Software
To start printing with your Printrbot Simple 3d printer, you need to download 3 pieces of software and two digital models (STL files).
1. The teensy Serial Driver. This connects the printer to your computer and can be downloaded using your web browser from
http://www.pjrc.com/teensy/serial_install.exe
2. Repetier Host v1.04. This controls your printer and slices your 3D model in preparation for printing. The URL is http://www.reptier.com/download-now. You may make a donation to the open source project if you wish.
3. A 3D CAD program to allow you to create your models. There are many possibilities including some free versions. Two such free versions are Sketchup Make –
downloaded from http://www.sketchup.com or TinkerCad that is a web based program located at www.tinkercad.com
4. From http://www.printerbot.com/simple download the firstcube.stl and fanshroud.stl files to your computer. These will be your first and second prints respectively.
Note that at the time of writing (Sept 2014, the printerbot.com site does have very presentable software set up guides for the above programs. However they refer to old obsolete versions of repetier.com that have a slightly different user interface so do not use them unless they now refer to versions 1.04 or above.
Before you start
Please unbox your Printrbot and power it up. Verify that the green light on the circuit board underneath the unit is on. DO NOT PLUG IN THE USB CABLE YET.
Installing the Serial Driver
The serial driver must be installed as an administrator. Download the serial driver file ….
There may be a small delay depending on the speed of your internet connection or computer. You will see the following dialog box ….
Follow the on screen instructions after selecting Run …. This software will create a virtual serial port for your printer.
Click on Install in the dialog box …
Click on Install
Click on Done
This dialogue may be displayed
Select Cancel if displayed.
Ensure that the power is connected to the printer.
If you are using and ATX power supply and don’t know how to connect it to the printer please see appendix B.
Plug the USB cable into your printer and then a USB port on your computer. The USB cable will only fit in one way into the Printrbot so do not try to force it into the socket of it does not fit. When the USB cable is connected, the driver will be installed and configured as a COM port. The number of the port (E.g. COM 3, COM 4 etc) will depend on your computer configuration.
The following dialogue boxes will be displayed – follow any onscreen instructions …
Click on Yes
Click on Close
There may be a delay during the installation due to the speed of your internet connection or your computer. When the driver is finished installation, you will see the dialogue box ….
If the installation was not successful, it is most likely that you do not have permissions on your laptop to install. Please contact your IT support service provider. Also see Appendix B for some troubleshooting steps to check the status of the driver installation if required.
Installing Repetier Host
URL http://www.repetier.com/download-now
Click on Repetier Host Windows 1.04
Click on Run
Select your chosen language if different from English and click on OK
Click on Next
Accept the licence agreement and select next
If required change the
destination folder and click on
Next
At the time of writing, do not select the Skeinforge Slicer as an error message will be created
Click on Next
Click on Next
Click on Next
Click on Install.
The computer will now install the program.
When the installation is complete, click on
Finish
Once installed, run Repetier ….
For the first starting of Repetier, you will see that a tablet stand is loaded. Please delete the stand from the build platform by clicking the trash can icon on the right side of the screen below the text line “Object Group 1”. Select the printer Settings tab in the top right hand side of the screen
Select the Connection tab in the Printer
Settings Dialogue box.
Set the Port to the com port number of your recently installed Printrbot serial port.
Set your Baud Rate to 57600
Set Reset on Connect to Disabled
YOU MUST CLICK ON APPLY otherwise your settings will NOT be saved.
Select the Printer tab of the Printer Settings dialogue box and set the settings as per the values on highlighted in yellow.
Click on Apply
You may now click on the read “Power button” icon marked Connect in the top left side of the screen. If successful, the connect button will change from red to green
Also if you select the Manual Control tab on the right side of the screen, you will see the words “Idle”
If you see a constant message “command waiting”, your com port settings are incorrect or there was a problem with the previous steps.
The next steps are to confirm the mechanical movement of the printer. However FIRST CONFIRM THAT THE NOZZLE IS NOT touching the bed.
You can manually raise the nozzle by turning on the lead screw.
If you have not already done so, now would be a good time to cover your bed evenly with the blue painters tape - a small overlap of each tape run is acceptable.
Screen
Install the filament into the hot end through the extrude.
Pinch the Estruder arm down and insert the filament through the hole at the top and into the extruder and eventually into the hot end.
If the Extruder temperature is at 200’C, extrude some filament to confirm extrusion. You may wipe off the excess (take care – thetip is hot!).
The Printerbot videos on the printrbot site
http://www.printrbot/simpleare a good guide.
DO NOT ADJUST THE AUTO LEVEL PROBE NUTS – these have been set at the factory.
Setting of the Slicer - CuraEngine
Repetier is installed with two slicing engines – CuraEngine and Slic3r. CuraEngine is more suited to a new user whereas Slic3r is aimed at the professional user. The author of this document uses CuraEngine so this installation guide focuses on this version.
Select the Slicer tab on the main screen.
Select CuraEngine as the slicer choice and select Configuration.
The CuraEngine settings window will open …. Select the Print tab in this window and then the
Speed and Quality tab. The settings shown below are a good starting point. With experience and
depending on the requirements of your 3D print model, you may change this later to suit. For now, they are good for most “normal” models. It is good practice to save the settings as you complete each tab. Some of the highlighted settings are already set as default but I have shown them as reference
The G code settings are very important as the Printrbot ships with an Auto Levelling feature and we need to enable this in our G Code tab.
Select the G Code tab and then Start G Code
Delete the current code and replace it with the
highlighted text shown here
Select the End G code option and similarly replace the text with the highlighted text here.
The Advanced tab settings are as shown
PLEASE CLICK ON SAVE
Select the Filament tab …
It is important that the extruder knows the diameter of the filament being used to calculate the amount passed through the nozzle. The nominal value of your filament is 1.75 mm but it is subject to tolerances.
It is a good idea if you can check the diameter of your filament when you start with a new batch and measure it over a few points along a length. Calculate the average of these measurements and enter it in the Filament Diameter setting.
If you are not able to measure the diameter accurately then set it to 1.75.
The Slicer is now set up so select Save and then Close to return to the main screen
On the right side side of the screen you should see something like this …
You are now ready to print …..
Your first print
Lets print the firstcube.stl. If you have not already done so, download the firstcube model file from the printrbot website and unzip the file to a location on your computer. Load the file into Repetier
You can use your mouse to rotate and zoom the viewer.
Select the Slicer tab and click on the button Slice with CuraEngine.
To change the amount of fill, you can use the slider options on the right hand side of the screen but for now don’t adjust the feed rate.
You are now ready to print your model.
Ensure that the printer power supply is connected and switched on, the USB cable is connected and that the Connect button is green. You can if desired, press the Toggle Log button to show the G code operation as the print progresses at the bottom of the screen
Press the Start Print Button.
The printer will probe the bed, heat the nozzle to 200’C (this will take some
time) and when the nozzle is at the correct temperature, it will start to print the cube. I would suggest that maybe you do this a couple of times to get used to the process.
Alter the amount of infill, more infill will give you a stronger print but will take longer to print and of course use more filament.
Your second print
The fan shroud will be your next print. As before, download, unzip and load the stl model into Repetier. Repeat the previous process. We suggest a 50% fill.
What next?
You can download models from:
Thinigiverse.com
Youimagine.com
Grabcad.com
Or you can install Sketchup or TinkerCad and design your own. In Sketchup
you can install the stl export plugin from the extension warehouse
A suggested practical and relevant project is to make a spool holder for your
reel of filament. There is a raft of already designed models on Thingiverse
ranging from standalone to “compact mount on your printer” versions.
If the serial driver does not install correctly then the first check to do is to
look at the device manager settings to check the driver settings.
Select the Control Panel from the computer start menu after pressing the
Start button
Select the Hardware and Sound icon
Select the Device Manager button
Look for the Ports (Com & LPT) settings If you do not see Teensy USB Serial as an entry then the complete installation procedure failed. Repeat the download and install procedure as previously described. If you see no COM number in brackets then the driver is installed but not configured correctly. Double click on the entry to investigate further. If you do see a COM number in brackets then the driver is installed correctly and the COM number is what you will enter in the Repetier software later in the set up procedure. The Device status message will indicate whether the device driver is not installed, not installed correctly or installed correctly If the driver is installed correctly then click on OK and exit the settings
