RUMBA Controller board

Currently running a genuine ramps 1.4 with A4988 drivers, looking to move to RUMBA with some DRV8825 or SilentStepStick drivers.

Anyone here running a rumba? Tell me why I should get it or why I shouldn't .

Thanks

Currently running a RUMBA. Using it because I'm about to install a diamond hot-end and the RUMBA can deal with the number of extruder motors. It's been a reliable workhouse for the past several months.

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

No way would I spend that much on old AVR based electronics, when you can get a 32-bit ARM based controller with a proper native USB port and SD card socket for less. The only thing going for it that I can see is that it can support 3 extruders without needing an extension board.

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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].

Quote
dc42
No way would I spend that much on old AVR based electronics, when you can get a 32-bit ARM based controller with a proper native USB port and SD card socket for less. The only thing going for it that I can see is that it can support 3 extruders without needing an extension board.

What board would you recommend with a 32bit arm?

Quote
Jc61990
What board would you recommend with a 32bit arm?

There's a list of boards at the reprap wiki, although it's a bit out of date. The 32-bit ARM based boards are more powerful without a doubt, although the firmware isn't as mature as things like Marlin or Repetier.

[reprap.org]

A quick goot for 32-bit arm 3d printer boards throws up some interesting results.

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

I figured the reprap wiki was outdated, that's why I came to ask live people.

I looked up a couple like the smoothie board and the duet, but I am totally against integrated stepper drivers.

Has anyone hooked up a ramps up to an Arduino Due?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2015 07:13PM by Jc61990.

RADDS, RAMPS-FD, and a modified RAMPS-1.4 have all been used with the Due . . . and I think there may also be a few others.

- Tim

... I'm using 'bare' Dues or RADDS and UDOO with Marlin4Due - beside higher speed no real difference to RAMPS and Marlin

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Viktor
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Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

The main 32 bit boards are the Duet, the Smoothieboard, the Alligator, and the Chinese Smoothie clones. They all have on board drivers except the AZSMZ Mini which is one of the Smoothie clones. Here is a summary:

Duet: on board Ethernet, on board SD card using fast SDHC interface, excellent web interface, digital stepper motor current control, four A4982 drivers on board. Prices from $80. Easy firmware configuration using a config file on the SD card.

Smoothieboard: as Duet but up to five A4982 drivers, less well developed web interface, and slower SD card interface. Rather expensive IMO unless you need exactly 5 stepper drivers.

Alligator: similar to Duet but I think is has DRV8825 drivers, also it runs older firmware so you don't get the easy configuration or a web interface AFAIK.

AZSMZ Mini: a Smoothie clone but with 5 sockets for plug in drivers and no Ethernet. So you get to choose your own drivers, but you don't get digital control of motor current. Probably the most similar to the RUMBA you were looking at, but 5 driver sockets instead of 6. Priced at $65 AFAIR.

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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].

Just looked up that Alligator board, despite the non removable drivers, I really like what I see. I might go with that board if I go the 32bit ARM route.

Btw there have been a few reports that DRV8825 drivers can be very noisy when used with the low inductance motors favoured in RepRaps. Something to do with the fixed off-time resulting in subharmonics of the chopper frequency being generated. OTOH other users report no such problems. I guess it depends on the motors. I am going to stick with A4982 drivers but go to 0.9deg stepper motors, however that's also because I want better vertical resolution on my delta printer.

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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].