3D Printers/FlashForge Creator Pro

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FlashForge Creator Pro

Status


Last Known Good Settings

Date Filament type, colour, brand First Layer Other layers Notes
Nov, 2018 Hatchbox forest green ABS Nozzle: 240, Bed: 110 Nozzle: 240, Bed: 110 DO NOT use enclosed chamber. Weird, I know. Put a fan on it after the 1st layer. 1st layer may be wavy, you may have to slow down the 1st layer speed to like 15-20 mm/s, or perhaps maybe the bed's too hot?? ..... (╯⊙﹏⊙)╯︵ ┴─┴

Thanks to Zach for suggesting not to use an enclosed chamber, it was driving me flipping insane.

Nov, 2018 AMZ3D Black, ABS Nozzle: 235, Bed: 110 Nozzle: 230, Bed: 110 Use enclosed chamber. Settings still not tweaked precisely, may over-extrude. Try lowering the temp by 5 deg, or set extrusion to 0.95.
Aug 10, 2018 3D Solutech PLA, white Nozzle: 215, Bed: off Nozzle: 205, Bed: off Extrusion multiplier at 0.925. Put fans on it!

Features

Background information on printer and review of it -- http://www.best3dprinterguide.com/flashforge-creator-x-review-dual-extruder-3d-printer/

  • FlashForge Creator Pro
  • 225 x 145 x 150 mm print volume
  • Dual extruder
  • 1.75mm filament
  • Absolute max temp: 250 C
  • Heated bed, max temp: 120 C
  • Removable glass print plate with PEI sheet. Silicone heat transfer sheet to hold it. The stock aluminum build plate (covered in a black substance) is bowed with the middle as the high point.

Glass Print Plate Usage

Glass plate is of GO-3D brand, proper one made for the this printer. It is covered with a PEI sheet that is adhered to the plate with 3M 468MP High Temp Tape. A blue silicone heat transfer sheet keeps the glass in place with friction and fills gaps between the plate and the aluminum bed, it is a type of silicone used for heat sinks for electronics.

  • NEVER CLAMP glass plate to bed. It will cause warping of the glass plate. Yes glass warps and bends, look it up. The silicone will keep it in place no problem.
  • One corner of the print plate is marked 'Front Right' and is blacked in on it's height. When facing the printer, this corner goes to corner that is on the right-hand side and is closest to you.
  • The temperature of the surface of the glass plate will be lower than the aluminum bed, may have to use higher bed temp than on other printers
  • PEI sheet is prep-free surface for ABS and PLA, hot or cold. If you have another material, check first to make sure it will work on PEI. If not, then put tape on top of the sheet and then glue/hairspray/whatever.
  • Clean PEI sheet with 85% Isopropyl Alcohol and a paper towel, a green spray bottle should be near the printer. Can also use soap and water.
  • The flat spatula used to remove objects from the print plate is also useful for removing glass plate from silicone sheet.



Usage

UPDATE: See the "Cura 3 Settings for this Printer" section for how to configure Cura 3.4.1 to use this printer.

Creator Pro uses different toolchain than the rest of the printers in the lab. This printer is based on one of Makerbot printers and Makerbot as a company would rather have you use Windows-only makerbod-approved software.

However, it is possible, to use the printer with open source toolchain based on Slic3r. Slic3r Prusa Edition is highly recommended.

Detailed instructions are here -- http://data.flamy.ca/printer_config/doc/cretor_pro_config.html This link is dead, are there instructions anywhere else? --Hiker (talk) 19:14, 22 April 2018 (EDT)

It is still possible to use makerbot software, just generate an .x3g file instead of .gcode and upload it to octoprint.

It is still possible to use cura, just edit and save your models with STL, then load them into Slic3r and print

SD Card

You can print from the printer directly by putting your print file on an SD card, there is one already in the printer. It only accepts x3g files, so you will have to convert your .gcode file to x3g using this utility called GpxUi http://markwal.github.io/GpxUi/

A copy of GpxUi can be found on the SD card in the printer.

Cura 3 Settings for this Printer

In Cura 3.4.1, to use the below settings, create a Custom FDM printer, then edit the Machine Settings for that printer to contain the following:
... PRINTER TAB
Printer Settings

  • X (Width): 226 mm
  • Y (Depth): 144 mm
  • Z (Height): 150 mm
  • Build plate shape: Rectangular
  • Origin at center: SELECTED
  • Heated bed: SELECTED
  • Gcode Flavor: Marlin

Printhead Settings

  • X min: 100 mm
  • Y min: 10 mm
  • X max: 100 mm
  • Y max: 10 mm
  • Gantry height: 40 mm
  • Number of Extruders: 2

Start Gcode 

 M136 ; start build
 M73 P0
 G90 ; absolute coordinates
 M140 S{print_bed_temperature}
 M104 S{print_temperature} T0
 
 T0 ; home on the right nozzle
 G28 X Y Z ; home all axes at homing speed
 G92 X0 Y0 Z0 A0 B0 ; set all coords to 0 for now
 G1 Z5 F500 ; move Z 5mm away so we can carefully hit the limit switch
 G161 Z F100 ; home Z slowly
 M132 X Y Z ; recall stored home offsets for XYZ axes
 G1 X110 Y-72 Z30 F3300 ; move to waiting position
 M116 ; wait for temps
 G92 E0 ; set current extruder position as 0 so that E15 below makes sense
 G1 X110 Y-70 Z0.2 F2400.0 ; move to just on the bed
 G1 X110 Y70 E15 F1200.000 ; extrude a line of filament along the right edge of the bed
 G92 E0 ; set E to 0 again because the slicer's next extrusion is relative to this 0

End Gcode 

 M104 S0
 M140 S0
 G92 E1
 G1 E-1 F300
 G28 X0 Y0
 M84
 
 M104 T0 S0                     ;extruder heater off
 M140 S0                     ;heated bed heater off (if you have it)
 G91                                    ;relative positioning
 G1 E-1 F300                            ;retract the filament a bit before lifting the nozzle, to release some of the pressure
 G1 Z+0.5 E-5 X-20 Y-20 F{travel_speed} ;move Z up a bit and retract filament even more
 G28 X0 Y0                              ;move X/Y to min endstops, so the head is out of the way
 M84                         ;steppers off
 G90                         ;absolute positioning

... EXTRUDER 1 TAB

  • Material Diameter: 1.75 mm
  • Nozzle size: 0.4 mm

... EXTRUDER 2 TAB

  • Material Diameter: 1.75 mm
  • Nozzle size: 0.4 mm

Slic3r Settings

Alternatively, overwrite whole Slic3r config. If you have other printer settings, they will be destroyed!

See https://github.com/prusa3d/Slic3r-settings

A few random printing tips

Smaller prints will better adhere to the bed than larger prints. If the print hasn't failed in the first 10% of the print job, it will be unlikely to fail after that.

Use Cubic Infill (Available only in Slic3r prusa edition), as it provides rigidity in all directions [1] and doesn't make printer resonate.

Do not use honeycomb -- as at the speeds of the default settings, it will cause printer to resonate and skip.

Leaning or drifting prints? Tighten all the belts, especially the Y-axis stepper motor belt. That stepper is prone to becoming loose because the Y-stepper motor puts out more power than the X. A link to a video is in the maintenance section.

Octoprint at octopi4.hacklab.to

Maintenance Resources

Cleaning the Extruder Drive Gear on a FlashForge Creator Pro 3D Printer -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmIY9_6s8Ss

Flashforge Creator Pro ABS Nozzle Cleaning -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3yp6H4D_ao

Applying Kapton Tape -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVXB2_-rFuU

Aligning Dual Extruders on FlashForge Creator Pro -- http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.php?2433-Flashforge-Creator-Dual-Pro-How-to-fix-Dual-Extruders-dragging-across-prints

FlashForge Creator X, Pro & Dreamer Nozzle Height Adjustment -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pAPA0mImhI

Belt tightening on X and Y axis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV4BFUdVx4U

Maintenance Log

Most recent entries at the top.

Date Notes Entry By
Jan 11, 2019 Tightened X belt, and the small Y belt that connects the motor to the cross rod. Cleaned and lubricated all rods (X, Y, Z). Lubricated Z lead screw. Lubricated the rod bearings on the X and Y (including that the bearings for the cross rod that connects to two Y long belts). Tightened the coupling on the Y axis stepper motor.

Prints were drifting (aka. leaning) towards the rear of the printer and it was driving me nuts. Turns out this can be due to a loose belt. The replicator and clones are susceptible the Y axis becoming loose because extra torque is outputted by the motor since it has to move the extruder carriage and the X stepper. I also removed some cobwebs from under the printer electronics.

Rana
Nov-Dec, 2018 The aluminum print bed is warped (bowed, with middle as the high point). After trying to level it five million times, finally hit the printer with a baseball bat and it fixed it. Just kidding. Bought a GO 3D glass plate for the bed and a PEI sheet and a silicone heat transfer mat that keeps it in place. Rana
Aug 8, 2018 Added Lokbuild surface to print bed. No more tape! see section above for usage info Rana
Jun 13, 2018 When trying to unload the PLA in the right head -- via the Utilities menu -- the Black PLA would not come out. So eventually just cut that filament (with about 6 inches extra left), to be able to finish working on the Type A printer. Allen
Jun 6, 2017 Applied new layer of kapton tape, replaced right fan which had a broken blade. The fan is 24V Alex V.
May 17, 2017 Pi configured with static IP in /etc/dhcpcd.conf.

Nozzles aligned vertically, successfully printed PLA with PVA support: 210°C for both extruders, bed off, blue tape.

Igor
May 2, 2017 Left side of the bed was way higher than the right side. This caused some damage to kapton tape. Re-aligned by eye. Alex V.
Apr 27, 2017 Printed something that was ~90% as long as the short side of the bed (y-axis in slic3r). Had to level the bed a little bit, but it printed fine. I used ABS juice to get it to stick (and blocked the build volume with cardboard) Rana
Feb 18, 2017 Myles mentioned about unlevelled printing bed. I leveled the bed properly, however I printed a small model in the middle of the table. Everything works fine. If you will print a large model may be you will need additional tuning. Mike P.
Feb 9, 2017 Replaced the original print head plate with 3D printed model to reduce strain on wires going to print head. Added 3D printed extruder cable support. The original print head plate in my members' box. Alex V.
Jan 31, 2017 Corrected wire order on right drive motor, both motors feed filament correctly now. Nozzles need to be vertically aligned, one is lower than the other and scrapes the previous layers. Adam
Jan 26, 2017 Replaced Fillament with Orange Monoprice. Cleaned nozzles, drive gears. Right gear doesn't pull fillament properly. Either gear or nozzle needs to be replaced. Alex V, Myles, Mike P
Dec 29, 2016 Bed level adjusted. Heated bed support needs to be disassembled and left front (my left) leveling assembly needs to be readjusted Alex V.
Nov 29, 2016 Right Extruder cleaned, Left Extruder should be clean too Rana
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