3D Printer Electronics Comparison Chart

Hello folks, i'm just getting started in the world of 3D printing. In a goal to help me decide the best board for my custom coreXY based on Vulcanus V2 and Vulcanus MAX, I made a Excel 3D Printer Electronics Comparison Chart of the boards that interested me and I would like to share with you.

If you wish, you can edit this Excel file, adding more boards/information or correcting me if i misunderstood something. You are welcome to help!

Link of my OneDrive Excel file: [1drv.ms]

Cheers!

PS: I know that we already have a RepRap wiki page (http://reprap.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Electronics) and I took a lot of information from there. I confess I feel a bit scared in editing this wiki page because I'm just starting out in the 3D printer world. I do not want to mess with it. At first, I create this excel file for myself and then I decided to share. I'm thinking that someone with more presence in RepRap Wiki may update this page if this excel file helps.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2017 06:32AM by renatortb.

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Building a custom coreXY based on BigXY Large Format CoreXY Printer, Vulcanus V2, Vulcanus MAX... ++Brazil++

... this is a pretty impressive 1st post

We have some lists in the WiKi too, so this should be combined for a more complete basis ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

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

Thank you! Yes, I catched a lot of information in the RepRap Wiki.

PS: i still not decided witch board. I'm thinking in RAMPS 1.4 or MKS Gen 1.4 for starting learn more.

Your missing one important column (from my point of view)

usb speed, most are limited to serial speeds, but others have virtual uarts and run full (ish) usb2 speed.

The result of this is that some are dead slow and can run out of buffers on curves and other high detail parts, they also need the firmware and software to match baud rates. Others use full usb speed and just ignore baud rate settings

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Dust
Your missing one important column (from my point of view)

usb speed, most are limited to serial speeds, but others have virtual uarts and run full (ish) usb2 speed.

The result of this is that some are dead slow and can run out of buffers on curves and other high detail parts, they also need the firmware and software to match baud rates. Others use full usb speed and just ignore baud rate settings

Can you help me with that? I really don't understand electronics so much yet...

It's not so much the baud rate (unless you are looking at file upload speed to the SD card - see later), it's whether the USB interface has flow control. If it doesn't, then the host program has to wait for an "OK" response after each command, or at best after a few commands. General-purpose operating systems such as Windows and Linux can't schedule programs that do this efficiently when there are competing demands for processor time. That's one of the reasons why most people using 8-bit boards print from SD card, except for those using a dedicated host such as Octoprint. [The other reason is so that your print continues even if your PC decides to go to sleep, crashes, decides to install a new version of Windows etc.]

This brings me to my next suggestion. You might also want to add a column for the speed of uploading files to the SD card by whatever means the board provides - normally USB and/or network. This affects whether it is practical to upload files to your printer's SD card from your PC, or whether you need to remove the SD card from the printer, put it in your PC, copy your gcode file to it, eject it, and put it back in your printer.

Your drivers list could do with a row for the TMC2660 drivers used on the Duet WiFi, perhaps with a note that they are not available as plug-in drivers (one reason for that is because they have to be initialised using SPI).

PS - all 8-bit boards using the ATmega2560 don't have a native USB interface (the sort with flow control), they use USB-to-serial. I think I once saw an 8-bit board using the AT90USB1286 or AT90USB1287 that did have native USB, however boards like that with only 128Mb flash memory are out of favour because Marlin won't fit on them in some configurations. All the 32-bit boards I know of do have native USB.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2017 09:48AM 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].

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dc42
Your drivers list could do with a row for the TMC2660 drivers used on the Duet WiFi, perhaps with a note that they are not available as plug-in drivers (because they have to be initialized using SPI).

Small correction here: Marlin RC8 has an SPI setup routine for TMC-drivers ( Mainly TMC2130 ) . Not sure if there is a TMC26xx plugin driver available yet...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2017 09:51AM by o_lampe.

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o_lampe

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dc42
Your drivers list could do with a row for the TMC2660 drivers used on the Duet WiFi, perhaps with a note that they are not available as plug-in drivers (because they have to be initialized using SPI).

Small correction here: Marlin RC8 has an SPI setup routine for TMC2130 and TMC26xx. Not sure if there is a TMC26xx plugin driver available yet...

I didn't know that. Where do TMC2130 plug-in drivers get their 4 SPI signals from?

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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].

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dc42
Your drivers list could do with a row for the TMC2660 drivers used on the Duet WiFi, perhaps with a note that they are not available as plug-in drivers (one reason for that is because they have to be initialised using SPI).

Azteeg X5 GT has Bigfoot TMC2660 as plug-in drivers.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2017 10:19AM by rolloo.

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dc42
It's not so much the baud rate (unless you are looking at file upload speed to the SD card - see later), it's whether the USB interface has flow control. If it doesn't, then the host program has to wait for an "OK" response after each command, or at best after a few commands. General-purpose operating systems such as Windows and Linux can't schedule programs that do this efficiently when there are competing demands for processor time. That's one of the reasons why most people using 8-bit boards print from SD card, except for those using a dedicated host such as Octoprint. [The other reason is so that your print continues even if your PC decides to go to sleep, crashes, decides to install a new version of Windows etc.]

This brings me to my next suggestion. You might also want to add a column for the speed of uploading files to the SD card by whatever means the board provides - normally USB and/or network. This affects whether it is practical to upload files to your printer's SD card from your PC, or whether you need to remove the SD card from the printer, put it in your PC, copy your gcode file to it, eject it, and put it back in your printer.

Your drivers list could do with a row for the TMC2660 drivers used on the Duet WiFi, perhaps with a note that they are not available as plug-in drivers (one reason for that is because they have to be initialised using SPI).

PS - all 8-bit boards using the ATmega2560 don't have a native USB interface (the sort with flow control), they use USB-to-serial. I think I once saw an 8-bit board using the AT90USB1286 or AT90USB1287 that did have native USB, however boards like that with only 128Mb flash memory are out of favour because Marlin won't fit on them in some configurations. All the 32-bit boards I know of do have native USB.

WOW! I can't believe that i acquired your attention.

I added the TMC2660 drivers, take a look.

I added now more two columns: USB Flow Control and SD Card Speed. But i'm having a little difficulty to find that information on every board. As i said earlyer, anyome can edit this Excel file, adding more information or correcting me in something. Please, feel free to do that if you want to.

I really want to buy a DuetWifi. In my humble opinion, it is the best board right now. But to import it to Brazil is very expensive. I'm affraid that i will be starting with RAMPS...

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dc42

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o_lampe

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dc42
Your drivers list could do with a row for the TMC2660 drivers used on the Duet WiFi, perhaps with a note that they are not available as plug-in drivers (because they have to be initialized using SPI).

Small correction here: Marlin RC8 has an SPI setup routine for TMC2130 and TMC26xx. Not sure if there is a TMC26xx plugin driver available yet...

I didn't know that. Where do TMC2130 plug-in drivers get their 4 SPI signals from?

I want to know that too. I understood that the only way to use SPI is when the driver are build-in...

OK, marlin is typically used on Ramps, where SPI pins are not connected to the former microstepping jumper pins. But there is probably an 8bit controller which has the traces?
Anyway, marlin supports TMC2130 and TMC2130/TMC26xx are available as plug in driver.
I snipped the TMC driver section from configuration_adv.h. Maybe someone with more insight can tell us more?

What models of LCD does this mean?:

Support SPI Displays like Viki2 and mini Viki(direct) and RRD Graphic LCD(adapter)
Support for I2C and parallel character LCDs using universal adapter by Jim Morris

I'm adding RE-ARM


EDIT:

RADDS says that it is compatible with HD44780, what does this mean? What models?


EDIT 2: made some modifications in the Excel, pelase take a look. I have some doubts about the interfaces, can someone clarify it to me?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2017 03:44PM by renatortb.

Printrboard uses AT90USB1286 and was one of the first to bring virtual UARTS to my attention

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RADDS says that it is compatible with HD44780, what does this mean? What models?

The HD44780 controller is the standard for character based LCDs like 16x2, 16x4,20x4 a.s.o.
I haven't digged deeper into the subject, since I use Octoprint via USB, so IDK if RADDS also supports RepRap Discount LCD ( including encoder and buzzer etc. )

Nice table - thank you Renato!

Just to play with the on-line Excel (which I hadn't used before), I tried to add a line for Sanguinololu, thinking that it wouldn't allow me to save it - but maybe it did - at least I can now see the line when I reopen the link...

Do you want people to actively add and modify your table?

[[quote=o_lampe]

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RADDS says that it is compatible with HD44780, what does this mean? What models?

The HD44780 controller is the standard for character based LCDs like 16x2, 16x4,20x4 a.s.o.
I haven't digged deeper into the subject, since I use Octoprint via USB, so IDK if RADDS also supports RepRap Discount LCD ( including encoder and buzzer etc. )[/quote]

Thank you for your answer, but what models i put in the chart?

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enif
Nice table - thank you Renato!

Just to play with the on-line Excel (which I hadn't used before), I tried to add a line for Sanguinololu, thinking that it wouldn't allow me to save it - but maybe it did - at least I can now see the line when I reopen the link...

Do you want people to actively add and modify your table?

Yes, of course! Thank you very much! I'm having difficulty doing more because I'm just starting out in the 3D printer world.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2017 06:09AM by renatortb.

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Thank you for your answer, but what models i put in the chart?

According to the RADDS Wiki-page it works with a proprietary LCD only ( 3.3V logic )

Added RAMBo, RUMBA and corrected some mistakes...

added gt2560 board, please correct if i mistyped any of the info

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Piscanc
added gt2560 board, please correct if i mistyped any of the info

Thank you very much! I really appreciate any help! Cheers!