Ender 5 Plus

Introduction

We have a new 3d Printer, it is an Ender 5 Plus.

Usage

Slic3r settings

You can find the settings for Slic3r that seem to work here:

https://wiki.techinc.nl/File:Techinc-ender-5-plus.tar

Make sure that you have the filament retraction setting set to 8mm.

Filament

Choosing Filament

The Ender 5 Plus uses 1.75mm filament. In theory the printer can print PLA, PETG, ABS, and "Special" filaments such as PLA/Wood mix, PLA Glow in the dark filament. At the time of writing, the printer has been tested with PLA and PETG. We recommend that you print using PLA, this doesn't require any special adhesive or treatment of the print bed and has minimal wear on the machine.

If you wish to print anything other than plain PLA, please contact the tool guardians to discuss how best to do it.

Loading Filament

- Turn on the printer (switch left side).

- Press Settings

- Press move, this will open up a screen with options to move the print head and bed around. One of the icons on the screen looks like a little house. press this. It will cause the printer to find it's home position. Once it has completed it's homing manoeuvre it's useful to move the z axis to about 300mm, this is not critical, but it certainly makes installing filament easier. When you have the bed where you want it, hit the back arrow.

- With the bed out the way, install your spool of filament on the spool holder, then push the end of the filament through the hole in the bottom of the filament sensor, then into the hole in the bottom of the filament feeder, with your other hand squeeze the filament loader lever and push the filament up further into the tube, this can be a bit tricky and may not work first time. If you have issues, cut the end off the filament to make sure you have a clear end. Once the filament is into the tube, keep the leaver squeezed, and push the filament until you can't push it any further. Don't force it too much.

- Press Refuel - You'll be presented with a screen that has 2 options "retreat" and "feed". Pressing either option will give you a prompt about heating the nozzle up. Hit yes. Once the nozzle is hot, the feed motor will start to turn and all being well filament will start to come out. Press "feed" a couple more times to make sure that it's coming out clear. If you are using a different filament to the one that was in there before (different colour or type), keep hitting feed until it comes out consistently.

You are now ready to print

The filament should come out the nozzle vertically straight down. If it is coming out at an angle this may be because the nozzle is damaged or dirty. If this happens, contact a tool guardian.

- Unloading filament (to change) to another type, or when you are done printing, is the reverse of the loading proceedure, except you press the retreat button a few times, then squeeze the filament lever and pull the filament out of the feeder assembly.

Filament not in use should be stored in a sealed container with a silica gel packet.

Do not leave filament in the printer when you finish.

Print bed prep

For printing PLA no special chemicals, adhesives, or treatments should be required of the print bed. However grease/sweat etc... from touching the bed can effect print adhesion. Before printing wipe the print bed down with Isopropyl Alcohol. There is a spray bottle of IPA that should be stored next to the printer at all times.

Printing

Sliced gcode currently gets into the printer via a µSD card. There is a single 8GB µSD card that should be in the machine. If the µSD card is not in the printer, please contact a tool guardian. If you do not have an SD card reader on your device, there is a white USB µSD card reader in the cardboard box labelled "Ender 5 Plus parts". Make sure the card reader goes back in the box when you are done.

Currently there is a bug in the firmware that requires file names to be 15 characters or fewer in length.

Once you have your gcode on the µSD card, insert the card into the slot on the right hand side. As with a USB device, this will typically require rotating the card 3 times to get it the right way up...

To print, on the main screen hit the print button, this will give you a list of gcode files on the card, scroll down to the one you want to print, select it, hit print.

The printer will go through it's auto levelling function, this takes a few minutes, as the print head moves round the bed sensing the height. While it's doing the auto level, press "Adjust" this will provide a number of options. You should not need to change any of these, however make sure that the "Z-Axis Compensation" is set to -3.00. This is a critical setting, get it wrong and you either don't get a print, or you ram the nozzle into the print bed, and write off both bed and nozzle.

Once the auto levelling is complete, printing will begin. Keep an eye on the first couple of layers to make sure that extrusion is working properly.

While the printer prints, do not leave it unattended, the printer knows, and will botch the print at the slightest hint that you may have neglected to observe it.

Replaceables

Stuff that can or need to be replaced.

Nozzles

Nozzles break and wear down.

How to replace a nozzle

- Remove any filament (see above for instructions).

- Remove the fan shroud on the right side of the print head, this requires 2 small allen headed bolts to be removed. The correct allen key is in the cardboard box of printer spares and tools.

- On the main screen select "temp". This will give you a menu where you can manually set the temperature of both the head and the bed. Set the print head temp to 260°C.

- Once the nozzle is at 260°C, use something to steady the print head (I use pliers), and then use the small open spanner from the printer spares and tools box, to undo the nozzle that is in place. The nozzle has a standard right hand thread. You want to do this carefully, but quickly, if you are too slow, the next step is to run your fingers under a cold tap for 15 minutes. If you did this at the correct speed, the nozzle should drop out.

- Installing the new nozzle is the reverse, except you're now trying to install a small piece of heat conductive material into a 260°C lump of hot. Be careful. If you are successful in threading the nozzle into the print head, cinch the head tight, but do not over tighten. It's very easy to strip threads. If you have done this correctly, then the next step is to follow the instructions for loading filament above. If you have been too slow, the next step is to run your fingers under cold water for 15 minutes.

- Once the new nozzle is fitted, Refit the shroud.

Specs

• MK8 M6 thread 0.4mm

Orders

• webmind has ordered some stainless and hardened steel nozzles from ali
• We have currently 1 in use and no spares

Tool Guardians

This printer has two tool guardians.

- Katje (put "techinc-3d-printer" and an @ sign in front of quixotic.eu for email) - Marvin

Any questions, or if the printer isn't working, please contact us asap.