next steps Archives

Personal and professional growth, benefits of identifying positive and negative transformation or next steps forward. Take a swing, small steps.

March 13, 2024September 27, 2024

M1 Refurb

Refurb Update – Keys, Touchbar and Screen – Images being prepped

M1 Mid 2020 Refurb process – Keys, Touchbar and Screen

Not recommended, but if you’re in a pinch, there is a way to continue with the M1 Refurb without purchasing a new M1 upper and/or M1 full assembly. A reminder, I should mention the Apple Self Repair help and Parts/Catalog. All links are handy to have in a pinch.

Blocker and Resolution

An all in one post was supposed to be the next article in this series. However, it will be split into two separated articles as continuation of the M1 Refurb process. One will focus on the screen and keys, while the other will cover the touch bar repair. Since the touch bar repair is quite invasive, it makes more sense to address the screen and keys separately and then tackle the touch bar in another post. The will result in a lengthy post, as you can imagine.

Where are the future posts, today? Funny you asked, as I’ve got most, if not all 25 plus images ‘in-process’ – size, color, lighting etc. For all intents and purposes, the story line is complete. The pre-post work is also complete at this point. I think there were around 50 steps to remove, replace, and install the touch bar, so we will make it as streamlined as we can. More to come, check back in a few days, as we should have the post ready to go.

Jump Ahead

Okay, let’s fast forward, now that the series has come to it’s conclusion. With that we got that out of the way, you can continue the journey from start to finish here with some helpful links: 1. Self Repair, 2. Visual Inspection & Teardown, 3. Screen & Keys and 4. Touchbar.

March 2, 2024September 27, 2024

M1 Self Service Repair

Repair, and Fix Tech

M1 Self Service Repair – Apple Documentation

M1 Repair – Self Repair Documentation, Websites etc

Those of you who are not certified, no worries. We use the links below to fix various Apple products, iPhones, iPads, MBP’s (Macbook Pro’s) and this M1 Self Service Repair as noted. No longer certified? It’s a breeze! Never certified, there are challenges, but this article will help. Two very important links, Self Service Repair https://support.apple.com/self-service-repair and Parts https://selfservicerepair.com/en-US/home. So, this article will focus more on the later, when your warranty has expired. Remember, there are options, tried and true, Apple’s Self Service Repair options.

Apple Self Service Repair Options

First, keep in mind, there are always options. We’ve got warranty, approved services providers, and self repair options. Second hand as well, don’t forgot others have gone through similar experiences; a loss of a drive, broken/cracked screen and worse, failed motherboard.

Bare in mind there are options available, specific for the M1 build, or article title, M1 Self Service Repair, even when Apple Care+ warranty has expired. Learn to fix Apple tech yourself. Be sure to do your research, of course. Perhaps, you might want to start here… I’ll let Apple explain the ‘other repair options’ independent repair providers and self service repair. Avenues become limited as the warranty expires or those who can perform the fix on the go.

Next, let’s assume our options are limited for the M1 MBP… the Apple Self Service Repair (resource website) will help with your repair; this assumes you know what you’re doing. Parts can be purchased as well, … also, there is chat support available, where it makes sense. Do your due diligence. Can’t stress this enough, especially those who are just getting into electronics as a hobby, or starting those who can fix friends and family electronics.

Series Continues

Lastly, good luck with your own Self Service Repair, same for the Parts catalog. The build continues on the M1, check out the subsequent articles (5 in total) M1 Refurb, Visual Inspection and Teardown, M1 Touch bar, and Screen & Keys. Enjoy! Friendly reminder, It’s vital to use OEM parts IMO (in my opinion), if you can, second hand via Amazon or eBay. Moreover, the parts list is very helpful for those familiar with the process. If not, don’t be afraid to reach out if you’re in a pinch. Happy to help or help guide you to the right support method/service.

February 14, 2024September 27, 2024

Dolphin Nautilus

Nautilus CC Plus (Wired)

Pool Robots by Maytronics

Dolphin Nautilus CC

The Dolphin Nautilus CC pool vacuum, made by Maytronics Dolphin, is designed to remove debris, brush, vacuum, and maintain pool clarity.

Everyday, the Dolphin Nautilus activates, moves around the pool, cleans, and maintains buoyancy upon completion. It comes with a price tag, so choose wisely! We received a recommendation from our pool guy, which was great advice – try the Dolphin Nautilus robot vacuum. The goal is to reduce water evaporation, maintain water and chemical balance, minimize chemical corrections and keep the system clean.

Drone Accessories

Nautilus Back

Nautilus Cleaning

Wall Climb

Clean Filters

Nautilus Cart

Now, lawn equipment can spread dirt, grass clipping, environmental debris, pet fur, and screens with holes. Various types of debris can become spoilers when found in the pool. I assume that most, if not all, of this debris is kicked up by mowers and blowers as they are the main vehicles for debris getting into the pool. For us, sand from the brick pad seems to wreak havoc on our pools ‘clarity’. So, the sand, bugs and debris from lawn equipment…

More Maytronics Product Information

The Nautilus is a great product that is not terribly expensive when compared to other devices in the same space. We chose this specific product because it lacks excessive technology. We simply wanted a low-maintenance clean that could operate in the water, clean effectively, run various cleaning cycles and be easily stored on a cart when not in use. The cart allows for easy storage or movement, especially for pool usage. It can simply move the robot away when swimmings are in or around the pool. This means swimmers can splash around, stir up the water and not worry about damaging the robot. The universal cart works wonders, although it may be pricey for some. It makes tasks like bending down, lifting, and storing the robot a breeze.

Cost, cleaning time. The machine is easy to clean. Power down the machine, pull up the robot, open two doors, pull out the filters, unlock the filters with four clicks, and start the wash. Cleaning and maintaining the screens is much easier when considering the cost and cleaning time of the entire pool compared to a quick rinse under the faucet to remove debris. Moving back to the robot, snap the filters into the housing, replace them on the machine, submerge the robot, and power it on…

Quickly, I wanted to share some other Maytronics Dolphin content, newer content since the original Nautilus article in reverse order, so the fix is first (up), issue second(down): Dolphin On and Dolphin Down.

Moving on, no app for us, once again we opted for the Dolphin Nautilus robot in its manual version (corded, non-wifi enabled) to keep costs down. It suits us well since our pool remains uncovered year-round; the robot makes its way around the pool once or twice a day, providing low-maintenance, no-frills pool cleaning. Personally, I would prefer to cover the pool at night to retain heat and reduce water evaporation. But for now, we’re happy with our choice. This recommendation came from our pool service, not a paid advertisement, so a big thank you to them!

October 8, 2023September 27, 2024

Part 5 Part 5 – Rebuild And Upgrade

Sonic Pad Adjustments, Assembly

Labwork – Upgrade Part 5

Finally, a moment to enjoy and success is here. Everyone has been eagerly anticipating a full print test of the Ender 3 Max Neo, Sonic Pad, and Creality TPU. The full print was successful without the need for a dreaded motherboard upgrade.

No motherboard upgrade is needed at this time! We just need more time to print and tweak, print and tweak. Success! A fresh print, an end-to-end cube test print… just look at the ironing, ‘it’s alive, it’s alive’. It may seem like a small win, but it is a win nonetheless. The config/console appears to be correct, which is no surprise, I’m looking into a few more tweaks in the end.

Upgrade Continues

Let’s highlight a few things. An update was overdue, especially this one celebrating the print test win. Check. After a very early start this morning (the pictures are included below) we’ve got the Ender 3 Max Neo producing TPU test prints with minimal blips, blurbs, zits, stringing etc. All good things.

The key takeaway, is that delta refers to extrusion setting, which controls the direct drive pressure on the filament. s… These settings can be found in the advanced settings under extrusion settings. A reminder for those using the Creality Sonic Pad interface: if you are using the onboard interface, you will need to look for something called “steps” or a way to control the stepper. In layman’s terms, this refers to the ‘pressure in steps’ needed to push filament through the extruder.

In Part 5, we highlights the success of the extrusion win, along with making other minor tweaks such as adjusting the heat at the tip, improving bed adhesion, and adjusting speed to match the Sprite Extrusion settings. We found that print temps between 220-240 C, depending on the filament type – Duramic or Creality TPU. Additionally, we increased the flow rate by an additional 25%, bringing it to 125%, and reduced the speed by 25% approximately 75%. Therefore, the settings are as follows: 220C – 240C Nozzle – 75C Bed – 75% Speed – 125% Flow Rate – Sprite Extrusion Settings Enabled.

Currently, some additional adjustments are being made to the movement settings in Part 5. The Z height appears to require some minor adjustments in specific areas, although the reason for this is unclear. It could be related to the differences between the initial layers and the subsequent layers. 3D printers enable users to control various settings throughout three stages of the printing process: the beginning, middle and end.

3D Printer Upgrade Inspiration

Evening Print

Halot Reflection

Sonic Pad

Adjustments

Spider Hot End

First Globule

Test Cube

Failed Test Cube

One other thing to mention, which I failed to include in my previous post, Part 4 is that bed adhesion continues to be an issue. It could be the dark horse among the issues at play. A quick fix for bed adhesion is using alcohol and paper towels to keep the adhesion plate clear and clean! Make sure to throughly clean the plate by scrubbing away any oil residue, filament, blips, dust, stringing, dog hair (thanks, Zeus), and any other debris that might accumulate on the build plate in a typical office environment.

I don’t recall if keeping the plate clean actually made a difference when it comes to cleaning the bed, but we have tried a few different methods. We experimented with a clean bed, a taped bed (using Blue Painters Taps), and a sprayed/glue stick adhesive bed. All in an effort to find an alternative solution for prints shifting on the bed surface. We will also be posting some build plate test and will be trying spray adhesives next. Could that be the answer?

More Adjustments

A few adjustments with the Hex (Allen) keys, resetting the rail wheels, and we’ve successfully completed Part 5. Looking back, I’m not sure if the build plate really needed to be cleaned between PLA prints. If you look closely a the picture, you’ll see that the Creality Sonic Pad is now operational as planned. Personally, I don’t think I would have kept the generic screen that originally came with the machine. The Wifi, Cloud Printing/Slicing, direct printing, and customizable settings are all key reasons to stick with the Sonic Pad.

One item to note, is that we have not been able to get the Wifi Box 2.0 to work in the upgraded sandbox. Furthermore, for the time being, we will set aside the Wifi Box 2.0 until we can determine the optimal print settings and ensure consistent adhesion. Despite this, we are staying positive and moving forward with larger format prints, including some TinkerCad projects for a true test. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that we have relocated the printer from the workbench. The tabletop did not provide the necessary stability due to the incessant shaking, vibration, and back-and-forth motions of the printer assembly.

Overall, today is a win after having the printer on the bench for the past few weeks. Check out the previous series articles – Part 1 Teardown, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. We are on an upswing, with new parts, new break-fix settings, slicing settings and a new location for the 3D printer to operate. For those interested in what’s coming next, I have a backlog of TPU Max Neo parts, including a new digital spool, some technology ‘smartphone covers’, and a unique locking mechanism for a cooler. More details on that later.

October 6, 2023September 27, 2024

Rebuild Part 4

Rebuild Part 4LetPart 4 Continues

Failed Prints, eSteps/Stepper, Filaments and More

Lab Work – Rebuild Part 4

Fine tuning, break-fix, and reprints. Yes, break-fix steps continue, including fine tuning/recalibration, config adjustments, steppers, test prints and more. Largely, considered a failure so far…

Here in Rebuild Part 4, we cover the failures, not to worry! We will get this fixed with upgrades and all. A couple of cycles now, including – what I will call the ‘teardown-and-rebuild’ cycle – removal of most external upgrades such as the Creality Sonic Pad, Wifi Box 2.0, direct drive extruder, tubes and hot end…

The key is to isolate issues with the teardown and rebuild cycle, building up with neutral or known issues. Please note, the Sonic Pad interface, under the ‘advanced settings’, extrusion settings… the default extrusion type must be changed/modified to include the ‘sprite extruder’, this accounts for the upgrades and the most significant step forward.

Moving on from the Sonic Pad

Please note, there are four default settings – default, sprite, MK8 and manual or custom. Although we quickly tested each extrusion type, here, we focused in on the sprite extruder settings. It is also important to mention that we have not had a successful TPU print. The TPU prints have been bad to say the least, as you will see in the test photos, ranging from bad to worse in some cases.

In addition to misprints, under-printing has been a major issue. This is due to extrusion steps as mentioned above. Please check the Sonic Pad Settings – Advanced Settings – Custom Extrusion Settings – Spite Extrusion vs Onboard Interface ramping up eSteps ~ to around 500mm. Before we proceed, we have have experienced globules (large drops of melted TPU, similar in shape and size to the end of a q-tip) misprints, gummed up nozzles and so on.

Wifi Box and Motherboard

Beyond this point, I have considered a board swap, which will also be something to consider until the print issues can be ironed out. Yes, that would mean an effort in futility, involving a full swap which would be considered moot. For those who might not understand, this would leave only the base hardware/structure unchanged, changing out all components; which is not the goal. If a required motherboard change is confirmed – specifically Creality motherboard v 4.2.7 specifically, a new printer specifically used for TPU might be the answer. Not ideal, but necessary.

Below, you will find new images that have been posted, thought it would help to highlight the removal of the fans, changing out the heating element and sensor and Sonic Pad configs. Furthermore, I feel we are close to a successful print. Before I forget, the PLA prints run with little error, printing test cubes with minor blips or over printing… Beware, slicer/printer controllers do vary, Utlimaker Cura, Creality Slicers etc have varying results, some with no result at all as the print is shown outside the consoles ‘known print’ area. More on that later, we can share a few posts on slicer successes (failures in our case).

Rebuild Activities

Next, let’s cover some of the activities taking place during the rebuild:

Hot End
Assembly
Backplate
Sprite Extruder
Filament Tube
Filaments
Bed level, Adhesion Spray Glue and Blue Tape
Software – firmware and slicers (Creality Cloud, Creality Slicer, Ultimaker Cura)
Wifi Box, MicroSD Cards, Sonic Pad, Onboard Interface
OS – MacOS/Linux
Lot’s of cleaning, grab yourself a brass brush
E-stepper
Nozzles
Temperatures – hot end, bed
Homing Issues
Extrusion Settings
Homing Issues

Rebuild Part 4 continues with the addition of more nozzles, needles, upgraded plate screws, leveling, Capricorn tube, and the Spider 2.0/3.0 Pro hot end… motherboard? We will soon be facing a full swap! Ugh. While it may seem like a lot of work, it is all part of 3D printing. Don’t let that discourage you. The challenge, whether it’s a build problem or a technical issue, is what I enjoy the most. I thrive on finding solutions and working through those challenges, enven if it means testing and failing multiple times. I will share a video at some point, but for now, pictures and commentary will have to suffice.

New Sprite Extruder, Test Prints, and Sonic Pad Failure

First TPU

Sonic Pad Failure

Sprite Extruder Assembled

Overview

Unplug Fans

Hot End, Sprite Extruder

Moving forward, I would like to address some items on the pending list. I believe there may be an issue with the heating element, thermistor, and nozzle. This could be causing problems such as incorrect temps and filament build-up on these components, leading to issues with filament adhesion to build surface. I have read that 424.9 degrees C temp, but we still need to determine the appropriate temp for our specific build. The hot-end and thermistor may be causing these issues, so we ned to investigate and eliminate them as potential factors. Additionally, we should keep some needles on hand to clear the filament path in the direct-drive assembly, as the accumulation of burnt filament can exacerbate the situation. This will be a priority for us to address this week.

New Sprite Extruder Assembly

Hot End Wiring

Install Hot End

Heat Sensor

Assembly

Unboxing

Reassemble

New Hot End

We are skipping the motherboard for now in Rebuild Part 4 because they are not needed at this time. As mentioned before, the motherboard will be part of the full swap. Instead, we are focusing on the new sprite extruder and direct drive motor upgrades that were purchased at the beginning of this build. It’s worth nothing that there are extruders that do not require upgrades, specifically for the 4.2.7 motherboard. Fortunately, this upgrade will include the necessary 4.2.7 motherboard, which is not required for this build.

Following the items mentioned above, the next steps involve installing new screws, metal tension knobs, cushions, tubing and hot end. Ideally, the goal is to achieve a level and consistent bed/build plate temp, a clean adhesion plate, consistent hot end temp to reduce ‘leaking’ and hot end ‘heat creep”, to use quality filament. By addressing these hardware issues, we hope to minimize or eliminate any problems. Assuming the hardware and upgrade components work, the final challenge will be the software adjustments.

Initial TPU Test Prints

TPU appears to be more challenging when testing and encountering failures, especially when failing more frequently than anticipated. However, I managed to successfully print a clean model by swapping filaments and using the old Bowden drive and PLA settings. This step back was necessary to ensure that the base product still prints as intended.

Honestly, the speed-to-market issue comes into play here (assuming you are looking to print commercially or in some professional fashion), as we are lacking the ability to print PLA at a low cost per print and TPU. Join us as we work to find a solution. The problem will be solved shortly, with more to come.

Part of this process is maintaining a positive outlook, even when balls of filament build up on the hot end and nozzle for the 40th test. I know we are close, but as we eliminate or mitigate more pieces and parts, the solution will emerge. I might just need a few more mins to find the right combination of parts and software.

TPU Comments

Frankly speaking, this post, Rebuild Part 4 – TPU has been quite a ride. TPU isn’t too difficult to work with on newer machines, but we need to find a solution for the Ender platform that is budget-friendly for some or maybe not when compared to other very expensive printers that offer out-of-the-box solutions for various fulfillment needs. I will say this, for those seeking an easy, out of the box 3D printer (crickets, crickets), time and budget will be major factors; it could if not the defining factor; make or break the decision.

Finally, we will wrap up the series in part 5, let’s check out Part 5 – Rebuild – Rebuild, Sonic Pad Adjustments and assembly. Check out the new post content, see more, read previous articles in the series, Rebuild – Start, Rebuild – Progress, and Rebuild 3.

September 29, 2023September 27, 2024

Rebuild, Continues Part 3

Final Assembly, Boot, Config and Print

Lab Work – Rebuild Part 3

I encountered a bit of a snag, but I am rebuilding and continuing with part 3 – working through those challenges now. For the time being, please refer to the updates above/below for part 3 updates. We will be covering more of the rebuild process, including the x/y axis bands, plate, direct drive issues, boot/reboot procedures, and reinstalling printer drivers. Additionally, we will discuss slicers, nozzles, extruder/heating element, and the latest issue, the onboard/external interface.

Breaking Through, Troubleshooting activities

As noted in the previous build, Part 2, we are likely around 80%-90% complete at this point. We will refer to this rebuild as Part 3. We have encounteered some filament burn and melt down, as well as blockers that we will address in Part 4. Nonetheless, Part 2 was successful, and now Part 3 is also going well, with all parts functioning as expected and the boards booting as they should. The new drive and extruder are working in tandem as intended. The ‘issue, as previously mentioned, lies between the Creality Sonic Pad, printer board and connecting software. Images will be included to illustrate the challenges faced during the rebuild, including manual updates made on the printer screen, main board, and the area where we are currently stuck with the Sonic Pad. Two notable errors are the Klippy software and Sonic Pad physical connection failure, as well was filament recognition.

Out next steps will involve installing/rebuilding Klippy, testing, retesting print config files, reattaching the Sonic Pad, replacing extruder tubes, nozzles, adjusting e-Steps, home position and more, while also adding the Wifi Box 2.0. Once all of these tasks are completed and throughly vetted and tested, we will create a brief update of the build and active prints to mark these items of the rebuild list.

Got to love technology (or not), and office ‘helpers’ Zeus thought he would take a little snooze while the troubleshooting session continued throughout the day and night. The same can be said for discovery and testing, there’s no time like the present. Some folks call it the ‘grind’… I’ll leave that there for you to imagine. Is it painstakingly difficult? No. Time always plays a role, especially when speed-to-market is crucial. You have to be willing to work with what you have… Part 4 will be coming shortly, where we will cover fine tuning, steps, extrusion, adhesion and whatever else pops up in the meantime.

Drone Accessories

Print Video

Tension Bands

Secure Bands

Waiting

LCD SD Card

Clean Build Plate

Install Firmware

Power On

E Stepper

Connection Error

Firmware Selection

Extruder

Hot End

September 29, 2023September 27, 2024

Creality TPU

TPU Filament, Challenges and Wins

OEM TPU

Lab Work – Various Filaments

Filament types, such as Creality TPU and various brands, can be a nightmare of a problem to have. Which filament should you purchase? What works best on the 3D printer I own? What should I do when I’m just starting out?

Cut to the point: purchase anduse what you can in context. However, when push comes to shove, the Ender Series, Prusa, and Makerbot all great choices for novices or beginners. Starting with an eBay ‘parts’ printer, might help cut down costs or consider a refurbished one.

Regardless of the product make or structure, the fine-tuning the nozzles, stability of the machine, drive system, adhesion, and filament are important. Filament might be the easiest to swap out, follower by the nozzle (noting various nozzle sizes, with most default sizes being .4mm). For hobbyists, the drive mechanism, bed/build plates, etc. may also need attention. Filament might just be an easy swap with a catch.

Like most things, filament comes with it’s own issues – additional research is required, fine tuning and testing depending on the choice of 3D printer. Let’s talk shop, about filaments, retraction (more on this in a future post). Listen, if purchasing power is a problem, meaning if you have limited funds, start by buying what you can afford, especially for those starting out in the 3D printing hobby. Do what you can to make ‘it work’. Making it work means being able to test, test, and retest. It’s a process of elimination, gradually solving problems over time. Better filaments lead to better results.

Let’s have a look

There have been many times when testing, in fact, I might venture to say, problems are related to the cost of filament and the length of time it takes the user to move from the cheaper options to the final working filament. At least in my experience of finding the right filament through testing, more than not, filament testing became a costly lesson in what not to do. So, yes, a healthy dose of testing is needed, including failure.

That said, I would be remiss not to highlight the value of this article, which is to help you save money on filaments, pieces, parts, and printing costs. The key takeaway is to buy and match OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) filaments. For example, since I have Creality printers (3 Creality printers in total), thus, I use Creality filaments like Creality TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) Filament.

Lately, we’ve been looking branch out a bit, as we’ve recently added the Prusa’s i3 MK3S+ 3D Printer kit to the mix. Again, there are many options, printers, upgrades, filaments… choose wisely.

Learn More via MatterHackers

Let’s focus on what works, finding something that works for your current printer or future printer. As a hobbyist, I have stuck to the ‘happy path’ being less adventurous and mainly using PLA’s (Polylactic Acid) and TPU’s. MatterHackers does an excellent job of providing information on what’s available on the market, including types of filament, sizes, brands, and colors.

Dive in! Or maybe, expansion is on your mind, and you want to setup your own print farm – @ShopNation might be a great research to check out. Have options, which might be the biggest take away beyond testing or OEM/OEM filaments. Hey, as a hobbyist, saving some cash is good thing, there are thousands of upgrades on the market, same for the number of printers, filaments, parts, boards etc.

Through various testing methods, settings, set ups, printers and more, I have discovered that what matters most is what works. That is defined as success rate or success metric. Consistency, fit/finish, quality over flash and speed over quantity are key factor. For example Duramic 3D TPU is just not working in the Ender 3 Neo Max rebuild. After tearing it down, rebuilding with all updates, and getting the same result, it is clear that it is time to make a switch.

OEM Filaments and More

The switch I’m referring to here, moving from generics to OEM, worked on the PLA side of the equation. It may be a correlation perhaps, and not causation. I believe that’s the value here. A handy lesson might be to continue testing where it makes sense. Remember, “correlation does not imply or mean causation,” via Mr. Glickman. Learn more about his work via his personal website or faculty website. Or, click here – Mark Glickman – Senior Lecturer in Statistics, Director of Masters Study.

If you want to learn more about filaments, do your research. Please do look into – MatterHackers, All3dp – Filament Finds and/or @ShopNation…

I’ll leave you with this, try what you can afford, what you can afford to discard. Test and work to fine-tune your printer. Words of encouragement ‘leave no product stone unturned’. The goal is to produce high quality, consistent, and clean prints.

Find something that works 80% of the time, the old 80/20 rule. PLA is difficult bear to tweak and maintain, as is TPU and the ~approximately 14 other materials including metals, carbon fiber, wood, and nylon. The applications are endless, ranging from starter to full forge, high-strength, commercial production. The focus should be on settings, adhesion, extrusion temp, nozzle temp, surface tension, and drives – pushers… And so on, testing is our motto/mantra, testing has become a constant. Key is to find something that works well overall, so test them all. Checkin from time to time, as new posts are created daily. We will cover the Prusa tests, Creality TPU, Polycarbonate and PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol).

Have fun, cheers

Drone Accessories

Creality TPU

TPU Weight

Duramic 3D

September 21, 2023September 27, 2024

Rebuild In Progress, Part 2

Pre-Assembly, Rebuild In Progress

Assembly & Direct Drive Rebuild, 2

Lab Work – Rebuild In Progress, Part 2

A few steps forward now, we pick up with the bold on extruder assembly and assembly backplate here in part 2. So, we continue the rebuild in progress, part 2

Focus, Removal Of Bowden Drive

Fully Assembled

Remove Housing

Extruder

Remove Fans

Remove Extruder

Disassembly

Hot End

Clip Tubing

DD To Extruder

DD Tubing

Motor Clips

Motor Control

We continue with the Rebuild In Progress, Part 2, following on from the previous article in the series, Rebuild part 1. We are discarding the original backplate and incorporating new assembly hardware (correction, new back plate needed see that update here). Unfortunately, the new OEM plate was not compatible with my setup, so I will salvage the new wheels, screws, tightening washers, bolts, and spacers where possible. I quickly performed a dry-fit of all the components, including the screws, spacers, wheels brackets, probe (a black, narrow plastic piece with a probe), side fans (with yellow and blue wires), and heating element (comprised of a heater, heat sink and extruder).

For the final step, make sure to tighten the wheel screws, fan, drive belts, and extruder before installing the heating element. The order in which you do this is important, just like when removing the Bowden drive, brackets and extruder tube. We will reuse some of the old tube to guide TPU filament into the new direct drive extruder. Next, install the extruder fan (red and black wires). Now, you can unscrew the two top wheels and install the new direct drive platform, secure it, and snap on the carriage case (note: the hot side should be on top).

Next, attach the direct drive by clipping it onto the tube provided tube, then snip the tube after a fitting or two. Ensure, the fit is correct. Screw in the direct drive platform from the backside of the plate, which should be installed on the last step. After securing it, connect the direct drive motor to the main line by passing the frame platform where the old extruder motor was located (refer to the last couple of images) and place the harvested tube for the filament.

Easy, right? Part 3 will be coming shortly. We will cover that tomorrow. We need to replace the heating plate, power on the machine and change the step movement.

September 21, 2023September 27, 2024

Ender Teardown

Let’s Kickoff the Rebuild With A Teardown

Ender Teardown, Rebuild – Start

Lab Work – Teardown Part 1

A few steps into the Ender Teardown – follow these steps to open the 3D printer housing or bottom hatch. Replace extruder wires, internal fan wires, jumpers etc. Check out the timeline below presented in editorial form.

Step One

Motherboard

Old Wires

Remove Hot Glue

Fan Port

Rewrap

Reattach

Power On

Next Steps, Step 2

Voila! The first phase (teardown) is complete, and we are moving onto Rebuild Part 2, which will be more challenging. This part of the build will involve swapping the extruders from Bowden to Direct Drive and potentially replacing the back plate depending on the hardware and tools required. It’s important to note that the back plates are not identical and will need some adjustments. We plan to proceed with the swap and salvage the old plate. It shouldn’t be too difficult, especially now that we have completed part 1. Removing the hot glue can be tricky, but once you get past that and the screw, everything should go smoothly.

This seems like a good place to end. I will post another update on the tool set we used to complete the Ender Teardown. I have recently added a Klein driver set, a handy multitool to complement the new Tekprem Torx set. Check back soon for more updates in round two!

September 20, 2023September 27, 2024

Board and Slicer Downloads

Downloads, Boards, Slicers & More

Creality – Ender 3 Max Neo, Halot Sky & Prusa

Tech | Tools – Software Support

Board and Slicer Downloads – For future use, especially those of you who are using a Creality Ender 3 Max Neo 3D Printer. If you who have Creality products, and are printing with the Ender series, you may require the following software, which has already been used in different stages of the rebuilding process: Ender Build articles, Series 2, Ender TPU Upgrade.

Here is the list Board and Slicer Downloads:
Creality Halot Sky – Firmware or Slicing (bottom) – https://www.creality.com/pages/download-halot-sky?spm=..page_1934481.products_display_1.1&spm_prev=..index.header_1.1
Ender 3 – Neo Max – Firmware – https://www.creality.com/pages/download-ender-3-max-neo?spm=..product_3b7a3c8a-7861-4186-9818-614e8eb14170.nav_link_store_1.1&spm_prev=..page_1967279.products_display_1.1 or Slicing (bottom) – https://www.creality.com/pages/download-ender-3-max-neo?spm=..product_3b7a3c8a-7861-4186-9818-614e8eb14170.nav_link_store_1.1&spm_prev=..page_1967279.products_display_1.1.

Also, included:
Prusa I3 MK3S+ Kit – Firmware, Drivers and more