E180 - Cura 4.x

[StanfordReb]

The previous thread https://www.geeetech.com/forum/viewtopi ... 62&t=60785 was started two years ago, and the information and files had become stale. We are able to use Cura to slice for the E180 and the results appear to be better than EasyPrint 3D 1.2.6

My son and I don't have the answers to making amazing prints with our E180 and Cura 4.4.1, but we can pass along these settings so that other people might improve them and post the improvements. Please!

Our instructions:
1. Install the latest Ultimaker Cura version (currently on 8 February 2020, that's 4.4.1)
2. Add the Printer - use Custom FFF printer but change the name so "My E180" or whatever works for you. You might check in the "Shenzhen Geeetech Technology" section to see if somehow the E180 has been added directly to the Cura distribution.
3. Menu item Preferences -> Configure Cura -> Printers; Select your printer then Machine Settings button

Printer Tab:
X, Y, and Z are 130mm
Build plate shape is Rectangular
No checks for Origin at Center, Heated bed, or Heated volume
G-code flavor is Repetier
Printhead settings: X and Y min are -10mm; X max and Y max are 0mm; Gantry height is 99999mm, Num of Extruders is 1 (We just used these settings from elsewhere, they might be wrong but they work well enough for now)

Start G-code (please post any improvements! This seems to be important!)
G1 Z15.0 F6000 ;Move the platform down 15mm
;Prime the extruder
G92 E0
G1 F200 E3
G92 E0

End G-code (again, please post improvements!)
M104 S0
M140 S0
;Retract the filament
G92 E1
G1 E-1 F300
G28 X0 Y0
M84

Extruder Tab:
Nozzle size is 0.4mm; Material is 1.75mm, everything else is 0 and the G-code sections are blank

Back to the steps:
4. Click on Materials, then Import the file named "Cura_Material_Profile_PLA.xml.fdm_material" that should be attached to this post
5. Click on Profiles, then Import the file named "Cura_E180_PrintProfile.curaprofile" that should be attached to this post
6. Make sure that you see the correct selections across the top "My E180" then "Xiro PLA" then "E180 Profile" if you use these Imports
7. Click on the folder at the top left and load whatever .STL file you want to print
8. Slice! (Bottom right)
9. When it's done, to keep things simple you can save it directly to a micro SD card from your computer and then carry that over to your printer. Not as fast, but simple!
10. Select the file in the Print menu, and print!

We believe that much improvement could be made in the way the very first layer is handled. There are great resources online like this one http://www.desiquintans.com/bluetape that we want to understand and try out.

We also think that the behavior of the extruder at the very beginning could be improved, to keep random pieces of plastic from the first movements out of the build.

Good luck!! Post improvements please! No complaints!!

[sbl]

Hi, I recently bought the E180 and was looking into creating a cura profile. I'm new to printing so thank you for making this post. I am picking up a sd card reader tomorrow and then I'll try out the settings you provided. I'll be back with my experience.

[sbl]

UPDATE:
I made a 20mm x 20mm cube with 10mm hight in fusion 360 and sliced it in Cura 4.5 with the profiles you supplied.

On the printer it says (in settings):

firmware version 2.02.02
hardware version 1.6
volume 125x130x126

I adjusted the volume to the above in cura and started printing.

I did a calibration before printing to be sure it was leveled. The nozzle is somehow a tiny bit above the bed when it starts printing. I am not sure where to adjust this or what causes it but I am currently scouring the internet for clues. The printer starts out a bit too high.

[sbl]

So I spent a few hours learning about G-Code and how to read them and then I tried printing my cube again. Didn't change anything. At all. And it came out perfectly. Not sure what happened last time..

One small issue I got is the filament feeder is skipping a bit but it didn't have any impact on my print. Maybe on larger prints it will cause issues but I'm going to wait fixing it until I settle on which filament I want to use. Currently just using the free sample that came with the printer.

Thank you so much for making this profile. It helped me a lot. I do want to change the end g-code because right now it drags the nozzle across the print when the last filament is placed. I'd like it to raise a bit before homing.

By using this website I translated the G-Code and plan on adding a line to the end g-code.

I have not tested it yet!

before:

Code: Select all

M104 S0
M140 S0
;Retract the filament
G92 E1
G1 E-1 F300
G28 X0 Y0
M84

after:

Code: Select all

M104 S0
M140 S0
;Retract the filament
G92 E1
G1 E-1 F300
G28
M84

This (G28) should just home all axis' at once and not only x and y.
Btw. a handy site for reading g-code files: http://gcode.ws/ I used it to learn.

[devedji]

this post was very helpfull, thanks for work.