MKS-MINI Controller Board

Hello everyone,

I am looking to replace my RAMPS 1.4 and Mega 2560 with the MKS-MINI board.

Is this a good, safe, reliable board?

I am going to be using this in my Cobblebot LM Printer (Kickstarter)

What type of laptop power supply would this use? (12V ?Amps)

Links to the board:

[www.ebay.com]

or

[www.aliexpress.com]

Thanks in advance,
Mohit

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2015 11:11PM by MohitK.

What do you expect that board to do that your Mega/RAMPS doesn't already? There are boards that will do more, but that doesn't look like one of them to me.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

I was thinking that the MKS-MINI controller board would be less of a risk. Is it par to the RAMPS 1.4 board.?

The only reason why I want to switch is so that the power supply is portable and easy to use.

Also, I can sell the RAMPS 1.4 + Mega 2560 + Stepper Drivers for about $35 which would pay for the board

If I wanted to buy a PSU for RAMPS 1.4, pre-wired it would cost $40 and the MKS-MINI laptop power supply would probably be $10

Would this work?

Thanks!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2015 08:29PM by MohitK.

Laptop power supplies normally put out around 16 to 19V. This is too much for Arduino/RAMPS, unless you use a 24V-rated RAMPs board, and either a separate 5V regulator to power the Arduino, or a Taurino or similar instead of the Arduino so that it can take 19V input.

The MKS Mini page you linked to says "The power supply with 7805, more stable and reliable than the 1117, but only supports 12V." If we take this to mean that the board can only accept 12V power, then it's not suitable for running from a laptop PSU. OTOH is could be a mistranslation, because the capacitors on the board appear to be rated at 35V instead of the usual 16V.

You could consider a Duet board. It is what RepRapPro use in their Huxley Duo kit, which uses a laptop power supply. Compared to both Mega/RAMPS and MKS Mini, it gives you faster processing, native USB port, Ethernet interface supporting a built-in web server, digital control of stepper motor currents, and easier configuration. It's available from a couple of UK suppliers, or from Replikeo for $80 (plus any import tax you get stung for).

If you do use a 19V laptop PSU, bear in mind that your heaters and fans also need to be 19V rated. You should be able to get suitable 19V components from RepRapPro, but they are unlikely to be a cheap as 12V components. Also bear in mind that laptop PSUs are not very powerful, so they can't drive normal-size heated beds, only small ones.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2015 03:56AM by dc42.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

I have MKS-Base v1.1 with my delta 3d print

this board is good

but it is same with your old boards ( ramps + mega2560 )

and you must take of the stepper motor connector is same or not

it's not "2.54mm Dupont Connector" in mks-base

if you upgrade it, it will spend your time and no improve. (try updage to ramps-fd??)