LaserCut Mendel by Tech Zone Remix

I bought the full TechZone Laser Cut kit including electronics and power supply. It has the Techzone remix electronics and the "techzone thermocouple board" which is on a small piece of breadboard (I'll upload a photo to the assembly page).

I have been able to get my 3 axes moving using the reprap-mendel-20100628 firmware, but I dont know what to do for the extruder board because the techzone thermocouple board has an MAX6675 chip on it but if I edit configuration.h in the Extruder firmware so that #define MAX6675_THERMOCOUPLE is used instead of #define USE_THERMISTOR, it wont compile.

I get this:

error: 'NUMTEMPS' was not declared in this scope In member function 'void PIDcontrol::pidCalculation(int)':

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2010 07:45PM by Greg Frost.

The Java is beyond me. . . I downloaded reprap-mendel-20100628 and seached for the #define MAX6675_THERMOCOUPLE and looked at temperature.h too. The best (known name) reference that I could find using the MAX6675_THERMOCOUPLE is casainho. Take a peek at this and perhaps it will give you a clue, sorry that it does not fall open at my touch. [code.google.com] (all the code with MAX6675 defined)

Here's another point of change that may be needed once you get it to compile [forums.reprap.org] (short)

THIS looks like the best bet yet: [reprap.org] : Here the Thermocouple is the default and Thermistor is commented out.

Good luck,

Steve

To Greg: Thanks for the pics, I contacted Kimberly a week ago, she said they would put the indications too. I didn't have time to try this week end but hopefully I will manage to make that next week, I will let you all know.

(Of course it helps if you remember the firmware is not written in java)

David

I got a copy of the firmware and I have posted it to the wiki:
[reprap.org]

I have started building a BotMill laser-cut Mendel kit (I think it is the same as the Tech Zone Remix). I agree with a previous poster that my kit is not quite ready for prime time: mine didn't ship with an extruder or any electronics, and there isn't any build information other than a few photos. Anyway, I am posting my own photos and information about the build here:

[newmanufactory.org]

Bill

Correction: due to my own stupidity, I set aside the extruder and electronics when I unpacked the BotMill, then overlooked them when I started building the kit. As far as I can tell, the kit did ship with all components!

Bill

Hello,

I have access to a laser cutter and some offcuts of acrylic and polycarbonate. I know that there was an acrlyic version of RepRap 1: Darwin.

I was wondering if acrlyic or polycarbonate would be a viable alternative to plywood for a Mendel RepStrap using the same drawings provided by Tech Zone Remix.

Best,
Jack

If your polycarbonate sheets are flat enough, I expect they would be a viable alternative to plywood. Acrylic will in most cases not be suitable, because it is very brittle.

With some redesign of the parts, polycarbonate could probably make a superior machine than TechZone's; polycarbonate can be bent at room temperature and processed like sheet metal, which means you could make stiffer and more complex parts than can be made from plywood.

Thanks for the reply. I think for now, I'll just focus on getting a RepRap going rather than improving it. TechZone's drawings seem like a great place to start for a one-off.

Bending polycarbonate would require jigs for precision and such. I might try an acrylic version and a polycarbonate version if I have enough material for both.

Since we're both in Vancouver Jacob, I'll keep you up to date with any progress.

I have successfully laser-cut acrylic parts as per the Corel Draw files that Tech Zone Remix uploaded. Now I'm thinking of moving onto the fasteners for the next step.

For anyone who has built a LaserCut Mendel, do you have any more details on the differences in hardware (fasteners) acquisition? I did a quick search within this sub-forum and didn't get any specifics.

On the wiki, noteable differences include:

Quote
The LaserCut Mendel uses far fewer m4X40 bolts (and less bolts in general), but it uses more of the m4X16 bolts.

and

Quote
We also use far fewer m3 bolts. We also need 8 pieces of 40mm X m4 studding.

Does anyone have any advice on how I should purchase my hardware accordingly? I can buy specific amounts rather than full boxes of 50/100, which is why approximate numbers would be useful.

Thanks

I have access to a laser cutter however it won't handle thick ply. So i'm thinking about acrylic
Is the brittleness a problem?

Also, the files are designed for inches; 1/8" (3.17mm), 1/4" (6.35mm), 3/8" (9.52mm) and I can only get a hold of metric 3, 5, and 10mm.
Any ideas on how much this might effect the final machine?

Mike

Hi Mike,

No idea on the brittleness yet. I have cut the parts out but I haven't assembled many yet. In the process of making jigs. Also, I don't yet have the hardware to test with.

However, regarding the metric sizes question, I would image that works better! If you can download and examine the Mendel STL files (or any other files), they have some nice round numbers in millimetres. So you might end up being closer to the original Mendel specs than if you had imperial sizes like I do.

Do you know if there are any laser files out there for wades any geared extruder, I thought they would be in the tech zone files but cant spot them?

Mike

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2010 02:00PM by michaelc.

Hi Mike

I did RepRap of acrylic, using acrylic 3 mm, 6 mm and 9.5 mm, all works good. I think 5 mm instead 1/4" (6.35mm) not good idea, better to glue acrylic 3 mm parts in 2 layers.

Some parts from Tech Zone Remix have issues: standard NEMA 17 motor Z-axis is not included between the two 8 mm rod, to resolve this problem I redesign some parts.

Alexey

I have a techzone LC mendel. It came with a plastic extruder ( wades I think ) I didn't have the springs to put pressure on the filament. Silly me I thought the by buying a kit I would get assembly instructions. Ha! The wiki and is all I can find and I am thankful to get it. But it leaves a lot out. I don't understand how anyone puts these together unless they already have one nearby to look at. Any one have a build log? I am kind of stuck on the Y axis. Also in the Z is there a picture of the Belts? Not sure how they run. I haven't even started with the electronics yet. Any help or guidance would be much appreciated.

Urban

I received my Techzone lasercut Mendel kit yesterday and surprised myself with the progress I managed to achieve on the mechanical assembly.

Right now I have the whole thing assembled and all axes are able to move.
Urban, you can take a look at my build photos here http://picasaweb.google.com/109946881844222138122/RepRapMendel1BuildProcess?feat=directlink, they may be of assistance to you. Feel free to ask if you want more close-up shots of anything. I can take and post them for you.

In my build I'm just a bit stuck on the electronics. I can't seem to find documentation anywhere which matches the circuit boards that I received from Techzone.
If someone can give me some pointers on the pinouts for this circuit it would be appreciated.
The pic of the electronics is in my album linked above.

In my build I'm just a bit stuck on the electronics. I can't seem to find documentation anywhere which matches the circuit boards that I received from Techzone.


Hmmm ... "RepRap Monolithic Electronics" (from photo, and from their webstore)
It looks like lambert of Techzone did up something new. That's kind of exciting. Drop him and Kymberly a line and suggest they do it up in the wiki, eh? Oh, and files too. A .zip of the files will be good.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/2010 07:18AM by SebastienBailard.

---

-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.

---

Remember, you're all RepRap developers (once you've joined the super-secret developer mailing list), and the wiki, RepRap.org, [reprap.org] is for everyone and everything!

Yep thats the one - the monolithic board.

I managed to get it working... I just needed to update the firmware.
I chose the Reprap Motherboard firmware from inside ReplicatorG software and uploaded it to the board.
Now the X, Y & Z axes are working. I can drive them from the ReplicatorG control panel.

I taped a pen onto the extruder carriage and drew some blocks on a piece of paper which I stuck to the print bed.
Very exciting indeed!!

Next is to get the extruder working.
I suspect I need a newer firmware to support this monolithic board.
Anyone know where I can download compatible firmware?

ReplicatorG is showing an error message to the effect that it cannot find the extruder controller.

I've been working on my TechZone LC Mendel for the last few weeks. We seemed almost ready to start print testing this saturday: The mechanical systems were all functioning properly, and the extruder motor was running using only the standard Mendel firmware to drive it. All hell (smoke and fireworks show) broke loose when we tried to run the system after loading the techzone firmware modifications to talk to the thermocouple and heater wire. One of the A3949 chips nuked itself. Currently trying to contact Kymberly for some replacement boards.

If anyone has questions about physical construction, We seem to have taken care of those problems, along with figuring out the wire motoring (the motors currently being sent don't match most of the diagrams running around). Alternatively, if you have any experience getting the gen 3 techzone remix boards (particularly the extruder controller) working -- I'd love to chat about it.

Any updates?

Nice... there's a Techzone Mendel Kit on eBay right now and they are asking more than Techzone is selling it for...

[cgi.ebay.com]

Anyway,,,

I'm *this* close to pulling the trigger on buying one of these kits but would really like to know of the bugs are all worked out yet... I'm mechanically proficient and skilled enough to solder almost anything as long as I have a diagram to follow..... but my programming skills are pretty basic.

In the last few weeks I've had moments of glory where my LC Mendel starts printing.
Sadly these have been short lived as my hot end keeps failing on me.

I must have rebuilt it more than a dozen times now, each time with slight improvements.
I think its improving with each rebuild as I tweak the design.

Hopefully soon I will have it running reliably enough to finish a print.

So Brad are you saying that the Extruder that was sent with the Kit doesn't work ? What is failing?

I really want to get this project built and print somthing before the Holiday Season is over. It would be great to know exactly what extra parts I should have on hand in case of faliure...

I've progressed quite a lot since I posted that message.
It turns out the monolithic board already had the correct firmware and I shouldn't have overwritten it in the first place.
Repsnapper host software talks to the monolithic board right out of the box. Once I re-flashed the board with the right firmware everything started working.

The extruder which ships with the LC kit works great. Its a Wades extruder made from printed PLA.
Most of my problems have been on the heated tip side of things.
I get the sense reading these forums that its the heated tip which seems to be the major weak point in the RepRap design in general. Many people seem to battle with this in the beginning until they find a workable solution for themselves.

My advice would be to order an extra 5 or so thermistors (thermocouple wires) and nichrome wire from Techzone when you place your order.
You could also get a few of the oak insulator blocks with the teflon insert, although these should be easy enough to source locally if you need them.
I've had to rebuild my heated tip at least a dozen times by now, and the nichrome and thermistor can't handle the abuse of being re-used so many times.

Hello All,

I am new to the board and I have a question about the assembly. I am kinda stuck because in none of the pictures can I see how the z-lead screw is attached to the frame at the top.

Does anyone have these photos?

Thanks

Edit:
I found my own aswer just seconds after posting (after searching for about half-an-hour). There is no attachment at the top.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2010 02:26PM by blktoptrvl.

I've been working on building one of these for a while, now. I've got all three axes built, and most of the electronics installed. I can't figure out how you're supposed to mount the endstops and flags, though. Or which side they're supposed to go on. I can't find anything that mentions them, other than a template for the flags... Anybody have some tips? This is one of the last few things I need to figure out to finish this up.

I wasn't sure about this either. I just clamped the end stops on bars at each axis. I found random places to glue flags to and bent them to a shape that enabled them to activate the end stop. This has to be way off base from how it is supposed to be done, but here are some pictures of the way I did it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2010 11:46PM by dazed.dnc.

This is the second forum I've found for TechZone. I'm interested in buying a Mendel kit . Anyone deal with them recently or have any comments??
Have to say this is an informative discussion. I wish Brad lived next door.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2010 07:18PM by HereIgoAgain.

I just found your post. One of our customer Deland Craven has some good instructions, you can see them here..www.delandcraven.com. Our email me what you need pictures of and we will help.

Thanks
Kimberly
TechZoneCommunications

find us at www.techonecom.com/contact.php and send an email!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2011 04:04PM by kymberlyaandrus.