Robo3d - Z Ribbing Causes and Cures (June 2014)

A Number of Robo users are seeing very significant Z artifacts on their prints
and are disappointed with their print quality. In many cases these artifacts
appear to be Z Ribbing although many of the proposed cures/mods are actually
focussed on reducing Z Wobble (eg Z Axis stabilizers).
The purpose of this note is to look only at the root causes of Z Ribbing on the
Robo and describe fixes to eliminate (or at least reduce) them.
Z Artifacts
Anyone who is seeing Z artifacts on their Robo prints first needs to check
exactly what is happening Z Ribbing or Z Wobble (or maybe something else
entirely eg over extrusion).
There is an excellent article describing the taxonomy of Z Artifacts on 3D
prints. In my opinion, some of the reasons cited for the artifacts are not entirely
correct or complete, but it is still very useful information.
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s211/sh/701c36c4-ddd5-4669-a482-
953d8924c71d/1ef992988295487c98c268dcdd2d687e
To summarise the differences between Z Ribbing and Z Wobble :
Z Wobble is HORIZONTAL movement of the Z axis. On a print, Z Wobble can
be seen as a convex wave on one side of the print with a corresponding concave
wave on the other side at the same z height.
Z Ribbing may be caused by variation in the VERTICAL Z step size (in other
words, the layer height of each step). Z Ribbing can be seen as a convex wave
on one side of the print with a corresponding convex wave on the other side at
the same Z height.
The root cause(s) of Z Wobble and Z Ribbing are very different.
To see whether Z artifacts in a particular print are Z Wobble or Z Ribbing,
obviously you need to carefully check the wave pattern on both sides of the
print at exactly the same Z height.
Of course it would also be possible (but probably unlikely) that both wobble
and ribbing are present in a particular print.
Again this note only addresses Z Ribbing.
Z Ribbing Artifacts
Z Ribbing is caused by tiny variations in layer height of the nozzle during the
print. The variation itself is just a small fraction of the full layer height (typically
between 0.1 to 0.3mm) so the variations can be in the order of hundredths of a
millimeter.
Generally the variation in height is not random and the ribbing is noticeable
because the layer height varies in a regular pattern. In many cases the
frequency of the ribbing pattern closely aligns with the pitch of the threaded
rod.
Possible causes of Z Ribbing on the Robo
As the Robo Z Axis uses a vertical threaded rod/nut, coupler and stepper
design lifting an extruder nozzle at a fixed height in the X Axis, variations in Z
layer height can only be caused by:
- Variations in threaded rod or nut pitch geometry.
- Variations in the way the coupler either transmits the rotation from
stepper to rod or variations in length (ie height) of the coupler itself as it
turns (and hence threaded rod)
- Variation in the way the stepper motor rotates in response to
microstepping pulses from Marlin/Ramps.
- Or possibly (but unlikely), some variation in the height of the bed under
the nozzle.
Extent and Severity of Z Ribbing on the Robo
The extent and severity of the Z Ribbing appears to vary widely between
machines in no identified pattern. But as not all Robos suffer from the Z
Ribbing it is unlikely there is any fundamental design issue.
Of the Robos that do suffer from Z Ribbing, the severity of the ribbing
sometimes varies between prints and sometimes comes and goes over time.
To add to the complexity, a number of users modify their machines (often
extensively) so it is difficult to pin down any significant difference between the
basic Robo design and the configuration of the users Robo.
Identification of Possible Causes of Z Ribbing on the Robo
In an attempt to find a systematic way of testing and pinning down the
cause(s) on any particular machine, a systematic analysis of the possible causes
from firmware to Z drive mechanics was done.
A number of fixes were identified and tested successfully (on one machine so
far). The fixes are targeted at a number of identified root causes of Z Ribbing
on a particular machine. But each machine may not have all the root causes
present.
Z Ribbing Cures and Fixes (June 2014)
Before starting any fixes
Go over your Robo thoroughly checking for loose screws, belts, rods, couplers
etc etc and make sure some other problem is not going to make the fixes
appear to not work or cause even more problems.
Make sure your rods are straight (eg roll them on glass)
Make sure your 5mm to 8mm helical couplers are in good shape. They must
not be bent or damaged. A good coupler should be near to a perfect cylinder
and compress slightly with just finger pressure.
Make sure your Robo is on a flat, stable surface which does not shake or move
during a print. Also the base must not be twisted or bent eg because some
object is caught under an edge.
Finally, print the test.stl (attached) in PLA at 0.2mm layer height. It only takes
about 15mins and will be a reference against the fixes. The test is round with
vertical surfaces to show up any Z Ribbing clearly.
Fix 1 Firmware configuration change
Why
There is absolutely no doubt that disabling the Z steppers between moves
cause inaccurate microstepping. Robo need to fix this configuration parameter
in future Marlin releases.
How
Make the firmware configuration change and reflash the firmware as described
here.
http://forums.robo3dprinter.com/index.php?threads/z-axis-artifacts-known-
issues-and-fixes.2576/#post-20406
Check that the configuration.h steps/mm is correct for the pitch of the rod you
are using. For example M8 rod should be set at 2560 steps/mm.
Note: If you have made other firmware changes, check that none of these
might change the Z Axis behaviour from the stock Robo settings (eg
acceleration or jerk settings).
Fix 2 Making sure the threaded rod/nut stiction and
friction is as low as possible.
Why
This fix is required so the stepper can do its job with low torque and no
slippage on all of the connections between the Z motor shaft and X carriage
nut.
The forces of acceleration and torque are especially high at the connection
between the 5mm motor shaft and coupler. The aim is to take as much load off
the motor shaft/coupler connection as possible and minimse the possibility of
slippage.
To minimse stiction and friction (and hence torque), the CNC world generally
recommend using a plastic(nylon) nut and dry PTFE lube if you are using
stainless threaded rods.
How
First you need to remove and thoroughly clean your rods. Hot water,
dishwashing liquid and a nail brush works well. Afterwards look at the rods
under a magnifying glass to check they are completely clean. I found
compressed air was good for a final clean.
Source clean, good quality nylon nuts and check they rotate freely on the rod.
(The nylon nuts will be used to replace the metal nuts that sit in the X Carriage
nut traps.)
With the nuts removed from the rods, spray the rods and nuts with the dry
PTFE lube. Let the rods and nuts dry and from then on make sure they remain
clean of contamination.
This type of dry PTFE lube appears to be
widely available
Fix 3 Setting the motor shaft in the coupler so it does not
slip
Why
One of the major causes of Z height variation on the Robo is slippage at the
connection between the motor shaft and the coupler. As the shaft is small
(5mm) the surface area in contact with the coupler has to be as great as
possible to prevent slippage. Even if the slippage is as small as 1-2 degrees,
that is enough to cause variation and ribbing (and it did on my Robo).
So the motor shaft needs to be held fixed tight in the coupler with no slippage.
And the shaft needs to be vertical in the coupler.
How
First you need to remove the Z motors from the Robo.
Make sure the disassembled couplers are within spec and not bent or
damaged.
To maximise the contact area between shaft and coupler, the motor shaft
needs to be positioned in the coupler so the end of the shaft just sits just
proud of the hole drilled in the coupler. There seem to be a number of
different coupler styles so you need to look inside the coupler to check the
shaft is in the right place as shown below.
To properly align the shaft/coupler its important to get the 2 flats on the
motor shaft orientated correctly so the clamp screws can be tightened and the
shaft stays vertical. I have no idea why there are two flats on the shaft
because it certainly does not make the alignment very easy.
I found the only way to get the shaft and rod to stay in alignment was to
position the two flats like in the diagram with the round part of the shaft
across the squeeze gap with the clamp screw.
And to make sure the whole assembly stays tight with no slippage, use liquid
blue Loctite (or blue Threadlocker) on the motor shaft and inside the coupler
hole before pushing the rod into the coupler.
Liquid Blue Removable
Threadlocker (equivalent to Blue Removable Loctite)
Drop or two of Loctite is enough
Then tighten the clamp screw as tight as possible without damaging the
coupler. Must be as tight as possible to stop any slippage. It is not necessary to
Loctite the clamp screw itself, only the motor shaft.
Finally, spin the coupler by hand to make sure it is aligned properly with the
motor shaft. Wipe any excess Locite off, especially inside the coupler or
between the helical spring cuts.
Notes :
The Loctite MUST be the liquid blue removable type which can be
disassembled later using hand tools and acetone. If you do use the red
non removable/permanent type you will need a blow torch to
disassemble it later!
It is possible to disassemble the blue removable Loctite joints later by
hand. Then soak the coupler in acetone to loosen the remaining Loctite
residue. I know this works as I had to do it during testing.
Fix 4 Stopping any height variation due to the coupler
geometry
Why
a) If the end of the threaded rod is not flat and square, and the rod is
seated all the way down in the coupler, the length of the coupler will
vary slightly as it turns.
Note this diagram could definitely be improved to better show the bend in the coupler
This diagram is exaggerated to show the effect of an off square end of
the threaded rod and the helical coupler bending to accommodate the
inevitable misalignment between motor shaft and threaded rod/X
carriage. As the coupler turns, the length of the coupler will vary
(compress/expand slightly) in a regular pattern depending on the
degree of slant of the rod and the precise geometry of the cut at the end
of the threaded rod.
All it takes is a few hundredths of a millimetre variation to cause ribbing
on the print.
The coupler length variation (and hence Z height variation) can also be
expected to follow the degree of turn of the threaded rod. And
consequently, it follows that the pattern of ribbing on the model will
closely match the pitch of the rod. If the rod is slanted in the coupler,
every turn of the rod will generate the same pattern of Z height
variation.
b) Alternatively, if the rod is not seated all the way down in the coupler, the
coupler acts as a vertical spring (see https://vimeo.com/97023189 ) and
the height can vary very significantly (potentially far more than as
described above). For example, as the X Carriage moves from side to
side, the couplers will compress slightly in turn to support the weight
change.
Either way, the coupler is a major potential source of Z height variation. On my
Robo I had both coupler height variation mainly due to the rod not being cut
square as well as motor shaft slippage in the coupler (fix 3).
How
You will need two 3mm ball bearings for this fix. The size is not absolutely
critical but they do need to be close to 3mm. The ball bearings can be sourced
from most bicycle shops because the balls are used widely in bike axles.
Make sure the end of the threaded rod is cut absolutely flat and square. One of
mine had been cut at an angle like this.
My rod was not cut square
The end of the rod needs to look like this and be flat. Grind/file as required.
Next take the motor and coupler and place a 3mm ball bearing in the hole on
the top of the motor shaft so that when the threaded rod is inserted it will sit
between the rod and motor shaft. A little lithiumgrease on the ball helps as
well.
Ball just sits in the hole in the end of the
motor shaft
The ball bearing changes the helical coupler from a "spring" (which changes its
behaviour and length depending on how far the rod sits down in the coupler)
into a more precise ball joint where the rod can not move down at all. The ball
bearing on the square/flat end of the threaded rod allows the coupler to bend
without varying the length of the coupler.
The ball bearing is a simple and very effective way of overcoming the inherent
limitations of a helical coupler when used on the Z Axis.
Fix 5 Seating the threaded rod properly in the coupler
Why
On Robos with 5/16 rods, often the rod was wrapped in Teflon tape in an
effort to centre the rod in the 8mm coupler.
Unfortunately this procedure has two problems. First, the Teflon tape can
actually encourage slipping between the rod and the coupler. Second, the rod
was not centered properly when the clamp screws were over tightened to
allow for the smaller diameter rod.
How
Best long termsolution is to use M8 rods (pitch 1.25mm) which fit properly in
the 8mm coupler.
Put a few drops of blue Loctite on the rod and inside the coupler where it will
be clamped into the coupler. Then insert the rod (the square, flat end) while
the motor/coupler assembly is standing vertically and the ball bearing is in
place on the motor shaft. The rod needs to be inserted all the way down to sit
on the bearing as shown in the diagram above.
Finally tighten up the clamp screw as tight as possible. Again it is not necessary
to Loctite the clamp screw.
Set this motor/coupler/rod assembly aside standing vertically for at least 24
hours to ensure the Loctite cures completely.
You do need to be a little careful the ball doesnt fall out of its spot if you pull
on and stretch the coupler too much. Once its in the machine there will be no
problem.
It is easy to check the ball is in place by pushing gently down on the threaded
rod. There should be no vertical compression of the coupler at all.
Note
If you only have 5/16 rods, then I suggest you wrap the end of the rod
in enough aluminium foil strip to centre the 5/16 rod in the 8m coupler.
Use Loctite to keep the foil in place as well.
A better solution might be to wrap some copper wire into the 5/16
thread but what gauge? (MAYBE someone can come up with a better
solution??)
Finally check the rod and coupler are in alignment and centered as far as
possible before allowing the Loctite to cure.
Last Steps
After waiting for the Loctite to cure, the motor/coupler/rod assemblies with
the nylon nuts for the X Carriage can be reinstalled in the machine. It is very
important to give the Loctite enough time to cure.
Check that there is only a slight wobble (maybe 2-3 mm) at the top of the
threaded rod when the Z Motor turns.
Slight wobble is good and shows the coupler is doing its job. Any more
significant wobble suggests that either the coupler is not sitting vertically on
the motor shaft or the rod is not centered properly in the coupler.
Check that you cannot push the threaded rod down by hand and compress the
coupler. This confirms the ball bearing is doing its job.
Check and adjust your Z Axis so it is horizontal and the height above the bed is
calibrated as you normally would before starting a print.
Note that the coupler sits a lot further down on the motor shaft than the Robo
guys suggest. But it is very important that the coupler sits down on the motor
shaft like this to maximise contact area with the coupler and avoid any
slippage.
Finally print the test.stl model again and hopefully you will
get the same great results I did.
Actually my Robo is printing better now than it ever did.