Any clue as to what this changes?
No but I got quite a fright when my form1 screen went blank but some driver was being installed to windows. It would have been nice to have seen a confirmation that it was all successful, anyway have install the new firmware now.
I just got my printer and I’m still waiting for my resin… I’m afraid to update it and brick my printer before I even do my first print. I’ll hold off until I hear more success stories.
I’m printing with it now. Been having problems with prints not finishing and supports not looking right. Especially since I changed from the clear resin to the grey resin. I’m hoping the software and firmware update might help. Here are 2 pictures showing what the part should of looked like and what it actually printed.
@Scott are those two picture of the exact same file? It looks like your model is much more supported in PreForm than what you printed. Also check both of the mirrors you can see in the bottom of the printer for dust or residue (remove your build platform first!). Since those kinks in the supports only occur in some of them and not all across the board and at the same level I’m thinking something may be obscuring your laser. It also seems like the lower right part of the part is far worse off than the left.
@Scott. That sample is pre-firmware update correct?
It’s the same file but it was made and printed with the previous version of the software. I open it back up with the new version to take the screenshot. Yes, that base should have been solid. One side is in good shape but other side wound up being stuck to the bottom of the tank. I have had this failure before. Usually I print the same file again and it will work. I have printed about 8 or 9 successful chain links (that’s what those are) and had maybe 4 failures. I’m using a brand new resin tank that got to use the grey resin in and the bottom of it appears clear.
@ William, not sure what you mean? It was made and printed pre-update. The screenshot is the same file opened in the updated version.
@Scott do you have a .Form file or .STL you’d be willing to share? Maybe if I or someone else took a look at your orientation we might be able to see something you missed that could be causing your failures.
I have found that letting the software auto-orient seems to work better, so that’s what I do. Better not share the file. It is a prototype chain link for our conveyor. But like I said, I have printed out several good links with random failures. There was no red anywhere on the part in the software.
I am hoping that I am just having a temporary hiccup but after the latest firmware update, my printer stopped working. The laser is no longer visible during the print. Other than this everything else seems to be working as platform is still moving up as if it is building something and the resin tray is doing the peel, etc. In any case, after three consecutive failures to print anything (all I get is wet platform from dipping into the resin), I raised a support ticket. My recommendation, do not update but if you do hopefully you would have better luck than I.
Hi Scott - that failure almost looks like failures I’ve seen after the latch position screw in the build platform has come loose. I’m was going to put up a new thread about it - but maybe it is your issue.
With the latch in the locked down position - does your build platform more look like the first or second attached picture? and when it’s locked onto the Z-axis bracket in your Form1, can you get any rocking movement if you try to move it?
If its looks more like the second picture - and you can rock the build platform some when it’s attached - then I’ll follow up…
@Scott I would advise against the auto-orient, especially if you are getting intermittent failures. I usually use the auto-orient to start the orienting process and tweak it from there for either speed (less layers means shorter print) or more quality (higher density of supports/different angle). You may want to try going through your part layer by layer as well and looking close to the layers that are failing. I have found small holes or hangovers by zooming and looking at trouble layers before. Remember that once a layer or part of a layer fails to adhere to the last layers it creates a snowball effect usually ruining any further printed layers.
If you are having prints separate from the supports and stick to the bottom try angling it more so that there is less area being printed per layer. This will use more resin for the supports but will save you some failures possibly. Finally you may want to try printing one on edge (with the holes perpendicular to the build platform and the tab hanging out. I’ve had pretty good luck with printing flatter parts in the center of the build platform straight up and down.
@HC thats terrible to hear! I updated last night and just finished a 11hr print a couple minutes ago with no problem. Did your update go fine? or did you get an error or something?
@HC – if you haven’t already, please open a support ticket with our team, at support@formlabs.com. They’re real all-stars and will get on your case.
Thanks for those photos, Scott, of what looks to be a defective build platform. Have you seen about getting that replaced?
Dylan – that’s great advice. It’s always a good idea to minimize the surface area exposed on any single layer. That’s a big part of the reason why angling a part is advantageous.
Generally, the firmware added some additional logging tools, to help us in debugging, as well as features that should improve the surface finish of parts (in some cases), as well as a more accurate print-time estimator. You shouldn’t see any substantial differences in prints, in general – and certainly not the differences that HC is seeing!
@Dylan No errors messages. As Jesse mentioned at the beginning of the topic the printer went dark but no errors were given.
@Sam Yep as per my note earlier, I have raised the ticket just before I wrote the comment on this thread. So far I have a request to do a test print which (obviously) failed.
I should have used best practice of not trying the latest firmware until people started to get kinks out of it. The firmware update, regardless of how benign it may seem, may have caused the printer to go to sleep mode (ie affect how the power is being supplied to the printer, potentially in a “non-graceful” way) and blown a part of the laser related circuitry. Again, I am standing by my recommendation NOT to go for the update to folks. If the updates are minor at best and you are getting satisfactory results no reason to rush the update on your printer - let others (such as yours truly) be the guinea pig.
So far I have tried to print the test print forwarded by Formlabs (result : nada, since there is no laser just more of resin-wet platform). Force updated firmware (result: no change).
I am dreading the possibility of shipping the printer back to US for repair (I’m based in Singapore), which may take forever to get sorted out and international warranty does not cover shipment! (ouch)
Is there any documentation of what has been adjusted in the firmware?
@Jesse - Sam already gave a lot of info on what had been changed:
Generally, the firmware added some additional logging tools, to help us in debugging, as well as features that should improve the surface finish of parts (in some cases), as well as a more accurate print-time estimator.
This is alrady a lot of info, and I doubt they’ll disclose further details.
I updated the firmware this evening, and now when I send a file to the printer, the button just blinks. Pushing the button or holding it has no affect.
Anyone else had this problem?
I am quite confident that the firmware update has improved the surface quality of my prints.
@Kevin, The screw was a little loose so I tightened it. Had another failure Friday night. Looked similar to the picture I posted earlier but not as bad.
@Dylan, Thanks, I will try to manually orient it. Before I didn’t have much luck. I will try it on edge. I know parallel with the build surface does not turn out good.