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Hello,

I unpacked my Flashforge creator pro and was able to successfully print the examples in the SD card. I was also able to make a few prints of my own design using all recommended settings for ABS. Mid print, I checked on the printer, and it was frozen in place, with fans on and the nozzle & bed were still hot. The screen did not show anything. I was printing via SD. I power cycled the unit several times and finally got it to turn on without a blank screen. It said on the screen “SD card read error”. I tried again, and was able to level the plate and began printing, but the unit froze again. It has not read the error again, but the screen in blank. I power cycled a few more times and was able to get the LCD to turn back on. I tried to level the bed, and it froze again and the screen went blank again. Any ideas here?

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Also, I notice that the unit appears to ‘reset’ when i move the nozzles back to hit both x and y limit switches. The second it tries to move the extruder or bed… bam… it goes dead again!

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What firmware version? When I got mine I was instructed to update the firmware from flashprint. Might help but also could be something loose. I usually flip the machine and check all of the connections on the mainboard to be tight.

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Thanks for the quick response and input… I’ll look into the update and make it. Since the first few prints were looking really good (I like the machine!), I was hesitant to change it. There’s enough recommendations out there that I guess I should make the change.

Now that I’ve isolated it to the limit switch, I notice that if you wiggle the wires, it will work momentarily. I think its just a peculiar failure mode of a broken cable. Wierd!

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Broken cables are very common believe it or not!

I just wondered on the firmware because of a FFCP I got and was watching it preheat and realized the screen was blank which I thought was odd since my other one showed the preheat stats. I found it was firmware 7.7 so I updated and then I got preheat stats.

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Nice… while I’m making the cable upgrade, might as well do the SW too. Do you have a recommended link, or should I just go to sailfish and look around for it?

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All I did was start up flashprint and go to tools >upgrade firmware. Mine had instructions to do this during the software setup I think on the SD card that came with it.

Maybe check thought first what is on it. When it starts up watch the LCD screen and at one point near the bottom it will say the version.

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Hi I have 3 FFCP2’s and I have had to repplace the limit switch cable to the carrage on all of them. I guess its a known problem as a spare came with all of them when I bought them. 2 of them presented exactly what you describe. Blank screen when the limit is pushed. There is 3 wires in the cable. Im guessing a common and 2 inputs. One NO Nd on NC. I think what is happening is the 2 inputs are shorting out when the cable fails. Or maybe the limit switch board has a positive, negative and return signal and the pos and signal shorts out in the broken cable. Either way broken cable will give you the blank screen. Especially if it happens when the carrage is home. Did you recieve a spare.

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There is something seriously wrong with your printer. As it is brand new, I would recommend a replacement.

Short of that, CHECK EVERY wire connection. You may have something loose there. Even a loose fan connector can cause these symptoms. Check your connections between your display/sd card to the board, these are often loose.

Take the plate off the bottom. (no need to replace it if you are willing to be careful. IT actually runs cooler without the plate on the bottom.) Check that all that is connected well.

Check the connection from the board to the heat plate.

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Try replacing that cheapo SD card that came with the FF. Make sure you format it using SDFormatter, and not windows format.

This is OFTEN the solution.

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I did recieve a spare, and will take the advice. I’m thinking to make a more robust cable with thicker wire. Have you done that, or was the spare replacement enough? I’m interested how replacing one unit with another identical unit solves the problem permanently, unless its an installation issue they’re creating in the factory. Also, are you using the replicatorG to compile the stl files, or did you get something more robust? Thanks for the help here… I’m a few days new to this.

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I’m beginning to agree there is something wrong with the printer… although I had a few very good prints. I would have thought this problem would surface as an ‘infant mortality’ item. Not that I’m the expert here. Will take your advice and replace it if the debugging doesn’t fix it shortly.

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OK, flashforge has software called flashprint, and you should be using it to test your printer, and slicing your models.

Please download it, choose the upgrade firmware, and go from there. I did not realize you were using replicator G. It is likely you chose the wrong printer type (replicator is correct, replicator 2 is not!). Please try flashprint and check back with us!!!

…I’m interested how replacing one unit with another identical unit solves the problem permanently, unless its an installation issue they’re creating in the factory…

Sometimes boards or electronics just get wired badly, etc.

Remember that the FF is a chinese clone (Albeit a very good one) of a Replicator, and utilizes inexpensive production methodologies and parts. Sometimes things go wrong. And they certainly do not test each one. You might just have a lemon.

Also, are you using the replicatorG to compile the stl files, or did you get something more robust?

Replicator G is abandonware, and has not been updated in 1000 years. Use slicer, or better, Flashprint, or best Simplify3d.

I would not be surprised to find out you are having issues as a result of using Rep G incorrectly.

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