I'm new to 3d printing. I have built a RepRap Prusa Mendel i2 with a Sanguinololu rev. 1.3a Atmega 1284P and StepStick drivers.I have Sprinter firmware uploaded and am using Pronterface.
My problems are:

X axis only moves in the + direction when i click + or - movements.

When I click the home button for any axis, the movement doesn't stop when endstop is triggered.

I have searched all over the web for solutions. None of which gave me any success. I have tried several combinations of inverting endstops, fuse settings and rewiring NO and NC on stops. Some combinations would give me the same results, others would make the printer stop working completely.

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME TURN THIS EXPENSIVE PAPERWEIGHT INTO A FUNCTIONING 3D PRINTER!!!!!

Does M119 report reasonable changes to your endstops?

Is the 'DIR' pin of the X stepstick getting the proper signals? If not, check the output from the atmega per [reprap.org]

m119 shows x_min:L y_min:L z_min:L weather i'm triggering the stops or not

how do i check that?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/2014 12:38PM by kevbme.

If M119 is insensitive to whether or not the endstops are triggered, then the firmware isn't getting the message somehow. If you check out the associated pins with a multimeter, you could see if an electrical signal is getting to the pins. Electrically they should toggle between +5V and 0 when the switch toggles.

Doublecheck what you are using with [reprap.org]

Also, you might check if your firmware is using its internal pullups if needed. Sprinter looks like #define ENDSTOPPULLUPS in Configuration.h

To me, your endstop issue sounds like a setting problem in your configuration file as already mentioned.

Your x axis direction problem is especially interesting to me. I'm not aware of any settings that would cause it to behave in that way. I suppose it could be a problem with your stepper driver. Have you tried swapping the x and y drivers to see if the problem moves to th y axis? That would help isolate the problem.

I had to remove the led & resistors from my end stops.

Quote
DaveX
If M119 is insensitive to whether or not the endstops are triggered, then the firmware isn't getting the message somehow. If you check out the associated pins with a multimeter, you could see if an electrical signal is getting to the pins. Electrically they should toggle between +5V and 0 when the switch toggles.

Doublecheck what you are using with [reprap.org]

Also, you might check if your firmware is using its internal pullups if needed. Sprinter looks like #define ENDSTOPPULLUPS in Configuration.h

So put the meter on x dir and x step pins?

Pullups are defined. I have mechanical stops with center pin and signal pin wired.

Quote
brobinsonx
To me, your endstop issue sounds like a setting problem in your configuration file as already mentioned.

Your x axis direction problem is especially interesting to me. I'm not aware of any settings that would cause it to behave in that way. I suppose it could be a problem with your stepper driver. Have you tried swapping the x and y drivers to see if the problem moves to th y axis? That would help isolate the problem.

What configuration should I have? I've played with them with no difference.

I well try swapping drives and let you know what happens.

I am having same problem here. Printer was working great yesterday now the x axis will only move in +, hit the home button and moves +, then resets home position to 0. the axis will go in the - direction in manual. eg; have x axis moved all the way to the home position and move to the +, 50mm then can move back in manual 50, no problem but move axis to +50 and hit x home button and the axis will reset to 0 after moving 10mm in + direction. Please help, its only been one week with this and was going great till now

well I hope this helps you with your x axis issue, mine ended up being the red wire on the 3 pin connector for the end stop on the board working its way out just enough to lose contact but not so far so as to be able to see it aat first. Pushed wire in and all is good , I am a happy man, I hope this helps

Quote
kevbme
What configuration should I have? I've played with them with no difference.

I'm not sure if it will help or not but I attached my config file for you to reference. I have a Mendel i2 / Ramps 1.4 / Marlin. I'm not familiar with Sanguinololu boards or Sprinter Firmware so I don't know if its even relevant. It's also very possible there is a problem with the wiring but again, I'm not familiar with Sanguinololu.

Quote
kevbme

Quote
DaveX
If M119 is insensitive to whether or not the endstops are triggered, then the firmware isn't getting the message somehow. If you check out the associated pins with a multimeter, you could see if an electrical signal is getting to the pins. Electrically they should toggle between +5V and 0 when the switch toggles.

Doublecheck what you are using with [reprap.org]

Also, you might check if your firmware is using its internal pullups if needed. Sprinter looks like #define ENDSTOPPULLUPS in Configuration.h

So put the meter on x dir and x step pins?

Pullups are defined. I have mechanical stops with center pin and signal pin wired.

Some firmwares use the endstop state to control the direction of stepping during homing, so I'd troubleshoot the endstops first.

I'd put a meter on the endstop's signal pins see if the internal pull-up actually pulls it up, and that it changes while diddling with the switch.

Wait-- Center pin and signal pin? On the Sanguinololu end? From [reprap.org] and [anguinololu-photo-top.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reprap.org] it sounds as if you might be hooking the switch across the pulled-up signal pin and the optical switch supply voltage. For mechanicals, you'd need to hook the switch between the signal pin and the ground pin/opposite-pin.

No. center pin on the stop. Which I believe is the NO pin. I have it on the two outer pins on the board end.

When I put a meter on the wires (disconnected from board) I do get an ohm.reading.

You have badly setup 1284p fuses.

The fuses on the 1284p set some of the functions of the pins, including jtag. If jtag is not turned off, those pins misbehave

This kills pins 24-27, ie x-stop,y-stop,z-stop and X direction.

see [github.com]

Quote
Dust
You have badly setup 1284p fuses.

The fuses on the 1284p set some of the functions of the pins, including jtag. If jtag is not turned off, those pins misbehave

This kills pins 24-27, ie x-stop,y-stop,z-stop and X direction.

see [github.com]

Do you just edit that in the boards.txt file?

Yes you can edit that and use the Arduino IDE to write a new boot block and fuses.
Or you can use the command line tool avrdude to just update the fuses.

Both require a AVR programmer of some sort (eg [www.pololu.com])

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2014 04:38AM by Dust.

I use an arduino uno. What do I need to do in the ide after editing boards.txt? Maybe that's the step i'm missing. I have the boards set, then what I did was just burn bootloader. I don't know what you mean by write new boot block and fuses.

Burn bootloader should work. you did edit the correct boards.txt?

I also disagree with the link about what the fuses should be, I used the following after using the nice calculator from [www.engbedded.com]
Also [blog.think3dprint3d.com] says the same fuses I used.

1284p fuses
Low 0xD6
High 0xDC
Ext 0xFD

I would use avrdude, you can read the current fuse settings setting and change if needed. It doesn’t hide what its doing like the IDE does.

I used "avrdude -B5 -pm1284p -cavrispv2 -P/dev/ttyACM0 -U lfuse:w:0xd6:m -U hfuse:w:0xdc:m -U efuse:w:0xfd:m -C avrdude.conf"

but your options will be different ,-c will be different as you use a different AVR, -B seems to depends on how fast your pc is, , -P is the port, will be different for windows

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2014 09:26PM by Dust.

I edited program files x86/arduino/hardware/sanguino/boards.txt in NotePad.

Do I also need to use avr dude on top of doing that?

If so, what is that editing?

Does the arduino and sanguino need to be hooked up while using avr dude?

Not only am I new to 3d printing but to electronics as well, so I need details. Sorry.

That file is the settings for arduino IDE, for when it writes a boot loader. See In the IDE menu tools|Burn Bootloader|w/ arduino as ISP

You need your avr and sanguino hooked up. for either arduino IDE or avrdude to upload new fuses

So was that the right thing to edit? Or should I put it back? I am using arduino for burning.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2014 11:23PM by kevbme.

yes correct file. just check the vales are the ones I posted

1284p fuses
Low 0xD6
High 0xDC
Ext 0xFD

I know they are different than the ones I used. Just edit file and burn correct?

Edit the file. restart Arduino IDE to make sure it sees the changes. and burn

then reupload frmware (just in case) and try.

When I tried uploading firmware, after setting fuses as stated above, I got avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
Same thing after using low=0x42 high=0xd9 ext=0xff from engbedded

Using low=0xff high=0xdc ext=fd as stated at Sanguinololu
I got
avrdude: verification error, first mismatch at byte 0x0000
0x0c != 0xff
avrdude: verification error; content mismatch

bootloader burned on all of them without errors.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2014 12:25PM by kevbme.

Quote
brobinsonx
To me, your endstop issue sounds like a setting problem in your configuration file as already mentioned.

Your x axis direction problem is especially interesting to me. I'm not aware of any settings that would cause it to behave in that way. I suppose it could be a problem with your stepper driver. Have you tried swapping the x and y drivers to see if the problem moves to th y axis? That would help isolate the problem.

I swapped the x and y stepsticks and have the same problem. X moves + direction only.

your going to have to use command line tool avrdude to change the fuses... same ssue I had you cant cant change the -B flag from withing the GUI..

Quote
Dust
your going to have to use command line tool avrdude to change the fuses... same ssue I had you cant cant change the -B flag from withing the GUI..

Would you be able to give me a step by step on how to do that using arduino?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2014 08:02PM by kevbme.

I tried using avrdude with arduino plugged into usb and sanguino hooked up to arduino. This is what I got. Device Signature error.

It is looking at the device signature of the Arduino. Not the Sanguino. Should I leave the Arduino out and plug in the Sanguino USB instead?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2014 01:07PM by kevbme.

That sigature is for a ATmega328

Sound like its working, sort of, but you have it wired wrong.

computer (usb)----> AVR(atmega328) -----(wired to ISP header on) -> 1284p

have a read of [dcgtek.blogspot.co.nz] its almost exsactly what your tring to do.. only he is using a atmeg2560 as a ISP, so the pins will change

use this wiring instead (seem like the board might be very close to yours)


Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2014 10:25PM by Dust.