major help needed for firmware editing

Hi everyone,

I am a brand new reprap owner, I ordered a DIY kit from 3dstuffmaker, you can see the technical info here: [www.3dstuffmaker.com]

I have set up the machine, I have used their upgrade kit they provided. This included WinAVR. I now need to calibrate the machine. I am unable to load the configuration file they provided with Arduino or WinAVR to make anything that resembles normal text/pseudocode. I am not a programmer, although way back when I learned some very basic VisualBasic.

When loading in WinAVR it looks like this:

:100000000C940F080C9437080C9437080C9437089C
:100010000C9437080C9437080C9437080C94370864

When loading in Arduino I get the following message:

processing can only open it's own sketches and other files ending in .ino or .pde


If i try and add the file to a blank sketch and then compile I get the following error:

core.a(main.cpp.o): In function `main':
C:filepath\arduino-1.0.3\hardware\arduino\cores\arduino/main.cpp:11: undefined reference to `setup'
C:filepath\arduino-1.0.3\hardware\arduino\cores\arduino/main.cpp:14: undefined reference to `loop'


I need to be able to configure the extrusion rate. I would appreciate someone providing some simple steps to follow to be able to edit the file. I have attached it for your information.

The major issue I have with the self help files for these programs are they seem to all expect a decent to high level of coding ability, which I don't have.

thanks in advance for any help you can provide

That's a hex file, you can't load it as a sketch. All you can do with it is program it into the AVR flash. You'll probably need the source code to change config.

3dstuffmaker don't appear to publish details of the firmware, I didn't fancy signing up for their spam to access the downloads. I suggest you contact 3dstuffmaker, they are surely best placed to give advice on their product, and they seem to have a support system setup.

I think it's a deficiency of most firmwares that they need to be recompiled to change config, this is largely a consequence of the limited processing power available with an AVR.

Quote

I think it's a deficiency of most firmwares that they need to be recompiled to change config

IMHO it's quite thinkable to make this upload process even easier than going through a bunch of M-codes. Arduino IDE already does this, there's just no convenient tool to do the adjustments.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Hey guys,

thanks for replying. Yeah there is no software in their downloads section, it is just a pretty PDF stating their machine is awesome etc etc. When trying to contact their tech support for help on this issue over the last couple of weeks I've been told their programmers are off until the end of Christmas. I understand that ppl need time off and all, it just kinda sucks that there isn't anyone there who is capable of editing this information, talking me through how to do it etc, given their whole promotion was "have it before christmas". I wonder what would happen if they needed a config change on their machines?

I agree, it is quite unfathomable that a system that is supposed to empower the user to make changes, adapt, improve etc, cannot have the basic configuration done without the assistance of the original programmer. Bummed me out for December I can tell you. No use trying further prints because it can't print properly. Messed up the idea I had for my wife's present. I was going to print her a dvd/cd/movie gift box, complete with gift tag pocket, that she could then re-use to give to someone else, etc, etc.

Is there no way to have slic3r (for example) contain the settings there, and then feed them to the firmware, or would the rate be too slow? I would have thought (in my own novice head) that given the detailed information that is being provided live anyway, that the extrusion rate should be adjustable live.

You can change the extrusion rate in Slic3r by changing "Extrusion Multiplier" in "Printer and Filament" on the version I am looking at.

You can change the rate on the fly with Marlin firmware with M221 S- set extrude factor override percentage. If you have the LCD and and click switch you can change it live with that as well.

I don't know what firmware you have as it is difficult to tell from just the hex! If it is any of the opensource ones then I think it breaks the licence to not make the the source code available with it.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

Hi Nophead,

thanks for the reply. I will have a play with the rate in Slice3r however I still need to set the esteps in the firmware to get it spot on as far as I am aware. Just so you are aware I upgraded to Slic3r 0.9.7 at the same time as upgrading the firmware with the file they gave me. It seems to run better so that's great, it's just the fine grained changes that are needed to make the printer useful at all.

Just so you know where i'm at with my understanding of the reprap world, I understand most of the words but am completely lost by: "You can change the rate on the fly with Marlin firmware with M221 S- set extrude factor override percentage. If you have the LCD and and click switch you can change it live with that as well."

I will now go searching for further education.

I will have a talk with the company again and mention to them the licence about the code and firmware, thanks for giving me something to hang my hat on so to speak.

Ideally you set E steps to be spot on but it varies with spring tension and hardness of the plastic. Changing the flow rate in the slicer or by sending M codes to compensate is just as good as changing the firmware. I.e. it has exactly the same effect as correcting E steps.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/27/2012 07:52AM by nophead.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

so when you say changing the flow rate in slic3r are you talking about the extrusion multiplier? and how does that combine with the 'reverse' field in pronterface? the tech support from 3dstuffmaker have said that the only thing I need to change is the reverse number to 50, and to increase the temperature to 210 or 220. I have been informed that this is incorrect, given I am using PLA.

Good luck with your machine and hardware from 3dstuffmaker.com.

I totally regret my purchase with them....

sorry for you man. i'm getting a refund on Monday. taking a picture now. one of the extruders i got had the chamber miss aligned by 2.5mm which means the pla won't feed through properly. tested my ass