Increase z build dimension? (FFCP)

[shocksofmighty]

I'm trying to get my Flashforge Creator Pro to increase the z building dimension to 175 mm (from the stock 150 mm). There is clearly enough room to be able to do this. I can change the values in the machine definition and in the process of S3D, but when I try to test if I can actually move the build plate to 175 mm (with either a gcode script or just simple jogging), it will only go to 150 mm. Is this an issue with printer firmware? Any suggestions/links on how to overcome this? Thanks.

[dorsai3d]

Most likely a limitation in the printer firmware. Take a look here for info on configuring sailfish (the firmware that your printer uses): http://www.sailfishfirmware.com/doc/

[wirlybird]

I'll be interested in what you find out. I have a part that is 155mm that I want to print standing up but it is just that much to big!

[shocksofmighty]

I tested with Replicator G over USB, and it was straightforward to jog above 150mm with the controls. My feeling that this is something that is related to the profile that S3D loads when setting up that prevents jogging above 150 mm. It might be that increasing the z build dimension in the profile will work just fine (I just haven't been up to trying to prevent something so big without getting confirmation that it will work!), or it might be worthwhile to import a different printer and adjust the offsets?

EDIT: Nope. Even after increasing build volume, the build plate does not go below 150 mm. In replicator G this is set in the xml file that is loaded when the machine type is selected. Certainly something similar exists for S3D, but it is in a binary file somewhere.

[shocksofmighty]

I believe I figure it out. You cannot alter the profile that gets imported when the machine type is set, i.e. FlashForge Creator Pro profile. If you edit the "Default" protocol to look just like the FlashForge protocol, but change the build z-build dimension it appears to work (from my simple test)!

[CompoundCarl]

If you click on the G-Code tab of your process settings, you can edit the Z build volume for the printer. There isn't anything else you need to change in S3D. Everything else is controlled by the firmware.

Most firmwares have max virtual endstops, meaning that if the machine tries to move beyond the build volume that is hard-coded into the firmware, then the firmware will prevent the motion (simulating the affect of having an endstop at that end). So as others had said, this is most likely related to the firmware, and you will need to figure out how to edit the firmware Z-axis build size.

[shocksofmighty]

It doesn't seem to be an issue with the firmware, just the ability of S3D to override the firmware variable from an imported profile. Again, just switching to the "Default" protocol and modifying everything to fit the printer and change the Z dimension to 170 mm was all it took. Note: I also changed the end script to to G1 170 instead of G1 150. You don't want things going back up after making a tall print.

[CompoundCarl]

There's nothing in the software that would prevent you from moving that high, so I can't see how any profile changes would make a difference. I just tested it on one of my printers, and even with a smaller Z-height, I can still jog as far as I want if I have the firmware setup correctly.

[shocksofmighty]

I totally agree with you that the firmware contains a max z variable, and if one changes that default it would let you set max z to whatever you want (I assume that's what you mean by having your firmware setup correctly?). S3D (and other software) can override that variable so you don't have to mess with updating your firmware just to change those. In ReplicatorG this is set in the printer profile XML, and it even gives you a nice little message that it is "updating the bot" with a non-standard (non-firmware) value. I think that's the whole point of that whole "Update Machine Definition" of the gcode section of S3D. My observation is that for whatever reason it doesn't work when I use an imported profile, but works fine when I put together a profile from scratch.

[CompoundCarl]

S3D (and other software) can override that variable so you don't have to mess with updating your firmware just to change those. I think that's the whole point of that whole "Update Machine Definition" of the gcode section of S3D.

Perhaps RepG can do that, but S3D does not modify your printer settings. Changing the "Update Machine Definition" section has no affect on your printers max Z height that is defined in the firmware. It is quite easy to verify this by echoing settings from the printer or watching USB communication. So I'm just trying to make it clear that any setting you change in S3D pertaining to Z-height WILL NOT change the firmware Z-height limits. So you still need to fix the firmware or disable the virtual endstops in the firmware.