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Flashforge USA Creator Startup Manual

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Creator
Quick Start Guide
Version 2.0 (January 2014)

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Summary of Contents for Flashforge USA Creator

  • Page 1 Creator Quick Start Guide Version 2.0 (January 2014)

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Contents Section 1: What’s Included in the Box? Section 2: Unboxing Section 3: Initial Hardware Installation Section 4: Software Installation Section 5: USB Connection & Temperature Setting Section 6: Filament Installing the Filament Feeding the Filament Using LCM Screen Withdrawing the Filament Using LCM Screen Setting the Parameter Initial Print Dual Extruder Print...
  • Page 3 For instructions on how to do this, please refer to page 8. Precautions: Please make sure to read this page carefully prior to setting up and operating the Creator. The Creator is very sensitive to static electricity, so please make sure you contact a grounded object before operating the machine.

  • Page 4: Section 1: What's Included In The Box

    What’s Included in the Box? Along with your Creator 3D printer, the box also contains the following. An accessory box on top of the Creator:  Single or dual extruder heads,  1 or 2 filament holders,  SD Card, ...

  • Page 5: Section 2: Unboxing

    Note: Do not lift the box by the black cable. Doing so could cause damage. Next, take the Creator out of the box by grasping the outer frame. Be sure to grasp only the frame. Gently lift and transfer the printer to your work surface, as shown on the next page.
  • Page 6 With the Creator removed, you will find the power supply and cable, USB A to B cable, and a filament guide tube. Remove them from the box and set them aside. Now, open the accessory box and remove the accessory sleeve.
  • Page 7 Next, you should be able to see underneath the build platform. Here, you'll find the filament (either one or two rolls depending on whether your Creator has single or dual extruders). It’s easiest to remove the filament by setting aside the remaining packaging material.

  • Page 8: Section 3: Initial Hardware Installation

    115V (for United States). To do this, begin by carefully placing the Creator on one of its sides so that the bottom is exposed. You will see the Creator’s power supply. Using a flathead screwdriver, switch the red power supply switch so that it displays 115V, as shown below.
  • Page 9 Next is the installation of the filament bracket. If you have two brackets, install one on each side; If you only have one, install it on the right hand side (when viewing the creator from the front). The installation of the filament bracket is very simple – just insert it into the circular opening and tighten the nut behind.
  • Page 10 Now plug the USB A to B cable into the USB B-type port, do not plug the other end in yet. Finally, take the filament out of the box, install it onto the bracket and screw in the nut. Do not over tighten.

  • Page 11: Section 4: Software Installation

    Software Installation ReplicatorG0040 is the ideal software to use with the single or dual extruder Creator. The latest version can be downloaded from our official website by following the link below and clicking on “Download Replicator G 0400 Installer”. http://www.flashforge-usa.com/printer-support/downloads/ Download the files suitable for your system and decompress/extract them.
  • Page 12 Machine Type. Choose Replicator Dual for Creator dual extruder machines, and choose The Replicator Single for Creator II single extruder machines. In this guide, we will select The Replicator Dual. After selecting the appropriate machine, click on...
  • Page 13 The following gives an introduction on how to import files (.STL) into the Replicator G software and generate Gcode in order to print. Click File > Open, then browse and select the file (.STL) that you would like to print. Import the file by double-clicking on it.
  • Page 14 A. Slicing Profile: select Replicator slicing defaults for ABS printing, then select Replicator 2 slicing defaults for PLA printing. B. This tells the printer which extruder to use for a dual extruder-headed printer — either the left head or the right head can be selected. C.
  • Page 15 For users who did not choose the default installation path in the installation of Python, clicking the Generate Gcode button in Replicator G will result in dialogue box popping up alerting that the executable Python file cannot be found. In order to resolve this, click the ‘No’ button to dismiss the dialogue box. Next, we need to configure the corresponding menu.
  • Page 16 Click File > Preferences on the top navigation bar, then click Select Python Interpreter under the Advanced tab. A new window will pop up. Navigate to the Python installation directory and select python.exe and click ‘Open’. Last, click ‘Close’ on the Preferences menu and you are done! The machine will now work as normal when generating Gcode, and the Python error message will not pop up again.

  • Page 17: Section 5: Usb Connection & Temperature Setting

    USB Connection & Temperature Setting First, connect the machine and the computer using the provided USB A to B cable. The USB port on the machine is bound by the box in the below image. After connecting the cable, open the Replicator G software as we are going to link the computer and printer.
  • Page 18 Locate the software driver shown in the blue box above. Right click and select ‘Update Driver Software’. Click ‘Browse my computer for driver software’ to find the location of ReplicatorG0040 on your system.
  • Page 19 Click ‘FTDI USB Drivers’ in the driver folder and click ‘OK’. The drivers will then be installed. The next step is to link the printer. Rescan the serial ports and select the one that appears on your machine (on our test machine the port was COM10). Now we can link the machine to the computer.
  • Page 20 If the printer connect icon turns dim, as shown in the illustration below, the printer has successfully connected to the computer. Next, we need to preheat the extruder and build platform. In the same set of menu, click on the cross-shaped icon and a new interface will appear. Input the following target values: 220°C for the extruder and 115°C for the heating platform.

  • Page 22: Section 6: Filament

    Filament To make the process of feeding the filament into the printer easy, please follow the next few steps carefully: After inserting the filament into the feeding hole, do not push it further until the extruder temperature reaches 200°C or more. Once the machine reaches this point, you will feel the filament being pulled into the extruder head.

  • Page 23: Feeding The Filament Using Lcm Screen

    6.2 Feeding the Filament Using LCD Screen 1. Turn on the Creator; the display will indicate: ▶ Build from SD Preheat Utilities 2. Using the directional arrows to the right of the screen, press the page down key to scroll to the next page.

  • Page 24: Withdrawing The Filament Using Lcm Screen

    Unload (Side), depending on which extruder you wish to remove filament from (for dual extruder model only). The Creator will now begin to heat up again to its target temperature. 6. After it is finished heating up, the extruder will begin to reverse its gears and unload the filament.

  • Page 25: Setting The Parameter

    Exit on the LCD screen and repeat steps 1 to 6. If the error persists after several attempts, please call FlashForge USA technical support at 626-322-3855 (M-F 8:30 a.m. PST – 5:00 p.m PST) or e-mail supports@flashforge-usa.com. 6.5 Setting the Parameters Before generating Gcode, specific parameters can be set up to customize various aspects of the print.

  • Page 26: Initial Print

    Initial Print Click File > Examples and then select “20mm_Calibration_Box.stl”. The preview interface will then appear along with a virtual impression of the 20mm cube on the virtual printer bed. On the preview interface click Move > Center Put on platform so that the sample will be printed on the center of the build plate.
  • Page 27 A loading bar will then appear showing the progress of the Gcode generation. After the Gcode is generated, the temperature of the bottom plate needs to be changed. See below for the required modification. First, select Gcode as shown highlighted in the illustration below and change ‘M109 S110 T0’...
  • Page 28 After modifying, click on file and save the sample. Next, click on the left most icon on the green bar, as highlighted below. The Gcode has now been sent to the printer and the object will start printing shortly.

  • Page 29: Dual Extruder Print

    Dual Extruder Print Open Replicator G and select Gcode > Merge .stl for Dual Extrusion. You will see the following: Click on the first Browse button to locate and select the file for the left extruder, and then click on the second Browse button for right extruder:...
  • Page 30 If you want to print dual colors with PLA filament, then perform the following settings: If you want to print dual colors with ABS filament, select Replicator slicing defaults under the Slicing Profile column, and lower the Feedrate Travel Feedrate to 80.
  • Page 31 Click on the following button to export .x3g file for SD card print.

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