Titan skipping/clicking problem solved.

Discussion in 'Titan' started by rexsolomon, Jan 29, 2017.

  1. rexsolomon

    rexsolomon Member

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    This is my solution (tested and verified) to the Titan skipping/clicking problem. I posted my original findings in the link below:

    https://forum.e3d-online.com/index....-sound-backlash-solution-and-suggestion.2190/

    The problem is the moment (forces) on the idler causing the motor shaft not to be at the center of the Titan's 'central' cover hole, and this (inevitably recurring) misalignment is the primary cause of the clicking/skipping/backlash problem.

    If you ever made the mistake of opening the Titan with a filament still in place, and tried to reassemble it with the filament still there, the motor shaft will be in the 9 o' clock position due to the moment, as shown in the picture (named OffCenter) below, and is guaranteed to have the clicking/skipping problem:

    OffCenter.jpg

    I mentioned in the earlier thread I would try to print an idler out of Acetal with a stem that reaches into the Titan's cover. The acetal I bought from GizmoDorks is useless - it extrudes goop throughly inconsistent in form such that you can't 3D print anything out of it. I haven't found any acetal filament alternatives, so I set out to improvise or 'McGyver' a solution. I was having a slow Sunday, so here is what I did:

    First, I used a 1/4" drill to remove material out of the center hole of the Titan's cover. Note that the 'center' hole in the Titan serves no useful purpose, so even if you make a mistake (but you shouldn't) and drilled out too much, you can reassemble the Titan and its four corner posts will be just fine.

    Second, using the same 1/4" drill I removed a bit of material 1/3 of the way from the idler's hole for the motor shaft. Do not drill through! Leave 2/3 of the idler's Delrin material intact.

    That done, I used a plastic endcap from a Japanese ballpoint pen (a 'GellyRoll08') to join the motor shaft to the Titan's cover. Here's the picture (named Ballpen Endcap):

    Ballpen Endcap.jpg

    And after reassembling the Titan, you can clearly see the plastic endcap being pushed and misaligned by the forces on the idler in this picture (named MomentMisalignment):

    MomentMisalignment.jpg

    I tested this plastic ballpen endcap, but it stuck too firmly to the Titan cover. It would have worked (consistent with my suggestion in the earlier thread) if there was a bearing in the 'center' hole of the Titan's cover.

    I rummaged around my stuff and found 'Crimp Sleeve Connectors' (size 18-10 bought from HomeDepot or Lowes) shown in this picture (named CrimpConnectors):

    CrimpConnectors.jpg

    Shoved one connector into the Titan's cover, and made sure that the motor shaft was properly centered in the crimp connector during reassembly of the Titan, as seen in this picture named ConnectorCentered:

    ConnectorCentered.jpg

    I mounted the Titan/E3D nozzle/PT100 to my Taz5. And fired it up to this temperature (picture named PCTempSettings):

    PCTempSettings.jpg

    And tested by printing new polycarbonate corners for my heated bed plate (picture named NoSkippingOrClicking):

    NoSkippingOrClicking.jpg

    Yes! No more skipping or clicking or backlash problems! With the motor shaft now firmly but gracefully centered into the Titan's cover, I do not expect the problem to return.

    I understand the cost constraints of manufacturing a product, so here's probably the best cost effective solution based on this 'crimp connector method': Revise the Titan cover such that its center hole extends inwards and join up with a similarly revised Idler.

    In hindsight, it would have been simpler and cheaper for me to just replace the sensor on the Hexagon hotend of my Taz5 with one that can support higher temperatures (like the E3D PT100 does).

    But I love the the hardened E3D V6 nozzles and the flexibility of its companion hotend parts though. And I adore the Titan's light weight, small form factor and it's ability to use small pancake motors (which I use with no problems)!

    Sigh. But any love is hardly ever perfect is it? :)

    This improvised solution worked for me. I hope this information will help those of you experiencing the same problems.

    Happy printing!

    Rex
     
    #1 rexsolomon, Jan 29, 2017
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2017
    mike01hu, Tom De Bie and Spoon Unit like this.
  2. Hatmpatn

    Hatmpatn Member

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    I'm having the same problem! I will try your solution, but I don't think I can get the same crimp sleeve connectors as you did.
    Wish E3D would respond to this thread and give us their thought, because this is a problem on both of my titans.
     
  3. Hatmpatn

    Hatmpatn Member

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    I came up with a possible general solution. What if we designed a new lid for the titan, where there is a seat for a bearing with an I.D. of 5mm for the motor shaft?
     
    Ephemeris likes this.
  4. Ephemeris

    Ephemeris Well-Known Member

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    I was just thinking the same thing. So far as I know, the cover is not a particularly high precision part so a printable replacement should be doable.
     
  5. Anthony E Rigden

    Anthony E Rigden New Member

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    I know its late in the party, but I have just come across this post.
    I used a .22 rimfire case to do the same job.
    No need to drill cover the rimfire case is perfect with a nice friction fit, and just fits over the motor shaft.
     
  6. Peter S.

    Peter S. New Member

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    I know I am being a thread necromancer, but I had skipping, clicking, stepper too hot issues as well. I was using my aero for more than a year before I rebuilt my printer and the titan aero as well and this started to happen.

    I tried to adjust the voltage on the driver, but it was like skipping or overheating. By manually rotating the spur gear I found that it's very hard to turn. It turned out (haha), that the spur gear was scrubbing the idler arm. I tried to adjust the pinion gear on the motor shaft, but as always I couldn't get thing to line up very well.

    I found that the plastic spur gear on it's shaft was 1mm off from where it's supposed to be. It was not loose at all, probably it was out of alignment from the start, but I managed to assemble it in a way that it was working okeyish before.
    I forced it back to the position where it should be with a good old hammer. This enabled me to put the pinion gear even closer to the motor housing which resulted in everything aligned perfectly.
    After assembly I feel that the spur gear is moving more freely than ever before!
     

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