I actually need help and you all keep deleting my posts

I wouldnt come here if RepRap was easy to hook up and user friendly. Why not send the driver on a disk or usb. This is extremely rude. I cant even get help to get my RepRap to run.

Is there anyone that can actually help me please.

What OS is your PC?

What electronics are you using? arduino model?.....

Im using windows 7. I already have marlin firmware installed. Reptier Host runs my solidoodle well. Just trying to properly hook up my mendel reprap. Downloaded orcabot RH and the driver from their site and checked baaud rate. Still wont communicate with the printer

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CdnReprap
What OS is your PC?

What electronics are you using? arduino model?.....

What electronics are you using - RAMPS / Megatronics / other? This dictates what driver to use. Did you install Marlin on the board yourself? If so, what baud rate did you configure it with? Have you tried pronterface? What error message, if any, did repetier host give if you tried to use it? Did you try repetier host?

We need a lot more detail if you're going to get any help.

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[3DKarma.com] - suppliers of quality, affordable 3D printer kits and filament for the UK market.

It's the second version of the Mendel reprap. I already have RH up and running my SD3. I'm using Marlin on it with slic3r. Not sure about the board spec.s.

Did you buy a kit online?
If so all of the kits are different....
The person/company you bought it from should have a list..

have you change necessary things in configuration.h of marlin?

1 x Complete Mendel Parts Kit (Unassembled) (compl_kit_unassembled01) = $1,070.65
Profi printed bed springs+Z opto - yes, please upgrade to Profi printed springs
GEN6 Electronics included - yes, including GEN6 Electronics (in stock in 5-10days)
Color black
Reprapped parts included - yes, including plastic parts (has production time)
Stainless Steel upgrade - yes, please upgrade the studding and m8 nuts, washers to Stain

this is the order list. I havent changed anything in marlin. Not really a software guy so im afraid to really mess with anything

OK - Gen6 electronics. That narrows things down a bit. Pronterface and RepetierHost should both be able to talk to it.

Did you load the Marlin firmware on it yourself? If not, and if neither Pronterface nor RH are talking to it, then the chances are that no-one has loaded the firmware onto it. I'd get in touch with the supplier to make sure.

If Marlin has not been loaded onto the board, then you can do it yourself. There is a video tutorial here (youtube.com). Take a look at it, get in touch with your supplier to see what they have to say and let us know how you get on.

Please note that you will need to configure Marlin before it is loaded onto your board. You should be able to get the correct settings from your supplier. If not, get back to us with a link to the kit you purchased and we may be able to get you to the next step.

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[3DKarma.com] - suppliers of quality, affordable 3D printer kits and filament for the UK market.

ok so nothing was loaded on the board. I shall watch said tutorial and attempt it myself.
This is probably my problem. tits. thank you. Ill let you know how it goes.

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3dkarma
OK - Gen6 electronics. That narrows things down a bit. Pronterface and RepetierHost should both be able to talk to it.

Did you load the Marlin firmware on it yourself? If not, and if neither Pronterface nor RH are talking to it, then the chances are that no-one has loaded the firmware onto it. I'd get in touch with the supplier to make sure.

If Marlin has not been loaded onto the board, then you can do it yourself. There is a video tutorial here (youtube.com). Take a look at it, get in touch with your supplier to see what they have to say and let us know how you get on.

Please note that you will need to configure Marlin before it is loaded onto your board. You should be able to get the correct settings from your supplier. If not, get back to us with a link to the kit you purchased and we may be able to get you to the next step.

I would not go with a GEN 6 board, they are limited...
The on board stepper drives get way hot..
The pins will carbonise

hey its good if you want to stick to 40mm's but if you want to go upto 100mm+ for prolong periods.. Get ready to blast your gen6 board with aggressive air cooling

This was my experience untill the thing failed.. it appears ramps setup is pretty much the same price

Im still waiting to hear back from the people i purchased my reprap from. Such a pain in the butt. Im pretty sure it doesnt have anything installed on the board though so Im doing to try marlin. If that doesnt work im not sure if its possible to hook up

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3dkarma
OK - Gen6 electronics. That narrows things down a bit. Pronterface and RepetierHost should both be able to talk to it.

Did you load the Marlin firmware on it yourself? If not, and if neither Pronterface nor RH are talking to it, then the chances are that no-one has loaded the firmware onto it. I'd get in touch with the supplier to make sure.

If Marlin has not been loaded onto the board, then you can do it yourself. There is a video tutorial here (youtube.com). Take a look at it, get in touch with your supplier to see what they have to say and let us know how you get on.

Please note that you will need to configure Marlin before it is loaded onto your board. You should be able to get the correct settings from your supplier. If not, get back to us with a link to the kit you purchased and we may be able to get you to the next step.

Although I built a couple of Generation 6 boards for my first printers and even quite liked them, I think you would be better served by getting a RAMPS and Arduino Mega. The reason for this is that it is a nightmare suitable only for those with a knowledge and programmer for programming Atmel microcontrollers. When you have got it working, it still has no control for the bed heating.

Mike

Dang seems like I wasted my money. How much is ramps and arguing mega

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leadinglights
Although I built a couple of Generation 6 boards for my first printers and even quite liked them, I think you would be better served by getting a RAMPS and Arduino Mega. The reason for this is that it is a nightmare suitable only for those with a knowledge and programmer for programming Atmel microcontrollers. When you have got it working, it still has no control for the bed heating.

Mike

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leadinglights
The reason for this is that it is a nightmare suitable only for those with a knowledge and programmer for programming Atmel microcontrollers.

Programming an ATmega isn't exactly a nightmare. And there are Gen6s which do support a heated bed. Else you can always hook something like a SevenSwitch up to one of the available pins -- if you actually have a heated bed.

To my experience, insisting on using Arduino IDE, the graphical user interface, is what makes uploading a bootloader something like a nightmare. Doing the same from the command line is much easier. And it has to ge figured only once, after than you can upload firmwares with the IDE.

There are instructions for Arduino and for Gen7. Both apply to a Gen6 as well: [arduino.cc] and [reprap.org]

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Like speaking Latin to me. So, how do I hook this thing up. I already have a solidoodle up and running in RH. Have I not downloaded the right driver for this reprap?

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Traumflug

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leadinglights
The reason for this is that it is a nightmare suitable only for those with a knowledge and programmer for programming Atmel microcontrollers.

Programming an ATmega isn't exactly a nightmare. And there are Gen6s which do support a heated bed. Else you can always hook something like a SevenSwitch up to one of the available pins -- if you actually have a heated bed.

To my experience, insisting on using Arduino IDE, the graphical user interface, is what makes uploading a bootloader something like a nightmare. Doing the same from the command line is much easier. And it has to ge figured only once, after than you can upload firmwares with the IDE.

There are instructions for Arduino and for Gen7. Both apply to a Gen6 as well: [arduino.cc] and [reprap.org]

I fear that it has been a couple of years since I last used a Generation 6, but it still comes back as a nightmare*. The first thing was that it didn't have a bootloader - a small piece of software on the Atmel chip that allows actual running software like Marlin or Repetier firmware to run. In order to program this you needed a programmer; athough these are cheap and readily available, each one has it's own peculiarities. In order to program in the firmware it is (was?) necessary to have a special extension to the Arduino IDE (program on your computer that feeds the firmware to your Generation6 controller) as the Generation 6 uses an Atmega644p which Arduino doesn't (didn't) support. I am not sure about the present status, but I seem to remember that only one firmware would compile without problems (Marlin I think)

On the plus side, my Generation 6 controllers took an awful lot of abuse vis a vis too high current, leads being pulled off mid print etc., all of which will commonly cause a RAMPS board to die.

Oh! the heated build stage. Unless you have purchased a Version 2 or deluxe Generation 6, then it is still unavailable.

So I stick with what I said. With RAMPS you are much less likely to have a problem - and much more likely to find somebody who will help out with any problems.

Mike

* Another reason it was a nightmare is that I purchased a bare PCB. Lacking thermal reliefs on pads it was a real nightmare to hand solder.

I have to agree that Gen 6 is a pain in the arse. It's possible that there is no bootloader and you will need an extra board to connect it to your PC. I think thats the first question you need to know the answer to.
If it has a bootloader then you can connect it to the USB and use it.
You might be lucky and the software might be on there too. If not they you can begin with the Arduino update using Marlin (or whatever you want).
If it were me I would sell the gen 6 as a new board and buy a ramps. It's about $30-$40 if you shop around. You will still need to program it though.
You might want to find a local hackerspace to visit for help. Everything you need is availible on the web but it's not an easy road and you will have to do the homework.
If you intend to keep and use the gen6, search for Arduino and gen 6, I used arduino version 18 with my gen 6 board and i don't know if the new Arduino works with gen 6 (at the time version 19+ was not compatible if I remember right). You can get it here [arduino.cc].
If the software allows you to update the board then it has a bootloader, if not then you need a 6pin USB ASP $5 from ebay before you can continue.
Once you have a bootloader you need firmware. If you dont want to mess with Marlin then download several versions of Marlin from different sources. Install them 1 at a time and test which one works best. Once it works pretty close then post here and we can help you tailor the software to complete the install.
It's not easy. It will probably take you a couple of weeks to get through the process if you are completely new to all this talk of Arduino, firmware, bootloaders, config.h etc. You will have to read a lot and learn a lot of new skills. I was there about 1 year ago with a gen 6 board without a bootloader.
If you just want to print without all of this hassle then buy a working unit and get rid of the kit.
Regards
Mike

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2014 03:00PM by mikefiatx19.

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leadinglights
The first thing was that it didn't have a bootloader - a small piece of software on the Atmel chip that allows actual running software like Marlin or Repetier firmware to run. In order to program this you needed a programmer;

Many RepRap controllers have the same situation, including Sanguinololu, Melzi and Gen7. These extensions exist along with working bootloaders: [reprap.org]

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leadinglights
athough these are cheap and readily available, each one has it's own peculiarities.

This one has worked for me on at least 8 different AVR chips just fine: [www.pololu.com]

Side note: a firmware doesn't require a bootloader. If you have a programmer, you can upload firmware directly, without bootloader, just fine.

I think the problem with Gen6 is, it claims to be plug&play. This can work with a single printer model, but not the plentitude of desings we have in the RepRap universe. Accordingly it attracts those seeking for plug&play and it makes vendors claiming this thing to be plug&play, while it actually isn't. A Gen6 requires just as much attention as any other RepRap controller, but people buying it aren't prepared to invest this kind of effort.

That said, I'm a fan of Gen7. Gen7 claims to require efforts and it does.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY