Presentation Alligator Board... a new RepRap Electronics

Hello everyone,

after one year of ideas, projects and work, we present our contribution to the community, the "Alligator Board".
The project Alligator is a project born in the more complex 3DArtists that working together with the team of Delta-RepRap tip
to advance the free community of 3D printing.
It all started about one year ago, both on the forum and at the Maker Faire, where we realized that on the electronics
yet there was not a complete product and designed as it should except some cards.

So we started the work and here's the Alligator !!!!!!!!!

Now we come to the point ........
What are the features, which has until now there was no ????

1. Power 12-24Vdc
2. 4x Stepper Motor Driver based on Texas Instrument DRV8825
- Up to 2.5A of current, which is configurable via firmware, without trimmer
- The selection of 1/16 or 1/32 microstep, via the micro switch
3. End-Stop 6x inputs compatible with mechanical, optical and magnetic
4. Hot-End Connector Heater high current
5. Bed High Current Connector
6. 2x with RTD circuit that improves the accuracy and the ability to easily select the types of RTD
7. 2x outputs for fans
8. 1x USB to Virtual COM (The classic door cards, micro USB connector)
9. 1x Holder native USB OTG (with micro USB connector)
10. microSD slot with the possibility to insert any type of microSD and high-speed read and write
11. 10/100 Ethernet port
12. Expansion connector with 2 UART or to use as GPIO
13. Direct Connector for Raspberry
14. 3x generic PWM outputs (ex. RGB LED)
15. Optional expansion board to expand with other three extruders

So far we say it is a board a little expensive than the other. The real power lies in the microcontroller, which is the "ATSAM3X8EA-AU" a Cortex M3 32-bit,
that allows you to support Ethernet (where we want to be able to manage the printer, as well as upload gcode from web)
also the core 32 bits from the possibility of making the change of coordinates (for printers delta) without any type of problem, or to print
pieces of a high complexity without the printer goes in spurts, which affects the print quality.
Witch the same micro of Arduino Due, you have the option to program it as the other board.... with the Arduino IDE.
For now it is only supported Repetier firmware, but soon we will bring even Marlin.

The status of jobs .....
At the end of the week we open the crowdfunding

What do you think ????

We will keep you informed and for the curious link 3DArtists Facebook 3DArtists

Presentation Video

Goodbye everyone
Team 3Dartists
Francesco Gargiulo "francesco"
Riccardo Capponi "cappo"
Marco Antonini "marcoantonini"
Michele Scorsipa "michele.scorsipa"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2015 03:50PM by 3DArtists.

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www.3dartists.org

The Alligator board sounds very much like the Duet electronics (which has been available for more than a year), but with the DRV8825 stepper drivers instead of the A4982, and an extra fan output. The use of the same processor should also make it easy to port RepRapFirmware to it. It's a shame you didn't put a 5th stepper driver and second hot end output on it, because my main criticism of the Duet is that you need to add the expansion board to drive a dual-nozzle printer - and 2-nozzle printing is very common these days.

What is the projected price of the Alligator?

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

A year too late, and missing firmware support for the ethernet port and other stuff out of the gate. Since at least two other boards already have these same features and are mature, open-source products, your crowd funding to develop yet another option is a waste of time, IMHO.....

Hello,

Thanks for your opinions.
The Alligator is distinguished by the quality, due to power filters and other peripherals is very robust to interference and don't stops printing. With the piggy you can get to 7 engines, and 5 analogue channels. The analog channels are filtered. Also being on layer 4, the PCB serves as the heat sink and therefore does not require additional components.
The steps and the motor current is selected from firmware, this allows the delta have identical currents wineskin to make the operation of calibration easy.
With the addition of up to 7 Piggy engines and 5 analog channels.
The high-current connectors avoid that melt, then safety.
So it's not like the Duet, the Duet is the Duet and the Alligator is the Alligator .....
For Ethernet and other peripherals, the firmware is ready and will be released at the end of the campaign.

Thank You
3DArtists Team

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2015 03:55PM by 3DArtists.

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www.3dartists.org

It still sounds just like the Duet to me, except you have software control of microstepping (does anybody need that?) and a higher-current heated bed connector. The Duet also has a 4 layer pcb, filtered analog inputs etc. and prints reliably. But if you price the Alligator competitively and either port RepRapFirmware to it or replicate all the features of that software and its web interface in some other firmware, then the use of DRV8825 instead of A4982 drivers may give you the edge because of the higher current capability and 1/32 microstepping.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

I do not think that the question is if it is equal to or less than the Duet, everything is similar to something ....
We give our solution and we do not want to win over anyone, everyone offers his solution and respect all.
The Alligator is our idea of electronic printers ..... modulore, reliable and professional design, to reduce EMI etc ...
The filters on the power supply do not stop the press during the disturbances and is different from the restart of printing, that's firmware. We also have the hardware protection, that prevents that from happening (within limits), at the Maker faire we printed three days without UPS !!!!
The firmware is Repetier ....


Thanks Again
3DArtists Team

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2015 03:54PM by 3DArtists.

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www.3dartists.org

Quote
3DArtists
The firmware is Repetier ....

I've nothing against Repetier if all you have is an Arduino Mega; but why are you using firmware designed for a slow 8-bit microcontroller on a fast 32-bit microcontroller? You are wasting the potential of the processor.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

Is not quite correct, for example if you use a delta machine, a classic 8-bit can not make the change of coordinates in real time and although if you print forms with high mesh 8 bits fails.
So I understand very well the potential of the microcontroller.
Also as there is the Ethernet with the TCP stack, the possibility of an LCD color graphic and other...
In reality Repetier adapts well to be ported on a 32-bit architetture, unlike Marlin.
But users prefer to use what you already use to be able to make changes, so it is right to support the community. The idea is to extend the printing experience and not to remain closed.

Thanks Again
3DArtists Team

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www.3dartists.org

Quote
3DArtists
The idea is to extend the printing experience and not to remain closed.

Regarding "no to remain closed": the wiki still waits for the design files. Right now you infringe your self-choosen licence. I'd be happy to see these files.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

You are right, soon will post the schematic, we are working on final documentations.

Reagrds
3DArtists Team

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2015 10:05AM by 3DArtists.

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www.3dartists.org

Hi to all,

crowdfunding is open Alligator .

King Regards
3DArtists Team

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www.3dartists.org

I see you dropped the open source claim instead of complying with it. That's disappointing. And also makes this a commercial/industrial product now.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Quote
Traumflug
I see you dropped the open source claim instead of complying with it. That's disappointing. And also makes this a commercial/industrial product now.

Hi,

sorry, you are right, today or max tomorrow we will post gerber files,for now you can find schematics on our github.

New video link


King Regards
3DArtists Team

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www.3dartists.org

3DArtists, you should not post multiple copies of the same text in different places of the forums, especially for advertisement purposes, this is against the rules and considered as spamming.

I removed all the copies except for this one and the original Italian topic which gathered the most interest apparently.

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Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

Quote
DeuxVis
3DArtists, you should not post multiple copies of the same text in different places of the forums, especially for advertisement purposes, this is against the rules and considered as spamming.

I removed all the copies except for this one and the original Italian topic which gathered the most interest apparently.

We tried to spread this new card, but we realized that he had violated the rules, we apologize to everyone.
Today we release the gerber files.

kind regards
3DArtists Team

Well done guys, I hope your crowfounding run will be positive.

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---- "Let me make my move" ----

Hello everyone,

thanks to companies who support us, we were able to lower the price of production of Alligator still
keeping production in Italy.
And we decided to passing those savings on to you, so the price of the campaign will be 120 Euros!!!
After the campaign the price could be slightly higher, aligned with similar board.
We wish to specify that those who have already donated to have an Alligator will be contacted for offer a refund of the difference.

Kind Regards
3DArtists Team

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www.3dartists.org