updated marlin firmware

I've added the Tantillus features to the latest Marlin firmware.

The main motivation was to hook up an i2c lcd controller, but once I had that I wanted all the goodies that Sublime added to the official firmware ; ) (Using the i2c lcd, there are plenty pins left over to hook up the encoder and an led driver to the Sanguinololu/Azteeg X1.) I've also added some extras to the 16x2 lcd, see images below.

The firmware should have all the Tantillus features from the official one. It has printed many hours on my Tantillus, but if anyone finds issues, please let me know.

I haven't added the lcd messages to other languages, so at this point it's english only.

The firmware is on github here.

Features:

* Tantillus specific homing
* Fan cools hotend/carriage to safe temperature after print finished (AUTO_FAN)
* Uses relative E by default
* Return carriage to X0 Y0 when SD printing finishes or stopped
* Configurable easy load/purge/retract length and feedrate
* Auto light (turn light on during print using configurable LIGHT_PIN)
* Support for simple i2c LCD controller (see BASIC_LCD in config)
* Direct wired encoder (BASIC_ENCODER)

LCD features:

* Z position, SD%, print time display for 16x2 display
* Easy load/unload filament
* Purge/retract from LCD
* Option to disable PLA/ABS preheat
* Optional move bed down top level menu item (useful after print finished)
* Optional disable cold extruder homing from menu

Just as a note the position you used for the Z height indicator on the 16x2 LCD is the location the Bed temp would be if you have a heated bed (which there are very few on Tantillus).

Would it be possible to temporarily disable the cold extrusion prevention when you press load filament? That way you could be loading the filament while it is heating up.

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Changed these:

- if heatbed present, heatbed temperature is printed on first line on 16x2 lcd instead of z position (also there's no degree sign then, as it doesn't fit)
- cold extrude allowed on easy load

I didn't know you could add a heat bed to the Tantillus. Does that make a difference with PLA? Although I don't have any issues printing onto glass/painters tape.

Would it make sense to trigger "Preheat PLA" when loading with a cold extruder?

lajos Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Changed these:
>
> - if heatbed present, heatbed temperature is
> printed on first line on 16x2 lcd instead of z
> position (also there's no degree sign then, as it
> doesn't fit)
> - cold extrude allowed on easy load

Nice

>
> I didn't know you could add a heat bed to the
> Tantillus. Does that make a difference with PLA?
> Although I don't have any issues printing onto
> glass/painters tape.

When printing stuff the entire size of the bed with a large bottom surface they can still warp enough to pull the tape off the glass so it would help that. But I am printing on a PVA glue mixture and have printed 100 x 100 with a full solid first layer and not had it warp so I think there are better ways. If you want to print ABS it is still probably your best bet. WillWorkForPlastic has a heat bed on his machine. Check his Metric Tantillus thread for more details.

>
> Would it make sense to trigger "Preheat PLA" when
> loading with a cold extruder?

Yes but only if below min extrusion temperature already.

Also I have one machine with a custom version of Marlin on it that had a calibration menu. I do not have the code any longer as I had a hard drive failure and lost it. In it you would select Extruder calibration and it would give you the option to load the filament 50% of the bowden tube length. Then you would mark the location of the filament with some tape and select retract 100mm from the menu and measure it. You would then hit return and it would return to the previous point at which you marked the filament. Then you would change the flow rate (steps per mm on E) and press retract 100mm again and remeasure. During the entire thing it disabled the cold extrusion prevention.

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> printing on a PVA glue mixture

Is that the same thing mentioned in this video? Can you point me to some info on how to coat the glass?

> it that had a calibration menu

I've added a calibration/extruder menu with these items:
- adjust E axis steps/unit
- extrude 100mm
- retract 100mm
- load halfway
- unload halfway

Not sure if it's the same you had, but I've recalibrated the extruder with it, much more convenient than doing it through the host software.

> only if below min extrusion temperature

Added PLA preheat trigger from easy_load if hotend target temp is below EXTRUDE_MINTEMP.

lajos Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > printing on a PVA glue mixture
>
> Is that the same thing mentioned in this video?
> Can you point me to some info on how to coat the
> glass?

He is printng on just PVA which is common white glue. I am not sure how he prepares it either. But from my experiance trying all kinds of combos of glues etc I have found one thing in common. Wipe down the glass with acetone and then apply a thin coating. Let it dry and apply a second if it is patchy. Next thing is wipe it down again with an oil free solvent and try printing on it.

Also people are printing on Lemon juice, hairspray and acetone/ABS slurry.

>
> > it that had a calibration menu
>
> I've added a calibration/extruder menu with these
> items:
> - adjust E axis steps/unit
> - extrude 100mm
> - retract 100mm
> - load halfway
> - unload halfway
>
> Not sure if it's the same you had, but I've
> recalibrated the extruder with it, much more
> convenient than doing it through the host
> software.

Close enough i'm sure, what I had was just a quick trial on one machine and a little inconvenient because of where I had it in the menus.

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lajos Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The main motivation was to hook up an i2c lcd
> controller, but once I had that I wanted all the
> goodies that Sublime added to the official
> firmware ; ) (Using the i2c lcd, there are plenty
> pins left over to hook up the encoder and an led
> driver to the Sanguinololu/Azteeg X1.) I've also
> added some extras to the 16x2 lcd, see images
> below.

I'm a long way off from worrying about firmware, but do your changes mean that I'd be able to use something like the (Adadafruit i2c LCD Backpack), rather than go through the troubling of soldering up my own trim pots and such?

Robert

While I don't have that i2c breakout board, I don't see why it would not work.

There is a configuration option for LCD_I2C_TYPE_MCP23008, the i2c breakout chip in the Adafruit backpack. You'll have to make sure that the i2c address (LCD_I2C_ADDRESS) is set correctly.

Whom is using Lemon juice? Have a link?

Is it possible to use this LCD board with the Tantillus? It looks like it has the SD reader, LCD and the encoder all on one board. I'm aware that the case needs to be modified.

[www.makerfarm.com]

Arc_Tesla Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whom is using Lemon juice? Have a link?

[forums.reprap.org]

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SkyArcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is it possible to use this LCD board with the
> Tantillus? It looks like it has the SD reader,
> LCD and the encoder all on one board. I'm aware
> that the case needs to be modified.
>
> [www.makerfarm.com]
> -lcd-controller-with-smart-adapter.html

Yes that will work with Lajos's updated firmware easily and would also work the original if the pins were updated.

That is a RepRapDiscount LCD kit if you want more info on using it.

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Well, thanks to lajos and Sublime, I have a working LCD!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2013 08:10PM by SkyArcher.

Looks good.

Did you just cut a larger opening in the front of the case by hand?

Are there any clearance issues inside with the size of the screen and board?

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
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Yes, I cut a bigger hole in front and also a small hole in the side for access to the SDCard reader. The face plate just made it pretty.

Also I don't see any clearance problems so far between the LCD panel and the bed. But I'm not done yet.