Help with Electronics and firmware setup

I recently put together my Mendel Prusa. It came with an Arduino Mega and a RAMPS 1.4.

I've been having issues getting it to work so I need some help, so what firmware and software should I be using to get the best results?

Help would be appreciated!

Sprinter/Marlin/Repetier, take your pick.
Marlin seems ti be the favorite around here.
I run Marlin on one of my printers and Repetier on the rest, I don't have a strong favorite.

Thanks.

My problem is I'm having a hard time getting it to do anything. Actually I've not gotten it to move at all yet.

Its mainly a problem of getting the software to talk to the firmware I think. I just can't find a combination that works

Without much information it would be hard for us to help you but i have found this excellent walkthrough on the electronics side at [www.nextdayreprap.co.uk] Also make sure that your electronics are getting 12v if you have a multimeter check your power supply.
Hope all goes well.

I just did the same setup and here's what worked for me:


First: Need to load the get the Arduino programmed with firmware.

Step 1: Get Arduino software.

I got a setup for 'sprinter' from the Ramps Reprap Wiki site that worked for this.

THIS ONLY WORKS WITH ARDUINO VERSION 23!!! Not the most recent version which is 1.01 I think. This was my first issue.

Once you install the version 23 of the Arduino software you can loade up the sprinter.pde that you find in the link HERE from the RAMPS wiki site.

Find the right board and serial port for your Arduino Mega board.

Then upload that to your arduino board as-is.

Next download and start up pronterface (I think you have to install python first, I'm not sure). When you open up pronterface change the com port to the right location, select the right baud rate (whatever it says is the baud rate in the configuration.h tab of the sprinter.dpe file in the arduino interface). If the baud rates don't match, the display will return a bunch of garbage characters when you click connect.

Click connect.

You should see that the printer is online and working and be able to click on the things on the interface to get your motors working and doing stuff.

I took me a while because I originally tried Marlin, which was not working with my hotend (the default is for a thermocouple instead of a thermistor I think).

At this point you'll want to move on with calibration and setup, but that stuff should get everything talking the same language.


You might also want to go to the electronics subforum here. There are RAMPS experts that will help you there. I did.

For more details on what I ran into and how I got through it, check out my blog: itsa3dworld.blogspot.com

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/2012 11:19AM by a_shorething.

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Mike

itsa3dworld.blogspot.com

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THIS ONLY WORKS WITH ARDUINO VERSION 23!!! Not the most recent version which is 1.01 I think.

Many Marlin/Sprinter addicts insist on this old version of the IDE. If you want to use Arduino 1.0/1.0.1, you need an updated library, like the one coming with Gen7 Arduino IDE Suooprt 2.0 (click on "view raw"). Works for other electronics, too.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Thanks Traumflug, I didn't know that and was a bit put off at using a 'no longer supported' version of the Arduino software in order to use my brand new Ramps 1.4.

Hi there,
I use Marlin 1.1 and the Pronterface UI with some success on my Mendel. I've not had mush experience of the other options, so can't personally say that this is the best option. It's certainly working well so far. The configuration includes a 2 x 16 LCD display, cooling fans, encoder selector, etc .

I've published a diagram of the wiring that I've used on my system and can be obtained via: Foster's RepRap printer. I hope this is helpful to you.

One thing that I did find, however, was that I had to use an older version of the Arduion IDE (v0022), since if I used the latest release, I could only seem to program the MEGA if I removed the RAMPS PCB. Not sure why, but 0022 works just fine.

Cheers,
Lee