PP3dp Official review on the UP! mini printer

[Edward]

The actual build size of the UP! mini is 120 x 120mm in the X &Y plane, even you calibrate the platform level with the software. That is same like the specification says. In the Z direction, the printing size is 120mm or even higher, some printer will be larger than the specification said. Raft is bigger than the print, then it sticks to the perfboard tightly. The raft is very necessary, it is used for preventing the warping, especially for large models. See this photo, when the ABS becomes cold, the shrink or say the warping strength is very large. It even bends the perfboard. It makes me have to use some clips in the front of the platform when I print the second big model.

It is better to close the wind barrier when printing the raft and bottom layers.

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If you printed a ball shape model or the model has a smaller bottom, then it can achieve 120 x 120mm build size in the upper. Please see this big model that I printed.

View the model in the software

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Model details

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Print complete. The inner fill is big hole, solid or loose inner fill will be better in getting rid of the break. High temperature can also help.

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measure X direction

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Measure Y direction

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This model was printed last night in a very cold room. The temperature was about 10 degrees or lower, that makes the model break in some places. I watched it print the raft and the smaller place, the room temperature was about 18 degrees that time. The raft didn’t warp even the mini have a lower platform temperature than the UP! plus. This temperature for the UP! mini build size is enough for preventing warping.

If this model is printed in a high temperature, andl with a loose inner fill structure, the break on the model will be minimized or reduced. If printed a small model, this will lessly happen.

Perfboard lifted in some corner is not due to the platform temperature not high enough, it is largely due to the ABS warping strength is too large. Even the temperature comes to 100 degrees, the corner will still lift.

How does the software calibrate the platform level and not affect the printing quality? It is not mesh up the first few layers and make the raft heavy adhesion. Please see three photos below. They are showing the first few layers of the raft thickness. There are some difference in each corner. The plaform level calibration program has 9 positions for measuring the variation, for the large variation some thicker layers will be printed, and for a smaller variation a few thinner layers will be printer.

measure thickness of Raft in corner 1

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Measure thickness of raft in corner 4

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Measure thickness of raft in corner 2

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Now the software only allows platform level variation within 1mm. We will soon upgrade the software which will allows platform level calibration for within 1.5mm variation. Also we will have software upgrade on support no raft printing.

We are working on improving the tolerances on new UP! minis, will make sure the platform much more level. But we never ever forgot the existing UP users, we are always support them, like offering very cheap UP! plus printer upgrade kit to allow the old printers to have the initialize witch, power on switch, LED light and more features; upgrade the layer thickness for both UP! plus and UP! mini free of charge and so on. For existing UP! mini users who have platform unlevel issue, we come out a mechanical adjustment.

level calibration by loosing one of the screw and put something beneath it to lift one side of the platform, left or right side

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Above pictures will show you the instructions for mechanical adjustment. For the unlevel platform, most are in left and right direction, not forth and back direction or say very small variation in forth and back direction.

In pic 1, you can see there are two screws that be marked in green circle. They are used to fix the platform arm on the structure. By loosing one of the screw and put something beneath it can lift one side of the platform, left side or right side.

Firstly, lift the platform to until the gap between the platform and nozzle is 0.1mm or something like that. Move the platform and nozzle position by clicking FR, NR, FL and NL to find out which side on the platform (left and right side) is larger than 0.1mm. Record the variation between the left side and right side. For example, if the left side of the platform is 0.5mm lower than the right side of the platform, then get something that is 0.5mm thickness ( several pieces of paper or metal sheet). Loose the screw A and put the metal sheet (I used that) under the platform arm, see pic 2. Last step is to fasten the Screw A. Then move the platform and nozzle position, you will find the platform is much level.

If any users are still unsatisfied with the UP! mini platform level, you can contact the vendor for support, replace parts or return the printer.

We think software calibration is easier, and users don’t need to tinker with the printer by hand. Platform level calibration can be saved into the SD card. So even you reset the nozzle height, it doesn’t affect the platform level. We are working on Mac software, sorry for coming out the Mac software late. For Mac users, you can calibrate the platform level using a PC, and the data will be saved in the SD card. Then you can still use the Mac software and not affect your usage.

[Edward]

The big model was printed with raft, but the raft is very easy to remove. It is peeling away.

See photos

[pp3dp.nl]

Good to know PP3DP is busy with helping customers out and improving/fixing the machines. And it is true Edward, people with an older Up did have upgrades too (which is good). I do like the software capability to adjust height but I think the hardware leveling is important, too.

My Up Mini luckily doesn't have a noticeble height difference but I do remember looking for where to adjust and that I could not find it. When this is fixed it is an awesome printer.

[mr6k]

Edward,
Forgive me for being somewhat cynical, but your solution to achieving 120mm x 120mm print is a bit bizarre. From the photos and screen dumps it seems that the printer is being fooled into believing the object is less than 120mm x 120mm by reducing its base size, this of course needs a smaller raft. So I think you are saying start any print that needs to be 120mm x 120mm as a 105mm x 105mm print, as this willcreate a 120mm x 120mm tilt corrected raft, then to prevent support material being added slowly chamfer the print out to 120mm x 120mm. I agree this will work but it is a great waste of time and material if your model needs to be a 120mm x 120mm at the base, plus I guess you must cutoff the bottom chamfered section to get to the usable model, and then what about the fact that even the "solid fill" ,is not solid. Surely this will leave a base that is not solid. I understand your desire to offer a solution to the tilt issue, but as others have said , you really do need to come out urgently with a mechanical fix.

cheers

Peter

[Numonic]

Edward,
It's nice to see some changes are underway for this machine. How long do you figure before all this is in order with out anyone having to adjust this on the mechanical side and software side?
I just want a version that starts printing straightaway, I really don't want or have the time to go in and do these adjustments that's why I'm purchasing a 3d printer in the first place. Instead of relying on other companies to make my parts.
I would like to begin working on printing my parts as soon as the setup is completed. Thanks

[roller]

Edward - this post is verging on deceptive. Your documentation says you can print 120x120x120 or 1.7L but you cannot print 1.7L not can you build anything 120 x120 without putting a base on it. Because of the levelling and the 105mm limit I must print more, smaller objects to make models it means I must waste more on rafts. To do the same print on my reprap takes 180grams of ABS. On my Up Mini it tooks 517grams!! That is nearly 3 times the plastic because I am forced to use rafts to get my bed level. Also you said in a previous post your dealers would repair or replace but the Australian dealer refuses to repair or replace even though in Australian he is also legally obliged to do so ... instead he insists on refund only.

I think people would be much happier if you come clean on the issues with the Mini and work on retrofitting a leveling mechanism than wasting all our expensive filament with a tiny build area using software leveling.

Your software leveling solution:
- Reduces the print base to 105 x 105 so it's not 120x12x120 as in the specs
- Increases the filament consumption
- Increases print time
- Means we cant print raftless (I have many reasons to want raftless)
- PLA is painful (due to raftless issue)

[wackojacko]

Hi Edward

Thanks for your great guide, I have successfully calibrated a Mini that was 1.4mm out on the left hand side and by inserting a washer between the point A metal and using the v1.18 to calibrate it, it is now printing perfectly without warping. All UP Mini users should be able to calibrate their printers now. The 50c heated platform is sufficient for printing with ABS.
I have also documented the process and will post a link to the guide later.

Once again thanks!

Excuse the poor camera photo as the lens makes it look like its warped but its not.

[Edward]

Hi, we will soon release the UP! software to v1.18 beta, which will support printing full range on the UP! mini platform, so 120 x 120 x 120mm even with the raft printing.

In v1.18 beta, printing of the raft will be a little different with before, but will be better.

Also the wall will be more solid than before since v1.18 beta, see photos.

[wackojacko]

Things just keep on getting better, thanks Edward!

[Numonic]

This is amazing Love seeing the work in progress prints with various versions of the updated software. Sooooooooooooo reassuring thanks makes me feel so much better

[scubamatt41]

Eh, Edward?

Wasn't there already a v1.18 Beta prerelease? Beta and prerelease = mean the same in this context.
Apart from being ant f*cking (mieren**ken voor de nederlandse kijkertjes). I'm already happy with the 1.18beta.

If the updated software really gives the operator better results on the UP mini I will be even more happier
Did you implement the items from the wish list?

Yes it's a marble. Now that I have the 1.18v beta to set the bed level it is absolutly wonderfull. Load the print board, load the object, press print. The only thing which is a hassle is switching filament Of course there are limitations but thats with everything. Lets say, for example, when you buy a family car, you can't expect to get race car performance out of it.

For the money, the UP mini was the best deal for what I expected to get out of the machine. I think it will only improve knowing Edward (and team) must be working hard to fine tune the software.

Thanks pp3dp

Cheers, Matt

[Edward]

We learned from some users, some mini Printers' linear shaft clip are broken during the international shipping. We started make the upgraded clips after we get the feedback. Now we start to use the upgraded clips to the mini printers to make sure it is safe even with international shipping. The new clips will be much stronger and even easier to replace with screw thread.

Some users who told us his mini printer has a broken clip in the shipping, we already sent them the replacement. Sorry for the problems. If any UP! mini user who has the mini printer linear shaft clip broken, please contact your vendor for replacement.

[roller]

Edward, I think you should make this a separate announcement rather than it being hidden at the end of a long discussion.