“ I have been running my X1-C fairly hard since new so I decided to give it a good birthday. I may have inadvertently found a reason behind the prominent VFA’s that some people are experiencing. The right part is after following BL wiki guidelines, the left print is after I worked through what could have changed since before carrying out maintenance. I am running a few more tests and working on a idea for a jig that could make adjustments simpler for the majority of users. I will release more details when I have that sorted.”
“Brian Dodds I follow the Bl instructions then check the X gantry for square to the Y guide rods. I then loosened one adjuster and added a little more preload until the gantry was square to the guide rods. It didn’t take much.”
“Just a brief walkthrough, I followed the Bl instructions then checked the X gantry for square to the Y guide rods, it was off by 2-3mm. I then loosened one adjuster and added a little more preload until the gantry was square to the guide rods. It didn’t take much.
The belts must be slightly different lengths or haven’t stretched equally because the belt adjusters are in slightly different positions, I would assume this would give different load from the springs which could be causing the issue. If you want to easily see the result of belt tension on the gantry, gently pull or push one belt and you will see one end of the X gantry move.”
Interesting. Would explain why a lot of people have good prints, while some have bad, if those people have ‘followed the instructions’ and ended up making their belts assymettrical or something.
Will be nice if/when someone comes up with an easy solution to belt tightening which works perfectly every time.
I did the Bambu recommended belt retensioning and it didn’t obviously make my VFA noticeably better or worse. But i predominantly print with silk so speeding up isn’t an option if I want to try to maintain shiny. I tried printed extra hot and that just made the shine reach to higher speeds and still showed VFA. I haven’t tried the suggestion from that post yet.
Interesting catch. Never occurred to me. I’ll take a look at mine (along with a couple other items on other threads I meant to catch up on).
Not so concerned with tensioner distance as squareness of the head and if it stays once set.
Belt circumference being identical is a ■■■■ shoot. You would have to get sister belts cut from the same mother, which unless stamped with lot number is luck of the draw.
I may be mistaken, but I think what @adriangarside wrote in his message is the content/conversation/photos he got off from the Facebook group because some users were asking for it here. But still, I agree to you, if anybody will come up with a solution, happy to know about it
Wow, that sounds like a very likely cause. Given the closeness of some of the artifacts to belt pitch (but not exact) and noticeably worse VFA when only one of the idler pulleys was messed with I kind of suspected some sort of differential issue between the two steppers, but originally I thought it’d be some sort of subtle stepper driver issue. I’ll report on this soon
It’s in a private group, the bambu labs group, you can just ask to join thought (worked for me in the end).
The person/people doing it have had some more updates in the last 24 hours, seeming to confirm that making sure when tightening belts that they are actually done so that the X and Y axis are perfectly square to each other either solved the issue, or at least made it significantly better.
There’s a couple people still saying it’s a toothed-pulley-issue but I think they’re just latched on to an old theory.
Hi Adrian,
Did you have any artifacts such as shown on the right block in your photos, prior to doing any sort of maintenance? I am asking because I had these artifacts develop on my BLCarbon after a couple of days from new. Unfortunately the amount of time it took to reduce it enough to want to make me keep the printer went past the warranty period and since it has almost been impossible to get straight forward answers to requests to fix or return it!!!
I am not sure if your remedy is the full answer but it certainly offers a valid alternative to the teeth/pulley argument and I am willing to try anything that may improve the print quality and reduce these artifacts. Have you managed to come up with a jig of some kind as you. mentioned ? Best Rgds.
I was pasting someone else’s experiences from a Facebook group I’m in. I haven’t had enough spare time from work recently to try it out to see if helps with the VFA I see for all my predominantly silk prints.
The official bambu labs user group? I’m requesting something. Also, yeah, that sounds like a lot of FB groups I find…
My god this guy is onto something though. Quick check with a reference block says my axes aren’t even close to square (!!!). Running a VFA soon and then tensioning to square in a bit.
Hi, this is my first post in this Forum. I got my X1C a week ago and im the lucky one who got the device with a summary of all bugs the users facing so far. The time of respond from the support gives me a lot of time to check al the existing forums. To be honest it s*cks! I didn’t pay the higher price to tweak around as hell and wasting time for trouble shooting, instead of printing cool stuff. Anyhow, my ghosting is even worse than that i saw in your photos. I have now 8 open tickets and only a feedback for the AMS (pullback not possible). 5 days 2 answers: please check the curvature of the PTFE Tubes… oh boy…! Nothing left to say.
My material is Material4Print PETG, and it is quite well tuned with help of Orca. I cleand the rods serval times, retensoined the belt etc. nothing changed anything :-/
Btw. a german producer of Carbon Bikes do not permit to clean carbon with iso, otherwise you will lose the warranty… BL is suggesting to clean it with iso… ?!
Shut mine down 4 years ago after being on it since 2006, honestly it was harder to actually shut it down 100% than you would think
I always say if the internet ruins your day then it’s time to cut the chord so I took my own advice after finding myself lost in Lord Zuckerbergs world of weirdness
One of the best decisions I ever made right up there with 20+ years of no alcohol or nose beers
So ya, no Facebook for me but I’m sure solutions can be published here
Many manufacturers of carbon fiber rods recommend using isopropyl alcohol (IPA) as a cleaning agent. Some examples of manufacturers who suggest IPA as a safe cleaning agent for carbon fiber rods include:
G. Loomis
St. Croix Rods
Orvis
Sage Fly Fishing
Redington
Fenwick
However, it’s important to note that each manufacturer may have specific guidelines for cleaning and maintaining their carbon fiber rods. It’s always best to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions or contact their customer service for specific recommendations.
in fairness, he did specifically ask for information about rods.
My chatgpt result -
Carbon fiber rods are generally durable and resistant to damage from most cleaning agents, including isopropyl alcohol. However, there are some considerations to keep in mind to ensure safe cleaning:
Check the manufacturer’s guidelines: Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions or guidelines for cleaning and maintenance of your specific carbon fiber rods. Different manufacturers may have different recommendations, and it’s important to follow them to avoid any potential damage.
Dilute the isopropyl alcohol: If you decide to use isopropyl alcohol, it’s generally recommended to dilute it with water to a mild concentration, such as 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. Avoid using higher concentrations of isopropyl alcohol, as they can potentially cause damage to the carbon fiber material.
Test in a small, inconspicuous area: Before applying isopropyl alcohol to the entire surface of the carbon fiber rod, test it in a small, inconspicuous area to ensure that it doesn’t cause any adverse effects such as discoloration or damage.
Use a soft cloth or sponge: When cleaning carbon fiber rods, use a soft cloth or sponge to gently wipe the surface. Avoid using abrasive materials or brushes that can potentially scratch or damage the carbon fiber material.
Avoid excessive rubbing or soaking: Do not excessively rub or soak the carbon fiber rods in isopropyl alcohol, as it can potentially cause damage to the material. Use gentle wiping motions and avoid prolonged exposure to the cleaning solution.
Allow proper drying: After cleaning with isopropyl alcohol, make sure to allow the carbon fiber rods to dry properly before using them again. This can help prevent any potential damage or degradation caused by residual moisture.
In general, while isopropyl alcohol can be used to clean carbon fiber rods, it’s important to exercise caution and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and best practices to ensure safe cleaning and maintenance of your carbon fiber rods. If you’re unsure or have any concerns, it’s always recommended to consult with the manufacturer or seek professional advice.
