Help with Firmware please!

Can anyone provide some step by step instructions on how to load a good solid firmware for an arduino mega 2560. Including what customizations are needed to what files, where to get the original files, how to test it, how to load it. basically, i don't know even where to start and what to do from there.

I don't have RAMPS running yet, but there's information on the RAMPS wiki which seems to be up-to-date on what you need to load the firmware:

http://reprap.org

To load the firmware, you need to use the Arduino software. There are instructions on the wiki:

http://reprap.org

but it's specific to Gen 3 electronics and the reprap host. So, ignore the parts specific to Gen 3 like jumpering the reset pin, or the critical timing of when to press the reset button, and the section on the extruder controller. It might be enough for you to figure the rest out.

For testing, you probably want to use repsnapper.

Perhaps someone here with more experience can expand on that section in the wiki.

BTW, I don't read much about using the reprap host sw and firmware on RAMPS but it seems to me that it should work with the proper modifications to the pins.h and configuration.h files.

... i've programmed my Mega 2560 with Arduino 0021 and the Firmware from the RAMPS-Wiki - you have to define the Ultimachine-defaults in configuration.h ...

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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]

get the caruKlip firmware

I know it works great with RepSnapper Windows (not the Beta, no...)
and I have done some testing with ReplicatorG v0.245, but maily I use RepSnapper.

Open the files up in your Arduino environment, and make any changes in config.h

I'll post you a pre-configured download link, if you feel you cannot get there on your own.

-Wildseyed-

@jcabrer
can you get me the pre-configured firmware please?

Start with the firmware first.
make sure you have a driver for the usb port that communicates with the Mega 2560 - get it on the Arduino web site
Load up Arduino-22. If you had installed Arduino before and communicated to Gen 3 that has Sanguino, delete this folder
down load firmware of your choice. I use Tonokip in Ramps.
The firmware loads up with about 4 tabs. Pin data goes into pins.h configuration data like steps per mm goes into config.h
there is a table on Thermistor and the main firmware page that you shouldn't have to mess with.
To upload: Save any changes, Compile then upload. Deal with errors by checking threads for answers
depending on the firmware your light will blink once or keep blinking. To me that says its alive.
Power up the Ramps. Triple check first for correct connections, voltages & polarity.
I use RepSnapper. Connect at 115200 (again depends on firmware) using the correct port.
Go to interactive control and test steppers, check endstops, adjust firmware for steps per mm travel, Check extruter....
Read a many posts as you can to get the feel of whats going on. Ramps web pages are great.
This puts you about half way there...
Download test parts from Thingiverse - I like the 20mm cube
Then load up SF41 and try to understand how to slice your stl file
Eventually save the gcode somewhere.
Load gcode into RepSnapper and try to print.
You can slice in RepSnapper at very different extruder settings compaired to SF41... Part is not as good, but it will get you going.
Then you tune firmware and SF41 until the part looks optimal.
There are many little items not mentioned... but take your time and treat it as a complex puzzle.

if you are the impatient type, I'd try other interests

I have just finished my ramps 1.2 and am trying to get it up and running. Will it hurt ramps to plug the power in after the upload is complete?

No.

I will try the carukip firmware. I have a question about rep snapper. I start it, and sometimes need to plug it in while rep snapper is running. After selecting the correct com port, the "connect to printer" I press the connect to printer button and it goes bright green, then back to dark. Am I correct in assuming this should not happen?

a kungfu masah

Did you set the baud rate in repsnapper to 115600115200?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2011 10:04PM by brnrd.

The capu firmware I loaded was set to 115200, so I used that. I've found that I can connect to the Arduino from rep snapper if I don't have ramps attached. I also noticed the ramps led does not light up. However if I connect the 12v line without USB, the Arduino does get power.

The RAMPS LED is an indicator for the heater block. It only turns on when heating is active.

Are you saying that you cannot communicate with the Arduino if the RAMPS is ATTACHED?

It's probably not a good idea to turn on the 12V power to the RAMPS without power on the Arduino Mega or without loading the firmware first unless all the control lines to the heaters and stepper controllers are in the inactive state under those conditions. I wouldn't power up the RAMPS unless I can communicate with the Arduino properly. Note that you can do things like read the tip and bed temperature even without the power to RAMPS.

If you can connect to the Aruduino without RAMPS but not with the RAMPS, perhaps there's a problem with your RAMPS. Do you have a diode mounted on the RAMPS? Perhaps it's on backwards.

jcabrer Wrote:
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> Are you saying that you cannot communicate with
> the Arduino if the RAMPS is ATTACHED?

Exactly. Kind of weird huh, I also noticed I could not upload firmware to the Arduino with RAMPS attached. I got my firmware on without RAMPS attached, and everything went smoothly.

My firmware seems to be loaded correctly, since I can connect to the Arduino (no ramps) in rep snapper.

I plug in my USB, then plug in the ramps power. And yes I do have a diode installed, I will check the polarity on that once I wake up a bit more.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2011 07:00AM by a kungfu mastah.

I have looked at my diode. When I installed it I don't think I even thought about polarity, but from what I can see I believe I did install it in the correct orientation. It's hard to see but the solid line on the diode is on the right side, which looks like it's over the thick side of the line on the PCB. Also this is a v1.2 PCB. It seems I purchased it while 1.3 was being produced.

I may also note I bought smd resistors by accident, could this be a problem?
Another thing was in my rush to get up I installed a MOSFET backwards... I did power it up like this the first time, however I saw this in my initial debugging, I pulled the MOSFET (quite annoying with the three pins) it was fixed before I posted about my RAMPS troubles here.

Thank you for the quick replies, hopefully we can all figure this out. People say the programming is like magic, I disagree; circuits are the magical part. I have been soldering for a long time, but have only a basic knowledge of voltage and current.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2011 08:28AM by a kungfu mastah.

Take that mosfet out. Replace the resistors. Its tough to troubleshoot when there are so many divergences.

I will place the parts order tomorrow. I will report back once I have installed them.

You should still be able to communicate with the Arduino even if you don't have any MOSFETs installed. Something else is wrong if you're still having this problem after removing the one that was installed backwards.

I will pull the MOSFET today. I did not remove it, I took it out and put it back correctly. Could it be the resistors?

EDIT: for archival purposes, if someone else needs to pull a MOSFET the desoldering iron pump combo at radioshack works surprisingly well. 10x easier this time

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2011 09:53AM by a kungfu mastah.

Loosing connection with Arduino when RAMPS is installed sounds like a short on 5V tripping the fuse on Arduino. Unplug endstops and stepper drivers if they are attached to remove them from the equation and try again. If it still doesn't work test if 5V is shorted to ground on the RAMPS board.

I currently do not have the resistors installed. I have smd resistors, will they work or do I need full size ones? I checked if the 5v and ground holes located underneath the endstops, they did not short. I also checked the 5v on the top of the double header, with the ground on the bottom, they did not short either.

Again I do not have any resistors installed at this time.