mbot 3d CUBE User manual

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CUBE
CUBE
CUBE
CUBE
THE
THE
THE
THE DESKTOP
DESKTOP
DESKTOP
DESKTOP 3D
3D
3D
3D PRINTER
PRINTER
PRINTER
PRINTER
USER
USER
USER
USER MANUAL
MANUAL
MANUAL
MANUAL
2012-12-05

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Contents
1 Installing s oftware ................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Installing Python ....................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Installing ReplicatorG ............................................................................................... 5
2 Pre-print checks ...................................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Power up .................................................................................................................... 9
2.2 Connect to computer ............................................................................................... 10
2.3 Setting up software .................................................................................................. 10
3 Setting up model data .......................................................................................................... 14
3.1 Importing model file into ReplicatorG .................................................................... 14
3.2 Move, scale, rotate and estimated build time .......................................................... 15
3.3 Generating GCode （Slicing ）................................................................................ 16
4Test printing (If plastic stop coming out the nozzle during printing, please read
this chapter ) ................................................................................................................................. 19
5 Printing .................................................................................................................................... 21
5.1 Printing from computer ........................................................................................... 21
5.2 Printing from SD card ............................................................................................. 23
5.3 3D outputs ............................................................................................................... 27
6 Two-color printing ................................................................................................................. 30
7 Contact Us ............................................................................................................................. 33

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To get a better printing experience, we suggest you to take time reading this manual.
It is designed to illustrate the procedures from the installment of software to
operation , and get you up and running as quickly as possible.
1
1
1
1 Installing
Installing
Installing
Installing s
s
s
s oftware
oftware
oftware
oftware
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1 Installing
Installing
Installing
Installing Python
Python
Python
Python
1 ) Go to http://www.mbot3d.com/pages/software , and download replicatorg
and python2.6
2) For Windows XP, double-click python2.6.5 to install. For Windows 7, run the
installer with administrator rights . (How? Right click on the installer to get the 'Run as
Administrator' option .)
3) Keep clicking the “ Next ” button to finish installing.
NOTE: Use the default installation directory.

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Click the “ Finish ” button to exit the installer.
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2 Installing
Installing
Installing
Installing ReplicatorG
ReplicatorG
ReplicatorG
ReplicatorG
1) Double-click ReplicatorG, and you ’ ll see the following window.
2) Click the “ Next ” button. Then on the following window, click the “ Install ”
button.
Suggest using the default destination folder.

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3) On the following window, click the “ Next ” button.
At the same time, the driver installation wizard pops up. Click the “ Next ”
button.
4) Click the “ Install ” button on the “ Windows Security ” pop-up to install the

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printer driver. When another “ Windows Security ” pop - up appears, click on “ Always
install th e driver (I) ” .
5) Click the “ Finish ” button to complete driver installation.
While on the “ ReplicatorG Installer ” window, click the “ Next ” button to finish
the installation of ReplicatorG .

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6) A short cut icon of ReplicatorG is created on the desktop of your computer.

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2
2
2
2 Pre-print
Pre-print
Pre-print
Pre-print checks
checks
checks
checks
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.1 Power
Power
Power
Power up
up
up
up
1) Ensure the power cable is attached (see the picture below), and then switch
on.
2) The LCD screen reads “ Heater Error! ” , which can be fixed by heating up
through software.
Press any botton at the right hand and you ’ ll see the messge changes on the LCD,

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which means the machine is OK.
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2 Connect
Connect
Connect
Connect to
to
to
to computer
computer
computer
computer
Make sure your computer is connected to your MBot with the supplied USB
cable .
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3 Setting
Setting
Setting
Setting up
up
up
up software
software
software
software
1. Double-click the desktop icon to run ReplicatorG.

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2.Choose extruder nozzle and connection serial port.
1) Click GCode->GCoder Generator, and select “ Skeinforge(47)-Legacy ” .
2) Click Machine->Machine Type (Driver) . If your printer is dual-extruder, select
“ The MBot Cube Dual ” . If it ’ s a single-extruder machine, select “ The MBot Cube
Single ” .

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3) Click Machine->Connection (Serial Port) ->COM(Number). If you have only
one printer, select the latest port. If you have more than one printer, please select
the port according to your printer.
If there ’ s no s erial p ort on the menu, please click Machine->Connection (Serial
Port) ->Res can S erial Port. If it doesn ’ t work, please close ReplicatorG , disconnect the
USB cable from your computer, and wait for 5 seconds. Then connect the USB cable
to the computer, run ReplicatorG , and click Machine->Connection (Serial
Port) ->Res can S erial Port. Wait for 10 seconds, and you ’ ll be able to select serial port.
4) Make sure you select the corresponding serial port. Then click the “ Connect
to Machine ” button (a s shown below ). Once connected, GCode generator and
connection serial port can ’ t be changed. If you want to change, please click
“ Disconnect from Machine ” button (at the right side of the following icon).

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5) When the machine is connected succesfully, the message area below toolbar
turns green. Otherwise, red. When the machine is running safely, it turns yellow.
Helpful Hint: When the machine can ’ t be connected, please check ：
�P ower is being supplied to the printer .
� Y our computer is connected to your MBot with the supplied USB cable .
�Driver is installed successfully.

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3
3
3
3 Setting
Setting
Setting
Setting up
up
up
up model
model
model
model data
data
data
data
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1 I
I
I
I mporting
mporting
mporting
mporting model
model
model
model file
file
file
file into
into
into
into ReplicatorG
ReplicatorG
ReplicatorG
ReplicatorG
1)The machine supports STL, OBJ, Gcode and collada model files. You can use 3D
design software (such as Rhinoceros , Solidworks, Sketchup, UG, etc.) to convert file
format.
Click “ File->Open ” to open the model file.
3.2
3.2
3.2
3.2 Move,
Move,
Move,
Move, s
s
s
s cale,
cale,
cale,
cale, r
r
r
r otate
otate
otate
otate and
and
and
and estimated
estimated
estimated
estimated build
build
build
build time
time
time
time
1) After opening the model file, you can position it as follows.
NOTE: When
When
When
When adjusting,
adjusting,
adjusting,
adjusting, please
please
please
please make
make
make
make sure
sure
sure
sure the
the
the
the model
model
model
model is
is
is
is inside
inside
inside
inside the
the
the
the printable
printable
printable
printable
area
area
area
area (i.e.the
(i.e.the
(i.e.the
(i.e.the blue
blue
blue
blue box
box
box
box on
on
on
on the
the
the
the model
model
model
model view
view
view
view window).
window).
window).
window). The bottom of the box (i.e.the
blue platform) stands for the build bed (with blue tape) in your printer.
The model can be zoomed by scrolling the mouse wheel. The view can be
rotated by holding the mouse wheel and moving.
There ’ re five buttons at the lower right corner of the window.
a、View
Default:
Default:
Default:
Default: The
The
The
The build
build
build
build area
area
area
area is
is
is
is facing
facing
facing
facing us.(i.e.
us.(i.e.
us.(i.e.
us.(i.e. The
The
The
The position
position
position
position of
of
of
of the
the
the
the
model
model
model
model in
in
in
in view
view
view
view is
is
is
is exactly
exactly
exactly
exactly the
the
the
the same
same
same
same as
as
as
as in
in
in
in build
build
build
build bed
bed
bed
bed when
when
when
when finishing
finishing
finishing
finishing
printing
printing
printing
printing .)
.)
.)
.)
XY ： Top view
XZ ：Front view
YZ ：Right view
b、Move
Center ：Place the model in the middle of the platform. If
If
If
If the
the
the
the
model
model
model
model can
can
can
can ’
’
’
’ t
t
t
t be
be
be
be seen
seen
seen
seen after
after
after
after opening
opening
opening
opening the
the
the
the model
model
model
model file,
file,
file,
file, which
which
which
which means
means
means
means it
it
it
it may
may
may
may
be
be
be
be far
far
far
far from
from
from
from the
the
the
the printable
printable
printable
printable area,
area,
area,
area, please
please
please
please click
click
click
click the
the
the
the “
“
“
“ Center
Center
Center
Center ”
”
”
” button.
button.
button.
button.

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Put on Platform: T he model is resting on the surface of the
platform, not suspended in air or below the platform . Check
Check
Check
Check it
it
it
it before
before
before
before
printing.
printing.
printing.
printing.
X— 、 X+ ：Move left or right.
Lock Hight: When it ’ s checked, the height won ’ t change while
holding mouse to move the model.
c、Rotate
Z+ 、Z— ： R otate your model by 90 degrees in z .
Flat on Platform: It keeps the model in balance, which is very
helpful for i nclined model s. Strongly
Strongly
Strongly
Strongly recommend
recommend
recommend
recommend using
using
using
using this
this
this
this function
function
function
function
before
before
before
before printing.
printing.
printing.
printing.
Rotate around z-axis: When it ’ s checked, the model rotates
around z-axis by holding the mouse and moving.
d、Mirror Image
Reverse X: Right mirror image.
Reverse Y: Back mirror image.
Reverse Z: Bottom mirror image.
e、Scale
Input numbers to scale. When the number is less than 1, the
model is zoomed in. When it ’ s greater than 1, the model is zoomed out.
The options below is to convert model dimension between inch
and millimeter .
Click the “ Fill the B uild Area ” button to maximize the model, which
is the maximum print size.
2) To estimate time for printing, click GCode-> Time Estimate (as shown below).
After about 30 seconds, the estimation is displayed at the bottom of the
window (as shown below). Usually, it takes longer than estimated.

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3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3 Generating
Generating
Generating
Generating GCode
GCode
GCode
GCode
（
（
（
（
Slicing
Slicing
Slicing
Slicing
）
）
）
）
1) Click the “ Generate GCode ” button at the lower right corner of the window.
Then the following prompt pops up, if the model is adjusted but not saved. Click
“ Yes ” to save changes. Otherwise, click “ No ” .
But
But
But
But please
please
please
please click
click
click
click “
“
“
“ Cancel
Cancel
Cancel
Cancel ”
”
”
” and
and
and
and reopen
reopen
reopen
reopen the
the
the
the sample
sample
sample
sample file,
file,
file,
file, if
if
if
if you
you
you
you ’
’
’
’ re
re
re
re following
following
following
following our
our
our
our
example.We
example.We
example.We
example.We have
have
have
have to
to
to
to make
make
make
make sure
sure
sure
sure the
the
the
the model
model
model
model size
size
size
size is
is
is
is proper
proper
proper
proper for
for
for
for holding
holding
holding
holding ABS
ABS
ABS
ABS material.
material.
material.
material.
2) After clicking “ Generate GCode ” , the following window pops up. Red arrows
point to our helpful hints.
Set up as shown above. Then click “ Default ” tab to set up as shown below.

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3) When finishing setting up, click the “ Generate Gcode ” button and you ’ ll see
the following window showing progress bars.
4) After GCode is generated, you ’ ll see the “ gcode ” tab next to the “ model ” tab.
5) Click the ” gcode ” tab and you ’ ll see the window as shown below.

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4
4
4
4Test
Test
Test
Test print
print
print
print ing
ing
ing
ing (
(
(
(If
If
If
If plastic
plastic
plastic
plastic stop
stop
stop
stop com
com
com
com ing
ing
ing
ing out
out
out
out the
the
the
the nozzle
nozzle
nozzle
nozzle during
during
during
during
printing,
printing,
printing,
printing, please
please
please
please read
read
read
read this
this
this
this chapter
chapter
chapter
chapter
)
)
)
)
Please test nozzles before your first printing, which is required for first printing
only.
1) Click the button as shown below, to open the control panel.
The control panel pops up.
2) Once the nozzle is at temperature ( 2 20 ° C ), load filament as shown below.
Click “ Forward ” button, and then take the filament and push it . You'll have to use
some force . A fter a few moments you should feel the motor pulling it in . Then let go.
Y ou ’ ll see some plastic start to come out the nozzle.
When that happens,. you may hear the noise like “ tah-tah-tah ” . Please m aintain
pressure on the filament for 25 seconds. Then the noise will disappear. It also works
when changing material.

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3) If the noise doesn ’ t disappear, please check if anything is stuck. Then, click
the “ Backward ” button on the control panel, to pull the filament out. Cut off the
used segment. Input “ 230 ” as target temperature and press “ Enter ” on keyboard.
When current temperature rises to 2 30 ° C , click the “ Forward ” button. Then take the
filament and push it with some force until some plastic comes out the nozzle. Close
the control panel if the machine works well.
If plastic stop com ing out the nozzle or the noise reappear during printing,
please stop printing and rotate z-axis manually to keep the nozzle from the build bed.
Then take the measures described above .