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1. The items below are excerpted from MakerBot s support website for convenience 1 My build is the wrong size gt Sometimes the intended size of an object can get lost in translation between your design software and slicing Our software expects units to be set to millimeters so make sure that your modeling software is also set for millimeters If you are not using MakerWare to prepare your objects for building you may wish to do so as the Scale button allows you to size models precisely 2 My Replicator 2 can t see my SD card gt If your Replicator 2 does not recognize that there is card in the SD slot make sure you re using a FAT16 formatted SDSC card no larger than 2GB If the card is formatted correctly but is unreadable something may be wrong with the card 3 I can t find my file on the SD card gt Your Replicator 2 can t read file names longer than 26 characters Shorten the file name and try2. All 3D printing processes use these basic steps Details for MakerWare are shown here 1 NOVICE Start by printing an example file included with MakerWare 2 NOVICE Download an existing object from Thingiverse com an amazing collection of free 3D models designed and submitted by enthusiasts 3 ADVANCED Design and print your own digital models thus improving your design and modeling skills Note that unique designs require very careful modeling 3 Step Process for 3D Printing gt 1 Use Valid 3D Digital Model NOVICE Open MakerWare Free download here File Example Choose desired file NOVICE Go to Thingiverse com Download desired file Open in MakerWare ADVANCED Create a 3D digital model of your own design Use any 3D software which exports STL or OBJ files See Tips for 3D Digital Model Making in next column gt 2 Tooling the Model Software Position Orient and Scale the model in MakerWare Use Make lt to slice model into
3. DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 14 of 44 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS gt You may be prompted to Save Select Yes to create a Thing file Thing is actually a sort of zip file which saves your stl and a separate json file If you lose your stl file but have your Thing file you can rename the extension and open a folder which contains both prm Would you like to save this file before making it No want to Make it Now 9 Export to a File Export For The Replicator 2 Material PLA Quality Low Faster Raft Medium Supports High Slower gt Advanced Options Cancel Export gt want to Export to a File Preferred This saves the tooled file in X3G format The file can be put onto an SD card and printed without the MakerBot being hooked up to a computer the entire time it is printing Note that the SD card can be no larger than 2G and must be formatted as FAT 16 Recommended is that you also save a gcode file While you don t need this to print you may use other applications to view the slicing toolpaths to identify any problems before you p
4. The most common problems using the Heplicator2 after upgrading the feed mechanism are adhesion to the build plate and lifting or curling of the corners of a print Occasionally you may also experience stripping and filament jams both of which are very common problems with the OEM feed mechanism These issues are defined and addressed below 1 Poor Adhesion and Failures Poor adhesion of initial layers such as clumps strings ropey ness peeling and general inconsistencies are usually the result of one or more of the following listed in descending order of frequency A a dirty build plate B warped build plate C a gap that is too large between the build plate and the extruder head D incorrect pressure on the filament at the drive wheel E too slow a print speed at a fine resolution G a clogged nozzle or H a head temperature that is either not reporting or heating properly Poor adhesion may occur at one or more areas or across the entire build surface Step 1 Check the build plate flatness with a long straight edge across the entire surface Using a dial gauge is even better Can you see any gaps or slip a thin feeler gauge under the edge anywhere If so your build plate i
5. DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 16 of 44 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS 11 Make It Advanced Settings It is worth playing with the various options here and customizing them to your liking Tweaking the Advanced Settings especially Infill Shells Layer Height and Temperature can go a long way toward delivering optimal results One can even dive into advanced coding through the Create Profiles button which is not for the meek See here Once you gain confidence with MakerWare you may wish to experiment with other open source slicing programs such as ReplicatorG Sailfish a popular slicer which offers a high degree of control and works very well with Sailfish firmware installed on your Replicator 2 You can get it here Repetier Host KISS Cura and Slic3r are a few others of possible interest want te Wake t Now to a File Lapon For The 4 Profe Midem Vw er sa 71 Temperature Speed rmm AQ 0 Merrber of halla 2 Layer 0327 Use Defaufti Create Profe gt Quality This displays the Default values being used Infill 75 Refers to the density of infill inside a solid part 0 mean
6. DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 11 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS 7 Look L Click the Look button then click drag your mouse to change your view Click the Triangle next to the button or double click the button to get the Change View options 5 L is the Hotkey gt Top Side Front These are self explanatory Reset View Returns to Perspective or Camera Home gt Pan Shift Left Click Drag Mouse or Middle Mouse Button MMB Shift Alt Click Drag Trackpad gt Rotate Ht Click Drag Mouse Alt Click Drag Trackpad Zoom Scroll Wheel Mouse Two Fingers Trackpad Change View 8 Camera Home Simply restores the default perspective view The and buttons zoom in and out Feature Request It is difficult to tell the precise location of your object with perspective on A button that turns off perspective giving just orthographic information would be useful to ensure the object fits within the build envelope
7. My build is the wrong size My Replicator 2 can t see my SD card can t find my file on the SD card Help My bot sounds like it s shaking itself to pieces How do update firmware on my Replicator 2 Do need to do any maintenance on my Replicator 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABOUT DIGIFABLAB amp SHARING Acknowledgements About DigiFabLab info DigiFabLab com DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 4 of 44 7 DRAFT 2013 04 06 TABLE OF CONTENTS Use of this Material 44 DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 5 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06
8. Poor Adhesion and Failures Shrinkage Lifting amp Curling Problems Stripping Filament Jams Clogged Nozzle Squeaking or Screeching INITIAL SETUP RECOMMENDED BEFORE YOU START PRINTING Check All Fasteners Remove Spring Pin Holding Cables for X Drive Proper Cooling Fan Orientation Prepping the Spool Holder amp Spools Oiling the Filament Feed Tube Proper Drive Wheel Adjustment MODS OPTIMIZING AND HOT RODDING YOUR REPLICATOR 2 Extruder Upgrade ESSENTIAL MOD Glass Build Plate Sailfish Firmware Aluminum Table Arms TOOLS amp SUPPLIES SOFTWARE AND RESOURCES eee Recommended Tools amp Supplies A Software Sampling A Few Resources FAQ s FROM MAKERBOT S WEBSITE ce eee eee eee
9. 1 Recommended Tools amp Supplies gt gt Small diagonal cutters aka dikes Small needle nose pliers Flat and Phillips head screwdrivers Razor scraper and razor blades Thin putty knife or craft spatula Digital calipers that read mm and inches 7 mm wrench for nozzle replacement Isopropyl Alcohol 91 AquaNet Hairspray if using a glass build plate Blue painter s tape 8M 2090 possibly worth experimenting with 2 A Software Sampling software is a highly personal choice largely dependent upon one s skills and goals The following is an incomplete sampling of programs commonly used for both Mac OSX and Windows Software over 1 000 is not listed Ultimately the best software is the one that helps you create what you want in ways you like It needs to create watertight models and export in STL format Effort Reward Got a program you love Let us know about it Netfabb Available in free and pro versions this does incredible things for repairing models which are not watertight Meshmixer A wonderfully fun environment to play with sculptural shapes Very kid friendly Blender The big daddy of free open source 3D modeling software You can create anything you want but the learning curve can be a bit steep due to differing conventions SketchUp Another heavy hi
10. DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide This section contains detailed instructions to prepare tool or slice a 3D model for printing using MakerWare software which creates G code for the printer Other slicers exist such as ReplicatorG which is very popular with advanced users Slic8r and Repetier Host but are not covered here The model must be valid See Tips for 3D Digital Model Making above 1 About MakerWare Software SLICER The primary function of this software is to slice your model per the desired layer thickness then generate toolpaths or G code instructions for the printer to follow For this reason 3D printer software packages are generically referred to as Slicers gt OS Windows Mac and Ubuntu Linux available gt FREE DOWNLOAD If you install MakerWare you can tool files on your own computer then transfer them to the MakerBot printer via an SD card This is very convenient since you don t have to be hooked up to the printer while printing
11. DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 12 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS 9 Add Add your own design or a downloaded file Click Add Button Select desired file OH File Add Select desired file Both methods permit multiple parts to be inserted and printed ETJ de View Bots Services p Q wu Phu sd al aaia Mee we An lapon foam gees it Mahe from Fite DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 13 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS 10 Make It Basic Settings This is the step where your design is sliced into layers and tooling instructions are made for the printer an operation which occurs in the background Tooling is referred to as G code or NC code which is essentially a text file with instructions for machine movement This operation will generate a proprietary X3G file which can be read by the MakerBot At this time there is no way to view or edit the G code visually preview the tool paths or estimate time and or material usage all of which are areas for future improvements gt Click Make It Button MaherWare file Ede Sots Services Help _ Al
12. DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 19 of 44 This section contains detailed instructions on printing with the Replicator 2 Basic introductory information is included as well as a few more detailed topics No prior experience is needed IMPORTANT The INITIAL SETUP section should be reviewed before using your machine for the first time to ensure optimal printing results 1 Turn on the Replicator 2 gt Power switch on rear gt Current firmware should be displayed on front 12 If prompted to update firmware in MakerWare follow instructions for download Connect computer to MakerBot via the provided USB cable MakerWare Menu MakerBots Upload Firmware 2 Navigating the Interface gt Blinking M Waiting for Input gt Solid M Performing Work gt Arrow Buttons Performs functions as described in image below Current MakerBot firmware for Replicator 2 is version 7 2 as of this writing Experienced users may wish to upgrade to the more fully featured and transforming Sailfish Firmware from Jetty Firmware http Avww thingiverse com thing 32084 DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 20 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERBOT REPLICATOR 2 DETAILS 3 Orienting and Preparing the Acrylic Build Plate gt Which Face to Print On Smooth Face w Logos This surface provides the strongest adhesion of the print to the plate if the log
13. Pause Cancel Prints may be paused or cancelled eff arrow shows mid print options Change Filament Filament may be changed during mid print by pausing Try switching filament colors for interesting results A partial Octopus print is shown above with interior scaffolding evident for 10 infill 8 Removing the Model from the Build Plate Small Prints Carefully use a razor blade scraper for removing small prints Large Prints A wide metal putty knife or craft spatula may help remove large prints 9 Removing Scaffolding from the Model This can be very time consuming and challenging Needle nose pliers work well for rough work A razor scraper works well for finish work Be very careful and ALWAYS cut away from you Because PLA is very hard the razor scraper can easily slip off the PLA Detail work and tight crevices may be addressed with dental picks 10 Finishing the Model Nothing need be done if you like the look of the plastic and the layer lines as many do If a smooth finish is desired you will find that PLA is VERY tough material Sanding with 100 grit sandpaper then working up to 400 grit for a smooth surface is generally the best method to remove flaws or inconsistencies especially those from a base Raft 20 Feature Request An option to show print time remaining Sailfish firmware a recommended MOD provides this and a number of other nice features which
14. all of which easily overwhelm even a properly functioning stock delrin plunger opring loaded extruders seem to handle clear filament better but again this is not the ideal material to use to troubleshoot your machine gt Step 7 Try your print again Be sure the first layer goes down in a flat thin bead If not you probably have leveling problems or less commonly but still possible heating problems MakerWare s Medium Default settings layer thickness of 0 27 mm are recommended for slicing to eliminate other variables If you are having success printing at 0 27 mm but failures at finer layer thicknesses and you have installed an upgraded extruder mechanism especially experiencing air printing further into a print the following may be occurring Your upgraded extruder either is not operating smoothly in which case disassembly sanding and lubing the hinge is needed Note that extruder upgrades printed in PLA are prone to warping over time This is why the ABS parts are better suited for upgraded extruders spring may be too strong for the print speeds if you are seeing skipping or hearing clicking from the drive motor Print speeds may be too slow and heat soak is causing the filament to soften and the drive wheel to slip Increasing the print speed causes the filament to move more quickly thus soaking up less heat For those not using MakerWare but ReplicatorG or another slicer some users
15. When these screws are removed the drive motor is now loose as well THIS FAN IS BACKWARDS and blows out If you can read the label on the fan REVERSE IT TO BLOW IN DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 32 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 TROUBLESHOOTING FIXES FOR A FEW COMMON PROBLEMS gt Step 2 In the images below with the fan shown upside down so you can see the screws note that the screws pass through two black plastic spacers then through an aluminum heat sink Cleverly these screws perform quadruple duty What is not visible is that the screws also pass through the aluminum cooling and mounting block then draw the drive motor assembly tight against the cooling block Note the position of the wiring as you remove the fan It should be free of the fan and not be pinched anywhere Step 3 The image below left shows a serious jam Less severe jams are common and equally debilitating to the filament loading process The filament sticking out of the head has been bent by the drive motor To clear a jam you may trim the filament close to the hot end or carefully pull it out of the extrusion chamber with a pair of needle nose pliers and trim it If you are having difficulty and as a last resort with great care you may preheat the extrusion chamber to permit withdrawal of molten filament Be very careful of the HOT extrusion chamber the fan and the routing of wires Gloves are recomme
16. reduce heat transfer between the cooling block and the drive motor recommendation from whpthomas is recommended insert two pieces of cardstock cardstock from a six pack carrier works well cutting away the center and the mounting holes Reassemble the drive motor and tighten the set screw on the wheel being careful that the drive wheel is centered on the bearing of ne ane is dips add the inlet on the iu end 3 DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 37 of 44 In this s
17. and the nozzle is not touching anything your nozzle may be clogged or you have too much pressure against the filament If you have the OEM plunger as noted earlier your delrin plunger pressure is likely too tight and your extruder is not clogged especially if the unit is relatively new Step 1 Run the Unload routine gently tugging on the filament with the thumb lever fully depressed after the head has heated f you do not fully depress the thumb lever you may snap off straggling blobs of molten plastic causing a jam Step 2 If you are unable to remove the filament or if it breaks while pulling proceed to the next section on Filament Jams Note Loading when the filament is stripped is not recommended since it is difficult if not impossible to perform successfully with a stripped filament By attempting to Load you may create a severe jam by forcing more filament in breaking the weak spot in the filament and in essence pushing new Tamen on top of the jammed filament beneath the drive wheel DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 31 of 44 TROUBLESHOOTING FIXES FOR A FEW COMMON PROBLEMS 4
18. Filament Jams gt Definition A filament jam is caused by a piece of filament breaking off in the space between the drive wheel and the heated chamber blocking new filament from entering the extruder head gt Common Causes of Jams Pushing too hard on the filament while Loading While Unloading failing to assist the filament The proper method is to very slowly and gently pull filament straight up and out while the thumb lever on your extruder is held down Be aware that there will generally be a wider blob at the very end Be careful to not break this off Pulling on the filament too hard while Unloading thus ripping the filament apart or leaving the blob behind below the drive wheel Not fully depressing the thumb lever on the upgrade extruder mechanism while Unloading thus catching the blob and tearing it off The best method to prevent jams while Unloading is to pull the white plastic tube from the extrusion assembly and with your fingers very gently assist the filament straight out while fully depressing the thumb lever until the filament is removed gt Fixing a Jam Instructions are below Note that a stripped filament will also need to be corrected the same way as a jam Step 1 On the front cooling fan of the extruder assembly remove the two allen screws turning CCW Be careful withdrawing these long screws since there are two black plastic spacers hidden inside between the fan and the heat sink
19. While MakerWare will print directly from a computer to the printer via a USB cable this is not recommended since the computer is tied up and the network connection is easily interrupted gt Download MakerWare Here PROS Fast Low and Medium settings and Easy Customizable Pretty good slicing routines for most basic jobs CONS The slicing algorithm for the MakerBot Slicer used for the Low and Medium options instructs the head to continue to extrude while traveling creating diagonal lines in the print layer These lines may be objectionable or render intricate prints unusable Advanced control is not easily done as a few parameters are less developed in the customizable scripting profiles than are possible using Skeinforge in ReplicatorG 2 Details Size Format amp Units gt LAYER THICKNESS HEIGHTS Note that the extruder tip is 0 4 mm wide The Low default height 0 34 mm is very fast but layers are more visible Variables can be customized The Medium default height 0 27 mm is recommended for most prints balancing speed finish and reliability nicely Variables can be customized The High default height 0 10 mm uses a different slicing engine Skeinforge which is much slower to generate Prints done at the default resolution often fail with the stock MBI extruder a delrin plunger Variables can be customized and setting the layer thickness to 0 15 mm seems more reliable if finer prints are desired
20. amp Units 7 Launch MakerWare 8 Left Buttons Navigation amp Positioning 9 Scale S 9 Turn T 10 Move M 14 Look L 12 Camera Home 12 Top Buttons Add Make IT amp Save 13 Add 13 Make It Basic Settings 14 Make It Advanced Settings 17 Export 19 Save 19 ZERO TO HERO MAKERBOT REPLICATOR 2 DETAILS 20 DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 3 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 TABLE OF CONTENTS Turn on the Replicator 2 Navigating the Interface Orienting and Preparing the Acrylic Build Plate Leveling the Build Plate Unload Load Filament Fan Orientation Printing TROUBLESHOOTING FIXES FOR A FEW COMMON PROBLEMS
21. 2X or if one encloses their Replicator 2 Bottleworks is offering aluminum table arm upgrades on the MakerBot Operators Group For users interested in exploring precision printing this upgrade makes a good deal of sense Cost is 125 USD shipping 5 Aluminum Hot End Carriage Mount The ABS carriage mount is prone to deformation at higher temperatures If you plan to print in nylon this presents a significant challenge Carl Raffle has created an aluminum carriage mount for the Hot End which is currently being fabricated See here for his post on MakerBot Users Group Cost is x 160 USD including global shipping DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide AO of 44
22. Build Plate This routine will ask you to adjust the gap under the extrusion nozzle at various points on the build plate adjusting the three leveling screws on the bottom of the table A 0 10 mm 0 004 feeler gauge or a crisp U S 1 bill is recommended You should adjust the screws starting at the rear center so you feel slight drag under the nozzle You will likely find that the plastic build plate is slightly warped and not entirely flat throughout thus the outer point adjustments may not match the inner point adjustments The most critical points to adjust accurately are the points above the leveling screws rear center first front mid right front mid left for small prints that are centered on the plate If the stock plate is warped exiting from this routine after the first three points are adjusted left button on control panel then re running the script to verify these three points is the most useful approach for smaller prints that are centered Note that if you are attempting large prints and the build plate is not flat you will likely have adhesion problems and possible failures Non intuitively turning the screws on the bottom of the table CW clockwise makes the gap bigger CCW counter clockwise makes the gap smaller Some users report significant printing improvements after replacing the build plate with glass to correct the warping of the plastic plate an upgrade well worth considering for large prints
23. Layer height is 0 10 mm Note that this option uses a different slicing engine Skeinforge and is much more prone to failure during larger prints Tests have shown that tweaking the thickness to 0 15 mm in the Advanced Options creates more reliable prints of similar finish and in less time The build plate must be flat and nozzle clearance must be precise Raft This puts your object on a printed bed of support material slightly above the plate You will have to remove this support material compromising the finish on the bottom Useful if your object is fragile or not flat on the bottom Often this improves adhesion of the model to the plate gt Supports 7 Supports are a less dense grid of PLA to support horizontal overhangs or any elements which are at a shallower angle than 45 to the build plate You will have to remove this support material and this can be very time consuming and frustrating compromising the finish At this time it is best to minimize or eliminate the need for supports when designing and or orienting a part if at all possible Enable Supports if your object has overhangs or low angles By default you will also have to enable Raft which is unfortunate If you have conditions which require support and you do not enable Supports your print may droop or fail in unsupported areas
24. and do not need supports All face normals must be oriented in the same direction out is best gt Add Button Select desired file 2 Verify Size Scale and Location Default Units are in mm Advanced Options allows default values to be adjusted Scaling from inches to millimeters Export to create X3G toolpaths may be performed in MakerWare Scale Inches gt mm 4 Save Thing file and close MW Make sure object is on the platform Move On Platform 5 Put X3g file onto SD Card 3 Click Make It Button 6 Turn on Replicator2 gt Switch located on back want to 7 Insert SD Card into Printer Slot is behind LCD display Export For The Replicator 2 Material Quality Low Faster nan 8 Wipe Build Plate with Alcohol Medium Supports High Slower 9 Verify that Build Plate is Level gt If not scroll to Utilities Level Build Plate Enter gt Advanced Options Cancel Export 10 Is Filament Loaded Select Export to a File If not scroll to Utilities Change gt Export For The Replicator 2 Filament Load Enter gt Select Low Medium recommended or High Quality not recommended 11 Scroll to Build from SD Enter Select Raft if desired 12 Select Your File Enter Raft provides a base and better adhesion but requires more 13 Be sure first layers adhere to plate cleanup and will affect the finish Shou
25. and far right of the build plate the acrylic plate will actually deflect and be pulled upwards while printing as the model cools and shrinks If the Replicator 2 had a heated build plate similar to the Replicator 2X this might help counteract or possibly eliminate the problem Thus this appears to be an inherent limitation with the Replicator 2 Keeping this challenge in mind may be useful when digitally modeling and or orienting large prints Try reducing the number of shells if you have frequent curling Helper Disks One method to help counteract lifting and curling is to use Helper Disks in MakerWare as of version 2 0 0 161 File Examples Helper Disks Placing these flat disks at the corners increases the surface area of the print on the plate resisting lifting and curling The Helper Disks may be peeled away or cut off after the print DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 30 of 44 TROUBLESHOOTING FIXES FOR A FEW COMMON PROBLEMS Glass Plate Upgrade As mentioned earlier some users report significant printing improvements after replacing the build plate with glass done to improve fla
26. carrier works well Be sure to move the drive wheel out the same distance as the thickness of the card stock gt OPTION 2 Grab MakerBot s new derivation of whpthomas design from Thingiverse com from their store the Replicator 2 Extruder Alternative Purchase the upgrade hardware from the MakerBot Store Cost for bearing spring and screws is 8 USD Be sure to request the ABS parts since printing them in PLA on a Rep2 creates parts that are prone to warping from heat DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 38 of 44 MODS OPTIMIZING AND HOT RODDING YOUR REPLICATOR 2 On this particular part it is important that the shoulder bolt seat firmly against the drive block If not it will loosen each time you use the lever gt OPTION 3 Just released is an extruder upgrade in aluminum from WotzBotz which obviously will not deform due to heat Cost is 99 shipping See here gt sure that the lever operates smoothly and freely File or sand parts as needed Do not over tighten the hinge mechanism Silicone grease at the hinge is advised Whichever up
27. center of the platform Tests indicate that this is not always accurate but it is helpful v gt X Y Z An obvious mechanism to move your model about It is unclear why one would use the Z adjustment since this would raise or lower the object off of the platform Be careful with this If you move your object up in the Z direction this creates additional support In rare cases this may be useful such as for tightly nesting multiple parts Down in the Z direction moves your object below the platform and will likely crash the print head Avoid this Really Reset Position Restore your original position if you wish gt NOTE If your object is not oriented to be flat on the bottom when you export it MakerWare will not automatically position it flat on the build plate Instead it will simply place the lowest point on the build plate regardless whether it is flat or not Change Position cum oom cm Reset Pos tion 4 Eaatiir S Dani 4 ADD lA f ile mnt i f mi r vthing hal Ff tahlo J linc thaty 2n tah thi Feature Request Ideally MakerWare would not recognize anything below the table and slice only what is above the table this would be convenient for quick tooling and partial test prints using various settings
28. industrious make a cad file of an exact copy of the existing plate and have a 3 8 thick piece of glass water jet cut by a local supplier to fit into the existing tabs Silicon gasket material or pads can be used to keep the glass in place on the table Worth noting is that some have speculated that the glass is best not locked into place due to reasons of thermal expansion DigiFabLab has not tested this theory but it s an interesting one gt Preparing the Glass Surface Clean surface with rubbing alcohol Spray a heavy film of Aqua Net unscented hairspray on smooth glass a lighter film on etched glass 3 Sailfish Firmware The good folks at Jetty Firmware have created a spectacular firmware upgrade for the Replicator 2 This upgrade permits improved printing speeds using acceleration and makes the Rep2 feel like a professional grade printer The firmware works well with MakerWare and ReplicatorG slicers and probably any other that generates X3G files This upgrade is highly recommended and it s free gt Among the many excellent features are temperature and speed over rides while printing filament used time remaining bed leveling by simply moving the extruder head by hand and far far more 4 Aluminum Table Arms The ABS plastic table arms are prone to vibration deflection and possible sagging Sagging is perhaps less of a problem with the Rep2 which is not enclosed but seemingly likely for the enclosed Replicator
29. is selected the result will be as predicted If not distortion ahead X is the LONG direction Y is the SHORT direction and Z is the VERTICAL direction Maximum Size This fills the entire print bed Your print will be gigantic will take forever to print and may fail use a lot of material and is NOT RECOMMENDED gt Scale To Easy to dial in percentages NOTE The percentage readout does change with arrow input but object size changes Reset Scale Always useful if you mess things up Takes you back to the original size Change Dimensions nme cm KA rms Uniform scaling ifches gt mm Maximum Size 3 Feature Request A preference that permits working in inches would be welcomed by U S users DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 9 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS 5 Turn T With your object selected click the Turn button then click drag your mouse to rotate your object in degrees Click the Triangle next to the button or double click the button to open the Change Rotation options wind
30. layers and generate toolpaths known as G code Save an X3G to SD card Direci gt 3 Printing the Model Hardware Select X3G file on SD card Level and prepare the print bed Load the extrusion filament Print the file Tips for 3D Digital Model Making Polygon Format Needed If created in NURBS or Sub Divisions you must convert model to Polygons Valid Model Characteristics Use Netfabb free Rhinoceros Windows trial OSX free to check Watertight No gaps in model Face Normals Same direction Manifold Edges Edges do not share three polygon faces Thickness Desired wall thicknesses should be constructed digitally If not the model will print as a solid File Format Export as STL binary Rhinoceros Repair amp Test Methods Watertight Analyze Edge Tools Show Edges Naked Edges Repair gaps if found Normals Dir to check Click to flip faces Or Type Flip Windows recommended feature to color face normals File Properties View Display Modes Shaded On right side Backface Settings Single Color for all Backface Settings Select a color Convert to Polygons Mesh From NURBS object Higher counts accuracy large files
31. may wish to skip the more introductory content covered in the ZERO TO HERO sections Knowledge about the Replicator 2 grows daily as experience is rapidly gained by users As a result communicating ALL current information in one place is inherently a fast moving target yet the need for a reference guide for new users even if incomplete may be handy Feedback and suggestions for improvements are very much welcomed Drop DigiFabLab a line and let us know if this resource helped and or how it can be improved David Celento Founder DigiFabLab info DigiFabLab com TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW OF WORKFLOW 3 Step Process for 3D Printing 6 Tips for 3D Digital Model Making 6 7 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS About MakerWare Software 7 Details Size Format
32. or prints finer than 0 27 mm height 5 Unload Load Filament Filament should unroll from the bottom of the spool and extend up into the tube If using the left holder looking at the back the spool should unwind counter clockwise If using the right holder the spool should unwind clockwise sure to keep spools free of dirt and particulates to prevent nozzle clogging gt Be sure that the inside of the spool is completely smooth Sand if not gt If you have not slightly filed down the top edges of your spool holder this is also advised DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 22 of 44 ZERO TO HERO MAKERBOT REPLICATOR 2 DETAILS Replicator 2 Monitor Mode Preheat Lhange Filament Utilities gt Level Build Plate Info and Setting Home Axes o Load Load Unload Unload gt gt 11 ze wait uhi I m reads Pull the d extr 3uide tube off and gt push the filament in until you feel L c 1 B le w el IT the motor tug it in When filament is Push for a few more being extruded from seconds then wait the nozzle Press M to exit Veget
33. our Maintenance page or your User Manual for instructions on how to do this DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 43 of 44 Acknowledgements This guide would not have been possible without assistance from MakerBot Support and the generosity of countless MakerBot enthusiasts found at Google Groups MakerBot Operators MakerBot Users and 3D Printer Tips Tricks and Reviews In particular gratitude is extended in alphabetical order to dnewman Eighty Enginewiz Jetguy and whpthomas Wing
34. razor scraper to remove residue Isopropyl alcohol 9196 should then be applied with a paper towel to the entire surface to remove fingerprints dust etc Blue Painter s Tape If using blue painter s tape some users report success lightly sanding the surface with 400 grit sandpaper then wiping down with alcohol 4 Leveling the Build Plate Itis CRITICAL that the build plate be trammed which MBI calls Leveling and properly adjusted so that prints adhere properly Improper adjustment results in poor adhesion of initial layers and failed prints Tests have shown that a tighter gap between the nozzle and the plate 0 10 mm provides better adhesion If one hears clicking sounds or the nozzle drags on the plate while printing the gap is too tight DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 21 of 44 ZERO TO HERO MAKERBOT REPLICATOR 2 DETAILS The Run Startup sequence below offers a good overview of adjusting the build plate This is highly Util recommended for the first time user n apPiicatre Hxez T 2 2 d m PAT Jtr 11 Run S ities Level
35. report improvements by reducing the retraction values gt Step 8 If the print fails when using MakerWare s Medium Default settings you may have a clogged nozzle or heat problems Clogs are evident if the extrusion is not coming down perfectly straight or is very thin Measuring the extrusion should indicate a value slightly larger than 0 40 mm DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 29 of 44 TROUBLESHOOTING FIXES FOR A FEW COMMON PROBLEMS If significantly less than 0 40 you must clean or replace the nozzle After cleaning or replacing the nozzle repeat all steps above Step 9 Head temperature issues are the prime remaining suspect if all of the above checks out These are notoriously difficult to track down for one simple reason if there is an error but the Temp Error message is not activated the Replicator2 overrides the output to the heating core to prevent a fire However the display may no longer accurately display actual temperature information Check the thermocouple wire going into the head This is in a very vulnerable location and early units had shrink
36. than Medium DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 7 of 44 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS gt You may fine tune various parameters under Advanced Options gt SIZE The maximum build envelope is 285mm L x 153mm W x 155mm 11 2 L x 6 0 W x 6 1 H gt FORMAT Files must be in STL or OBJ format and valid See prior instructions gt UNITS MakerWare works only in millimeters mm If you add a file that is in inches you may be prompted to convert it to mm m This ghjaci seems very smail k map have beer designed in ches Weetd peu She be scale 10 If not prompted you can convert inches to mm as follows Select object Click the Scale button Click the Triangle Change Dimensions Inches gt mm 3 Launch MakerWare gt Objects You can print Examples included with MakerWare Designs by others Check out Thingiverse com and download something Your own designs Consider sharing your work on Thingiverse com gt Learning the interface Load an Example File File Examples Select desired item or Load
37. the ABS housing to retain the wires and remove the wire handles on the binder clips OR Meddler Method Remove the four allen bolts 2 5 mm allen wrench holding the X drive motor Slide the motor out of the slots and move the cables out of the way note routing Carefully drill two 3 32 holes up through the ABS carrier near the front edge Install two small zip ties 3 32 wide x 4 long to keep the cables in place Verify the full range of motion in the Y axis before you tighten and trim the zip ties movement should not tension the cables Reinstall motor firmly tensioning the belt gt Reinstall the right side panel 3 Proper Cooling Fan Orientation oeveral users have reported that their Replicator 2 arrived with the front cooling fan installed so it blew OUT away from the heat sink rather than blowing IN towaras the heat sink If you can read the label on the fan it is likely blowing out and should be reversed gt reverse the fan simply unbolt the lower screws and flip the fan being careful to route the wires appropriately 4 Prepping the Spool Holder amp Spools omooth delivery of the filament is crucial for reliable printing Unfortunately the design of the spool holder is less than optimal because it has a fairly crisp lip on the top With the majority of the weight of a spool bearing on this lip spools need to have ultra smooth interiors for smooth delivery Unfortunately
38. the spools are not always smooth inside DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 36 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 INITIAL SETUP RECOMMENDED BEFORE YOU START Using sandpaper or a file round off the crisp edges on the top of the spool holder Before mounting a new spool check the interior smoothness sanding as necessary 5 Oiling the Filament Feed Tube To further assist with smooth delivery of the filament it is recommended that users place a few drops of vegetable oil on a section of filament and run it back and forth through the filament tube to lubricate it 6 Proper Drive Wheel Adjustment The set screw on the drive wheel is incorrectly installed potentially causing the drive wheel to slip The drive motor shaft has a flat ground face which the set screw on the drive wheel is meant to firmly engage However this slot is not long enough and the set screw is tightened onto the round part of the drive shaft Since the shaft is made of hardened steel the engagement of the screw is poor and prone to slipping leading to skipping of the filament during the print gt Disassemble the extruder head as descr ji Fil Nt y on abo gt Remove electrical wires from the drive motor and remove motor from niv gt Loosen the set set screw on the drive wheel and remove the drive wheel from the shaft gt Using a small flat file or a dremel extend the flat slot on the motor shaft an additional 3 16 x 5 mm gt
39. BI acrylic plate Using a continuous strip of 1 masking tape on the left and right edges loosely wrap the tape around the sides and to the bottom of the stock acrylic build plate You don t want to bind it too tightly you re simply trying to prevent the glass from shifting If your MBI build plate is very badly warped tightly binding the glass may cause it to also warp slightly gt Meddler Method Replace the entire MBI build plate with thick glass For reference the stock build plate is about 8 40 mm thick 3 8 0 95 mm thick glass works well You will have to devise a method to secure the glass in place around the existing tabs on the table unless the glass has been cut to match the MBI profile If your total assembly from the plastic of the bed to the top of the glass exceeds 12 mm you may not be able to adjust your clearance without altering the Z home limit switch Check the MakerBot Google Group to see if anyone is offering custom shaped plates DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 39 of 44 MODS OPTIMIZING AND HOT RODDING YOUR REPLICATOR 2 Or for the very
40. Creative Commons License A New User s Guide to MakerBot s Replicator 2 MakerBot Replicator 2 eee ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 1 Open Object MakerWare Select Supports if needed gt Must be in STL or OBJ format Supports are needed if there Must be watertight with no gaps are any horizontal geometries or elements projecting less than 45 from the build plate Geometries greater than 45 are self supporting
41. Your Own STL or OBJ File File Open or Click the Add button Q9 m nm m o9 O ue we 9 DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 8 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS 4 Scale 5 With your object selected click the Scale button then click drag your mouse to scale your object up or down units shown in millimeters Click the Triangle next to the button or double click the button to open the Change Dimensions options window S is the Hotkey gt Inches gt mm Scale inches to mm if you did not do this when loading your file 3 You need to do this if your object looks teeny weeny gt Uniform Scaling Likely you want to leave this checked unless you re into distortion gt X Y Z Easily set a known or desired dimension in mm If Uniform Scaling
42. ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS gt Speed mm s Speed while Extruding The rate of the extruder head while printing Speed while Traveling The rate of the extruder head while transitioning between printing locations While shown as 100 on Medium the other default settings indicate 150 Tests show that changing this to 150 seems to work fine decreasing print time 12 Export gt This will make an X3G File that contains the tooling information Copy this file onto the SD card to insert into the printer Note that the SD card can be no larger than 2G and must be formatted as FAT 16 gt As noted earlier it is also worth saving a gcode file if you wish to pre visualize slicing toolpaths in another program before printing the file Power users may also edit the gcode which is simply a text file 13 Save Before quitting save your file in Thing format in case you need to perform any editing later As noted earlier this is essentially a zip file with a different extension containing your stl file and a text file with instructions for MakerWare You can access these files by changing the extension to zip
43. able Oil A number of users have reported success rubbing a few drops of vegetable oil on the end of a section of filament then flossing the protective tube This seems to reduce stiction between the filament and the tube allowing the filament to be pulled more freely by the drive wheel Loading Tips During Loading remove plastic tube on top trim filament on a diagonal and gently assist the filament when feeding it in The drive wheel should catch the filament and begin extruding If you have the stock extruder a delrin plunger you are advised to visit the MakerBot website that addresses proper adjustment 14 14 htto www makerbot com support replicator2 documentation maintenance DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 23 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERBOT REPLICATOR 2 DETAILS gt gt DigiFabLab does not recommend use of the Replicator 2 with this OEM part due to a number of challenges with proper adjustment and inconsistent filament pressure If Using an Upgraded Extruder This section applies only to machines with the upgraded extruder mechanism by whpthomas 5 or MakerBot 6 etc This upgrade is strongly recommended for all Replicator 2 machines as soon as possible Depress the thumb lever only enough to insert the filament between the drive wheel and the pressure bearing Once inserted and advancing release the thumb lever for the filament to advance on its own The pressure on t
44. again Files should end with X3G 4 Help My bot sounds like it s shaking itself to pieces gt Check to make sure you have acceleration turned on Attempting to print at high speeds with acceleration turned off can harm your Replicator 2 You can turn it off and on through General Settings in your Replicator 2 s onboard menus or through Onboard Preferences in MakerWare or ReplicatorG If you are running non accelerated firmware or have acceleration turned off you should not print at speeds above 40 mm s Firmwares from Replicator Firmware 7 0 use a new type of acceleration command and should only build from x3g files Running an s3g file on a bot running Firmware 7 0 or later is equivalent to temporarily turning off acceleration and will result in loud jerky motion 5 How do update firmware on my Replicator 2 gt Select the Upload Firmware option from the Bots menu in MakerWare or the Machines menu in ReplicatorG The software will walk you through the process Unlike earlier MakerBots your Replicator 2 does not have a reset button so any instructions referencing a reset button can be ignored 6 Do I need to do any maintenance on my Replicator 2 gt Not much But if you ve been printing for more than fifty hours or if you start hearing squeaking noises while building then it s probably time to lubricate your threaded rod and idler pulley and it s also a good idea to clean out your drive gear once in a while Consult
45. but a pre assembled proprietary consumer product with its own simplistic slicing software MakeWare MakerBot has been celebrated by Wired BBC Gizmodo Make and others for the Replicator 2 as well as criticized for abandoning open source solutions From a tech transfer point of view MakerBot s evolving business model raises intriguing questions which are being played out now Interested in more information See Make magazine s Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing 9 99 for a comprehensive survey of the state of the art as of December 2012 This downloadable PDF includes a wealth of information on other 3D printers hardware software materials tips and techniques If when you get stuck MakerBot s online and phone support is helpful but not always available Be sure to visit the MakerBot Operators group the independent 3D Printer Tips Tricks and Reviews group and the new WIKI at Makerbot wikia com Tremendous know how assistance and solutions from users are just a click away DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 2 of 44 PURPOSE The purpose of this guide is to assist the new user in getting the most out of their Replicator 2 While some advanced concepts are mentioned either out of necessity or as avenues for further exploration the main goal is to help new users who may have no prior 3D modeling or printing experience successfully explore the exciting world of SD printing Experienced users
46. commander for sharing their efforts knowledge and enthusiasm Without the collective wisdom of all the enthusiasts in this group the tremendous potentials of the Replicator 2 would be elusive to many DigiFabLab is particularly indebted to Norwich University School of Architecture Art which generously loaned one of their MakerBot Replicator 2 printers This served as a test bed for the exploration of the Replicator 2 s capabilities and for the development of this guide Faculty and students at Norwich also provided invaluable feedback during three days of in depth workshops held there during Spring 2013 About DigiFabLab DigiFabLab is a design consultancy dedicated to assisting people with digital design and fabrication topics David Celento Founder is a registered architect with over two decades of university teaching experience His research and creative works have been presented widely at conferences with numerous workshops conducted globally David currently serves on the Board of ACADIA Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture and is presently writing a book intended to introduce and demystify digital design and fabrication methods Digital Toolbox working title is scheduled for publication by John Wiley and Sons in the Fall of 2014 Use of this Material The information provided in this guide was gathered from many sources and is meant to be shared without charge or restriction Content may be used in accordance w
47. ection upgrades are described for more reliable and high precision printing In particular the Extruder Upgrade and Glass Build Plate are virtually necessary for fine resolution printing of 0 10 mm optimal adhesion for large parts and lengthy prints without failure All users are strongly advised to install the Extruder Upgrade described below 1 Extruder Upgrade AN ESSENTIAL MOD As indicated throughout this tutorial the stock extruder mechanism an allen screw controlling a delrin plunger amp o ring is believed to be inadequate for longer prints at fine resolutions While you may achieve prints of Low 0 34 mm and Medium 0 27 mm thickness it is unlikely that you will achieve High 0 10 mm thickness prints for large objects resulting in air printing DigiFabLab like many other experienced users believes that installation of an upgraded extruder is the single best improvement one can make for reliable printing gt Visit Thingiverse com download print and install upgraded extruders gt OPTION 1 Grab the Replicator 2 Extruder Upgrade designed by whpthomas You will need to purchase the hardware specified If you print the items in PLA keep an eye on them since heat warps PLA You will likely have to replace these parts every now and again over time Installing two layers of card stock behind the upgraded lever assists with reducing heat transfer and warping suggested by whpthomas Cardstock from a six pack
48. ed mm s Extruders 230 Pattorm 110 gt Temperature C Temperature of the extruder head which melts the filament Extruders The default is 230 C for all default settings Worth noting is that RepRap org indicate melting temperatures from 180 C to 220 C thus if you are having problems with curling lowering the temperature may be worth experimenting with As one lowers the temperature adhesion between layers begins to reduce until it fails entirely DigiFabLab has found reliable extrusions between 210 220 C The lower the temperature the less glossy the print is Platform While indicating 110 C this item is greyed out since the platform on the Replicator 2 is not heated Heated beds are not essential for printing with PLA but are for ABS printing on other machines Despite this a heated bed may be beneficial to help reduce lifting and improve adhesion with PLA Keep an eye out for a possible future upgrade from MBI Quality Temperature C Speed while Extruding 80 Speed while Traveling 100 DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 18 of 44
49. el will be This is useful if you are trying to achieve more uniform or matte surface finishes A temperature of 210 C works well to produce matte finishes for white filament 6 Squeaking or Screeching This indicates a lack of lubrication which is normal after x 50 hours of operation The X and Y metal guide rails and the Z direction threaded screw should be wiped with silicone grease every fifty hours or so of printing A couple drops of oil should be applied to the bearing surface of the black plastic toothed roller on the left side of X drive belt If you accidentally get oil on the drive belt clean it off immediately with rubbing alcohol DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 34 of 44 Ce SS 1 Check All Fasteners Inexplicably a number of users have reported loose fasteners on their newly delivered Replicator 2 units While it is hoped that this simple matter is soon corrected by MBI at the time of this writing this problem persists gt Check and tighten the following The two bolts on the bottom of the extruder carrier All b
50. em is advised If you hear clicking or can not get the filament to contact the drive wheel the plunger pressure is too tight If you can squeeze the filament with your fingers and stop the extrusion or if the extrusion is not uniform the plunger pressure is likely too light MBI reviews methods to adjust the stock plunger mechanism here and has posted a video here 8 DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 24 of 44 ZERO TO HERO MAKERBOT REPLICATOR 2 DETAILS gt Filament Not Advancing If filament does not advance and start extruding from the nozzle you likely have a Tus ae Is s mE head to manually clear the jam 2 JBLESHOOTING section for details Straight Extrusion Filament should extrude down and Bion d your filament is tilting to one side or curling as it comes down you likely have a particle jammed in your nozzle Only disassembly and cleaning or replacement of the nozzle will correct this MakerBot offers instructions here for a similar unit Be sure that nozzle is hot before trying to remove it or you will snap the nozzle 6 Fan Orientation gt B
51. ew known challenges which resourceful users may easily address Proper initial setup is crucial for optimal print results See INITIAL SETUP TROUBLESHOOTING and MODS sections for more information NOTE The OEM extruder mechanism is not addressed in this guide due to its setup challenges DigiFabLab recommends that new users upgrade this immediately Order the upgrade kit from MakerBot requesting ABS parts Or tackle your first project and visit Thingiverse com download print and install the Replicator 2 Extruder Upgrade designed by whpthomas or MakerBot s new derivation of this design the Replicator 2 Extruder Alternative You ll be glad you did 3D printing began in the late 1970 s Today with technologies becoming more affordable and patents expiring this area is currently experiencing explosive growth largely due to experimental efforts by the open source community DIY kits vary widely and require a degree of skill to assemble and use RepRap org founded in 2005 by Dr Adrian Bower is ground zero for open source efforts of many types and well worth checking out MakerBot s roots are within the open source community however the Replicator 2 is a significant departure from this tradition It is not a DIY kit
52. g If so replace it ideally with ABS pieces DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 28 of 44 TROUBLESHOOTING FIXES FOR A FEW COMMON PROBLEMS gt Step 5 If you have a stock OEM delrin plunger installed you need to readjust the pressure before proceeding 3 Note that the OEM plunger is not well suited for prints that are less than 0 27mm thick Finer layers may work if this is perfectly adjusted but often prints fail later during the print as heat soak begins to occur changing the pressure applied by the stock plunger The symptom of a heat soak failure is fuzzy ends on the last few layers then a phenomenon known as air printing with nothing coming out of the extruder as if it is blocked but the extruder continuing to move Most likely the filament is stripped gt Step 6 Load a solid color filament for troubleshooting white if possible Avoid the clear filament shipped with your machine for troubleshooting Numerous users report difficulties with this filament due to diameter variations inflexibility of the material and possibly increased stiction
53. grade you choose you ll be VERY glad you installed it 2 Glass Build Plate This is the second most important upgrade you can make if you re having adhesion problems and are sure you ve set the gap 0 10 mm correctly This upgrade is virtually essential if you are interested in large prints which span the build plate or have fine layer resolutions 0 10 mm 0 15 mm Upgrading the often warped MBI acrylic build plate with glass offers significant improvements in adhesion and accuracy Prepping the surface with a heavy coat of Aqua Net Unscented hairspray seems to work well Cost is x 10 to x 75 USD depending on the thickness of glass desired Dimensions Rectangular glass sheet which will fit between the tabs measures 11 25 x 6 375 gt Macgyver Method Have your local glass or hardware store cut a piece of single pane window glass 2 22 mr ck and place this on top of your MBI build plate Also available from most custom glass shops are one sided acid etched sheets T The benefit of etched glass other than increased strength due to greater thickness is that adhesion is stronger than on smooth sheets The drawback is that setting one s clearance gap is more difficult due the greater thickness and the resulting spring tension If installing one of these thicker sheets placing a small shim on the back of the table under the Z limit switch is advised to permit proper leveling Place the glass sheet on top of your M
54. he filament is now automatically regulated by the spring and no longer needs to be adjusted You should be able to squeeze the filament with your fingers but not stop it If you can stop the filament your spring is too weak If you hear clicking from the drive wheel your spring is either too tight or your extruder is binding and needs to be loosened sanded and or lubricated If warped you must replace it You may print the major parts for the upgraded extruder yourself You will need to purchase the spring screw and bearing listed on the Thingiverse com sites Or directly from the MakerBot store if using their design Instead of fabricating this upgrade users may purchase an upgraded extruder assembly from MBI NOTE PLA warps with heat thus printing an assembly on a Rep 2 in PLA may only provide a semi temporary solution requiring replacement every now and then If one can get these parts printed in ABS from MakerBot or a friend these do not seem to warp with heat and are more durable If Using the Stock Extruder Delrin Plunger It is likely that you will need to adjust the delrin plunger mechanism to apply proper pressure to the filament before during and or after loading This requires removing the lower cooling fan is time consuming and will be short lived since heat changes the o ring s properties Be VERY careful to not snap the wires off of the fan Routing them under the retainer clip and placing tape over th
55. improve print results and user experiences A highly recommended upgrade DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 26 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERBOT REPLICATOR 2 DETAILS The MSDS sheet for PLA suggests that the dust is quite hazardous recommending the serious measure of a pressurized face mask With this being a relatively new material even if organic extreme caution is advised when sanding presumably because of the molecular structure of the compounds used Pressurized face masks are extremely expensive and used most often when working with volatile materials which have hazardous off gassing fumes Being that particulates are involved sanding should at a minimum be done only when wearing canister filter style masks rather than simple fiber based white dust masks gt For avery smooth finish users report good results using several layers of Krylon paint then wet sanding with 400 grit minimum Using several base coats of Filler Primer will help fill the voids more quickly prior to painting DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 27 of 44
56. ith Creative Commons Licensing version 3 0 Thus any aspect of this guide may be shared freely attribution of images and content is requested and derivative works are permitted provided they are not for commercial purposes It takes a village to raise a 3D printer 9 0 9 9 DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 44 of 44
57. ld lay down a thin flat bead For in depth details see ZERO TO HERO sections DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 6 6 9 6 6 0 6 6 6 6 GO 9 6 9 9 G6 0 6 G 9 0 0 06 9 9 9 9 06 9 9 6 eee ABOUT The goal of this guide is to help novice users achieve remarkable print results by better understanding 3D printing methods and specific aspects of the Replicator 2 MakerBot Industries is among a group of companies that aim to put 3D printing in the hands of every day users The Replicator 2 is a single head printer using PLA Polylactic Acid filament a biodegradable organic plastic MakerBot recently introduced an experimental dual head printer the Replicator 2X which prints with ABS and possibly other materials COMMON NEW USER ISSUES FILAMENT FEEDING amp PRINT ADHESION ee eee eee eee ee eee While the Replicator 2 is capable of very high quality printing it has a f
58. lowing IN not OUT While loading filament the fan on the front of the extruder head should be spinning to cool the heat sink Verify that this fan is blowing IN towards the heat sink not out away from the heat sink gt If you can read the label on the front of the 0 reverse 2108 fan to blowing in This will improve cooling of heat sink 7 e bot off to do thi 7 Printing gt Insert SD Card slot on top behind LCD screen gt Scroll up Select Build from SD Select File by Scrolling Up and Down Enter ReFlicator UCTOPUS X39 Build from SD Collins dj54 lec Fs DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 25 of 44 ZERO TO HERO MAKERBOT REPLICATOR 2 DETAILS 171 lt Wer 04 Ueto PUS 5 7 Extruder 254 23 Ai gt gt Extruder Value on left is actual head temp value on right is target temp in celsius Percentage Completion is shown in upper right corner while printing It is believed that this percentage is based upon the number of layers processed rather than the percentage of the actual volume of the model printed
59. loyee owned rock solid and has a strong user community This program is DigiFabLab s workhorse software 3 A Few Resources Getting Started with MakerBot by Pettis Kaziunas France and Shergill Published by O Reilly Media and MAKE magazine 2013 Useful information tips and projects Thingiverse com Thousands of great projects that you can download and print Make magazine s Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing December 2012 9 99 A superb shootout comparing a number of FDM printers mentions of other style printers and numerous projects RepRap org This is where it all started and continues to thrive Be sure to check out the forums Google Groups MakerBot 38 moderated by MakerBot MakerBot Users 9 and 3D Printer Tips Tricks and Reviews MakerBot Wikia Fledgling wiki created by and for MakerBot enthusiasts 34 htto shop oreilly com oroduct 0636920026723 do 35 htto www thingiverse com 36 http www makershed com Make Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing p 1449357377 htm 37 http reprap org wiki Main Page 38 httos groups google com forum 23 forum makerbot 39 https groups google com forum 23 forum makerbot users 40 httos groups google com forum 23 forum 3dprintertiostricksreviews 41 htto makerbot wikia com wiki Replicator_2 DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 42 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06
60. nded Be sure to clean the little teeth in the drive wheel DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 33 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 TROUBLESHOOTING FIXES FOR A FEW COMMON PROBLEMS 5 Clogged Nozzle gt This is a Somewhat rare issue provided you keep a clean work area and is not addressed in detail here Unless a particle was embedded in your PLA during manufacture rare but possible especially with very cheap filaments PLA is burning inside the extruder if you are running temperatures higher than 230 C Thus deposits build up which block the hole in the extruder or reduce the passageway of molten filament This is not unlike a person s arteries with plaque building up in them reducing flow and increasing pressure If you encounter this condition frequently likely you are running your extruder at too high a temperature Temperatures above 230 C are unnecessary and to be avoided MBI uses 230 C as the default head temperature however PLA will extrude and bond at non accelerated speeds at temperatures as low as 190 C More experienced users often use temperatures between 210 C and 220 to avoid clogging and to assist in removing small models from the build plate This is because cooler temps reduce adhesion to the plate slightly For details on cleaning a nozzle see Nozzle Cleaning 6 on Thingiverse by whpthomas Worth noting is that the lower the temperature the less shiny the surface of the mod
61. olts which hold the drive motors in place Be sure that belts are tight Lower cooling fan should be screwed tight into the black plastic housing These will be difficult to turn initially because they are self tapping Any other bolts that relate to moving parts 2 Remove Spring Pin Holding Cables for X Drive A number of users have reported cable chafing and resulting failures for the X axis drive due to contact with the slotted spring pin which holds the cable in the housing This is a poor use of a spring pin by MBI since these pins are A intended for holes and B are sharp on the ends to permit entry into said holes In addition the slot of the pin which also be sharp usually faces the cables This is a recipe for disaster sooner or later and is best addressed before using the machine Removal of the spring pin is recommended before you begin using your machine to prevent possible damage to the X drive cables gt You may retain the cables in the slot to prevent accidental damage in one of the following ways 7 Thanks goes to Jetguy on the MakerBot Google Group for identifying this problem DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 35 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 INITIAL SETUP RECOMMENDED BEFORE YOU START gt Remove the six allen bolts 5 mm allen wrench holding the right side panel gt Remove the spring pin gt Macgyver Method Use two small binder clips around the outside of
62. os are covered While difficult to remove the print this appears to be the best option for prints with large surface area or if you re experiencing adhesion problems Frosted Face This surface provides weaker adhesion If the print is small and the first few layers stick this permits the easiest removal of finished prints Blue Painter s Tape A number of users swear by blue painters tape by 3M 2090 covering the top of the build plate Tests at DigiFabLab produced mixed results Users are cautioned to not leave prints unattended if using tape If the print gets dislodged the tape may force the print into the nozzle causing it to ball up on the head Use a plastic spreader to firmly apply the tape without gaps to re adjust the plate height afterwards by re leveling it gt Glass Plate DigiFabLab recommends that users install a glass plate with a thick coat of AquaNet hairspray on it since very few MBI acrylic plates appear to be entirely flat Removal and Installation of Plate Removal The plate is removed by pushing the black tab towards the rear to release the plate Angle the plate out of notches and lift free of the table Installation Installation is the reverse of removal Shimming the Plate Tests have shown greatly improved results when shimming the table so the plate firmly locks into the notches This increases stability while printing Cleaning the Surface VERY IMPORTANT Acrylic Plate Use a
63. ow This is similar to the Rotate command in many other programs T is the Hotkey gt Y Z You can rotate around the X Y or Z axes The 90 and 90 are useful for positioning your model in the optimal orientation minimizing or eliminating the need for support material gt Reset Rotation Takes you back to your original orientation Change Rotation 70 0 Move M 2 90 90 4 Scale DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 10 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS 6 Move M With your object selected click the Move button then click drag your mouse to move it Coordinates will be displayed in relevant axes Click the Triangle next to the button or double click the button to open the Change Position options window M is the Hotkey On Platform It is CRITICAL that this be Clicked If an object is below the platform tests indicate that the MakerBot print head may crash into the table 4 gt Center This is a convenient way to put your model in the
64. rint such as Repetier Host and Pleasant 3D Mac only Make it Now Not Preferred Choose only if the computer will be hooked up to the MakerBot for the duration of the print If using this method with the MakerBot connected to the computer via the USB cable and turned on you must establish a connection by doing the following MakerBots Type of MakerBot Replicator 2 Also Services Restart Background Service if it is not recognizing the printer DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 15 of 44 DRAFT 2013 04 06 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS gt Export For The Replicator 2 Material PLA is the material of choice for Rep2 oome users have reported good results printing with Nylon with a wooden or bamboo plate higher heat and with no cooling fan PVA and HIPS both of which are soluble materials gt Quality Low Faster Fastest option Roughest finish Layer height is 0 34 mm Medium Recommended Good balance between speed and finish Layer height is 0 27 mm Troubleshooting is best done with this setting High Slower Slowest option Smoothest finish
65. s no infill Print will be hollow 100 means the print will be entirely solid DigiFabLab ZER TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 17 of 44 ZERO TO HERO MAKERWARE SOFTWARE DETAILS Infill between these numbers is an eggcrate of the assigned density It is stronger than you think will save material decrease print time and help reduce curling Number of Shells Refers to the number of passes which make up your wall thickness Zero means only one skin The higher the number the thicker the skin the stronger the surface f you encounter curling problems try reducing the shell numbers Layer Height This number defines the smoothness of the finished product in the Z dimension Lower numbers result in thinner layers and longer print times Higher numbers result in thicker layers and shorter print times The High setting uses a different slicing engine Skeinforge than Low or Medium which uses MakerBot Slicer Processing is slower and toolpath outcomes may vary significantly as a result One benefit is that the diagonal extrusions while traveling from MakerBot Slicer are eliminated Spe
66. s not flat few stock plates seem to be flat across the entire surface If you can not add thin glass on top of the plate or replace the plate with 3 8 thick glass you will have to position your model where it is most flat gt Step 2 Use the shiny side of your build plate with the logos on it for maximum adhesion Adjust the tramming of the build plate and the gap between head and the flattest part of the plate using the leveling function under Utilities on the bot The use of a Haft often helps improve adhesion Placing Helper Disks at the corners also helps File Examples Helper Disks oome users like to use a dial gauge and jog it across the plate Whpthomas has provided a very nice dial gauge attachment on Thingiverse The Snap on Dial Indicator Holder for Replicator 2 21 Whpthomas once again offers a nice leveling solution on Thingiverse the Interactive Build Plate Levelling Print Aid Step 3 Clean the build plate with rubbing alcohol before printing Even fingerprints will reduce adhesion gt Step 4 If you have upgraded your extruder to a spring loaded version be sure there is no stiction in the lever It should operate smoothly and freely when it is depressed If it feels a little sticky and you need more force to initiate movement than is needed to sustain motion you need to disassemble the mechanism and loosen screws sand parts and or lubricate the hinge mechanism Be sure it is not warped and bindin
67. tness and using a heavy coat of AquaNet hairspray on the glass S se 3 Stripping gt Definition This occurs when the drive wheel is working properly but the warm filament is not advancing or retracting No clicking is heard during this type of failure Much like a car tire spinning in the mud without the car moving a rut is created in the filament strand The more the drive wheel spins without the filament moving the deeper the rut becomes and the less likely the filament will advance or retract properly The stock delrin plunger is especially prone to this condition the thinner the layer being printed the more likely that filament stripping will occur This is due to the fact that very small drive wheel movements are being made on the filament while it is absorbing heat from the hot extruder below thus softening The drive wheel starts to slip on the softened filament carving into it deeper and deeper oymptoms of this are often seen in a printed model which has failed part way through the print The last few layers are often fuzzy the extruder continues to move but stops extruding aka air printing and there is no clicking heard from the drive motor Identifying stripping If your print head shows the proper temperature but is not extruding when it should be during a print or when you try to Load or Unload you likely have a stripped filament if there is no clicking heard from the head If there is clicking
68. tter in the free software area Can also purchase pro versions Very simple but somewhat limited capabilities Watertight modeling can be a bit elusive with complex shapes AutoDesk 123D Design Relatively new and free Can be used online on an iPad or on your computer Getting good reviews AutoDesk Fusion 360 Cloud based in beta currently Based on Inventor Fees unknown at this time ViaCAD 2D 3D 99 Many speak highly of this solid modeler Pro versions available Mol3D 295 Powerful and simple Works well with pen interfaces Bonsai Free for students 495 A newer arrival from the makers of FormZ one of the original surface modeling innovators DigiFabLab ZERO TO HERO Replicator 2 Guide 41 of 44 TOOLS amp SUPPLIES SOFTWARE AND RESOURCES gt Rhinoceros Free trial Windows Free Mac Beta 995 Windows 195 student license Exceptionally powerful surface modeler with solid features Highly developed NURBS modeling but weaker Polygon modeling Also offers Grasshopper visual scripting plugin Great features include colored backfaces in Windows version and naked edge analysis Rhinoceros is emp
69. wrap at the end that was too long thus this wire was sometimes damaged during assembly Check this at the hot end Gently wiggle it to see if there is any play Ideally one will get a Temp Error message when this is loose but not always If you have received a Heater Temp Error you must replace the thermocouple wire being very careful when replacing it If you have not received a Heater Temp Error power cycle the machine leaving it off for one full minute Then restart and try printing again If the print fails again check all wires to the heater core very carefully Even a small nick in the sheathing may cause electrical fluctuations to trip the over ride Call MBI support to discuss additional troubleshooting or repair Typically this involves replacing the entire hot end and mounting bar 2 Shrinkage Lifting amp Curling Problems Shrinkage of PLA For precision work it is useful to keep in mind that PLA shrinks slightly Shrinkage is about 0 2 or one fifth of one percent Scaling one s model up before slicing it in MakerWare may be useful if precision fitting is involved Lifting amp Curling Tests have shown that lifting or curling of the print off of the build plate is a common problem especially if the print is very long in the X direction This is due to shrinkage of the model when cooling and an inherently cooler build plate Even if you have good adhesion at the outer limits of the print at the far left
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