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Hi all!

I have read briefly through other threads about the topic (including Talk Manufacturing | Hubs)

but have had no luck with my problem.

Originally I was having problems with the extruder, but with a firmware update and correct calibration it was easy to get it working with a default model that came with the product.

I am now trying to print my own fairly simple designs but am having some major dramas.

Things that are working:

  1. Clay is coming out
  2. Path output from slic3r seems correct.

Problems I am having

  1. Noise which sounds like the stepper motor or drill bit is slipping for the first 2 layers
  2. It appears too much material is coming out

For the material I am unsure if it is just my distance between layers is too close, as I am unsure the perfect height for the 1.2mm nozzle. Although this is what is crossing my mind, I believe the sort of squashed effect the ceramic is having makes me think that the material is simply coming out too fast.

I have manually tried to change the gcode, and from what my little knowledge in gcode is, I came the conclusion that the feedrate F#### may need to be adjusted. Having done that, matching some of the speeds with the “spiked vase” that came with the ceramic printer, I had no luck producing the parts I required.

These parts are extremely simple, a rectangular prism with a small cut out (used for a charpy test).

Any help with this problem will be greatly appreciated and may even get you a mention in my thesis!

Thanks

1 Like
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Per ottenere una buona stampa dell’argilla occorre stabilire il giusto equilibrio tra:

qualità del materiale impiegato

durezza dell’impasto

pressione dell’aria

velocità di estrusione

Se l’impasto è troppo duro la pressione dell’aria (6bar) non è sufficiente (ci sono compressori che arrivano a 8-10bar)

Se l’impasto è troppo tenero la stampa potrebbe collassare

I layer devono risultare schiacciati per ottenere una buona adesione tra i layer con un uggello da 1.2mm puoi usare dei layer da 0.6-0.8mm

Se esce troppo materiale puoi calare la pressione dell’aria.

Se con estrusore fermo esce l’argilla c’è troppa pressione oppure il materiale è troppo tenero

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For those interested. This is what I got when I translated.

To get a good clay release is necessary to establish the right balance between:

quality of the material used

hardness of the dough

air pressure

extrusion speed

If the dough is too hard the air pressure (6 bar) it is not sufficient (there are compressors that arrive at 8-10bar)

If the dough is too soft printing could collapse

The layers must be crushed in order to obtain good adhesion between the layers with a nozzle 1.2mm can use layers from 0.6-0.8mm

If it comes out too much material you can lower the air pressure.

If stationary with the clay extruder out there too much pressure or the material is too soft

I am currently using a good grade clay supplied by the manufacturer with an additional 5% alcohol in weight to the clay.
It appears that it is printing fine with an attached picture to show. However this is a default model supplied by the manufacturer, and I need to print my own models. I will try to adjust the print speed using slic3r before posting again. If anyone is a professional at slic3r and can give me a few pointers, that would be amazing

14625561_10154458566955520_601104461_o.jpg
14625561_10154458566955520_601104461_o.jpg1126×2001 217 KB

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Hey Alex, sorry I can’t help you. But I’m curious how you updated the firmware. I just got my clay extruder but have not found any info on how to upgrade it. Neither manual mentions firmware update procedures.