On your ali-express link the "wiring diagram" is wrong: it says for VCC "Connect to 5V negative" and for GND "Connect to 5V positive" - it should be the other way around!von enif - RAMPS Electronics
If you go with the mega/ramps you can switch the solenoid with one of the mosfets. With the UNO you need to do external switching, e.g. using a sevenswitch on any free output pin. Maybe you could also use a servo instead of the solenoid?von enif - RAMPS Electronics
If you search in eBay for "arduino uno cnc shield", you'll probably find what you are looking for, i.e. an uno shield for up to 4 stepsticks. But I fear it won't be any cheaper than the mega + ramps, which --even if you don't need all the ramps' features-- would leave you much more room for the firmware.von enif - RAMPS Electronics
I once had a similar problem with my Sanguinololu. It turned out that it was loosing the USB connection whenever I switched of the (fluorescent) lights in the same room. I ended up replacing the fluorescent light with LEDs - and never again had the problem since.von enif - RAMPS Electronics
What I do not understand is why even a short on your RAMPS could cause the PC to power off? Your RAMPS is connected to its own power supply, not the one from the PC? Then your only connection between the PC and the RAMPS is via the USB port and that one is protected against shorts. Could it be that your problem is due to some ground loop? Do you have the PC and the power supply of your i3 onvon enif - RAMPS Electronics
The pull-up resistors are not needed externally, they are built in and activated in the ATMega2560. So your mechanical endstops are simply switches between Signal and Ground. BTW the Ramps is IMHO quite dangerous concerning the endstop pin arrangement, if you put the endstop connectors the wrong way, you will short 5V to GND - and probably damage the 7805 on the Arduino Mega. So, beware ofvon enif - RAMPS Electronics
When you start up your system in pronterface with an SD card in the LCD, does it recognize the SD card ("echo: SD card ok") or not ("echo: SD card init fail")? With this you know at least that this part of the LCD is working... With the full graphic 12864 LCD, the contrast control is often faulty (which leeds to the same problem as you describe), but it can most of the time be resolved by addinvon enif - RAMPS Electronics
Might it be just the contrast setting? Have you tried different settings of the contrast potentiometer?von enif - RAMPS Electronics
Sorry, I misread your post thinking that you only wanted one rounded side. Having rounded base and top is even simpler... // elliptic cylinder with rounded base *and* top module elrdcyl2( w, // width of cylinder d, // depth of cylinder h1,// straight height of cylinder h2 // height of rounded base and top ) { hull() for(z=[0,h1]) translate([0,0,z])svon enif - OpenSCAD
Is it somthing like this you are looking for? // elliptic cylinder with rounded top module elrdcyl( w, // width of cylinder d, // depth of cylinder h1,// straight height of cylinder h2 // height of rounded top ) { intersection(){ union(){ scale()cylinder(r=1,h=h1,$fn=36); // cylinder translate([0,0,h1])scale()sphere(r=1,$fn=36); // top } scale()von enif - OpenSCAD
Isn't the microstepping applied to a sequence through all (3 in your case!) coils? In this case, a complete microstepping cycle would be applied to 3*1.2deg = 3.6deg, which comes to 100 cylces per rotation.von enif - Stepper Motors, Servo Motors, DC Motors
The 12864 LCD is completely passive, the display must be driven by the (properly configured) firmware in the Mega2560... Ok, so you need to: download Marlin, install it in your Arduino sketchbook modify Marlin's file Configuration.h, at least you need to set MOTHERBOARD to 33 and uncomment the line defining REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER (not REPRAP_DISCOUNT_SMART_CONTROLLER, thvon enif - Controllers
Did you upload a 3D-printer firmware to the Mega2560? Which one, Marlin? Did you configure Marlin for the LCD by activating REPRAP_DISCOUNT_SMART_CONTROLLER in Configuration.h? If the firmware is well configured and uploaded, could the problem be due to bad contrast setting of the LCD? (In this case, you should still be able to hear the "clicks" when you activate the rotary encoder.)von enif - Controllers
Instead of removing the "lock" of the ribbon cables, one can probably also just pull the plastic part of the socket from the adapter PCB turn it 180 deg and push it back on. This way, there is no danger later on to connect the ribbon cable the wrong way, if ever you need to disconnect and reconnect it. To pull the plastic housing off, I use a knife to go between the PCB and the housing. BTW thivon enif - Controllers
What's the value of the backlight LED resistor (RBL)? Mine is 101 (100 Ohm). If it's much lower (can't read it on your photo), maybe your backlight is drawing too much current and that might be the reason for the USB voltage drop...von enif - RAMPS Electronics
I have checked how the trimpot and my additional resistor are connected to the 20x1 pin row which is also present on your board. I tried to draw it on top of your photo: This is just how the resistors are connected on my board - no idea whether this also works for your board... Could it be that your board allows setting the contrast via the software? Marlin has a corresponding parameter, butvon enif - Controllers
Using an unipolar 6-pin stepper in bipolar 4-pin mode is always possible. You just have to find out which pins are the center tabs and leave them unconnected. For this you best measure with a multimeter the resistance between the pins. This should give you 2 groups of three interconnected pins. Within a group you have to leave unconnected the pin which shows the same (lower) resistance to botvon enif - Stepper Motors, Servo Motors, DC Motors
Quote I need the motors to turn opposite each other. Simply swap the wires of one(!) winding of the motor you need to reverse. Quote anyone have their motors wired this way? Sure, I use serial Z-motor wiring for all my printers - works perfectly as long as steppers have a low impedance.von enif - Controllers
Could it be that the PID_MAX setting in your Marlin configuration is wrong?von enif - Controllers
Did you measure the variation of the voltage of the trimpot (3rd pin hole) when turning it from one end to the other? Any change when in the voltage with the resistor? Is the 2nd pin hole really at 5V, as mine is? Have you checked that there is no short to ground?von enif - Controllers
No, I did not have to cut any traces on the board. I checked the voltage on the trimpot and saw that it would not go above 1V, regardless of the setting of the trimpot. So I tried with various resistors between those pin holes (3k, 820R, 270R, just holding it without soldering) to raise the voltage and then soldered the one which worked best...von enif - Controllers
I had a similar issue with my full graphic LCD controller, but I could not even see anything from any angle. I resolved the problem by adding a 270R resistor from the contrast signal (trimpot) to the 5V line. I connected the resistor between second and third of the empty pin holes as shown on the photo.von enif - Controllers
If you are worried about the current limit of the A4988, then why don't you hook up the 2 Z-motors in series? (Especially given that you are using 24V...)von enif - Controllers
I don't think that you need to worry as long as the resistance you measure doesn't show a real short circuit. I quickly measured the impedance shown between 0 and 12V on two good ATX power supply that I have lying around here - I also got 250 Ohms on one and 120 Ohms on the other.von enif - Controllers
I'm out of ideas... You sure haven't changed anything in the setup or in the firmware that could be the reason for the problem? Is your Z-endstop is working correctly? (M119) The only thing I can think of trying to circumvent the problem, is to try to use the E1 stepstick socket to see if you can get the Z-axis to work from there. But for this, you'd need to modify pins.h (and rewire the 2 Zvon enif - RAMPS Electronics
If you use the two Z-connectors then it's parallel. Have you checked with an Ohm-meter (no power connected to RAMPS!) if the Z-Enable and Z-Step of the Z-stepstick have good connection to the corresponding Mega2560 pins A8 and D46 ? Also visually check the ceramic base of the trimpot on the stepstick - I had some that were broken apart.von enif - RAMPS Electronics
Are the Z-motors wired in parallel or in series? "...not working...": you mean like dead, or do they give any sound when you try to move Z?von enif - RAMPS Electronics
Why not try to switch the Z-axis stepper driver with the one of the X- or Y-axis to see whether the problem stays at Z or moves with the driver.von enif - RAMPS Electronics
Might there be some intermittent short in one of the end stops, or some small wire/metal piece inside the end stop pin headers that could cause a short from 5V to ground?von enif - RAMPS Electronics
Well, at least you now ruled out any mechanical problem in the printer itself... Were you running the tests with your original firmware or have you tested with the "cloned" firmware from the faulty controller?von enif - RAMPS Electronics