - where are the .stls for printing the unit?

The STLs are here, I used the last one on the list, to be mounted on an Ender 3 V2 back plate.

The image is what I’m looking for. Thank you for the link to the .stls.

There isn’t a seal between the bottom of the heatsink and the top of the heater block. Could you try something like that is shown on the video at this point:

You’re going to need something like muffler tape from Canadian Tire (if you live in Canada, Napa if you live in the US).

I’d be curious to see how it affects the initial problem with the basic calibration tests.

I’m going to suggest we look at the stringing problem later.

I think you’re onto something, when I heat my hotend to 50 degrees, the minimum the hotend fan will turn on, I feel air without the part fans on.