@MontyFlange - I am currently filming a video about converting a CR-10, and will also do a live stream installation. If you need any help just let me know.

@dc42:

I've just had notification that the prototype PCBs for the laser filament sensor are on their way to me from HK! I only ordered them last Sunday.

Great news!
Is there still space on the Beta List?

@DeltaCon:

@McAdam:

…The idea I've had so far is to use a digital tire gauge caliper, it's inexpensive, fairly accurate, and has a built-in serial output.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Digital-Tyre-Tire-Tread-Brakes-Shoe-Pad-Wear-Depth-Gauge-Caliper-0-25mm-/321762696307
Reading the output with a small microcontroller (ESP8266) I can then adjust the flowrate.

Nice idea, but would you press the gauge against the filament using a spring or something? I guess when a whole spool of filament passed this plastic toy, there would be a huge abraded hole in it.

Idea was to have a small pulley attached to the end of the guage, (similar to pulleys found in extruders) so there will be no friction.

@fma:

Does the section of your filament vary that much?

You need to measure the diameter in both directions, as the filament can be oval, and the section remaining the same…

Over a whole 2.5kg spool, it can vary quite a lot.

Yes, checking for OVALness will be very difficult, I have not thought of a solution to it yet

For a while I've been toying with the idea of a filament thickness detector.
I often do 20 hour prints on 2.5kg spools, so the thickness of filament can vary a bit within a single print.
Supplier states 1.75mm +/- 0.05mm but I have found it to be closer to 0.08mm

The idea I've had so far is to use a digital tire gauge caliper, it's inexpensive, fairly accurate, and has a built-in serial output.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Digital-Tyre-Tire-Tread-Brakes-Shoe-Pad-Wear-Depth-Gauge-Caliper-0-25mm-/321762696307

Reading the output with a small microcontroller (ESP8266) I can then adjust the flowrate.

For actual filament movement; A 16 bit resolution rotary encoder with a extruder gear on it.

I know these solutions are more mechanical than the current suggestions, but maybe they can inspire some new thoughts.

@Zerogee
I have the system set up without setting the probe as a Z Endstop and without a mechanical Z Endswitch.

My homez and homeall config files jsut contain the following:

G91
G1 Z5 F6000
G90
G1 Y10 X10 F6000
G30
G1 Z2
G1 Y0 X0 F6000
G1 Z0.05

In my start gcode I tell the printer to heat the nozzle to 130c then home the axis, then heat the nozzle to the desired temp:
M572 D0 S0.01
M190 S[bed0_temperature];
M109 S130;
G28 ; home axes
M109 S[extruder0_temperature];

This works perfectly for me, as the G30 will set the Z to 0 when its triggered.

@deckingman:

Don't know if it's a clue but in the OP, the layer count is out as well. Almost as if the print was terminated early.

I just had grabbed the text from whatever was printing. The print completed successfully

@T3P3Tony:

S3d might be configured with the wrong filament diameter?

Nope, Double checked and its set correctly ar 1.75mm

Might be because I did a Dirty Upgrade from V3 to V4…

Thanks,
I'm using FW v1.19 & S3D V4 using relative coordinates.

I'll try to upgrade to the v1.2 fw and see if the same issue exists.
I guess if I had the filament monitor it would be easy to tell which one is off

It's sliced in S3D
End Gcode is:

G28 X0 ; home x axis
M106 S0 ; turn off cooling fan
M104 S0 ; turn off extruder
M140 S0 ; turn off bed
M84 ; disable motors

@DC42

I just checked some gCODE files and S3D does indeed append the following (taken same model with slight settings tweaks).

; Build Summary
;   Build time: 12 hours 47 minutes
;   Filament length: 105026.7 mm (105.03 m)
;   Plastic volume: 252618.79 mm^3 (252.62 cc)
;   Plastic weight: 315.77 g (0.70 lb)
;   Material cost: 14.53

So then it seems that for some odd reason either S3D is miscalculating or the printer is reporting an incorrect amount.

Since nobody else has reported this I will assume its S3D - Any idea what could cause this?

So I've been working through some final issues I've been experiencing with my duet board.
One that is not really a problem but just bugs me is Filament Usage.

This is what is reported in the Duet Web Control:
Layer: 346 of 351, Filament Usage: 67405.3mm of 106177.4mm (38772.1mm remaining)

So it seems that the calculated total filament usage is off by at least 30%
Any ideas where to start to look into this?
I assume it goes through the Gcode file and just adds up all the E distances - so how can I make it more accurate?

Many thanks

Start Gcode:

M572 D0 S0.01
M190 S[bed0_temperature]; 
M109 S130;
G28 ; home axes
G1 Z5
M84 S0 ; Disable Stepper Timeout
G1 X0 Y0 F9000 ; go to front of bed
G1 Z0.05; use the bed to block the nozzle to prevent ooze 
M109 S[extruder0_temperature];
G1 Z0.2
G1 X85 E9 F4000 ; wipe along the edge of the bed
G1 Y20 F4000 ; wipe along the edge of the bed
G1 X290 F4000 ; wipe along the edge of the bed
G1 Z0.5     ; lift before move to center
M83 ;