Firmware for SmartrapCore

I posted this over in the CoreXY section, but has anyone tried non-Marlin firmware on the Mega/Ramps setup for the SmartrapCore ALU?

It bugs me that Marlin's last release is old, and I've had bad luck with the RC canidates not being usable, and Repetier firmware has issues trying to use Z-Probe and Z-min for homing and auto bed leveling. My primary machine is running the Duet 0.8.5 with dc42 firmware which works very well, but there has to be something that works for these SmartrapCore setups thats more up to date than the last Marlin release.

Why not another Duet? I seem to recall it has CoreXY support.

I'm already using a Duet on my Smartrapcore ALU kit, but I've rebuilt my older Smartrap Mini into another Smartrapcore that just uses a few 6mm rods with an 8mm Y axis and I've still got the Mega/Ramps setup from the kit. Not really interested in another Duet at this moment, although I would when I build a Delta printer.

I'm using marlin RC bugfix dated 18-06-16 and it works, no complaints on the smartrapcore, I have tried a few later bugfix verisons and had a few compiler issues. Prior to this the only version that worked was RC3. If you want a copy I'll share it when I get home this afternoon.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

I downloaded the RCBugFix one, and I've noticed they're now assuming your Z-Probe is on a sled that requires you move the Z axis away before probing. This sounds good for some of these lead screw z axis, but with the Smartrapcore the probe is fixed, doesn't need moving, and my Z axis is on the floor until I start to home it. The change is making the Z axis move before homing X and Y and without code changes, you can't set the Z_RAISE_PROBE_DEPLOY_STOW and Z_RAISE_BETWEEN_PROBINGS to 0. This means it now goes pop-pop-pop as it tries to lower Z when its already at the low end, as it starts to move X and Y for homing.

The other issue I'm having now, I set my Z_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER to 1.68 which means it triggers 1.68mm before the nozzle touches the bed which I was assuming would cause it to home Z at 1.68 and not 0 like it seems to be doing. The Duet controller home's Z to the probe offset value which makes a lot of sense. And I'm still having issues after the G29 routine it starts to print in mid-air. If I didn't already have the Mega/Ramps board, I think I would have just ordered another Duet 0.8.5.

And it's still puzzling to me why Repetier firmware won't crash into the bed when you use Zmin and Zprobe as the same thing using the Zprobe offset to set a true 0. They're solution is to use Zmax and Zprobe which might be ok apart from saying Z goes from -2 to 160 isn't exactly true since power off I hear a very tiny drop on Z maybe a mm or so.

I do wonder how much work would be to port the reprapfirmware to the Mega and just use the EEPROM instead of the config.g files with the ramps not having a dedicated sd card.

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DjDemonD
I'm using marlin RC bugfix dated 18-06-16 and it works, no complaints on the smartrapcore, I have tried a few later bugfix verisons and had a few compiler issues. Prior to this the only version that worked was RC3. If you want a copy I'll share it when I get home this afternoon.

Does that version have the Z_RAISE_PROBE_DEPLOY_STOW and Z_RAISE_BETWEEN_PROBINGS settings? I'd also love a peak at your configuration.h file if you don't mind.

Hi my current Marlin firmware which I have loaded on the SCALU now is here. That will be downloadable for a few days.

I have been involved in some testing for the Marlin team, as they don't have many reasonably cooperative contributors with corexy's to test things.

In configuration.h you can/should define fixed_mounted_probe. There are sled probe options I just ignore those they aren't defined by default.

They have moved to versioning the configuration.h files as they were having problems with testers trying to save time by just using their old config files which now have changed version numbers if they've been altered. The sanity_check routine throws a compiler error if the file has the wrong version number so do it the hard way and port all settings manually or change your physical dimensions from my version, much less time consuming (Scott/Thinkyhead is working on a config wizard type thing).

M851 z-probe offset seems quite useful really. It picks up its starting value from the value you enter in probe offsets in configuration.h. however you can always send an m851 with a new value even mid print then save it to eeprom. At my request they modified the babystepping feature which is enabled in configuration_adv.h. If you haven't tried it definitely enable it (don't enable babystep x and y - I can't see any use for that unless your bed is taped to the printer and moves around a lot). Once printing begins you can jog the z up and down in 1/100ths from the tune menu and it gives you a readout of the amount you jog it by whilst you print a skirt or whatever. For the next print you just have to change your m851 by that amount and save to eeprom.

If your m851 is 0 then you home z the 0 coordinate will be your probes trigger point. But my m851 is 0.5mm (physically the nozzle is 0.6mm above the bed when the probe triggers) so when I home z the current position shows as z=0.5. If I send g1 z0 it moves down to nozzle 0.1mm above the bed. They have also changed software endstops/travel limits so that they are fixed, this means its better to use the babystep and adjust method than the traditional G92 z10 then lower the nozzle, this won't work now as G92 does not override the software endstops, and a Gcode to turn them on/off is in the works still.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

Not sure about reprap firmware port possible I think Marlin are looking to move to 32 bit at some point and I suspect a re-engineer of the config system given that most/all 32 bit cards have sd cards would make a lot of sense.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2016 03:57PM by DjDemonD.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

I have downloaded that firmware. I'll give it a shot. Although, I've got past my starting issue, but only if I skip G29. Homing seems to work with my offset and such, but as soon as it does a G29, it screws up the first layer and puts it way too close. At least its progress on it being functional now though.