3d Stuffmaker Mega Prusa problems

Hi

I have had a look at the repetier page and the configuration of the firmware. It looks a little complicated but I will see if I can work through it.

I seem to remember reading that Downunder35m has done articles on the difficulties that the Stuffmaker 3d Mega has issues with changing firmware to anything else other than what was designed for it. Have you struck that at all?

I also noticed this discussion on the forum:

[forums.reprap.org]

That discusses backing up firmware from the arduino. Is it worth trying to rescue the firmware off the arduino, hooking it up through a usb?

I suppose the main thing is, I can try the repetier firmware arrangement and see how I go, but do you reckon it will work ok?

I suppose to understand what I am doing is actually putting the firmware on the arduino. I assume I can do this off the printer, with the arduino attached to my computer, or does it need to be hooked up to the printer?

I apologise for the questions.

Regards

Ian

Hi Ian,

I don't have a Stuffmaker, so I don't know about anything specific to their machines. From the pictures it doesn't look like they've done anything too unusual. Since you have two arduinos I wouldn't worry about getting the existing firmware off the old board unless you run into a problem setting up the new board that you can't solve. I can't think of any reason why putting Repetier on the new board can't be made to work. The main thing is that you are going to need to know a lot of details about the hardware to configure the firmware - how big, which endstops are connected and what sort, which outputs the heaters are connected to and what sort of thermistors are being used.

Yes, you can upload the firmware to the arduino before you install it in the printer, but obviously you will need it installed in order to check everything is working correctly. And chances are it will take a few goes to get everything right, so you will probably end up re-flashing the firmware while the board is in the printer sooner or later.

Repetier has an on-line configuration editor that makes life easier: [www.repetier.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2016 06:38AM by JamesK.

Hi

I am glad for your advice and will have a go with the repetier config tool.

It always helps to have someone with more confidence and experience in the background.

Regards

Ian

Hi

Just started to work on the firmware file on repetier.

On the first page it mentions that I need to select the type of printer, listing a Cartesian Printer as first choice.





Any suggestions on what is the correct choice of printer.

Regards

Ian

Hi

The next problem is the tools page that highlights the Extruder Switch Speed.



I assume this relates to dual extruders, which my printer doesn't have.

How do I change that detail on this page.

Regards

Ian

Hi

The third problem is the User interface page, which wants me to define what screen I am using.



Any directions here.

Regards

Ian

Hi

On the final page it gives me this warning about a watchdog.



Any directions on where to adjust that.

Regards

Ian

OK, let's see. First up, I think you have a Prusa style printer, so that's the Cartesian type (it's just a fancy way of saying the printer uses independent x, y and z axis).

The extruder switch speed and any other settings relating to multiple extruders will be ignored if you only define a single extruder, so you can just ignore that.

I'm not sure which LCD comes with the Stuffmaker. The most likely choices are RepRapDiscount Full graphic smart controller or the "Smartcontroller from RepRapDiscount on a Ramps...". The first one is the 128x64 graphics lcd, the second is the 4 line text lcd.

The warning about the watchdog can be ignored. I can't remember the details, but there's some reason why enabling the watchdog on a mega/ramps system isn't the good idea you would think it would be.

Hi

I have made my Repetier Firmware file and in the process of uploading it to the arduino.

A part of the instructions require me to do the following:

For a first successful upload, follow the next steps:

Open the register tab named „Configuration.h“
Search the line „#define MOTHERBOARD“ and change the number behind to match your board.
Near the bottom you see a line „#define BAUDRATE 250000“. Change the baud rate to match your preferences or leave it.
Make sure the printer is connected and port and board type are set correctly.
Press the upload button. That is the button with the arrow to the right.
After a while you see the length of the compiled firmware file and the upload starts. On most boards you will see a led starting to flicker. After it stops flickering, the upload is verified and then you see the message „Upload done“ in the IDE.

What motherboard number do I use?

Search the line „#define MOTHERBOARD“ and change the number behind to match your board

Hope you can help.

Regards

Ian

Hi Ian,

The instructions have got a bit out of date. If you used the online config tool to get the firmware you probably already set the motherboard and baudrate, both settings are on the 'general' page of the online config tool. The first page of the config tool allows you to upload your existing config if you want to double check what settings you made or make any changes. Once the firmware is configured it should be as simple as loading it into the arduino development environment, selecting Tools->Boards->Ardiuno Mega 2560 and selecting the right serial port under Tools->serial port, and then using the upload button (or File->Upload) to upload the firmware to the board.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2016 09:42PM by JamesK.

Hi

Thanks for that.

I have got that sorted with you help. Its almost ready to put back on the printer and start rewiring again.

This time I have photos of how it should all go, so I shouldn't blow it up again.

Regards

Ian

Hi

I have just finally got all my replacement bits, the arduino, ramps board and a replacement expansion port.

I have started pluging cables in according to specs and my photos, but I have struck my photo of where I wired the power wrong. I don't know whether the wiring is correct or wrong in the photo.



I defintely don't want to make any mistakes this time around.

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

Regards

Ian

Hi Ian,

Assuming the normal convention of red wire for +ve and black for -ve the photo looks right. If you want to use a heated bed you will need to connect another set of +ve and -ve wires to the other set of input connections. If you have a meter you might want to unplug the outer part of the power connector and confirm the voltage and polarity on the plug before powering everything up.

Reference schematic for confirming the connections: [reprap.org]

Hi

Thanks for the diagram and the advice. All went well and the printer started up without a puff of smoke included.

The next problem, should be a simple one I think. I started repetier and tried to connect to the printer and gained this response.





Now I already had the printer driver installed that came with the printer software, but I am not sure if because I have changed the firmware to a repetier firmware that the printer driver isn't recognising the printer.

The other alternative is the baud rate settings are wrong.

Any thoughts.

Regards

Ian

Ah, no clue on that one - I've only used my printer with Linux.

Hi

No problems.

I will have a good fiddle with it.

Regards

Ian

Hi

Well it appears the problem is that now I have replaced the firmware with the Repetier Firmware the USB driver that came with the printer and which was installed on the laptop doesn't work with the printer.

When I turn the printer on and connect it to the laptop, when I look in the device manager its shows this message:



As you can see it has the 'USB 2.0 Serial' noted as missing its driver.

Are you aware if there is a USB driver for the Repetier firmware.

Regards

Ian

As far as I know, the driver isn't specific in any way to the firmware running on the board - it can't be, as you'd have to use the driver to load different firmwares. Which raises the question as to how you put the new firmware on the mega? The firmware is dependent on the particular usb chip on the board, and there was/is a problem with ftdi drivers refusing to work with cloned usb chips. I'm not up with the details I'm afraid.

Hi

I uploaded the firmware using the arduino software as you would normally, as defined by the Repetier firmware installation manual. The arduino is a cloned board though, so have I complicated the problem by not getting an authentic board.

This is becoming a real headache.

Regards

Ian

I think the arduino software would connect through the same usb drivers as the host software will, so if adruino worked ok we should be fine for getting Repetier host going.

I have my port settings manually configured in the Printer settings/Connection panel. If you check how the arduino software connects and then copy the same settings to Repetier I'd expect it to work, except the baud rate will be different - you'll need to use the baud rate that you set during the repetier firmware configuration process.

Ok,

So, I when I set up the arduino, I connected to my main computer and flashed it with the arduino program on my main computer. I have been trying to connect it to a separate laptop, which may be a problem.

So I agree the arduino should work.

I shifted the printer and plugged it into my main computer and didn't have a 'usb 2.0 serial' port problem in the device manager, so I assume the main computer was ok with the printer.

If I need to get the baud rate and ports correct, how do I find out what I set up the firmware for. I have the configuration file on my computer, would you know where to look.

Regards

Ian

The baud rate is in the Configuration.h file, e.g. in my case:

// ################# Misc. settings ##################

#define BAUDRATE 115200

The port isn't determined by the firmware, that's a host computer concept and may be different on each computer.

Hi

So I have found the baudrate I set in the config file.



250000

Now to test it.

Thanks for the help. I will see what happens next.

Regards

Ian

Hi

I had to change the printer port to com4 and then I got life.

Now I am testing movement and struck the next problem.

I carn't get the Z axis to move. I can only get the X axis to move to the right, and the y axis moves forward but not backwards.

With the X and Y axis when I press the home it only moves fractionally but not all the way back.

Is this a configuration problem or have I blown all the limit switches.

Regards

Ian

Hi

So I have returned to look at the printer. I thought maybe reversing the x and y I may get them to move properly.

So what works at the moment:

1. I can get the x axis to move the extruder to the left facing the printer from the front. But I cannot get it to return to the right, or to its home position.
2. I can only get the y axis to move the print bed so it hits the front limit switch. I assume its treating that as though the y axis is in the home position. I can not get it to move the opposite direction.
3. The z axis will not do anything at all.

Other than coding problems, I have the horrible thought that maybe the burn out burnt out the z axis motor, but that doesn't explain why I can get movement from the X and Y?

The fan works. That should be a plus. LOL.

Any thoughts would be great.

Regards

Ian

Hi

I just discovered what I did.

Where the xaxis plug goes on the ramps board there are two rows of pins, one above the other. I was meant to place the plug on the one below. Instead I placed the xaxis plug on the top one and nozzle plug on the bottom one.

So I don't know if I have confused the configuration, or damaged the ramps board, by doing that.

Any thoughts on what could be done or checked.

Regards

Ian

Hi

I just discovered what I did.

Where the xaxis plug goes on the ramps board there are two rows of pins, one above the other. I was meant to place the plug on the one below. Instead I placed the xaxis plug on the top one and nozzle plug on the bottom one.

So I don't know if I have confused the configuration, or damaged the ramps board, by doing that?

I have also discovered that I placed the Ext plug not totally on with one pin off, so the stepper motor for the extruder wouldn't have moved. So other than that, everything appears to be in the correct place.

So I am wondering if I need to re flash the arduino again, in case I have confused the system, or whether the incorrect locating of the plugs would have damaged something?

The other question is it worth listing my config file for the arduino to see if anything stands out there?

Any thoughts on what could be done or checked.

Regards

Ian

Hi Ian,

Congrats on getting the printer connected, that's good news.

It sounds like the settings for the limit switches isn't right, which shouldn't be a big problem. I'm not sure about the two rows of pins you were talking about. Usually only the Z axis has two sets of stepper output pins, and it doesn't matter which you connect to - the same signals are on both. I don't think having the motor plug off by one will have done any damage, but make sure not connect or disconnect the motors while the system is turned on.

To check the endstops move all the axis to the middle of their travel (or at least away from the endstops) and use the host software to send M119 to the printer (In Repetier host, you can send g-code from the manual control tab by typing the code into the g-code entry box at the top and pressing 'send'). The status of the endstops should be printed in the log window at the bottom of the page. I'm not near my printer so I can't check the format of the response, but it should indicate that all three endstops are not triggered. My guess is that yours are showing as triggered all the time which causes the movement problems. Next hold down one of the endstops and send M119 again - this time the response should show a different value for the endstop that matches the axis of the endstop you are holding down, and at the end (min vs max) that you expect - so this allows you to check that the endstops are plugged into the right pins and operating. If the report goes from triggered to not triggered then you need to change the settings in the config to invert the sense of the endstop. You can upload your configuration file into the online config helper and then the endstop settings are in the mechanics page. If the endstop is currently set as ...normally open then change it to ...normally closed, or vice versa to change the sense. Then download the new config, recompile the firmware and re-upload to the printer, and test the endstops again. Once all the endstops report correctly with M119 you'll be in a better place to test the motors.

Hi

I have had a break from the printer out of frustration.

I inputed the m119 code in reptier and the response was the following:





Does this suggest anything.

I will up load the config and see what it says:

Regards

Ian

Hi

I uploaded the config file to the firmware site and got to the mechanics page.

I am not sure which area to change.



I assume its changing the lines that refer to 'switch on grnd, normally open' and change that to closed. Or am I in the wrong area.

Regards

Ian