ReplicatorG and RAMPS

Has anyone been able to use RAMPS with Arduino 2560 and ReplicatorG? I have not been able to find a working combination with firmware where i can communicate with ReplicatorG.

Also, why is Makerbot the only one using EEPROM memory to store system configuration like step count per millimeter and thermistor settings? Seems like this would be easier to store in the EEPROM and have these settings be changed through the software.

i like that idea.

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[mike-mack.blogspot.com]

[github.com]

Have a look there. I know that progress is being made.

Ben Jackson has a Git repo for repG that is configured to work with teacup and klimentkip

[github.com] Bens RepG

[github.com] Teacup

[github.com] Klimentkip

I personally use Teacup and have had some issues with repG and my 1280 on Ubuntu but the Windows users have not reported any issues as of lately. To eliminate the issues with communication I am using repG as an interface for skeinforge and then sending the file to the arduino with gtkTERM using Xon/Xoff @ 115200. I don't get any delays and have successfully printed an entire prusa this way, 14hrs of reliable printing vs my 2hr repG experiences.

If you have any problems with the MEGA 2560, have a look at the fix. It requires re-programing the USB/Serial Chip.

For the MEGA 1280, I don't know what your trouble might be caused by. My MEGA 1280s work with ubuntu and RepSnapper just fine. They are Chinese knock-offs, so the are better quality :^) I guess.

[arduino.cc]

I tried Ben Jackson's RepG last night, but wasn't able to get the extruder moving during printing. It's a bit confusing because there are two machine choices: Klimentkip and Mendel with RAMPS, and my machine is both, of course. Kimentkip seems to be the closer fit, as the Mendel with RAMPS does not display the right buttons for controling the extruder.

Everything, including the extruder, works from the control panel though. I don't use Skeinforge, so I don't know if it's something in there that's not set up. Additionally, when you generate the gcode, there is no Skeinforge profile created for the Mendel, so I just picked on of the cupcake profiles, and started moding it blindly.

jcabrer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For the MEGA 1280, I don't know what your trouble
> might be caused by. My MEGA 1280s work with
> ubuntu and RepSnapper just fine. They are Chinese
> knock-offs, so the are better quality :^) I
> guess.

You may be right, I have a real 1280 and it drops the o from ok all the time while using repG

> I tried Ben Jackson's RepG last night, but wasn't
> able to get the extruder moving during printing.
> It's a bit confusing because there are two machine
> choices: Klimentkip and Mendel with RAMPS, and my
> machine is both, of course. Kimentkip seems to be
> the closer fit, as the Mendel with RAMPS does not
> display the right buttons for controling the
> extruder.
>
> Everything, including the extruder, works from the
> control panel though. I don't use Skeinforge, so
> I don't know if it's something in there that's not
> set up. Additionally, when you generate the
> gcode, there is no Skeinforge profile created for
> the Mendel, so I just picked on of the cupcake
> profiles, and started moding it blindly.


Where to start.
If you are using old tonokip or johnnyr's use RAMPS
If using klimentkip or carukip use KLIMENTKIP
If using Teacup use TEACUP
Make changes in reprap.xml located in the machines folder of Ben's repG

As for your extruder that is because of using the cupcake profile.
I would suggest reading through this thread from end to end [forums.reprap.org]
But in short. Turn on dimension and set it to Relative to start.

I have also attached a test profile for Skeinforge39 (enable sf39 in repG under the Gcode tab)
Then drop the folder in .replicatorg/sf_39_profiles/
Open RepG again and when you go to generate new Gcode you should have an option for test profile.

Edit removed attachment see new comment at bottom

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2011 09:37PM by Sublime.

Removed comments after uploading a new version see comment below.

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2011 09:39PM by Sublime.

No pain no gain, right?

Thanks for the info Sublime. I'm not there yet, but definitely on the right track now.

I'm a little lost on the last bit you mention about MIN/MAX limits. Where is that set? Skein Forge/GeplicatorG/Firmware?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2011 10:01AM by jcabrer.

It seems that everyone is looking for some pre-configuration to start off with. I have created just such a thing for everyone to try. I was planning on releasing this information after all my testing was done, but due to a faulty pololu driver my machine is out of commission for a while.

I have written a quick over view of my settings here and have a down-loadable set of Skeinforge profiles and a ramps config file available with it.

Hope this helps and let me know if you find anything that needs to be changed ( I worked backwards to achieve some of the mendel values from my oddball configuration )

Here you can find the settings I'm using

[reprap.org]

cloudmaker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here you can find the settings I'm using
>
> [reprap.org]
> S

Why do you have Xon/Xoff enabled while using RepG?
What are your acceleration settings?
Your reprap.xml does not have any of Ben's teacup modifications implemented.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

jcabrer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm a little lost on the last bit you mention
> about MIN/MAX limits. Where is that set? Skein
> Forge/GeplicatorG/Firmware?


Sorry I didn't read this the first time.

This would be set in the firmware. They are called "soft limits" usually and can be disabled when using limit switches. But from my reading, switches seem to be more hassle than help. And from experience I can say they are not needed, also MB cupcakes and Reprap Darwins don't use any.

ReplicatorG has an XML file with the dimensions of your machine but these can be set as 200 for a Mendel as RepG uses these to show you the build area size and then sets 0 in the center of that. (replicatorG is maintained by makerbot and in doing so it is designed with their firmware in mind which has 0 in the middle). And skeinforge just looks at the model and doesn't care how big your machine is.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2011 01:39PM by Sublime.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

Can someone make a zip of everything configured to use ReplicatorG and Teacup firmware for RAMPS? On windows if possible.

I tried tonight and I have to say I'm quite lost... First the firmware config.h [github.com] they are stuff like:
#define F_CPU 16000000L
What is 16000000L?

#define X_STEP_PIN DIO26
#define X_DIR_PIN DIO28
#define X_MIN_PIN DIO3
#define X_MAX_PIN DIO2
#define X_ENABLE_PIN DIO24

What are those DIOXX? Im guessing the digits are the port number.
And for the software, I have no idea how to build it... at least on windows.

Can I get some help please?

Take a deep breath and relax. Most of those settings are exactly where they should be. You should only make changes if something is
0. Not connecting
1. Not moving
2. Moving, but too slow/fast
3. Moving in wrong direction, or only moving in one direction
4. Not heating, or heating too much
5. Not printing well

Pick the first item from the list and maybe we can help

I have that on your list:
1. Not moving
2. Moving, but too slow/fast
3. Moving in wrong direction, or only moving in one direction
4. Not heating, or heating too much

My axes x/y are working but reallllly slow with the control panel. My axis z works sometime meaning, I can go down once, and go up once and thats it, after i have to wait few minute before being able to move this axis again and it's inverted...
ReplicatorgG also doesn't read the thermistor temperature, I can see the command in the log but it doesn't show up on the graph.

Misspoke.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2011 06:39PM by Sublime.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

It's probably safe to say that most of your problems are in misconfigured firmware. Do you have hardware end-stops? If you do, that should be enabled in configuration.h

The z axis not moving after a while... This could be too much current shutting down the driver. Are the z axis motors cold, warm, or hot? They should be cold.

If an axis moves in only one direction, then the hardware end-stop invert setting needs to be flipped. What causes this is that the controller thinks the endstop is always blocked, so it will only allow you to move away.

If you are using software end-stops, you again have to make changes in configure.h, and make sure that the MIN/MAX ranges on X/Y are -100/+100 for repG, or 0/200 if using repsnapper. RepSnapper likes to start home in the bottom left corner. RepG likes home to be in the center of the bed.

With software end-stops, you may have to position the axes in the center and press the reset button.

Sorry for misspeaking earlier I was on my way out the door.

For a pre-compiled version of Ben Jackson's ReplicatorG to work with teacup go here

Then take the latest Commit of teacup and try and get it working WITHOUT hardware end stops. Once you get all the axis moving in the right direction you can try turning off the software limits and turn on the endstops. It is really hard to debug issues when you change to much at once. The only changes you should make to the config.ramps.h is to rename it config.h and change the steps per mm for you axis if necessary, your soft limits need to be changed to match your machine and all the speeds are set way to low to be usable.

I have a config.h and skeinforge profiles available to download here and more info here

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

Hey thank you I have just finished making my first Ramps board to go on a machine this week..

I did notice one problem with the Ramps pcb if you etch your own board.

The tin case around the USB port needs some insulaton on it to prevent it from creating an extra intermitent ground connection.to the Ramps 0v track.

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Bodge It [reprap.org]
=======================================

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BIQ Sanguinololu SD LCD board	BIQ Stepcon	BIQ Opto Endstop
BIQ Heater Block PCB	BIQ Extruder Peek clamp replacement	BIQ Huxley Seedling
BIQ Sanguinololu mounting	BIQ standalone Sanguinololu or Ramps mounting	Print It Stick It Cut it

My rep strap: [repstrapbertha.blogspot.com]

Buy the bits from B&Q pipestrap [diyrepstrap.blogspot.com]
How to Build a Darwin without any Rep Rap Parts [repstrapdarwin.blogspot.com]
Web Site [www.takeaway3dtech.com]

I've been trying to get ReplicatorG 25 to work with RAMPS and Teacup. A version of RepG that's tweaked to work with Teacup is intriguing. In fact, I'm messing around with it now. The control panel seems to work better; the axes more more predictably and the temperature seems to track correctly.

For some reason the D10 heater on RAMPS has 12v as soon as the USB cable & the power cable are plugged in, without RepG running. If just the power cable is plugged in, without the USB cable, D10 doesn't show 12v. On the wiki it labels D10 as the extruder heater. Could this be a firmware problem? Or is this a problem with the physical board itself? Going into the control panel and turning the extruder heater on (100deg) doesn't make D9 or D8 show 12v, so D10 must be where it thinks the extruder heater is.

I can move the axes from the control panel, but the endstops are ignored (don't stop the movement when I trigger them manually). Also, they seem to move really slowly.

A lot of the options in the control panel don't seem to work. Homing doesn't do anything, except for one time when the x-axis started creeping really slowly in the wrong direction (the y-axis did it too). Stepper motor controls enable/disable doesn't seem to do anything (except maybe after a long delay?). The extruder forward/reverse controls don't move the extruder. They might be trying to do something, cuz it sounds like the extruder stepper will whine.

What do you guys think?

> For some reason the D10 heater on RAMPS has 12v as
> soon as the USB cable & the power cable are
> plugged in, without RepG running. If just the
> power cable is plugged in, without the USB cable,
> D10 doesn't show 12v. On the wiki it labels D10 as
> the extruder heater. Could this be a firmware
> problem? Or is this a problem with the physical
> board itself? Going into the control panel and
> turning the extruder heater on (100deg) doesn't
> make D9 or D8 show 12v, so D10 must be where it
> thinks the extruder heater is.

D10 = Extruder Hot End, You MUST, MUST, MUST have a thermistor plugged in and working for the firmware to control this properly.
D9 = Fan
D8 = Heated Bed

Take a good picture of your RAMPS and let's make sure nothing is on backwards. Is it possible to toggle D10 using the Hated Bed Button in RepG, or is it not actually functional?

>
> I can move the axes from the control panel, but
> the endstops are ignored (don't stop the movement
> when I trigger them manually). Also, they seem to
> move really slowly.
>
> A lot of the options in the control panel don't
> seem to work. Homing doesn't do anything, except
> for one time when the x-axis started creeping
> really slowly in the wrong direction (the y-axis
> did it too). Stepper motor controls enable/disable
> doesn't seem to do anything (except maybe after a
> long delay?). The extruder forward/reverse
> controls don't move the extruder. They might be
> trying to do something, cuz it sounds like the
> extruder stepper will whine.
>
> What do you guys think?


RepG uses a coordinate system ranging from -100 to +100 on X and Y. RepSnapper uses 0 to 200 (or 0 to 220 with 10mm border). If I am not mistaken, there is a setting in the firmware configuration for setting this. Check and see. I've had RepG working with RAMPS before, but I was running Sprinter firmware, and did not quite have the hang of SkeinForge at the time, so I can't say it was 100% there.

You should see +12V on the + terminal of D8, D9 and D10 as soon as the board is powered up. In RAMPS and most electronics, the + terminal is always connected to 12V. The other pin (sometimes labeled -, but not in the RAMPS) is connected to the power MOSFET. The power MOSFETS complete the circuit by grounding that terminal. It's in the schematics.