CREALITY

BaDboD

1: Z-height. depending on the bed plate this can be very critical to extremely critical. ~0.1mm

2: Bed level. Make your plate flat and level. Level the bed corners and X-gantry (align Z steppers if more than one). Use Automatic Bed Leveling to 'flatten' the bed.

3: Temperature, for PLA Bed 60 and nozzle 200 (check your brand but I always use the same setting for first layer regardless). In your slicer have it drop or raise to your wanted printer temperature after the first layer or so.

4: Speed, you can start at 10mm/s to make it much easier, but aim for 20-30mm/s or be willing to wait forever for the first layer to complete. Build up as you get more proficient at getting a good Z-height and level bed.

5: Some materials are more difficult than others, tape is a good suggestion, even required in some cases (try getting PETG of a smooth glass plate without breaking the glass). However build plate can make all the difference. The textured build plates are much easier to get a good first layer and adhesion. Smooth surfaces are much harder to get started, but can give exceptionally good adhesion if you can get the print to start the first line. Z-height is much more critical on smooth build plates like PEI or glass,

6: Retraction: too slow or too fast and starting lines will be a problem. 25-35mm/s seems good for retract/unretract.

7: Travel speed, too slow and you will ooze too much away between moves to get a good start to lines, especially on the first layer..

8: Skirt or Brim: usually places the nozzle much closer to the actual start of print than purge lines so makes the start of print much easier. Brim adds to overall adhesion too.

9: Fatter lines: using .6 or .8 line width makes laying down the first layer a lot easier. Not as pretty maybe, but easier line starts and better adhesion. Set in slicer to only use wider line for first layer.

Avoid glues, they can help but if your using a BLTouch, for example, you are looking for trouble. So far, the probe tip of a BLTouch is the only thing I have ever found that WILL stick to pritt stick. But generally, if you need glue then something else is wrong.

BaDboD

BaDboD

I replaced mine twice, keeping the good parts until I got all working, but then the firmware does not work, you cant even use 'home' or it tries to home off the bed. No way of changing anything. Also noticed if you pressed just about anything other than auto level and aux level the head just crashes into the bed.

Bent rails and bed wobbling about. Totally unadjustable (exactly as you describe, and same with 2 replacements but got straight rails with last one and could adjust it fine after rebuilding the bed.) Bent pin on the cables sockets on X gantry, rollers so tight V slots deformed and rollers oval, all of them, all axis. Z-steppers not even close to aligned. etc ect

Once the hardware was all fine then the electronics had to go. Mainly firmware don't work but to fix that.....

(I am talking about the firmware that is 'latest' as of this posting, CR-10 Smart_HW-CRC2405V1.2_SW-V1.07T19, and previous)

Wifi/LAN etc only works if you wanna use a mobile phone, LOL. and you cant configure the network settings. totally useless, could not even connect it to my network as you cannot configure the network settings. Replaced with alternative.

Replaced the board with a SKR CR6 board, all same connectors etc, fits straight in, even same mounting holes. So I now I could put a working firmware on it.

Replaced the display with a 12864 CR-10 Stock. The stock Smart display is exactly same as the stock Smart firmware, featureless, cant change anything and mostly does not work. Fine if your only leveling, or want to watch a hot nozzle ramming into your build plate. No use if your actually wanting to print. Far from 'smart'

Built and installed latest Marlin firmware 2.0.9.1, you can also get the CR6 Community firmware for it, ready built and works well as long you bin the stock display and change the board.

That's when it was safe to put filament in it and try a print. 4 weeks after receiving the first unit. I was ready to just refund it so many times. Did get a fairly hefty rebate from supplier seeing as 3 units all with bad hardware then to find it just does not work anyway. How are they selling this? Aahh yes, cheap.

I am now glad I stuck it out and made it work.

Prints really nice, auto leveling is a dream. I'm using UBL but Bilinear works well too. Unlike my other printers this one does level once then forever after you just print. Works every time, without any messing about. No need for babystepping every time HURRAH. The strain gauge nozzle sensor is really accurate and totally repeatable. I think I can get it to fit my Ender 3 V2 , maybe using the CR-6FE hotend? compared the BLTouch sux.

BaDboD

did you try OBS? when you plug it in, do you see it register as a device in syslog, or device manager? Certainly in windows a UVC device should show up as 'USB Video', if it needs a driver it will be under 'Unknown devices' but then it would not be UVC anyway.

from syslog
~$ tail -f /var/log/syslog
Aug 18 10:51:50 kernel: [ 53.593201] uvcvideo: Found UVC 1.00 device USB Video (534d:2109)
Aug 18 10:51:50 kernel: [ 53.622510] usbcore: registered new interface driver uvcvideo
Aug 18 10:51:50 kernel: [ 53.622513] USB Video Class driver (1.1.1)
Aug 18 10:51:50 mtp-probe: checking bus 1, device 2: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:11.0/0000:02:03.0/usb1/1-1"

not a Creality kit cam, just a generic UVC device.
If it does not get detected at all then faulty is my first.

BaDboD

there is a letter written in sharpie/felt tip on top of the SD card port on the controller board. You will need to lift the lid on the electronics / controller housing to see it. please refer to the list below to see which stepper drivers you have

C = HR4988
E = A4988
A = TMC2208
B = TMC2209
H = TMC2225

BaDboD

If it is the same as the Smart with a short piece of bowden tube in the throat then it is probably rattling around loose in there, my Smart was 1.5mm too short and only a week old. take the nozzle out and see if it is. cut a new length, make sure the piece of tube is protruding from the throat ~1mm so the nozzle tightens onto the tube , not the metal throat.

If your bowden goes all the way through the heatsink to the nozzle then loosen nozzle ,push tube down and lock it, then tighten nozzle up. Your symptom do sound like your nozzle is not pushed up hard against the tube. I was getting exactly same with the clunking extruder and missing bits of lines, clogging etc until I put a longer piece in so it was tight on the nozzle. stringing went away and needed much lower retraction too once it was fixed.

Your retraction should be ~6.5mm @25 or so mm/s . Too long a retraction can also cause partial clogging/unclogging, similar symptoms

BaDboD

oh, and if on sdcard, which sd-card? I understand there is an sdcard on the built in Creality Cloud Wifi box unit. Does it use this one? If so, when I remove the Creality Cloud Wifi box will it use the sdcard in the front slot instead?

BaDboD

Good one. I do hope they got one. I have never seen one.

Sorry but I fear Youtube, and google are your friends here. Apart from the leaflet you got in the box I don't think a manual exists, but I am happy to be proved wrong! I want a copy, to put in a glass case or frame.

There are a lot of good sites and Creality printers are very popular. you will find excellent guides at - all3dp.com/basics/ and youtube channels - CHEP, Chris Riley , Teaching Tec, MatterHackers etc etc. There are many more too.

BaDboD

BaDboD

well, makes no difference about sdcard. Inserted correctly formatted , supplied by Creality sdcard and does the same, sitting there after auto level and any action crashes nozzle into bed.

BaDboD

@admin that is good news, many thanks for your response. I have almost 2 weeks and not even put filament as all prepare will fail. Thank you again for good news about EEPROM

Is the latest firmware the 1.07 from creality website downloads link?

BaDboD

Marlin 2.0.9.1 has support for the BTT SKR CR6 board, which goes in the CR-10 Smart just fine. Now have not only working, but latest and greatest Marlin working perfectly. You will need to ditch the the stock touch for a 12864 CR-10-STOCK display or BTT35-V3.0 or similar., but that is pretty much a given anyway.
All the cables/connectors are in there already for dumping the built in wifi for something that actually works too! Octoprint or one of the slicers that will print over USB etc. From trash to treasure.

Really very good quality prints from this thing. Shame the Creality firmware and wifi do not work.

BaDboD

CR-10 Smart Pro has a top mount spool holder, Looks like that should be a direct fit.

A lot of the parts are interchangeable, for eg, on my Ender 3 V2 I used the red Z sliders from the CR-10 pro V2 . Perfect fit with dual-Z , plenty room to mount things like filament sensor and looks cool. So you might be surprised what parts you can order from other machines that will be a nice upgrade.

Im hoping BTT, or maybe even Creality? will come out with a board with independent dual Z to fit the Smart, like the E3 turbo boards for the Ender 3 V2's, it's about the only upgrade I still want for the Smart.

For the Ender 3 V2 I would like a strain gauge nozzle sensor that fits. for the leveling . The Smarts sensor kicks BLTouch's butt, I had to modify the V2 quite a bit to get full bed coverage for the BL and the BL just isn't as super easy to use and foolproof as the Smart's .

BaDboD

IIRC, it is disabled by default, and unless they fixed it in the firmware it does not do anything. The firmware was incapable of saving settings etc (maybe some on the SD-card?) so not much point enabling even if there is an option for it. Dunno about the latest firmware? you might try. I been following release notes and announcements but functionality seems to be still hovering just around the zero mark.

Do post back here if you get it working, might be useful to some one else.

BaDboD

as far as I am aware there is no way to connect anything to this model printer. Neither the 'wifi' or USB will work. You have to go through the app/cloud thingy or if your lucky you may be able to use the SD-card, but as just about anything you press on the built in display thing instantly nozzle crashes not even sure how you do that. Replaced my printer 3 times before giving up.
The only sure fire way I know to connect to this printer (or to use it all actually) is to remove the existing electronics and replace with like BTT SKR CR6 board, 12864 CR-10 Stock or BTT display and Raspberry pi to replace the 'wifi'. which is what I did. Excellent printer if you do got this route. The nozzle strain gauge sensor leveling is great, no fiddling about at all and perfect first layer every time. So kinda worth it if you pick one up cheap and willing to do the work involved.

BaDboD

weird, mine was always responsive straight away, didn't do anything useful (like print), but it did instantly drive the nozzle hard into the bed the moment you pressed anything on it, no delay at all. replaced the entire printer 3 times, and all were the same so I think they are not supposed to take several minutes to be responsive. pressing autolevel was the only thing did work without ramming the nozzle into the bed immediately, and that worked within about 30 seconds of power on. So no should be pretty much immediately responsive.

BaDboD

Crikey, I gave up waiting a year ago, Gut it. SKR CR6 board and a 12863 CR-10 Stock display, then run up Marlin, good to go, Print quality is excellent, good printers if you remove all the supplied electronics and firmware.

BaDboD

There is a spare card in the cloud thingy if your not using it. in the base unit.

Try older 8 or 16Mb cards. Think I have a 1Gb card that also worked. Long time since I used the original board so I cant remember the largest I used in it, Just make sure your allocation units is set to 4096? (click default settings ?) when you format it. I would have to ask me Grandad to be sure as he is the only person I know old enough to remember these cards now.

BaDboD

depends on firmware version (dunno if it was fixed or not) The auto level does not save it's data so has to auto level every print apparently. You could try removing the G29 from the Gcode startup but unless the firmware has been fixed I can't see it working, so be prepared for hot nozzle ramming into bed action.

If your using the cloud thingy , dunno if you can remove the G29 ? Never tried the cloud thingy, nothing else worked so why play with something I don't wanna use even it it might be the only bit that do work anyway?

Never used any of the original electronics as none of it worked except for the single action of ramming the nozzle into the bed till things broke (that worked 100% so if that's what your into ?). Dont even think they ever fixed the home button to actually home? After 3 replacements I gave up and changed all the electronics to usable stuff. Works great now, really like the strain gauge nozzle as sensor leveling. Flawless first layer every time.

BaDboD