extremely slow printing during program run (connection issues?)

fbmstar

Hello all, I'm trying to get my qu-bd 3d printer up and running after a couple of years downtime (the thing never worked from the get go unfortunately).

My setup includes:

qu-bd revolution xl printer

Azteeg X3 board (ramps + arduino I'm reading)

Repetier firmware: version .0.83

Software: repetier host V1.6.2

Not really sure where to start with the issue, so I apologize for the long post/missing details.

Everything is currently working great in manual mode, all my axis mover correctly, home correctly, extruder works fine, but when i go to run a program from slicer, it moves to the initial position, then just sits there.  If I leave it running, it will execute 1 line of code about every minute or two. I've not verified how much actual code it's running when i see it in the preview, but a line of code to me is ~1/4" long line segment.

I've messed around with baud rates a lot, currently i'm set to 250000 on both the host and firmware.  (this is also what the machine initially was set too).

I've tried uploading my older config.h file into the newer web based format, but that creates another huge set of issues (many settings don't transfer and i don't have the mental capacity and/or time to get them correct)

Please let me know if you'd like any additional info.  Any suggestions are super appreciated!

thanks,

Brian

Repetier

And over manual mode you can send more then one move a minute? That would be strange as it is nearly the same. In such cases you need to log to file (preferneces->general) and check the log what is going on.

fbmstar

Manual mode is working well.  I am experiencing zero issues when jogging the machine.  I don't see a way to attach the log file here, but it is repeatedly showing the same error:

communication timeout - reset send buffer block.

I did see this error a couple of weeks ago (the last time i tried tinkering with the machine).  I was not able to come up with any solutions to this.  Interestingly, this error was showing in the message box a few weeks ago.  i must have changed a setting since then.  the only messages i'm currently seeing are:

OK 262

OK 263

OK 264

etc,

Thank you very much for taking the time to help me out with this issue!

a snip of the log file is below.

< 13:49:00.034 : N260 G1 X91.002 Y109.891 E9.26758*83

< 13:49:00.034 : N261 G1 X89.503 Y108.135 E9.54818*87

< 13:49:00.034 : N262 G1 X88.687 Y105.975 E9.82878*86

< 13:49:00.034 : N263 G1 X88.568 Y104.718 E9.98224*89

< 13:49:00.034 : N264 G1 X88.568 Y95.282 E11.1289*111

< 13:49:00.034 : N265 G1 X88.965 Y93.008 E11.40951*82

> 13:49:00.054 : ok 260

> 13:49:00.054 : ok 261

< 13:49:00.054 : N266 M117 ETE 3m 37s*123

> 13:49:00.054 : ok 262

> 13:49:00.054 : ok 263

> 13:49:00.054 : ok 264

> 13:49:00.054 : ok 265

< 13:49:00.054 : N267 G1 X90.08 Y91.054 E11.68282*111

< 13:49:00.054 : N268 G1 E9.68282 F2400*0

< 13:49:00.054 : N269 G92 E0*74

< 13:49:00.054 : N270 G1 X102.373 Y102.635 F7800*66

< 13:49:00.054 : N271 G1 E2 F2400*27

< 13:49:00.054 : N272 G1 X101.992 Y102.934 E2.05882 F1800*0

> 13:49:00.104 : ok 266

< 13:49:00.104 : N273 G1 X101.555 Y103.187 E2.12019*100

< 13:49:40.119 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

< 13:49:40.119 : N274 M105*38

< 13:49:40.119 : N275 M117 ETE 3m 37s*121

< 13:49:40.119 : N276 G1 X101.096 Y103.372 E2.18032*96

< 13:49:40.119 : N277 G1 X100.63 Y103.49 E2.23876*97

< 13:49:40.119 : N278 G1 X100.124 Y103.544 E2.30054*110

< 13:49:40.119 : N279 G1 X99.63 Y103.527 E2.36069*97

< 13:49:40.119 : N280 G1 X99.156 Y103.444 E2.41913*80

< 13:50:20.197 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

< 13:50:20.197 : N281 M117 ETE 3m 37s*114

< 13:50:20.197 : N282 M105*47

< 13:50:20.197 : N283 G1 X98.672 Y103.288 E2.48091*95

< 13:50:20.197 : N284 G1 X98.227 Y103.071 E2.5411*109

< 13:50:20.197 : N285 G1 X97.817 Y102.795 E2.60119*88

< 13:50:20.197 : N286 G1 X97.456 Y102.47 E2.66019*109

< 13:50:20.197 : N287 G1 X97.131 Y102.084 E2.72155*91

< 13:51:00.276 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

< 13:51:00.276 : N288 M117 ETE 3m 37s*123

< 13:51:00.276 : N289 M105*36

< 13:51:00.276 : N290 G1 X96.858 Y101.642 E2.78464*88

< 13:51:00.276 : N291 G1 X96.668 Y101.213 E2.84169*95

< 13:51:00.276 : N292 G1 X96.538 Y100.764 E2.89848*89

< 13:51:00.276 : N293 G1 X96.463 Y100.249 E2.96179*88

< 13:51:00.276 : N294 G1 X96.463 Y99.753 E3.022*97

< 13:51:40.352 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

< 13:51:40.352 : N295 M117 ETE 3m 37s*119

< 13:51:40.352 : N296 M105*42

< 13:51:40.352 : N297 G1 X96.526 Y99.291 E3.07864*100

< 13:51:40.352 : N298 G1 X96.667 Y98.788 E3.14213*105

< 13:51:40.352 : N299 G1 X96.869 Y98.336 E3.20236*105

< 13:51:40.352 : N300 G1 X97.118 Y97.934 E3.25979*100

< 13:51:40.352 : N301 G1 X97.452 Y97.534 E3.32309*105

< 13:52:20.426 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

< 13:52:20.426 : N302 M117 ETE 3m 37s*120

< 13:52:20.426 : N303 M105*39

< 13:52:20.426 : N304 G1 X97.817 Y97.206 E3.38275*103

< 13:52:20.426 : N305 G1 X98.2 Y96.946 E3.43898*110

< 13:52:20.426 : N306 G1 X98.671 Y96.712 E3.50286*103

< 13:52:20.426 : N307 G1 X99.156 Y96.556 E3.56483*98

< 13:52:20.426 : N308 G1 X99.629 Y96.473 E3.62322*111

< 13:53:00.499 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

< 13:53:00.499 : N309 M117 ETE 3m 37s*115

< 13:53:00.499 : N310 M105*37

< 13:53:00.499 : N311 G1 X100.08 Y96.457 E3.67799 F1800*11

< 13:53:00.499 : N312 G1 X100.614 Y96.507 E3.74318*87

< 13:53:00.499 : N313 G1 X101.096 Y96.627 E3.80357*90

< 13:53:00.499 : N314 G1 X101.554 Y96.813 E3.86365*88

< 13:53:40.580 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

Repetier

That is very strange. After "ok 266" you get no more responses from firmware. YOu said one move every 40 seconds, so the communiction to firmware seems to be still working. And at the beginning it was a 2 way communication.

You could try a different USB port or a powered USB hub to connect printer and PC.

I guess the difference between manual and job running is that bed and heaters are on and with heaters on something happens to communication. This is in most cases power related. As a simple test enable dry run (expert mode bottom of manual) and start a print.

fbmstar

The printer is working fine in the dry run mode.  I tried 3 different USB ports and a different USB cable.  It's still doing the same thing.  I may have been misleading saying the printer is moving every 40 seconds.  I don't think it's moving at all.  What is happening is in the print preview window, it will show a little line every 40 seconds.  it takes about 6-7 minutes to draw a 10mm circle on the print bed, one little line every 40 seconds.  I think i'll try the printer on another computer this evening and see what happens.  If that does not work, could this be faulty hardware, or could there be some settings in the config.h file making this happen?

thanks,

Brian

fbmstar

I tried the printer on a different computer.  I installed the FTDI drivers and downloaded repetier host.  The printer connected without a hitch.  Unfortunately, it's still doing the same thing on that computer.  Do you think a powered USB port will solve this issue?  I'm fine with buying one if you think there's a good chance that might solve the issue, but i'm guessing it probably isn't a USB issue at this point.  I also tried downloading a previous version of repetier host just in case (.95F).  This did not seem to do anything, although i think the install wasn't clean and some settings might have transferred over.  Any other suggestions?  Appreciate the help! 

-Brian

Repetier

If you need FTDI drivers it could also be a fake FTDI chip. Recently FTDI had released FTDI drivers that detect fake chips and makes them unusable or disturbs communication. Try googling it for more informations. I know several boards have fake FTDI chips. So that would be an alternative reason.

fbmstar

I certainly hope this is not the case, but I was able to stumble across a post that details how to find the serial number of the chip.  I've sent this info to ftdi support.  Apparently there's now way to test if the chip is valid.  I haven't received any error messages or anything suggesting a faulty chip.  I'll report back with my findings if they respond to me.  thanks for the help!

-Brian

fbmstar

It's been a while, but I'd like to report back here that I have not found a solution to this problem.  Panucatt got back to me promptly, and suggested printing from the SD card.  I cannot get this to work.  I started downloading to the SD card through repitier host; it got about to ~7% complete in about 3 hours for a 200 Kb file.  I gave up after that. I'm not sure how to do it from my computer and get it to start the program and read from the SD card.  I've tried adjusting the jumper settings, but this doesn't seem to do anything.  I'll send another note to panucatt about that.

Also, FTDI got back to me promplty, but wouldn't tell me anything about the chip's serial number that i provided. They pretty much brushed me off and told me to contact the manufacturer of the printer.  I did contact either "qu-bd", "quintessential universal building device", "Q3dprinter", or whatever they want to change their name to next time.  Worst company ever btw.  I would not ever recommend purchasing anything from them.  It's been 3 weeks and still no response from them.  I'm under the impression I won't hear anything back from them, which is pretty lousy, since they sold me this $1000 paperweight.

I would like to think that FTDI would let me know if the chip is a fake, but since they didn't mention anything about it, I'm currently going off the assumption that it is valid.

I'll post back with future findings for anyone that may be experiencing the same issues.  There doesn't seem to be much on the internet about this.

My current status:  printer won't run, has communications issues between ftdi, panucatt, repetier, no idea what is causing the issue, hardware, or software.

P.S  Thank you Repetier for the support!  You've easily been the most helpful throughout this venture and i'd just like to express my gratitude.

Repetier

In host there is a button save to sd card. If sd card is in your pc just store the gcode on it with ending .g. Then you can select the file when inserted from lcd screen and start print. WOuld make it a stand alone printer but hopefully it will at least print.

fbmstar

I've actually tried this, and had to buy a usb to micro SD adapter to do so, but unfortunately my printer doesn't have an LCD screen to run from.  So, I tried to download to the USB while it from repetier while it was inserted in the azteeg control board instead, but gave up after realizing it was going to take 12 hours to upload a 200kb file.  Actually, i had to restart my computer for unrelated stuff on that particular night, and that's why I didn't let it finish.  Let me try to let it finish uploading and see what it does.  I also tried running from the SD card, as the azteeg apparently has options to do this, but i could not get it to work.  That was another 3 hour internet session on how to make it work, with no apparent solutions in sight, so i kind of gave up on that as well.

Again, appreciate the help!

Repetier

Ok, here my final tip: Save the file as "init.g" to sd card. If you then insert the sd card the printer will start printing it directly (assuming repetier-firmware is installed).

Can you still control the printer manually, meaning do you get "ok" responses if ACK in host log options is enabled? I have a azteeg x3 where one direction was not working any more after a while. Since then I could not really talk with the printer or upload new firmware (only using ICP connector). An other printer with that board works for a year now without problems.