Controllers advice and duetwifi question

Questions in Blue, for those who prefer to skim.

Currently still designing my large 3d printer, and about to go over budget, so I'm looking at ways to minimize the price but still get something that prints well (ie i'm trying to avoid crappy electronics if I can, like RAMPS).
Currently, I've priced out my build using duetwifi controller. My question about this is: Do I need to by an LCD screen of any kind to control my printer using duetwifi, or can I simply use my android phone (is there an app?) or desktop to be able to control the printer? Essentially using my phone or computer screen as the display instead of having to buy PanelDue or something like that. This would be a total cost of $170.
The other thing I was looking at is buying an arduino due ($50) or a clone off banggood ($18) + RADDS v1.5 ($63) + 4xTMC2660 drivers ($7/ea) + LCD/SD Reader for RADDS ($37...is there a cheaper alternative for this?) = $146 if I get the banggood clone, 178 if I get the real deal, and shipping from several sites will make it cost a bit more. If I do in fact need to get a screen to control the duetwifi, then that would make this arduino/radds setup that much less expensive. Also, is there a cheaper screen I could go with?

Anyone have experience with arduino due and RADDS 1.5 setup?

Thanks!

The DuetWifi has a web interface so that you can easily control it from any desktop computer. G-code is then uploaded to the SD card on the controller so that you are printing from the controller rather than over wifi or a USB connection to the printer. I have considered setting up an old cell phone or tablet as a display panel for my printer, though I have never tested how well the web interface scales to a cell phone display.

Can't help with the RADDS alternative, though personally I think I would go with a cheap smoothie clone if you are trying to save money and want 32-bit. I don't smoothie supports a web interface though, so you would need to run Octoprint on a RPi for an extra $35, though it would support a native camera I believe. Duet required an IP camera last I looked.

Despite having a PanelDue, I use it maybe 40% of the time - and that is when I forget to take my tablet (to where the printer is). It is not needed, a good 7 inch tablet works a treat.

You can control the Duet WiFi from any any PC, tablet or smartphone on your LAN. Just load Chrome or Firefox and type in the IP address of the Duet, or its name if your network support mDNS. Here is a screenshot taken on my Galaxy S7.



There are 5 more pages of functionality accessible via the Menu button.

Personally, I find the PanelDue touch screen very useful for doing basic tasks, such as homing, calibrating, running macros and starting prints. You can also use the on-screen keyboard to enter GCode command. But it's by no means essential, and the majority of Duet users probably don't have one.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2017 04:08PM by dc42.

---

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].

Smoothie supports a web interface. Also you can access it over the web via Ponterface, which is what I prefer.

I installed an LCD on my Smoothie board and having an old laptop sitting next to the printer, I have never used the LCD. Next I am thinking of going to Octoprint and dumping both the laptop and the LCD.

IF you want to use Reprap Firmware ( same as duet) with a radds forget the LCD thing, it work only on marlin and repetier Not on Reprap Firmware.

Ill chose radds over any smoothie clone for sure again because of Reprap Firmware and support and the fact that the board is not a clone at all so QC is higher and Ill change the driver for raps128 or sd6168 since the tmc2660 are SPI controlled right ? I did not saw any driver stick made of tmc2660 yet and if they are some in the wild they may not be plug in play in driver socket. If you find some you are on your own with them since nobody use them as plug in driver so far.

For the shipping all website that sell radds also sell the raps128 or sd6128 and probably an original due.

To control radds with a phone you need octoprint with a raspberry pie

So remove the LCD , add a pie and check whatever you want to stay with tmc2660 or go raps128/sd6128 and check the price diff again with duetwifi it probably pretty close on price unless you go for due clone , firmware are the same, only the board is different ... do you need 6 driver out of the box ? you need modular and plug in socket or all in one ? That probably the main question you should ask yourself to decide.

There a long thread for radds and reprap firmware on the controller part of this forum so the user experience is there.

Both the duet wifi and the radds shield are good product.

All good info, thanks! If I use my phone (galaxy S7 Edge), tablet, or laptop to control/send commands to the duetwifi, can I also do so mid-print, and say pause/start the printer mid-print, or would it be more of a set-it and wait until it's done or it's unplugged thing?

Quote
GroupB
IF you want to use Reprap Firmware ( same as duet) with a radds forget the LCD thing, it work only on marlin and repetier Not on Reprap Firmware.

Ill chose radds over any smoothie clone for sure again because of Reprap Firmware and support and the fact that the board is not a clone at all so QC is higher and Ill change the driver for raps128 or sd6168 since the tmc2660 are SPI controlled right ? I did not saw any driver stick made of tmc2660 yet and if they are some in the wild they may not be plug in play in driver socket. If you find some you are on your own with them since nobody use them as plug in driver so far.

For the shipping all website that sell radds also sell the raps128 or sd6128 and probably an original due.

I was looking at the TMC2660 because they can output higher amps and I'm planning to use a 2.8A Nema23 for my Z-Axis (still debating for x and y but prob not). I had emailed oozenest and they said the tmc2660 drivers are compatible with the radds, though I largely lack of electronics knowlege so I don't know how to confirm it (and I don't know what SPI controlled means either.) I'm a mechanical engineer that has never yet had to dabble into electronics, so most of this is new to me on that end and I'm trying to learn as much as I can.

Quote
shortyski13
All good info, thanks! If I use my phone (galaxy S7 Edge), tablet, or laptop to control/send commands to the duetwifi, can I also do so mid-print, and say pause/start the printer mid-print, or would it be more of a set-it and wait until it's done or it's unplugged thing?

Yes. All the functionality is available in the web interface, on a PC/tablet/smartphone or whatever. You can connect and disconnect to the Duet mid-print with no ill effects.

---

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 the DuetWifi and the panel, but I only use the panel about 5% of the time.

Usually it is my laptop and every now and then my phone when I am not in the office.
In hindsight I would not have needed to buy the panel. But the few times that I needed it, it was great it was there.
For instance, I had shut down my laptop and realised I had not loaded the correct filament. Was quick to stop the print, reload filament and re-start the print.
OK, it is a small thing but it helps.

Where the Duet shines, above anything I have seen so far is in support. These guys are great, knowledgeable and fast. Highly recommended.

How many other controllers have you had support experience with?

I'll answer that one - 2 for me, rearm and duetwifi. With rearm we basically figured it all out for ourselves (it's all on here in various places) support don't get back to you and there isn't really a community to help (that's referring to rearm/panucatt rather than smoothieware who do provide support well).

The duet forum is probably the most polite and helpful of the 3D printer forums I use (most of them) and the level of interaction with David and Tony the creators is fantastic. If you want a feature they'll try to do it.

Sure you expect this with a top of the range product, you don't expect someone to hold your hand when you bought a $20 ramps/mega, but then there's so much information about good 'old ramps on the web especially here on reprap.

If a duet is within your budget try it, if you don't like it stick it on ebay you'll get your money back.

---

Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

+1 for Duet.

I am probably on a very similar path with DjDemonD (Ramps-Rearm-DuetWifi).

Duet is the most professional and I also find it quite easy to use despite the differences with Marlin.

Mr. David is very active on the forum, even for other non Duet related subjects.

I somehow didn't get along with Smoothieware. It could be due to the fact that I didn't use Smoothieboard but I had constant freezes when using USB to connect to the PC and also some erratic behaviour when using the SD card slot on the LCD (which isn't recommended to be fair).

I own the following: Ramps 1.4, MKS Gen 1.4, Panucatt X5 Mini 1.1, Panucatt Re-Arm with Ramps 1.4, and a Duet Wifi

In order of preference:

Duet Wifi - great controller and support. A bit pricey, but after all the controllers I have owned, easily worth every penny.

Panucatt Re-Arm with Ramps 1.4 - so far so good. Panucatt support is dismal. Smoothie is okay, but I have read many threads with a less than stellar attitude towards users. I need to use an Octopi.

MKS Gen 1.4 and Ramps 1.4 - Cheap and cheerful. Does what it does well. A bit under-powered for higher step counts and a Delta. I need to use an Octopi.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2017 11:30PM by Traveler0612.