Tripodmaker Black Edition User manual

TRIPODMAKER BLACK EDITION
USER MANUAL

2 3
TABLE OF CONTENT
Specicaons and box content
1. Specicaons of the Tripodmaker..................................................................4
2. Box content.......................................................................................................5
3. Terminology........................................................................................................6
4. Aenons and warnings................................................................................8
Unboxing
1. Preparaons.....................................................................................................10
2. Load lament....................................................................................................11
3. Calibraon........................................................................................................12
4. Plexi covers......................................................................................................15
Menu
1. Info screen.......................................................................................................16
2. Quick sengs...................................................................................................18
3. Print le.............................................................................................................19
4. Extruder............................................................................................................20
5. SD card.............................................................................................................21
6. Conguraon...................................................................................................22
MAINTENANCE & TROUBLESHOOTING
1. General..............................................................................................................24
2. Extruder drive cleaning...................................................................................26
3. Cart alignment..................................................................................................28
4. Clogged nozzle - Cold pull ................................................................................34
5. Troubleshoong and easy xes.....................................................................36
THANK YOU
for your purchasing a Tripodmaker!
This is the user manual for your Tripodmaker Black Edion. In this manual, you will
be guided through the prinng process. Read this manual carefully and take the
needed me to get familiar with your new product. This is a manufacturing device
that requires thorough understanding. If for any reason something would be unclear
or wrong, feel free to contact us at: [e-mail]

4 5
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TRIPODMAKER
HARDWARE
technology FDM (Fused Deposion modeling)
dimensions 42 cm x 53 cm x 101 cm
shipping dimensions 45 cm x 55 cm x 110 cm
weight 23 kg
shipping weight 25 kg
print area Ø 30 cm x 45 cm
nozzle Ø 0.4 mm; full metal - up to 295°C
heated bed up to 95°C
power 88 - 264 V; 47 - 63 Hz; 5A
connecvity Stand alone prinng from SD card
casing plexi cover (oponal)
MATERIALS
diameter 1.75 mm
plascs PLA; PETG; HIPS; ABS; Polycarbonate
SOFTWARE
soware PRISMA cloud plaorm
printable les .STL
supported Chrome - Safari - Firefox
PERFORMANCE
bed leveling full automac / manual screw assisted
layer thickness / resoluon 75 micron - 300 micron
machine tolerance 0.1 mm
BOX CONTENT
Next to your Tripodmaker, which had the SD-card inserted, there are other
components in the box. Here the list:
1X Filament spool
(can be in any color)
1X Power cable
1X Power source
2X Spool holders
1X USB cable
1X Filament guidance
tube
1X Blue tape
1X Test print
1X User manual
Tripodmaker // Specicaons Tripodmaker // Specicaons

6 7
TERMINOLOGY
PRINT HEAD / HOT-END
1. Display
2. SD-card slot
3. Push and rotate buon
4. USB Socket
5. Build plate
6. Spool holder
mount locaon
7. Filament guide tube
8. Print head cables
9. Filament driver
10. Rods
11. Carts (wheels or linear sliders)
12. Vercal slides
1
1
2
3
7
8
9
6
3
4
5
10
12
11
2
1. Nozzle
2. Probe
3. Cooling fans
Tripodmaker // Specicaons Tripodmaker // Specicaons

8 9
ATTENTIONS AND WARNINGS
Please read this aenons carefully and keep them in mind while unboxing and
operang the device.
ATTENTION! Make sure your power
switch is in the OFF
[o] posion before you aach or
detach the power cable.
ATTENTION! Turning the
-Tripodmaker ON lights up the LCD
screen and the LED lights.
-Switching OFF can be done at any
me, however it is recommended
to only turn it of when not in use.
-Turning the Tripodmaker OFF
exnguishes the LCD screen.
ATTENTION! Using a glass or
wooden sheet to cover the original
aluminum build plate will make the
nozzle crash. The sensor is
unable to sense the aluminum
through these sheets of glass or
wood.
ATTENTION! make sure your plate is
free of objects.
ATTENTION! When storing your
spool, make sure your lament
doesn’t get tangled as this might
block the unwinding of the spool in a
next print
The TripodMaker is an electrical device and contains motors and hot elements.
During operaon of the printer, be always aware of possible hazards.
WARNING! Age Warning
User under the age of 18 are recommended adult supervision. The printer
includes small parts that can lead to choking.
WARNING! Burn Hazard
The extruder nozzle or heated building plaorm might be hot during operaon.
Never touch these before they cooled down. This can take more than 20 minutes.
Also the extruded plasc is hot and should not be touched.
WARNING! Electric Shock Hazard
When the printer powered, touching the electronics may result in an electric
shock. Make sure you disconnected the power source and power supply when
opening the electronics. Wait at least one minute before opening the box to allow
the power supply to discharge.
WARNING! Fire Hazard
Keep ammable liquids and/or materials away from the printer when powered or
in operaon.
WARNING! Pinch Hazard
During operaon, keep ngers, hair and loose clothing away from moving parts
like belts, pulleys, gears or fans.
WARNING! Stac Charge
Ground yourself before touching the printer electronics. Electrostac charge can
damage electronic components. Ground yourself by touching a grounded source.
ATTENTION! During the prinng
process, the hot-end and print bed
can get hot. Do not touch these unl
prinng is done.
Tripodmaker // Aenons and warnings Tripodmaker // Aenons and warnings

10 11
UNBOXING
Go to prisma.tripodmaker.com and enter your device ID. The setup process will
guide you with a series of instrucon videos unl your rst test print.
The steps are also covered in this manual.
STEP 1. PREPERATIONS
Place the Tripodmaker box on a
stable surface with great access on
all sides.
Open the top and take out all
accessories (Spool/cables/etc)
Now lt the box on its side and open
the boom
Tilt the box back in it’s upright
posion.
Now you can li the box while the
printer remains on the oor.
Posion your Tripodmaker on a
sturdy table.
Now cut the zipes around the 3
belts so the catridges can move
freely.
Plug it in the electrical outlet and
turn your device on.
Make sure the fan on the back of the
printhead is on.
Tripodmaker // Unboxing
Put blue tape on the printbed.
Install the spoolholders. Note that
some forces might be needed.
STEP 2. LOAD FILAMENT
Navigate to the change lament
menu quick sengs/change lament
Wait for the printer to heat up and
stop retracng. An insert lament
message will appear
Cut the lament to have a sharp p
Push the lament through the small
bowden tube
Place the spool on top of the printer
like in the picture
Push down the extruder drive screw
and insert the lament.
The lament should be visible in the
bowden tube for 1 cm.
Tripodmaker // Unboxing

12 13
Iniate the lament loading by
rotang the buon.
Aer the lament stops loading,
rotate the buon unll laments
starts oozing out of the nozzle.
Click when done.
Push the short bowden tube in the
frame.
A correct installed lament spool
looks like this
STEP 3. CALIBRATION
This will make sure the printer is
completely level aer transport.
Before proceeding remove any
remaining lament from the nozzle
Navigate to the Set probe oset
menu item and iniate it:
Conguraon/Set probe oset
Turn the knob to move the nozzle
towards the printbed unl it touches
the blue tape.
Now click to save and start the
calibraon. Wait for the calibraon to
complete.
You are now ready to print
Tripodmaker // Unboxing Tripodmaker // Unboxing
STEP 4. (OPTIONAL)
MANUAL CALIBRATION
In case there are sll dicules
with your print adhesion in some
areas you can perform a manual
calibraon.
First perform the Home all step
to make sure the printer is homed
correctly.
NOTE: make sure the printbed is
covered with blue tape except for
the 3 screws
Now execute the Front le tower
command. The print head will move
to the front le tower.
Now perorm the set Nozzle Height
step from the menu.
Similar to the rst step in auto
calibraon you have to bring the
nozzle down to the buildplate unl it
touches the blie tape.
Click to save
NOTE: This will erase the auto
calibraon results

14 15
STEP 5. (OPTIONAL)
INSTALL PLEXI COVERS
If you gor you Tripodmaker Black
Edion with plexi covers follow the
diagram to install the covers.
Install the lock on the le side when
facing the front of the printer.
Connect bolts as in the picture
Repeat this for each door.
Connue by performing this same
procedure on the front right tower.
Connue by performing this same
procedure on the back tower.
Adjust the screw with a size 3 allen
wrench unl the nozzle touches the
blue tape on the printbed.
You are now ready to print
Tripodmaker // Unboxing Tripodmaker // Unboxing

16 17
MENU
The menu on you Tripodmaker Black Edion can be navigated through the push and
rotate buon next to the display. Aer turning your Tripodmaker on the info screen
will appear. You can scroll through 4 secons by rotang the buon.
Tripodmaker // Menu Tripodmaker // Menu
>secon 1: Temperature nozzle /
B= Temperature bed
Z= Current print height
Buf: Buer value
Mul: Speed mulplier 100% by default
E= Extruded lenght
NOTE: values will change during print
>secon 2: XYZ coordinates
NOTE: values will change during print
>secon 3: Extruder and bed
temperature
NOTE: values will change during print
>secon 4: Prinng me and
lament printed in meters.
Access the main menu by pushing
the buon

18 19
> Quick sengs >Home all
This wil home the printhead to the
top of the printer.
Navigate by rotang the buon.
Click to access
> Quick sengs
> Quick sengs >Z babystep:
Adjust the z height of the print-
head. Do not perform this seng
unless you suer from bad bed
adhesion.
> Quick sengs >Lights:
Turn the led lights on or o
> Quick sengs > Change lament:
Use this funcon to load or unload
lament.
Tripodmaker // Menu
> Quick sengs > Preheat PLA/ABS:
This seng will preheat the nozzle and
buildplate to the right temperatures for
PLA and ABS. Prints will start imidiately
with a pre-heated printer.
> Quick sengs > Fan speed:
Here you can turn the fans on or o.
> Quick sengs >Cooldown
This will boost all fans to cool the
print head rapidly.
> Quick sengs > Disable stepper
This will disable the stepper motors.
Now you can move the carts and the
print-head by hand.
> Print le
This will navigate to your SD card.
Now you can select the le you want
to print.
Tripodmaker // Menu

20 21
> Extruder > Bed temp:
Click to access and rotate to adjust
the bed temperature
> Extruder > Temp1:
Click to access and rotate to adjust
the nozzle temperature
> Extruder > Tuen extr. 1 o:
This will turn the nozzle o
Navigate by rotang the buon.
Click to access
> Extruder
> Extruder > Extr. posion
Access this menu to perform manual
extrusion of the lament.
> Extruder > Extr. posion
Rotate the buon clockwise to
push the lament through the
nozzle. NOTE: the nozzle must
be heated otherwise nothing will
happen.
> Extruder > Set Origin
This menu has to be executed if
instructed by our support team.
Tripodmaker // Menu
> SD card:
This menu gives access to your SD
card. While prinng this menu gives
access to the pause and resume
funcons.
> SD card > Print le:
This will navigate to the les on your
SD card.
Navigate by rotang the buon.
Click to access
> Conguraon
> Conguraon > language:
Printer menu language is available in
english only.
> Conguraon > Manual Calibraon:
This will enter the manual calibraon
menu. See page 13 step 4
Tripodmaker // Menu

22 23
> Conguraon > Manual Calibraon:
Set nozzle height - sets nozzle height
Note: this will erase results from auto
calibraon
Right/le/back tower - nozzle moves
to choosen tower
> Conguraon > Manual Calibraon:
home all - printer needs to be homed
before starng manual calibraon
> Conguraon > auto calibraon:
This will iniate the calibraon
program. See page 11 step 8
> Conguraon > Factory Reset
Please contact info@tripodmaker.
com for further troubleshoong.
If a factory reset is necessary our
support team will provide the reset
code.
> Conguraon > Factory Reset
Proceed with instrucons received
by our support team.
Tripodmaker // Menu Tripodmaker // Menu
YOU ARE ALL SET NOW!
Note that during the print the Tripodmaker shows the compleons percentage of
your print.
Menus that are accessible during print can be modied (ex. temperature/fans etc)
Use these features on your own risk during a print.

24 25
MAINTENANCE & TROUBLESHOOTING
1. EXTRUDER DRIVE
Check the extruder on a regular base for accumulated lament dust. We recommend
cleaning the extruder drive every 3 months or aer periods of intensive usage. How
to clean your extruder is explained from page 16 onwards.
Tripodmaker // Maintenance
2. MOVING PARTS
Check your carts on wobble aer a while. If the carts are loose on the track,
you can ghten the eccentric nut in order to remove the cart wobble. The carts
must run smooth. If you over ghten the eccentric nut, you will need to use
allot of force to move the cart and it will seem you have “hick-ups” during the
sliding maneuver. How to ghten your carts is explained on page 21 step 11.
3. NOZZLE AND HOT-END
Make sure that the nozzle and hot-end are cleaned when covered with plasc
residues. To clean of the nozzle, simply heat it unl the plasc gets scky, and
use a printed cube to peel of the scky plasc.
Tripodmaker // Maintenance

26 27
MAINTENANCE & TROUBLESHOOTING
1. EXTRUDER DRIVE CLEANING
Problem: Filament is slipping or extrusion problems.
Soluon: Clean the extruder drive
We recommend cleaning the
extruder drive every 3 months.
Remove the extruder drive tension
screw
Remove circlips that clamps the
tube holder
To remove the Nylon tube, push the
movable piece in the direcon of the
white arrow. Once squeezed inward,
the nylon tube can be retracted.
Tripodmaker // Maintenance
To remove the Nylon tube, push the
movable piece in the direcon of the
white arrow. Once squeezed inward,
the nylon tube can be retracted.
remove the two screws that hold the
extruder drive motor
remove the extruder drive from
the top frame through one of the
openings. Compress the spring
mechanism to squeeze it through.
Unplug the motor cable.
remove the extruder drive gear with
a small Allen wrench. In order to
remove the extruder drive gear from
the axe, squeeze the mechanism.
Clean the extruder drive gear with a
knife. The small blade ts inside the
slots of the extruder drive gear.
Tripodmaker // Maintenance

28 29
Remount the complete assembly. Pay
aenon that the extruder drive gear
is posioned ush with the front
of the black anodized components.
The screw rests on the at surface
of the motor axe. Pay aenon to
the orientaon of the extruder drive
gear!
Plug the cable and squeeze the
extruder drive back in its posion.
Make sure to plug the extruder drive
cable so the colors match when the
plug is plugged in!
Reghten the screws for
posioning the extruder drive
motor.
Insert the pneut coupling. Make
sure it is hand ght, do not over
ghten it!
Slide in the white tube and make
sure it is deep enough. Push-pull-
push-pull to be sure it is deep
enough.
Insert the extruder drive tension
screw and reghten it.
Done!
Tripodmaker // Maintenance

30 31
3. CLOGGED NOZZLE CLEANING
Problem: No lament is coming through the heated nozzle
Soluon: Clean the nozzle wiith the cold-pull method
1. Remove the lament from the
printer through thhe menu:
quick sengs>change lament
2. Remove bowden tube from the
print head by pushing the black clip
downards (with a screwdriver) and
pulling the tube out.
3. Heat up the print head
Go to Menu > Extruder > Temp.1
(click)
Set temperature to 180 degrees C
(click to conrm)
4. Insert (light preferably colored)
lament in the print head by
bypassing the bowden tube
Make sure lament oozes out of the
nozzle
Tripodmaker // Maintenance
5. Cool down the hot end
Go to Menu > Extruder > Temp.1
(click)
Set temperature to 0 degrees C (click
to conrm)
7. Check if black residue is stuck on
the outer end of the lament you
just pulled out of the hot-end
6. Wait unl hot-end temperature
is 110 degrees C and pull rmly the
lament back. You should hear a
“plopping” sound.
8. In case allot of residue was found,
go back to step 3 and repeat the
operaon.
Else, put back the bowden tube.
Make sure the bowden is inserted
deep enough unl the point it can’t
go any further.
Tripodmaker // Maintenance

32 33
TROUBLESHOOTING AND EASY FIXES
PRINT DOESN’T STICK TO THE PRINTER BED OR DETACHES ON CERTAIN
SPOTS.
Cause:
- Build plate is not leveled properly.
Soluon:
1. Try to use new tape
2. Try to level the build plate by re-calibrang the device
THE PRINT IS STUCK ON THE BUILD PLATE.
Cause:
This can happen with prints that have a large area touching the buildplate.
Soluon:
Use a puy knife to get the pieces from the build plate. WARNING! Make sure
your other hand is not in the path of the knife as the print migh come loose all of a
sudden.
CLOGGED NOZZLE
Soluon:
Try manually feeding the nozzle while seng the temperature on 245 degrees.
See on page 32 how to manually feed the nozzle. Try dierent temperatures
between 245 and 180 degrees. If no lament is geng through try the following:
1. Heat the extruder to 215 degrees. Take a short piece of clear/white PLA (1/2
meter) and push it in the nozzle from top like on page 32 of this manual. Push it
inside unl you can’t get any further. Then pull it out. Cut the dirty p o with pliers
and re-insert. Keep doing this unl the lament is clear and the clog is eventually gone.
2. To improve results with this process it might help to push a neelde of <0.4
(specialised 3D prinng needles or the classic needles from your local pharmacy)
in the boom of the nozzle and then pull it out
again. Perform step 1 again. Alternate step 1 and
2 a few mes unl the clog is gone.
In case this doens’t solve the problem, contact
support: [e-mail].
Tripodmaker // Maintenance Tripodmaker // Maintenance
THE FILAMENT IS STUCK IN THE TUBE
Cause:
Filament is stuck in the nylon tube due to a blob that is retracted in the tube.
Soluon:
Remove the tube out of its couplings and remove the lament. The tube can be
removed by pushing in the couplings in the opposite direcon you want to pull out
the tube.

34 ©Tripodmaker