Marlin 3D printer - adding new functionality

Hi,

I am working on my master thesis. My goal is to build 3D printer with added functionality. I need to add some sensors to the printer and I need to stop or pause the print if some values from the sensors are exceeded. I also need to be able to read parameters from the 3D printer (like the extrusion temperature, or if the printer is printing) and using that parameters to decide, what should the sensors check.


I suppose that I will use RAMPS 1.4 with Marlin firmware. But I am not sure what way of adding functionality is easier.

Is it easier to have extra microcontroler board (I would use Arduino Uno) for the sensors, where all the logic needed for sensors is done, and then to define the communication between main board of the printer and the sensors board (e.g. for pausing the print I will use M-code)? And also to add extra topics to the menu of the printer by editing firmware?

Or is it better to have only one board and plug the extra sensors in it and edit only the Marlin firmware?


Anyway could you please add the example how to stop/pause the print? It could be called from the sensors board or from the Marlin Firmware.
Thank you for any suggestions or help!

... Pronterface already has the functionality of pause/resume, so easy enough to call the methodes in your custom code.

My projects (based on Pronterface) use both methodes and more:
- additional sensors and outputs added to the board (RADDS), modified Marlin4Due firmware to handle additional I/O's and M-codes
- "slave"-boards with Arduino or other microcontrollers for extra functions like special CNC-routines, auto-focus or pulse-controlling

... but too -- heavy modifications and external plugins for Pronterface to handle this additional hardware and other tasks like importers/file-converting, camera-teaching or recalibrating/recalculating of already existing G-code-files ...

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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]

Thanks!

I try to get more information about Pronterface and after that I will make a decision, which software and hardware configuration I will use for my project. Could you please share a link here to your project? If it is on the internet

And again, thanks a lot!

... here is a (German) thread, where I've posted some of the software specs (see the 3rd side) - [reprap.org]

Otherwise search for "gieCAPS" ...

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

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