Kuhling&Kuhling HT500 User manual

Operating manual HT500
The high-resolution 10“-TFT touchscreen mounted at the front panel enables direct operation of the
HT500.
This manual describes the initial commissioning of the 3D Printer after installation, the operation via
the RepRapOnRails operating software and the all manual operating tasks that must be performed
during normal day-today use.
RepRapOnRails Software version lists
v2.2.0 (current)
Starting the 3D Printer
There are two possible states from which to start the 3D Printer: “switched off” and in “standby”.
Either way starting the 3D Printer is a one-button-only procedure. After the boot sequence the
operating screen starts with the Print screen in IDLE mode.
Switching on
If the 3D Printer is switched off via the main
switch at the rear cover (position <0>) toggle
the switch to <I> (ON).
The 3D Printer will boot automatically.

It may take a few minutes until the touchscreen
has fully loaded the operating screen - wait
patiently without interfering.
The first screen will be the Print screen with the
(empty) print-job queue and the top-left status
message displaying Idle.
Powering up the 3D Printer.
Waking from standby
If the 3D Printer has been shut down via the
touchscreen and set into standby mode (see
section Print screen), press the wake button at
the front cover. The light ring of the button lights
up and the 3D Printer boots automatically.
Waking the 3D Printer from standby.
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Menu selection of the RepRapOnRails operating software.
The start-up Print screen provides all basic operating functions.
The Configuration menu enables the operator to preselect temperature profiles for the extruders
and the print bed and build chamber more directly which simplifies preheating and priming according
to current needs.
Setup offers the operating wizards for guided day-to-day functions.
More advanced features such as program-independent operation of the axes can be found on the
Expert control screen which also provides direct setting of the extruder temperatures and test

extrusion.
The Log menu contains the history of machine code input and output as well as the keyboard for
direct input of operating instructions.
The following paragraphs provide detailed information of the software's operating screens and explain
the specific functions.
Additional information for the preparation of print jobs can be found in Tips and tricks and the manual
of the slicing software.
[Print] screen
After starting the HT500 the Print screen will appear as the start-up screen. Here you activate the 3D
Printer and start the print jobs previously uploaded to the queue via the web interface.
Print screen (descriptions may apply to other screens as well if not explicitly given there)
No. Description Content/Function
1 Status message Idle: apparatus is waiting for next user input
Printing: apparatus is busy printing
2 Menu selection
Select the operating menu and mode:
Print represents the main production mode
Configuration allows choosing material based temperature
profiles for each extruder and bed/chamber
Setup provides wizards for different preset operating
procedures
Expert Control provides access to motors and direct
temperature control
Log represents the communication history of microcontroller,
BeagleBone Black, and touchscreen
3 Queue List of uploaded print jobs sorted by time/date (oldest first);
estimated time required for printing the respective job.

No. Description Content/Function
4 Temperature/profile overview
Displays current and set temperature of each extruder, print
bed and build chamber as well as the selected material profiles
(see Configuration). Temperatures colored red are set and
currently being actuated.
5 [Emergency STOP] button
see also
→ Emergency stop
→ Safety information in the Manual
6 [Shut-down] button Tap to shut down the 3D Printer properly.
7 [Build Chamber ON/OFF] button Tap to activate/deactivate drives and heaters after start-up.
8[Preheat Chamber/Bed ON/OFF]
button
Tap to activate/deactivate preheating of the build chamber/print
bed according to the settings made under Configuration.
9 [delete] button Tap to delete the respective print job from the queue.
10 [print] button Tap to start the respective print job.
11 Browse buttons Use [Previous], [Next] and [page number] to browse the print
job list.
Starting print jobs
Tap the [print] button next to a print job in the queue to start the print job. You will be asked to
confirm that all preparations for the print job have been performed. Tap [OK, Start Print] to definitely
begin printing or [Cancel] to return to the queue.
“Ready to print?” query
No. Description Content/Function
1 Checklist Please make sure that all displayed requirements have been met before
proceeding.
2 [OK, Start Print] button If all preparations have been made, tap to proceed.
3 [Cancel] button Tap to abort if any requirements has not been met.

After confirmation the HT500 starts processing the print job and the status message changes to
Printing. All other menus are deactivated during a print. The print job name, the current progress, and
the estimated remaining time are displayed and the [Abort Print] button is active.
Print status screen (top half only).
No. Description Content/Function
4 Print job name The name of the slicing file uploaded to the queue.
5 Countdown Displays the estimated remaining time (calculated from the G-
code).
6 Progress bar Indicates the progress of the print job graphically.
7 [Pause/Resume Print] button Allows interrupting a print job for interference and subsequent
resumption.
8 [Abort Print] button Tap to abort a print job.
Pause function
The pause function was built in for the case that a print job needs to be interrupted and later resumed
for other reasons than “out-of-filament” (see below).
Interrupting the print with the pause function.
After tapping the [Pause Print] button, the printer keeps printing until the cache is empty. This may
take a few minutes, according to the complexity of the current g-code. Afterwards, the print bed is
lowered into its home position, the extruders are turned off and the print head moves to the
maintenance position.
Now you have access to the Expert Controls and some of the Setup functions to adjust whatever
might be necessary.

Continuing the print after pause.
To continue printing tap [Resume Print] (replaced [Pause Print]). Print bed and extruder head move to
their last position and after re-heating the extruders the print seamlessly continues.
Finishing a print job
There are two ways to finish a print job: automatic finish after completion or abortion by the operator.
After regularly completing a print job all axes are moved to their home position and the extruder
heating resistors are switched off.
If you need to abort a print job because the outcome does not meet expectations for example or
mechanical problems appear during the print, tap the [Abort Print] button. The system will then print
the last G-code information from cash and move the print table and the extruder head to their home
positions afterwards.
Either way, the 3D Printer returns to idle mode and displays a status message and a request how you
wish to continue. Simply tap the respective button on the screen to proceed.
After standstill of all drives you can remove the print bed and take off the model.
Print job finished.
No. Description Content/Function
9 [Keep in Queue] Returns to the Print menu.
10 [Print Again] Immediately restarts the current print job.
11 [Delete Printjob] Deletes the finished print job from the queue without confirmation and returns
to the Print menu.
Switching off the 3D Printer
NOTICE

Switch off the 3D Printer via the power button without turning it into standby may cause damage of
the heating elements and neighboring components due to residual heat.
The cool-down performed during shut-down ensures that the fans are only switched off after the
heating elements could shed all residual heat.
Always use this button for regular shutdown.
For switching the HT500 into standby tap the shut-down button. The system will then perform the
cool-down sequence for safety reasons before deactivating the preheating and the build chamber.
The 3D Printer is in standby mode when:
the screen turns black,
the illuminated ring of the wake button dims,
the build chamber lighting switches off.
To wake the machine from standby see Starting the 3D Printer.
For completely shutting down the 3D Printer,
perform the procedure described above and set
the main switch at the rear cover to <0> (OFF)
afterwards. The 3D Printer is now powered off
and the green status indicators of the limit
switches darken.
To reactivate the 3D Printer see Starting the 3D
Printer.
INFO
For day-to-day use, the power
supply should stay connected to
mains power (main switch in
position <I> (ON).
Emergency stop
NOTICE
The emergency stop function does not provide a cool down sequence. Do not use the emergency
stop button to abort current print jobs, as this may lead to damage of the 3D Printer due to
uncontrolled heat accumulation. Do not use the main switch as an emergency stop button. You risk
loosing or corrupting data.
Status display after triggering the emergency stop. The 3D Printer returns to IDLE state after a short

time. The emergency stop is written into the log-file.
When the emergency stop is triggered:
The microcontroller board is reset, all movement of the axes stops, lights, heaters and fans are
turned off. The status indicator displays Emergency Stop! .
After a few seconds the microcontroller returns to Idle state.
The 3D Printer now is in a safe state for troubleshooting.
For repairing any defects of the electronic equipment or major mechanical damages shut down
the 3D Printer completely:
Open the Print screen.
Shut down the 3D Printer by tapping the [Shutdown] button and switching off the main switch
(<0> position) after the shutdown procedure has been finished.
NOTICE
Before restarting or reactivating the 3D Printer:
Make sure that the axes are in no collision position.
Make sure that the reason for the emergency stop has been detected and fixed, before
resuming production.
After troubleshooting or if the reason for the emergency stop was minor and you want to continue
production:
Remove the print bed from the build chamber and replace or clean it before further use.
Restart the 3D Printer (if necessary).
Open the Print screen.
Switch on the build chamber. The 3D Printer will run the homing routine.
You can now resume normal operation.
[Configuration] screen
The Configuration menu is a new feature that enables you to preselect material-specific temperature
profiles for each extruder and, in combination, the print bed/build chamber. The latter was developed
to make preheating and leveling more precise with regard to different material settings. The
according profiles can be set up at the web interface setup menu.

GUI Configuration screen with temperature profile selection.
No. Description Content/Function
1 Left extruder profile selection The currently selected profile is displayed.
Tap [Select] to open the list of available filament profiles or
[Clear] to delete the active profile.
2Right extruder profile
selection
3 Bed/chamber profile selection
The currently selected profile is displayed.
Tap [Select] to open the list of available filament profiles or
[Clear] to delete the active profile.
After selection of a profile, deactivate the preheating function in
the Print menu (touch button no. 8) and activate it by tapping the
button again to apply the settings.

The list of filament temperature profiles of the configuration menu. More profiles can be added via the
web-interface.
After opening the list, tap [Set] to choose a profile for the selected component. The profile is set and
the screen returns to the prior menu.
To activate the selected profile open the Print screen and first deactivate, then re-activate the
chamber/bed preheating.
The selected profiles are displayed in the footer of the GUI on every screen.
The selected profiles are displayed in the footer
of every screen in the order Current and Target
(= set) temperature. While aiming for a target
temperature, both values are highlighted red.
When displayed gray, the temperature value is
either not set or currently not triggered.
If no filament profile is activated for an extruder,
the default temperature is 180 °C.
INFO
Observe that the temperature
shown in the footer is measured at
the hot end heater and may be 5 -
10 °C lower at the nozzle tip.
See section Extrusion temperature
in the knowledgebase for
information on finding the suitable
extrusion temperature.
[Setup] screen
The Setup menu displays walkthrough instructions (wizards) for different operations needed during
daily operation, initial commissioning, servicing and troubleshooting. If you choose one of the wizards,
a step-by-step guide will provide all necessary information for completing the respective task.
This screen also provides system information and the web address needed to connect to the 3D
Printer via the network.