Hello, How can we help?

The printer tracks printing statistics. When you access this option during a print, you will see statistics for the running print. If you do so while the printer is idle, you will see the total statistics. Both filament usage and print time are tracked.

You can find Initialize error option the LCD Menu -> Initialize error. The data can be easily reset once you do a Factory reset.

Running out of filament

    If you run out of filament, the printer will automatically pause the print, move the X-carriage away from the print and prompt you to unload the remaining few centimeters of the material from the heatbreak and replace the spool and insert a new filament.

The printer will guide you how to resume printing safely:

    "Please press the knob to unload the filament" = Press the knob to unload the remaining few centimeters of the filament.

    "Repeat unloading filament?  [Yes/No] = If everything went well, press [Yes]. If not, then press [No]. The printer will lock the x-axis motor and will allow you to open the extruder idler to clear the remains of the filament manually. 

•     To open the extruder idler, simply release the spring screw running through the extruder, holding the idler-door.
•     Then, you can use the bundled pliers to remove the filament remains. If some of it got stuck in the top PTFE tube, simply push it out with new filament. 
•     Close the extruder idler by re-tightening the spring screw. The Head of the screw should be about flush with the plastic parts when the filament is loaded.

    "Insert filament and press the knob" = Make sure to insert the same type of filament, cut the tip of the filament and insert the filament and press the knob. 

    "Changed correctly?" [Yes/Filament not loaded/Color not clear] = If everything went fine and the new filament is coming out nicely (and has the right color), simply press [Yes]. If you think that the filament was not loaded properly, press [Filament not loaded], which will push through the same amount of filament as before. If the color is not clear, then press [Color not clear], this way it will push through only a bit of filament.

The printer can fully recover from a complete loss of power without the need for batteries or a UPS. A special sensor detects mains voltage, and in case of an interruption, it immediately shuts down the heatbed and extruder heating, leaving enough power in the capacitors to store the position and lift the print head away from the print. In case of a very short power failure, the printer will attempt to continue printing immediately without waiting for user interaction.

Resuming the print

When the power comes back, the printer will give you an option to continue the print. Keep in mind that during extended periods without power, the bed will cool down and the printed object can detach itself from the sheet plate. So, before resuming the process, check the following: 

• Make sure that all objects are still attached to the steel sheet plate.
• Follow the instructions on the LCD screen and resume the print.
• Stay with the printer for about 10 minutes and make sure that the printing process continues without any problems.

The contents of the SD card in the SV01 printer are updated in the order of time on the LCD screen. The earlier the Gcode file is imported, the later the file location will be. The newly imported Gcode file will be placed at the top of the printer file option.

The printer's firmware and display type determine the number of displays. What we limit the SV02 touch screen is to select only the first 20 files sorted by time. Different displays with different configurations.

This Guide is designed for Sovol users to start their printing journey.

We still recommend that please read this guide even if you are familiar with the 3d Printing technology, as there are lots of important information about the sovol for you to get a better 3d experience.

Official website: www.sovol3d.com

Find out all the latest news which contains up-to-date information concerning software, firmware, device maintenance, and so on.

Sovol Official User Group on Facebook.

Be a part of the Sovol community sharing your projects and helping each other.

You may also want to learn：

• SV01 Product Details
• SV01 Guides PDF Download
• SV01 User Manual Guide Download
• SV01 Firmware & Source Code Download
• Product Reviews - Video

We're the designers and manufacturers of the SV01, and we're here to help! Please don't hesitate to contact us directly.

This image marks the main components of SV01.

1. X-Axis Motor
   
2. Main control box
   
3. Hotbed
   
4. TF Card and USB
   
5. Display screen
   
6. Button knob
   
7. Nozzle kit
   
8. Extrusion kit
   
9. Filament holder
   
10. Filament sensor
    
11. Couplers
    
12. Y-Axis Motor
    
13. Footpad
    
14. Z-Axis Motors
    
15. Power switch
    
16. Leveling nut
    

When the customer opens the box after receiving the SVO1 3D printer, you will see the accessories in the picture.

1. Gantry
2. Base with hotbed
   
3. Filament holder
   
4. Display Screen
   
5. USB cable
   
6. Z-Axis switch limit plate
   
7. Screws, T-Nuts and extra nozzle
   
8. Micro SD card and Reader
   
9. Power cable
   
10. Filament (200gr.)
    
11. Pliers
    
12. Spatula
    
13. Toolset
    
14. Nozzle cleaner (0.4mm)
    

Steps 1 Remove the parts from the box. 

• Note that the base and gantry are connected at the factory. If possible, perform this operation with the help of another.
• Remove any tape and padding from the parts.
• Inspect the parts to make sure they were not damaged in shipment.

Steps 2 Install the gantry (A) to the base (B).

• On the gantry frame make sure the nozzle assembly is into the front, and the long vertical leads screws are into the back.
• On the base frame, make sure the black belt tensioner is on the front, and the stepper motor is on the back.
• Use the M5x25 screws (4) with their washers. Lift the base frame. Install the screws through the base frame into the threaded holes in the gantry frame. Tighten with a Hex key (Allen). Do not exceed tightening to avoid deformations in the frame.

Steps 3 - Install the filament spool holder.

• Secured in the screw hole of the filament holder with M4x8 (2) and M4 T-Nut (2). Loosen the T-nuts by hand and turn them so they will fit inside the grooves on the frames.
• You want the nuts to be loose so that when you tighten the bolts, the nut will rotate 90° and grab onto the inside of the groove. Tighten with a Hex key (Allen).

Step 4 Install the filament sensor.

• The plate with the filament sensor is installed in the upper rear part of the frame.
• The correct direction is indicated by an arrow on the sensor housing.
• Fixing to the frame is similar to the method used previously. Use the M4x8 (2) screws with M4 T-Nut (2).
• Loosen the T-nuts by hand, when you tighten the screws, the nut will rotate 90° and grab onto the inside of the groove.

Step 5 Install the Lcd screen.

• The screen is mounted on the right front of the base frame. Use the M5x20 (2) screws provided with their washers. Install the screws through the Screen plate into the threaded holes in the bottom frame.
• In another step, we will explain how to make screen connections.

Steps 6 Install the Z limit switch

• This device sets the starting height of the Z-axis, which is responsible for the up and down movement of the print head.
• It is placed next to the left Z stepper motor and fixed to the edge of the vertical frame using the included T-nuts.
• Loosen the T-nuts, place a card or slightly thick paper in the bottom frame and rest the sensor plate on the top. This will provide the correct minimum height, slightly above the horizontal profile. Tighten the screws and connect the 2-wire connector labeled "Z".

Step 7 Make connections

• The cables are provided with labels, observe them, and the type of connector for proper identification.
• Make the connections being careful not to bend the connector pins.
• The display board has three identified inputs. Connect the Exp1 and Exp2 cables in their corresponding place leaving the Exp3 input empty...

Sovol printers are pre-assembled at the factory, however, to obtain the best print quality, some adjustments must be made.

Eccentric nut adjustments.

• In each movement group, there are some wheels provided with eccentric nuts.
• You must adjust them to get enough firmness and smooth movement at the same time. Properly adjusted, you should be able to turn the wheels with your fingers with a little force.
• The adjustment of the wheels that guide the Z-axis also helps to have a synchronized movement of both sides of the horizontal profile and the correct leveling of them.

Belt adjustments.

• The X and Y-axis are moved by belts. At the end of each axis, there is a tensioner that can be adjusted. Check regularly that the belts have enough tension.

1. Set temperature nozzle
2. Current temp. nozzle
   
3. Set temperature hot bed
   
4. Current temp. hot bed
   
5. Layer fan speed (%)
   
6. Current location nozzle
   
7. Print speed (%)
   
8. Print time
   
9. Print progress
   
10. Prompt message
    
11. Button knob (Press: Confirm/Enter sub-menu. Rotate: move/change the value)

Run the sequence to level

• Auto Home - The nozzle will move to the zero points on the XYZ axes.
• Disable Steppers - The motors are released to allow manual movement.
• Preheat Pla Bed - Optional, but recommended to recreate the printing temperature conditions.

Slide a paper between the bed and nozzle

• If necessary, adjust the bed so that the paper can be placed in the first corner.

Level the four corners of the bed

• Adjust each of the four thumbscrews under the bed until the piece of paper slides, with just a tiny bit of drag, in all locations on the build plate.
• When finished, cool the bed, if heated, using the menu Prepare>Cooldown

Tip: The Z-axis motors are also disabled. So you should handle the print head gently keeping it fiat during the leveling process. If you put too much pressure, you will lose the initial Z position obtained with Auto Home getting an invalid leveling.

Heat the nozzle 

• Method 1: Use the printer's Preheat presets to heat Pla or Abs temperature according to the temperature range of the filament you are going to use. 
• Method 2: Set the temperature manually in the printer menu Control 

Insert the filament into the extruder 

• When the nozzle is hot, press and hold the extruder lever, and insert the filament through the small hole of the extruder until it comes out of the
• nozzle. 
• When finished, cool the nozzle, using the menu Prepare>Cooldown

1, Install Cura

• There is a Cura installer on the micro sd card included with the printer. To download the latest version visit the website of Ultimaker.

2, Open Cura and add a New Printer

• Choose Creality Cr-10 as the base profile and change the name to Sovol Sv01.

3, Adjust the size

• Enter 280mm, 240mm, and 300mm as the printer size for X, Y, and Z.

4, Configure retraction

• The main difference between Sovol Sv01 and Cr-10 is the Direct Drive Extruder. Retraction distance values of ~ 3mm and ~ 50mm/s as retraction speed is suitable.

Step1 Load a model in Cura 

On the SD card, you will find a calibration cube so you can perform an initial test. 

Step2 Choose settings 

Cura has a menu with basic print settings. If you want advanced settings, click Custom. 

Step3 Make the Slice 

Cura will perform the necessary calculations and generate a Gcode file with the paths and parameters for the printer. 

Step4 Save the Gcode file to the card 

Use the USB reader provided with the printer. 

Step5 Print the model 

Insert the SD card upside down in the printer, select the Gcode file in the menu and print.

BLTouch is an optional device for automatic leveling. Installation requires the disassembly of the printer base and the firmware update.

BLTouch device assembly

• Watch the linked videos for a detailed guide.

Download Firmware

• On our website, you will find an updated Firmware for BLTouch, pay attention to download the correct version. sovol3d.com/pages/download

Update the Firmware from Cura

• Open Cura, connect the printer to your computer using the USB cable, and load the Firmware from Printer Preferences into the Cura software. Wait without disconnecting until the process is finished.
• In our video tutorials, you will find an alternative method.

The Selftest procedure checks the following:

• Extruder and print fan functionality
• Heatbed and hotend wiring
• XYZ motors wiring and functionality
• XYZ endstop mechanical settings
• X-axis stays level
• XYZ belts tension
• Loose belt pulley
• Filament sensor

Progress and results of each step are displayed on the LCD screen. In case the process runs into an issue, the LCD screen will display an error message. All errors are described below.

Selftest error messages:

1. Extruder & Print fan test
2. Heatbed & Hotend test
   
3. Loose belt pulley test
   
4. Filament sensor test
   

Extruder & Print fan test:

• Cooling fan or blower fan doesn't work

Heatbed & Hotend test

• Please check/ Not connected - Heater/ Thermistor
• Bed/ Heater - wire is broken

Loose belt pulley test

• Loose pulley - {XY}

Filament sensor test

• Filament sensor wiring error, the small board in the filament sensor is in a incorrect position

Troubleshooting

    First, you need to remove the filament from the extruder. To do that, open the idler door located on the right side of the extruder by unscrewing the screw(s) on the opposite (left) side (the one/s with the spring on them). Now you can manually remove the filament using the supplied pliers.

Slicing

    Slice the model again using the latest version of slicer software and see if the model is not corrupted or incomplete. The setting profile for the printer are available in sovol official user group

Idler tension

    Make sure that your extruder idler is properly tightened. If the extruder idler screws are overtightened, the gears will not push the filament properly. Try to loosen (or tighten) the extruder idler screw(s) (with the spring). Their tension must be accurate (neither too tight nor too loose)

Drive gears alignment

    Double-check the alignment of the extruder gears. Both of them must be aligned with the opening above and with the PTFE tube below so that they can properly feed the filament into the hot end. Make sure the gear on the extruder motor shaft is tightened by its grub screw against the flat part of the motor axis.

Dirty extruder gears

    Make sure that your extruder gears are clear of any leftover plastic. You can clear the plastic with a sharp corner of pliers or with a durable pin. 

    Make sure the gears are turning freely

    Check if the motor gear is aligned and tightened with the grub screw against the flat part of the motor axis

Cables

    Undo the wrap protecting the extruder cables and check whether the cables are not damaged. Also, please unplug all of the extruder cable connectors, check for any potential damage, crooked pins, or similar. 

Jammed PTFE tube 

  While checking the extruder gears, take a look at the PTFE tube as well and make sure no debris in it would prevent the filament from being loaded properly. To inspect the PTFE tube, open the extruder idler door.

Hotend assembly

    Verify, whether the nozzle is properly assembled into the heater block: 

    check if the heater block and the nozzle are tightened.

    is there a space of 0.5 mm (0.02 inch) between the nozzle head and the heater block as it should be?

Clogged hotend

    Please follow this video on sovol youtube channel to clean your hotend, as the hotend might be clogged. If you don't manage to clean clog, you would have to take out the hotend from the extruder, disassemble it completely, clean it thoroughly and apply some extra thermal paste on the heatbeak before assembling the hotend back together.

Check if there are some materials in the fan (there are fans on the extruder and fan on the power supply.)

Factory reset can be used during troubleshooting to wipe configuration data from the device's memory quickly and easily.

Click initialize error on the menu.

Before we start checking your Print fan, power down and unplug your USB cable is connected. Open the electronics covering and examine Sovol3D SV01 electronics wiring.

Make sure that the fan is:

    Plugged into the right location

    Plugged in with the proper connector orientation

    Plugged in completely and making good electric contact

You can easily test the print fan function from the LCD menu Settings - Temperature - Fan speed. Always test with at-least 50% power. When you select the speed, confirm by pressing the knob.

When the print fan should spin up

    The print fan is never used during the first layer of any material. From the second layer up, it depends on the material profile selected in the slicing software. For example with PLA, the print fan is running at 100% all the time until the print finishes. For ABS, the fan is turned off by default in our print settings.

Before we start checking your Print fan, power down and unplug your USB cable is connected. Open the electronics covering and examine Sovol3D SV01 electronics wiring.

Make sure that the fan is:

    Plugged into the right location.

    Plugged in with the proper connector orientation.

    Plugged in completely and making good electric contact.

If this occurs it indicates a problem with the BL-touch sensor. It is the Z-axis end-stop on the hotbed. It accurately detects metal within a certain range, so if the nozzle crashes into the bed the bl-touch is either adjusted too high concerning the nozzle, or the sensor itself or its cable may be faulty.

Testing the bl-touch sensor

    If the bl-touch sensor, or more commonly its cable, is damaged the following test will help you determine whether it is faulty or not:

    Raise the Z-axis about 10 cm above the heatbed (this is just to keep the bl-touch sensor clear of any metal).

    Move the extruder from one side to another - the values should not change and the red light should stay on.

    Hold something metallic (like a spatula or screwdriver) under the bl-touch sensor - The bl-touch sensor-value should change from 0 to 1 and the light should go off.

  If the bl-touch sensor checks out it is probably just set too high. Continue reading to resolve this.

    Lower the bl-touch sensor, Lower the bl-touch sensor by 1-2 threads, or redo the pre-flight check, where you use the thin tip of the zip-tie instead of the thicker center, which is instructed (circled in red on the picture below).

If your Heatbed does not heat up, there are a couple of things you can check to identify the source of the issue.

    See if the temperature on the display is abnormal.

So please check the following common issues: 

    Check that your Heated bed thermistor is properly attached under the Golden Kapton tape.

    Open the electronics covering and examine electronics wiring.

Heatbed Heater vs. Thermistor test

    The best and easiest way is to take a hairdryer and blow hot air at the Heatbed. During this process, just check if there is any temperature change on the LCD. If there is a change it means your thermistors are working. If there is no change at all, your thermistor is defective.

IPA Test = uneven heating

    To see whether the surface is heating properly or at all, we suggest wiping down the heat bed surface with Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) cold and then preheating. The alcohol will evaporate when heated, exposing areas that are not heating at all. 

Loss of power = slow preheat process

    Remove the printed cover at the back left of the heated bed and check the following.

        Damaged Heated bed cables at any spot.

        PSU cables properly attached to the board and not damaged at any spot.

Measuring resistance:

    Please try the following if you have access to a multimeter to get some data to see if the heatbed components are out of spec or potentially problematic.

    The resistance of the heated bed thermistor should be approximately 100K at room temperature (same goes for the thermistor on the hot end if you are curious!)

    The resistance of the heated bed should be 1 Ohm(don't worry if the resistance oscillates around the mentioned value)

Clicking Extruder, under-extrusion, and clogging

    The extruder clicking is the sound of the extruder-motor snapping back, unable to push the filament through the hotend, having clogged.

There are 4 things to check in case the extruder is clicking or under-extrusion:

1, A clogged nozzle

  Remove the Bowden-tube, between the extruder and the heat-sink, and check if filament can be pushed through the nozzle by hand, when pre-heated.

  Use the supplied acupuncture-needle to loosen the clog.

  Do 1-3 Cold pulls

2, Dirty extruder filament-pulley

  Open the inspection-hatch, behind the Z-axis, to reveal the filament pulley. Make sure this is not full of plastic residue obstructing it getting a grip on the filament.

  You can adjust the tension of the idler on the springed-screw, located right bellow the PTFE-tube. With the filament removed, the screw head should be level/flush with the plastic part.

3, Extruder-idler

  Make sure that filament can pass through the Bowden-tube without much force. Too much tension on the idler can deform the filament and cause greater resistance.

  You can adjust the tension of the idler on the springed-screw, located right bellow the PTFE-tube, circled. With the filament removed, the screw head should be level/flush with the plastic part.

4, Hotend PTFE-tube and Heatbreak

  If the heatbreak is too far down, it can have slipped in shipping or been installed too low, you will get issues with heat-creep and the printer will clog up. Also, if there is any space, inside the heat break, above or below the PTFE-tube, you will have the same issues.

    Setup:

•     Cooldown! Make sure the nozzle is cold before you work on it.
•     Remove Bowden-tube and brass fitting.
•     carefully remove the PTFE-tube inside the hotend.

    Check that there is no filament in the bottom of the heat break. Use the light from the top - It should be clean and you should only see shiny metal.

    Procedure:

•     Push the PTFE-tube into the heat-break, all the way down.
•     Loosen the grub-screws on side of the heatsink, using a 1.5mm Allen-wrench (Not included with the printer), and try to push nozzle upwards. You will see the PTFE-tube moving upwards.
•     Re-attach the Bowden-fitting to the heat sink, tighten it, then loosen it a 1/3 turn.
•     Push the nozzle, with heat break AND PTFE-tube against the fitting, until it stops on the PTFE-tube. Then tighten all grub screws.
•     Tighten the fitting for the Bowden-tube properly, compressing the hotend-PTFE (the 1/3 turn from step 3).

SD card not working

Our printers offer two popular ways of printing: via a USB cable or by loading 3D models from an SD card. If you are experiencing SD-card-related issues, try some of our tips below.

"Card removed" message on the LCD screen

If you have inserted your SD card into the SD card slot and the printer's LCD screen still says "Card removed", try the following steps:

1. Inspect the SD card slot and make sure there is no debris or dust inside.
2. Inspect the SD card itself, see if it's not damaged.
3. Make sure that the SD card is correctly inserted. The right orientation has the card's pins facing towards you.
4. Check if the SD card is fully inserted.
5. That the SD card is formatted to FAT32. If the problem cannot be solved, replace the SD card (within 8G) and make sure no more than 5 Gcode files in the SD card.
6. The Gcode file naming rules are: pure English letters or numbers and no more than 20 characters.
7. If the SD card still doesn't respond, insert it into your PC and see if your operating system recognizes it. If it does, consider creating a backup of your files and use a different SD card with your printer.

SD cards and USB flash drives

As there are ways of remotely transferring files and starting prints, an SD-card or USB flash drive is the most common and reliable way to get your files to your machine. Though common and convenient, flash-memory is not the most reliable in itself and your storage can be corrupted or fill up without any obvious signs. Therefore, we have put together a small guide on how to maintain, format and purchase memory

Make sure your SD card is not locked!

  The SD card has a latch on the side. Before using your SD card, make sure that the latch is not set to the Locked position. In case it is locked, you will not be able to save files on the card, and the printer will not be able to open the SD card.

Size - I want more!

  All of our SV01 printer have their storage-cap set by the infrastructure of the system. Therefore the max capacity of your SD-card or USB stick is 32GB. No point in purchasing any memory for your machine larger than this. 8-16GB is more than enough more most use-cases, as a Gcode file rarely supersede 100mb. Also, a single Gcode-file larger than 512mb can not be read by the machine, but we have yet to see any file reach that size.

Can't I just print through the USB-plug on the printer?

  Yes, you can, BUT... USB-connections offer much lower data-rates than flash memory, and printer can end up printing much slower or pause, waiting for data to be received. and you must also have your computer connected for the entire duration of the print. We, therefore, recommend printing from an external media.

It's full or corrupted - How do I format the SD-card?

  If your SD-card or USB-drive is full or if you can't read the content of the drive, but the drive is recognized by windows, most often all you need to do is to format the drive.

    How to format on Windows

1.       On Windows, this is very simple. Locate your USB-drive or SD-card in my computer, right-click, and choose format.
2.       A new small window will pop up. Most of the time you can simply leave everything to default, but the most important thing is that the File System is set to FAT32. This and the Volume Label (Name of the drive) is the only thing you want to touch here. Click Start and your drive will be formatted in a matter of seconds.

    How to format on Mac OSX

1.       On Mac, it is a few more steps, but still very accessible. Again, you want to choose FAT32 as your file-system and remember that this process deletes all content from the drive.
2.       Plug the USB-drive or SD-card into your Mac.
3.       Go to Applications>Utilities and launch Disk Utility.
4.       Click on the USB-drive/SD-card in the sidebar in Disk Utility.
5.       Click Erase in the Disk Utility-toolbar.
6.       Enter a name for the formatted disk.
7.       Click on the Format menu and choose MS-DOS (FAT32).
8.       Click Erase.
9.       Your USB drive will now be erased and re-formatted as either FAT32.

LCD screen not working

The LCD screen is vital for operating the printer. Should you encounter any kind of trouble, such as a dead screen, corrupted text, or other issues, please refer to the guide below. 

1, The line of the touch screen is loose

  Please refer to Sovol3D SV01 User Manual Guide to re-plug the screen wiring.

2, Fuse burned out

  Check if the fuse is blown.

  If yes, pls replace the fuse.

3, Motherboard problem

  Change the jumper cap of the motherboard from DC to USB. Test the motherboard through USB power supply and check if the touch screen is normal. If the display is normal, the fuse of the motherboard is broken. It is recommended to replace the motherboard.

  Check whether the mainboard voltage is normal

4, The power supply problem

  Please check if the voltage of the power port on the motherboard has 24V.

  Please check if the power is normal.

5, Display problem

  Please try to print through connection to the computer. If the printing is successful, the display is faulty. It is recommended to replace the display.

6, The screen freezes and no response occurs when clicked

  Machine's card slot problem

  A. Unplug the SD card and restart the machine to see if the touch screen is back to normal.

  B. If there is still a freezing problem after replacing the SD card, please try online printing. If there is no problem with online printing, the machine card slot needs to be replaced.

  Screen problem

  Please try to print through connect to the computer. If the printing is successful, the display is faulty. It is recommended to replace the display.

The printer does not turn on or keeps turning off

If your printer doesn't turn on, or it keeps turning off during preheating, the most common causes are either a wrong voltage on the PSU or a blown fuse.

The printer does not turn on

  If your printer does not turn on at all, then there might be a more serious problem present. Try the following steps:

1. Turn the printer off and disconnect the power cord.
2. Check all the wiring for broken cables. In some cases, overtightening the zip-ties can damage the wire insulation and cause a short.
3. Check the wiring of your board. Make sure that the PSU cables are properly plugged. 
4. Check if the fuses are not blown.
5. Check the PSU fuse:

•   a. Find the PSU fuse, which is located just above the PSU's power plug. 
•   b. Remove the cover of the PSU fuse, the best tool for that is the screwdriver that comes bundled with our printer.
•   c, Inspect if the wire inside of the fuse is intact. If it is damaged, then it must be replaced. When you are replacing the fuse, make sure that the printer is turned off and disconnected from the power source.

If your printer happens to power off during the initial preheating process, there's usually no serious damage. Most likely you just have the voltage switch set to 220V a 110V power environment. 

1. Turn the printer off and remove it from the power source.
2. Find the AC voltage switch for 110v or 220v on the PSU.
3. Make sure that the rocker is switched to your local voltage setting.
4. Try to turn the printer on again. 

Checking status-LED on the PSU

1. The PSU has a small green LED which is on if it is active. The silver PSU has this located inside its case, seen through the metal cover, in the bottom-left.
2. The black Delta PSU has this LED hidden behind the cover of its terminals. Remove the two screws on the cover (picture below) to reveal both terminals for probing with a multi-meter and the green indicator-LED. The power-switch does not have an LED.

Turn on the machine and find the shell is charged

No ground wire

1. Make sure the home outlet has a bottom line.
2. Second, please connect an extra ground wire from the power supply to the shell screw.

Power supply problem

1. If the ground wire is normal, the printer is still charged, the power supply is damaged.
2. Please replace the power supply.

The filament sensor doesn't work correctly

Firmware error

Loose connection of sensor

• Re-insert the black plug on the side of the gantry frame, and check whether the pin of the plug is bent or broken, and check whether the sensor cable is tightly connected to the white plug segment

Filament  sensor or motherboard problem

• Please cut a small piece of consumables into the consumable sensor, put the consumable sensor in a static place, then start printing to observe if there is still an alarm. If there is no abnormal alarm, you need to replace the consumable sensor.
• If the printer is still an abnormal alarm, that is the fault of the motherboard, it is recommended to replace the new motherboard

Filament Not Loading

If the filament is not loaded into the extruder,  yet the printer is trying to pull the filament inside. It is usually a simple hardware problem, which we will fix in this article. 

Ideal preparation checklist:

1. Cut the tip of the filament at a 45-degree angle 
2. Filament goes straight around the pulley into the PTFE tube! If the filament is bent slightly it may go around, especially flexible filaments are sometimes tricky to align perfectly!
3. Make sure that there are as little deformations as possible of the filament which is being loaded in.

Note: Make sure that you are using proper nozzle temperatures. 

Mechanical problems:

1. Loose pulley: ensure that the set screw of the extruder drive gear is secured against the flat side of the extruder motor shaft.
2. Gummed up teeth: the extruder gear has teeth which bite into the filament, ensure that the teeth are clean and clear of any plastic.
3. Extruder gear misalignment: the filament has to travel in a straight path, any sort of deviation will create friction and cause the extruder to either misdirect the filament or be unable to feed it properly. Visually check to see that the groove of the extruder gear passes directly in line with the top of the hot end PTFE tubing.
4. Loosen / Over-tighten extruder strings: extruder strings are putting pressure on the filament which is being loaded. Make sure that they are not too loosen or tighten. 

The power supply is abnormal

Motherboard is abnormal

•   Heat print head to 240, hotbed to 100 degrees, measuring the voltage of the following ports on the motherboard, the normal should be about 24V.
•   Check if the LED of hotend on the mainboard would light up or not when heating alone the hotend in the LCD menu?
•   Try to measure the volt U1 during the heating of the hotend to see if the volt stays at around DC24V?

The heating rod is abnormal

•   Pls try to measure the resistance of the hotend after unplugging the hotend wires from the mainboard and check if the resistance value is correct or not. 
•   Check if the heating tube is broken.

Loose wiring

•   Open the bottom cover of the machine and check whether the hotbed wiring is installed in place.

The extruder does not rotate normally

Nozzle blockage

Preheating the PLA, press the clamp of the extruder with one hand, and push the filament into the machine with the other hand to observe whether the silk is smooth, thickness, uniform. the method to solve blockage is as follows:

1, The golden gear is not fixed well

2, Cable and pin failure, Check the cable and motor pins for damage.

3, The voltage of the motor drive problem

4, Motor drive problem

• Swap the E0 port on the mainboard and the X port motor driver. After switching, operate the heating nozzle on the LCD screen to 200 ° C. After reaching the temperature, click “Filament” to observe whether the extruder rotates normally, and then operate the X-axis on the LCD screen. , observe whether the X-axis movement is normal.

5, Motherboard's motor drive port is damaged

• Swap the cable of E0 port and X port on the motherboard. After switching, operate the heating nozzle on the LCD screen to 200 °C. After reaching the temperature, click “Filament” to observe whether the X-axis movement is normal, and then operate the X-axis movement on the LCD screen. Whether the extruder rotates normally. 
• There is also a problem of electrical wiring

Leveling is normal, the hotbed will be scratched when printing

Z-axis limit switch problem

The looseness of the z-axis limit switch screw on the frame causes the z-axis height to change, needs to tighten the screws.

Note: Generally, Printing will not scratch the hotbed after leveling unless leveling is not done properly.

Print model problem

Print too fast, please try to print the test model.

Unstable print head temperature

  Observe whether the temperature of the print head fluctuates greatly during printing the official test model. If the fluctuation is large, you need to replace the print head.

The filament does not adhere to the printing platform

1. The print head is too far away from the printing platform
2. The printing platform is dirty
3. The cooling speed of filament is to fast (commonly seen in ABS filament). For ABS, a consumable with low shrinkage, the cooling fan needs to be turned off when printing.
4. Hotbed's temperature is low or the Heated bed problem

•   Please increase the setting temperature of the hotbed in Cura.
•   If all the above methods have been used, the problem cannot be solved and the lattice plate needs to be replaced.

Note: The filament Damp or air leakage expired also does not adhere to the printing platform.

The hotbed does not heat

The hotbed wiring on the motherboard is loose

• Open the bottom cover of the machine and check whether the hotbed wiring is installed in place.

Hotbed is abnormal

• Measure the resistance of heatbed with a multimeter to confirm if the heatbed is fine  ( the correct resistance value should be around 1.2 ohms)

Motherboard is abnormal

• Try to preheat the heatbed and see if the LED lights up when heating, and measure the volt of heatbed port on the mainboard if possible ( the volt of heatbed port should be around DC24V if it works correctly ).

The power supply is abnormal

• Heat print head to 240, hotbed to 100 degrees, measuring the voltage of the following ports on the motherboard, the normal should be about 24V.

Firmware error

Poor welding of hotbed cable leads to short circuits.

Check if the hotbed cable is poorly soldered. If the welding is bad, replace the hotbed.

Insufficient voltage output

Try opening the bottom cover of the printer (this will not affect the warranty period). Use a multimeter to measure whether the motherboard has a 24V voltage output. If not normal 24V, replace the power supply.

Printing stopped midway: The machine restarts when printing halfway

Insufficient Power Supply

• Heating nozzle to 240 degrees, hotbed to 100 degrees, and keep that temperature for 5 minutes to observe whether the machine is restarted or frozen.

SD card problem

• Try reformatting the SD card to the FAT32 format or replacing the formatted SD card(Within 8G). And try to store only the model to be printed in the SD card.

Model‘s problems

• Please try to print our test model.

After the heating button is clicked, the machine freezes or restarts.

Hotbed Problems

• Pull out the hotbed wiring from the motherboard Heater0 port and Measure the resistance value of the heating rod, it should be about 1.2 ohms.

Heating rod problem

• Pull out the hotbed wiring from the motherboard Heater 0 port and Measure the resistance value of the heating rod, it should be about 3.6 ohms.

Power Supply is damaged

1. Open the bottom cover of the machine and measure whether the output voltage of the power supply is stable 24V.
2. Heat the nozzle to 240 degrees, heat the bed to 100 degrees, and keep the temperature for 5 minutes. Measure whether the power supply output voltage is still stable at 24V.
3. Heating nozzle to 240 degrees, hotbed to 100 degrees, and keep that temperature for 5 minutes to observe whether the machine is restarted or frozen.

Insufficient Power Supply

SD card problem

• Try reformatting the SD card to the FAT32 format or replacing the formatted SD card(Within 8G). And try to store only the model to be printed in the SD card.

Model‘s problems

• Please try to print our test model.

Multimeter usage

    In many cases, we need to decide whether a component is faulty, or just wrongly installed. There are also situations where we need to decide which component exactly is to be replaced.

    We are using the multimeter (multitester) for checking continuity, measuring resistance values of heaters and thermistors, and measuring the voltage coming from the PSU and going to the heaters.

    If you don't have a multimeter, you can consider one that is similar to the ones below. The device does not have to be expensive. Only 10-15 USD/EUR will get you something that does the job just fine.

How to measure

To get started, we first have to properly connect the two measurement probe cables to the multimeter:

1. The black lead goes in the COM port.
2. The red lead goes in the port for Volts (V), Ohms (Ω) and Frequency (Hz).

Where to measure

For every component, there are several options, our main focus will be on the connectors. The measurement appears on the multimeter LCD as soon as the measurement probes touch the component. To obtain the correct and relevant values, this is where you need to apply the probes:

1. Thermistors: metal inserts in plastic connectors
2. Hot end heater: screws holding the cables in the connector
3. Heat bed: the solder pads/screws holding the wires on the heat bed or screws holding the cables in the connector.

Fuses or wires

Fuses can be checked by using the continuity feature on a multimeter. The only thing that will be checked is whether the component can conduct signals or power or not. By touching each of the measurement leads of the multimeter to the other end of the fuse or wire, a signal (beep or 0 value on the multimeter screen) will indicate that the component is intact and therefore, should work.

Resistance

1. To check if heaters are within their range of specified resistance, the following measurements can be done. For this measurement, the multimeter needs to be set to the lowest range that includes 20Ω.
2. The measurement can be done on the screws in the connector for both the hot end heater and the heat bed. For the heat bed, it is also possible to probe the solder pads/screws holding down the cables.

Heaters 

• Hot end heater [12.3 Ω - 15.1Ω]
• Heat bed[3.5 Ω - 4.0 Ω]

Thermistors

1. To check if thermistors are within their range of specified resistance, the following measurements can be done. For this measurement, the multimeter needs to be set to the lowest range that includes 150 kΩ. Commonly, this is 200K on multimeters.
2. All thermistors are rated to be 100 kΩ at 25 °C. To be realistic, with a varying temperature between 20°C and 30°C, you can expect [80 kΩ - 125 kΩ].

Voltage

1. To check if the correct voltage is being supplied to the heaters, the following measurements can be done. For this measurement, the multimeter needs to be set to the lowest range that includes 24V.
2. The measurement can be done on the screws in the connector for both the hot end heater and the heat bed. For the heat bed, it is also possible to probe the solder pads/screws holding down the cables.
3. To measure, start preheating the printer to PLA and measure the component you are investigating.

•  Hot end heater [23.5V - 24.5V]
•  Heat bed [23.5V - 24.5V]

Preheat error

The Preheat error message occurs when there is a problem with the preheat process before your print starts. Therefore, something is preventing the printer from heating up in proper time.

Make sure to distinguish between the Preheat error and the Bed preheat error. 

1. Preheat error - a problem with preheating the hotend.
2. Bed preheat error - a problem with preheating the heatbed.

Troubleshooting:

Preheat error

1. Make sure that the ambient temperature is stable and nothing is cooling the printer down, such as a nearby air-conditioning unit or an open window. 
2. Make sure the thermistor and heater are properly plugged into the electronics board. 
3. If the issue persists, then there is something wrong with your printer's thermistor or heater. To find out which one of these two is malfunctioning, perform the simple test described below.

Bed preheat error

1. Make sure that the ambient temperature is stable and there is cooling down the printer, such as a nearby air-conditioning unit or an open window.
2. Make sure the heatbed thermistor is properly seated under the heated bed and secured with the golden Kapton tape. If not, then simply put it back and make sure that the thermistor cable has some space for movement.
3. Make sure that the thermistor and heatbed are correctly plugged into the electronics board.
4. If the issue persists, there is something wrong with your printer's thermistor or heater. To find out which one of these two is malfunctioning, perform the simple test described below.

Testing the thermistor and heater 

1. It is not very common, but there is a chance that only the thermistor is defective. You can check it using the following test: 
2. Use a hair dryer to blow hot air at the heatbed or hotend.
3. In the meantime, check if there is any temperature change on the LCD screen.
4. If there is a positive temperature change it means that the heatbed or hotend thermistor is working. Which means there is something wrong with the heater or heatbed. In both cases contact our support and they will assist.
5. If there is no change at all, the hotend or heatbed thermistor is defective. 

MAXTEMP

The MAXTEMP error occurs when at least one of the temperature readouts of the hotend or the heatbed is higher than 310°C. It is a safety feature which prevents the printer from overheating uncontrollably.

Troubleshooting

1. A damaged thermistor cable may trigger the MAXTEMP error. Look for any overtightened zip-ties around the cables leading to the electronics board.
2. If the printer heats up uncontrollably when first powered up after the assembly, and the MAXTEMP error is triggered, turn off the printer immediately and double check your electronics assembly!
3. An occasional glitch - sometimes the heater can be tricked into overcompensating by a sudden blast of colder air. If this occurs, the heater can spike over the recommended temperature and trigger the error. Simply start the process again and monitor the printer just to make sure that everything goes well.

Preheat the nozzle!

    The error message Preheat the nozzle! occurs when you are loading new filament and the nozzle did not reach the needed temperature to do so.

    The minimum temperature for loading a new filament is 180°C. However, it is recommended to select the actual recommended printing temperature of the material you want to load in. 

Troubleshooting

1. Make sure the nozzle is preheated. The indication of the current temperature is visible on the main LCD screen.
2. You can preheat the nozzle in LCD Menu - Preheat - select material or it can be done manually through LCD Menu - Settings - Temperatures.
3. Wait until the required temperature is met, then you can put the new filament inside the extruder opening.
4. After that, you can load the filament through LCD Menu - Load filament. 

"File incomplete. Continue anyway?"

    Our printers can detect a corrupted file on the SD card. A prompt appears on the screen, asking whether you would like to continue printing. Please check our article on how to test your G-codes before printing.

Blackout occurred. Resume printing?

    The error message Blackout occurred. Recover print? appears if the power goes off for a longer period during printing, and the hotend and heatbed cool down. Therefore, the printer will wait for you to safely resume the print.

    There is not much troubleshooting to do, so here's a couple of things you should check before resuming or canceling the print.

Troubleshooting

1. Make sure that all of the printed objects are still attached to the steel sheet plate.
2. Follow the instructions on the LCD screen and resume the print.
3. Stay with the printer for 10 minutes and make sure that the print continues without any problems.
4. If you suspect that at least one of the printed objects is about to get loose, it is usually better to restart the print.

Please open idler and remove filament manually

    The message on your LCD saying  Please open idler and remove filament manually shows up when the extruder motor does not succeed to remove the filament from the hotend/extruder. Please do not panic, this can be solved very quickly and you do not need to abort the print.

    If you get this error before a new print while you want to change the filament, first just try to load the filament again into the preheated hotend. The filament tip will melt again and it should be easier to remove it afterward. If that is unsuccessful, go through the following steps. Blackout occurred. Resume printing?

Bed leveling failed

The Bed leveling failed error appears when there is something wrong with the last stage of the calibration. This calibration is the last step of XYZ calibration and is performed before each print. 

There can be three different error messages related to the Bed leveling failed: 

1. The sensor didn't trigger. Debris on nozzle? Waiting for reset.
2. The sensor triggered too high. Waiting for reset.
3. Sensor disconnected or cable broken. Waiting for reset.

Troubleshooting

The sensor didn't trigger. Debris on nozzle?  Waiting for reset

1. Make sure the nozzle and heatbed are clear of any plastic.
2. Do the Z calibration through the LCD Menu - Calibration - Calibrate Z, which also levels the X-axis. 
3. Try to resume the calibration or start the print again (depending on when the error occurred).
4. If you are still struggling with these error messages, it is recommended to go through the whole calibration again.

The sensor triggered too high. Waiting for reset.

1. Make sure the hotend is fully inserted into the extruder. 
2. Do the Z calibration through the LCD Menu - Calibration - Calibrate Z, which also levels the X-axis.
3. Try to resume the calibration or start the print again (depending on when the error occurred).
4. If you are still struggling with these error messages, it is recommended to go through the whole calibration again.

Sensor disconnected or cable broken. Waiting for reset.

1. Make sure that the bl-touch sensor is properly plugged into the electronics board.
2. Visually check the IR bl-touch sensor cable, look for any overtightened zip-ties which might be preventing the IR bl-touch sensor to work properly.
3. Check the IR bl-touch sensor, you can find more information on how to do that at bl-touch sensor testing.

Incomplete file - Testing if file ( .gcode) is complete

    An incomplete file error message occurs when there is a problem with the generated G-code and it could potentially fail the whole print. The printer automatically looks for common G-codes which indicate the end of the generated file. If they are not detected, you will get a warning. You can continue printing if you wish, but you should probably examine the file.

Troubleshooting

How to prevent incomplete files (G-codes)?

1. Simply make sure that you have completely exported the G-code to your PC or SD card.
2. Double-check that you did not delete any of the start and end G-code.
3. Try to Safely Remove the SD card from your computer, otherwise, you may end up with corrupt data. 
4. If none of the suggestions above work, there is a chance your SD card is corrupted. So please try to use another SD card just to test if this is the cause of the problem.

Err: EXTR. FAN ERROR

    The EXTR. FAN ERROR message appears when the extruder fan does not receive any RPM (Revolutions per Minute) readings, in other words, something is preventing it from spinning.  

Troubleshooting

1. Visually inspect the extruder fan and make sure there is no debris preventing it from spinning.
2. Bigger parts can be cleared with tweezers, dust can be cleared with a computer cleaner spray (hold the fan with your hand while blowing at it, otherwise, you might damage the blades).
3. If you have replaced one of the fans with a replacement not supporting RPM sensing, then you can turn off the monitoring in the LCD Menu - Settings - Check fans.
4. If the extruder fan stopped working completely, it must be replaced. You can purchase a new one at our e-shop or contact the support for a warranty replacement.

Err: PRINT FAN ERROR

    PRINT FAN ERROR error message occurs when the print fan (the one at the front of the extruder) does not receive any RPM (Revolutions per Minute) readings. This can be caused by the fact that the fan does not spin, or by the signal (yellow) cable being interrupted. 

Troubleshooting

Visually inspect the print fan and make sure there is no debris or pieces of filament tangled in it, preventing it from spinning. Bigger parts can be cleared with tweezers, dust can be cleared with a computer cleaner spray (canned air).

Connector

• It could just be a bad connection. Unplug, then plug back in.

Broken wire

1. If the error shows up even after cleaning the fan, see if it could be reproduced, by starting the fan from Settings -> Temperature -> Fan speed -> 255, and then moving the extruder manually along the X-axis, to the right and to the left multiple times.
2. See if the fan at any time stops spinning. Also, check the cables and wiggle with the extruder cable bundle a bit. The culprit is usually within the harness, near the extruder body.

Error code "Thermal Runaway"

Thermistor does not stick to the heating block

• Please confirm whether the thermistor on the printing head is attached to the heating block

T1 thermistor is damaged

1. The nozzle and the hotbed are heated separately, and to observe which one will cause the error code
2. If this error code is displayed when heating the nozzle, please disassemble the print head.
3. And measure the resistance value of the T1 thermistor, It's about 100K ohms at 25 degrees Celsius.

Error code "T1 abnormal"

Loose wiring

• Please check and re-plug the wiring

T1 thermistor is damaged

• Please replace the new printhead Or measure the resistance value of the T1 thermistor, It's about 100K ohms at 25 degrees Celsius.

Motherboard problem

• Please measure the resistance value of the T0 port on the motherboard.

Cable and adapter board problems

• If the motherboard port voltage is correct and the spare printhead is replaced, the problem still exists, which is a problem with the adapter board and the cable.
• Please replace the cable and PCB between the motherboard and the printhead.

Preheat error (Heatbed)

Preheat error can happen with either with your Nozzle or Heated bed. So 1st make sure with which of these you have the problem.

Things to check:

1. Make sure that your Heated bed thermistor is properly seated
2. Remove the cable cover from the back of the heated bed and inspect the leads to ensure they are still intact and soldered securely to the pads
3. Remove the cable cover from the back of the heated bed and inspect the leads to ensure they are still intact and soldered securely to the pads

How to find out if your Heater or Thermistor is defective for your Nozzle/ Heatbed? 

1. It is not very common, but there is a chance that extensive printing damaged your heater or thermistor. 
2. The easiest solution is to take a hairdryer and blow hot air at the Hotend or Heatbed. During this process just check if there is any temperature change on the LCD. If there is a change, it means that your thermistor is working, which means that the heater is damaged. If there is no change at all, your thermistor is defective.

Checking voltages and resistance

• Using a multimeter would be the most efficient and accurate way of determining if the components are good or not. It is quite straight forward. 

3D printers have their own vocabulary and words for describing their various parts and functions. If you are doing maintenance or about to seek help online, it is necessary to have the right words to describe your issue or problem. We have put together a list of words with explanation, covering most parts on the printer.

• Bed, Heatbed, Printbed - The commonly used term for the printing pad - a heated area of the 3D printer where 3D objects are printed.
• Silicone glass bed : The plate placed on the heatbed.
  
• Extruder - The printing head also known as an extruder, is the part of a printer consisting of a hotend/nozzle, hobbed pulley, idler, a nozzle fan (print-fan), hotend-fan, bl-touch sensor.
  
• Hotend - Refers to the complex of metal parts found in the extruder.
  
• Heater cartridge - The heater of the nozzle and heat block.
  
• Thermistor - Temperature-sensor. Installed on both hotend and heatbed.
  
• Heat block - The block that contains the Nozzle, thermistor and heater, on the hotend.
  
• bl-touch sensor - Induction-sensor for auto-levelling.
  
• Filament - The term for plastic provided on a spool.
  
• FFF/FDM - Stand for Fused Filament Fabrication and Fused Deposition Manufacturing and is the general term for this method of 3D printing.
  
• 1.75 (mm) - 3D printers use two different diameters (thickness) of filament: 2.85 mm (commonly called as 3 mm) and 1.75 mm. Worldwide, the 1.75mm version is used more, although there is no difference in printing quality. All of our FFF-printers are equipped for 1.75mm filament.
  
• Y-Axis - the general name for the entire heatbed assembly (smooth rods, belt, heatbed…).
  
• Knob - rotate left/right to scroll through options, press the knob to confirm your selection.
  
• LCD screen - the display is used for the configuration of the 3D printer. Use the knob to scroll through the menus and confirm your selection with the press of the knob.
  
• Power switch - when the printer is not in use, turn it off using the power switch.
  
• USB port - compatible with USB 2.0/3.0 flash drives (FAT32 filesystem). Used for reading print files (G-Codes) from the inserted drive and flashing the firmware.
  
• Main PTFE tube (Bowden-tube) - leads the filament strand from the extruder into the print head/nozzle. Inspect it from time to time to make sure there is no debris inside that would prevent the filament strand from reaching the nozzle.
  
• Tube fitting - on both ends of the main PTFE tube. In case filament gets stuck in the PTFE tube, use a spanner (included with the printer) to remove the fittings and the PTFE tube to get access to the filament strand.
  
• Print fan - cools the printed object, improves print quality.
  
• Print head - Lightweight print head consisting of the hotend (printing nozzle), bl-touch sensor, and two fans. The heaviest parts of the extruder were moved onto the Z-axis tower to improve print quality.
  
• Nozzle - 0.4mm nozzle, can be replaced with e.g. 0.25mm or 0.6mm -compatible nozzles to achieve various effects.
  
• Z-Axis - the entire vertical axis assembly (smooth rods, Z-axis motor…).
  
• Extruder / Extruder motor - the extruder motor is not moving along the X-axis. Instead, it’s fixed on the side and pushes filament through the PTFE tube towards the print head.
  
• X-Axis - allows the movement of the belt-driven print head from left to right.
  
• Spool holder - should be placed near the printer, so the filament strand can enter the PTFE tube from below. Filament must not bend at an acute angle.
  
• USB port - Used for reading print files from a USB drive and flashing firmware
  

There are plenty of 3D printing filaments you can choose from. Each of them has its benefits and downsides and choice of material should be decided based on the application and geometry of the 3d-model.

They generally come in 2 different dimensions, 2.85 (known as "3mm" filaments) and 1.75mm.

In general, we can say, the better the mechanical properties they have, the higher the temperature is needed to put them into a malleable state. This can also increase the difficulty of printing. 

Main filament groups 

PLA group

In the PLA group, you can find the best materials for printing large detailed objects. It is well known for being easy to print and good looking (print details up to 50 microns). Generally, we can say this is the material you shall consider using if you are new to 3D printing. 

1. Easy to print, no warping at all.  
2. Great details up to 50 microns.
3. More information to be found in the PLA article.

PET group

It offers great thermal resistance for both indoor and outdoor use. It is reasonably easy to print. It does not warp and in general, is great for mechanical parts. In comparison to ABS, it is good looking and a little more flexible. 

1. Great thermal resistance for outdoor and indoor use.
2. It offers high endurance and a little flexibility.
3. More information to be found in the PETG article.

ABS group 

In comparison to the PET group, ABS offers even higher thermal resistance up to 98°C. Also, it is impact resistant and can be dissolved with Acetone (which is great for connecting separate objects and making your prints smooth). However, it tends to warp and is quite difficult to print.  Last but not least it produces an unpleasant smell when printing, that many people can't stand. A great alternative to ABS is its derivative ASA, with most of ABS's benefits and almost none of its challenges.

Flex group 

This is the only group with which you can achieve almost perfect flexibility. Which makes it great for all kinds of shopping bag handles, phone cases or even RC car wheels. Flex (main material TPU) has very good abrasion resistance, remains flexible in cold environments, and is resistant to many solvents. Although at times it is quite difficult to print.

Support materials

So-called "support materials", like PVA, BVOH and HIPS, are used as dissolvable supports. With which you can achieve perfectly looking objects with odd shapes. Unlike basic supports, you can just easily dissolve them in water or limonene. Keep in mind that you can use these filaments only with the additional Multimaterial upgrade.

Composites

Composite materials consist of the main plastic base and a second material in the form of dust. This way it can simulate wood, steel, brass, etc. like finish. The only problem is that most of these filaments are Very abrasive. 

Therefore you need a hardened steel nozzle (alternatively a Stainless-steel nozzle or a Ruby Nozzle)

PLA or Polylactic acid is the most commonly used filament. It is famously easy to print while being strong enough for most purposes. It represents the perfect choice for printing large objects, thanks to its low thermal expansion (little to no warping) and for printing tiny parts because of its low melting temperature. On top of it all, it is biodegradable, as it is made from the starch of plants such as corn, sugar cane, and sugar beet.

PLA has a relatively low melting temperature, at about 175 degrees Celsius. Unlike other materials, PLA can be heated past its melting point multiple times with minimal degradation. It’s also very hard material, but that also means it’s somewhat brittle. It has a lower layer of cohesiveness compared to other commonly used materials.

The best use of PLA is for printing concept models, prototypes, or low-wear toys.

However, PLA is not a perfect material and, just like every other plastic, has some disadvantages. The low melting temperature also means low-temperature resistance. Parts made from PLA start losing their mechanical strength at temperatures over 60°C. This is also the reason why it has to be sanded wet during eventual post-processing.

The combination of being both biodegradable and having low-temperature resistance means that it’s not ideal for outdoor use, not to mention low UV-resistance. Also, PLA is only soluble in chemicals like chloroform or hot benzene. In order to connect two parts, you can use acetone or superglue.

Advantages

1. Easy to print
2. Can print tiny parts
3. Can print huge objects
4. Hard and stiff
5. Eco-friendly

Disadvantages

1. Brittle
2. Low-temperature resistance
3. Not good for outside use
4. Difficult post-processing

Sovol3D online store - PLA filament

Thermoplastic Polyurethane or TPU is referred to as the bridge between rubbers and plastics. The material appears rubber-like, which means it can be extremely flexible, durable and smooth to the touch. All these properties and compound versatility makes TPU widely used in many industries for coatings, components and customer goods. It is often used for 3D printing.

Advantages

• High abrasion, wear, oil, radiation resistance
• High elasticity
• Strength
• Good tactile properties
• Easily colored
• Compound and properties versatility
• Can be sterilized

Disadvantages

• Requires special manufacturing conditions through all methods
• Some grades have short life cycles
• Material cost is higher compared with some analogs (like PVC)
• Requires water amount control before processed
• Clear TPU yellows irreversibly

In 3D printing technology, usually Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Polylactic acid (PLA) are considered as standard plastics for printer filament but due to insufficient flexibility, they can’t be used in bending prototypes. On the other hand, TPU printing filament is flexible. It can bend easily without any effect on the design, strength and durability. A mild soap can be used for its cleaning.

TPU Flexible Filament Sizes and Storage

TPU 3D filament diameters are typically either 1.75mm or 3mm. Flexible TPU filaments can be stored in a cool airtight container. Container may also have a desiccant pack, so that filament bone remains dry. This container can also help in preventing the entry of dirt and dust particles, so that the filament could be used anytime for print. Although some type of TPUs are water-resistant, prolonged contact with water could result in degradation of the product.

Printing Specifications for TPU Flexible Filament

The print speed for flexible TPU filament should be in the range of 30 to 50 mm/sec. Layer thickness should be set above 0.1mm. Extrusion temperature can range from 200 to 220˚C with the heated bed platform set around 80 to 100˚C. For optimal results print flexible TPU filaments on direct extruders; Flexible TPU filaments can adhere well to most surfaces such as glass, aluminum, Kapton tape, and blue painters tape. It is important to always print in a well ventilated room regardless of the filament type.

Sovol3D online store - TPU filament

Where your spools are located can make the difference between trouble and smooth operation of the printer. It is also often desirable to reduce the footprint of the printer as much as possible. Here are some pointers to where it is best to keep the spool and its holders according to our experience.

We do not recommend using 3d-prints as food-containers.

This is not a guide on how to make your 3D prints food-safe, but rather an outline of the range of issues related to "food-safe" 3d printing. We do not recommend using 3d-prints as food-containers etc!

Materials

• PETG, and sometimes PLA, are hailed in the 3D printing community for being chemically neutral and as practically food-safe materials. Your soda plastic bottles, food containers, and salad boxes are made from PET, a close relative of PETG.
• The problem, with all 3d-printed objects, in general, is that they are made from layers. The grooves in between those layers are a seedbed for bacteria as they are almost impossible to clean properly, and will hold residue.
• Another issue is color-pigment and unknown additives. These might not be as neutral to your body as pure plastic. It is also hard to say exactly how much there is of these substances. Natural/pure PETG-filament without any color, would be your best bet, but it's hard to say exactly what is in it. Some filaments are FDA-approved, but often with an asterisk like "Approved except red, orange, and pink".

Where can you get 3D models?

    The best way to get started with 3D printing is to find pre-made models on the internet - they should be in the .stl or .obj format. Fortunately, 3D printing has fans all over the world, and there are some great websites, where you can download a large variety of awesome 3D models - ranging from a simple shaver holder to a detailed aircraft engine replica.

Our favorite sites with high-quality models

    3D models are generally free to download under the Creative Commons - Attribution - Non Commercial licenses (Models not to be used commercially. Otherwise, you must always include the name of the author). In some cases, you can download the models for a small fee and support the authors. 

1. http://www.thingiverse.com/
2. https://pinshape.com/ 
3. https://www.youmagine.com/ 
4. http://www.shapeways.com/ 
5. http://www.123dapp.com/ 

Preparing downloaded models for printing

    Downloaded models usually come in stl., obj. or similar file formats. Before you can start printing them, you need to convert them into .gcode files first, using a slicer.

The SO-1 pen plotter is a new product developed by Sovol 3D, which specializes in developing, producing, and online retailing 3d printer and other related products.

SO-1 is capable of writing or drawing on paper, cards, book pages, and any flat surface. It can write with your favorite pens and markers.

SO-1 is designed to serve a wide variety of everyday and specialized drawing and writing needs. You can use it to make many creative drawings and other interesting arts. It's a great machine that can help you draw beautiful pictures and there is no need to purchase inks for it as long as you have a pen.

For more information, please visit our website.

1. Power Jack
2. USB Port
3. TF Card
4. LCD Screen
5. Operation Button
6. Controller Cover
7. Y-Axis
8. Y Motor
9. X Motor
10. Side Plate
11. Knurled-Head Thumb Nut
12. X-Axis
13. Board
14. Fixed Plate
15. Slide Plate
16. Pen Holder
17. Pen Lock Screw
18. Servo Motor
19. Angle Adjust Screw

Pen Plotter

AC/DC Adaptor

TF Card & Adaptor

Board set

Knurled-Head Thumb Nut （Qty:4）

Servo Motor

• Step1. Carefully lift X-Axis and position it as shown in figure 1.
• Step2. Match the holes on the X motor mount with the four Roller Screws. And slowly put press the X motor Mount down until it touches the Roller Screws.
• Step3. Gently tight the Thumb Nuts and lock the X Motor Mount.
• Step4. Follow the steps in figure 2: slide the cable in the gap (arrow 1), and then connect the 3pin end (arrow 1) to the Limit Switch and the other end (arrow1) to the Y Motor.

SO-1 XY Plotter Circuit Wiring

SO-1 Screen Information:

SO-1 Control main menu:

SO-1 Quick Start:

1. Place the machine on a stable desktop or flat surface.

2. Connect the power jack.

3. Manually move the two axes to a clear area above the drawing board.

4. Follow the Screen Info and select the [Pen down] option.

5. Insert a pen and make the pen tip touch the paper. Then lock the hand screw.

6. On the screen, select [Auto home] to move the plotter to its origin.

7. Insert the TF card, select [Plot from TF] and choose one sample to test the machine.

Then you can start to install the software and enjoy the art world.

Inkscape SO-1 1.0 Operation Guide:

1, Install Inkscape SO-1 and run.

（Please download the software from our official website https://sovol3d.com/pages/download）

2, Follow the steps and create a wireframe sphere.

3, You can drag the arrows to change the size and shape of your object.

4, Now we need to convert the Object to Path.

5, This window provides machine-related parameter settings and values. Click "apply" after filling in the proper values.

6, You will find the Gcode file in your direction folder as shown. The last step is to copy it into your SD card and start the plotting.

Aside from the most common applications, Sovol3D SO-1 is used by a genuinely diverse range of people, including (to name a few):

1. Digital artists, using Sovol3D SO-1 to plot their artwork.
2. Celebrities, politicians, and elected officials, using Sovol3D SO-1 as a signature machine.
3. University officials and other educators, to sign diplomas and certificates.
4. Educators, introducing students to digital design and fabrication.
5. Real estate and insurance agents, who would very much like you to open their "handwritten" envelopes.
6. Online retailers, including a personalized thank you note with your order.
7. Hotels that would like to leave a personalized welcome note for guests.
8. Makerspaces and hackerspaces, providing a versatile low-cost fabrication tool.
9. Pen and ink manufacturers, using Sovol3D SO-1 to test their pens and inks.
10. Smartphone and tablet hardware makers, using a stylus to test their hardware.
11. Mobile device software authors, using a stylus to test their software.
12. People without full use of their hands, who would like to send "handwritten" letters.
13. Research scientists, as a low-cost XY motion platform.
14. Galleries, for numbering of limited-edition artwork.
15. Calligraphers, who could use a little wrist relief for certain types of busywork.

    The Sovol3D S0-1 is a pen plotter, which is a type of simple robot. Its sole function is to guide a pen (or other implement mounted in the pen holder) along with the set of vector lines, curves, and paths that you ask it to follow. Everything that the machine is ultimately capable of, such as drawing graphics, writing text, or signing documents, are expressions of this basic function. It is capable of drawing essentially anything that can be composed of a set of lines.

    In practice, this is much like using a traditional printer, except that you need to take care that your documents are made of paths, rather than pixels.

The Sovol3D SO-1 is an extremely versatile machine, designed to serve a wide variety of everyday and specialized drawing and writing needs. You can use it for almost any task that might normally be carried out with a handheld pen.

The most common uses are:

1. As a signature machine for checks, diplomas, headshots, etc
2. As a "handwriting" machine for various purposes.
3. Digital artists, using SO-1 to plot their artwork.
4. As a versatile fabrication tool.

Sovol3D SO-1 does not require proprietary pens or ink: you can use your pens, chosen within certain guidelines.

Sovol3D SO-1 can hold most types of pens and similar instruments up to 5/8" (16 mm) diameter. (A larger XL Pen Clip is available as well to fit larger pens.)

Good choices for pens to use include fountain pens, permanent markers, liquid-ink rollerball pens, technical pens, small-bodied whiteboard markers and other writing and drawing instruments that do not require significant downward pressure. While we refer to writing and drawing instruments as “pens” to be concise, other instruments such as automatic pencils (particularly with soft lead), chalk, charcoal, and brushes can also work well in many cases.

    Sovol3D SO-1 does not require a special paper; you can use almost any kind and size of paper. (You can even use all kinds of things that are not paper.)

    The XY travel (printable area) of the Sovol3D SO-1 is just over that of both US letter (8½ × 11”) and A4 paper sizes. The larger size models have about twice this travel.

    You can work with any size of paper up to the size of the travel area. You can write directly onto small pieces like business cards (or a whole array of them), medium size pieces envelopes and note cards, or sheets of paper.

Calligraphy is not the same in any sense as (for example) simply using computer fonts or plotting a drawing. Calligraphy generally involves individually sculpted letter shapes, and in many cases pen movements that are far more complex than Sovol3D SO-1 can provide.

That said, some calligraphers do use Sovol3D SO-1 for low-end busywork (say, addressing hundreds of place cards), saving some wear on their wrists, and presumably passing along some of the cost savings.

The Sovol3D SO-1 is designed for moving a pen, not a carving or cutting tool. It does not have the type of rigidity that you need for carving, nor the ability to apply significant downward force.

Sovol3D SO-1 can be used with whatever fonts are on your computer, so long as the text is converted to paths before plotting.

We do not recommend it!

The Sovol3D SO-1 is designed to work on flat surfaces, and we do not test them in the vertical orientation. That said, quite a few Sovol3D SO-1 users have mounted theirs to the wall without apparent difficulty.

One issue to consider is that the Sovol3D SO-1's pen holder normally rests the pen on the writing surface by its weight alone. On the wall, you'll need an alternative to gravity for lowering the pen. The typical solution is a rubber band.

1. It is possible to happen if you set up the wrong paper size in the software, or did not [Auto Home]. Please make sure the paper size is A4, letter, or less. 

2. Use the [Auto Home] function before starting a new drawing. 

1. Check the wire connection. 

2.The damage of the servo motor. Servo motor does wear out over time, depending on how often you use the machine. We have prepared one spare servo motor for you.