Comparison of Electronics
This first list of boards are the ones currently most talked about on the Reprap IRC channel ( for methodology see here ), by decreasing order of popularity.
Incidentally, they also happen to be the most often recommended on IRC.
Board | License | Latest Version |
Extruders | Fans | Heaters | Endstops | Temp sense | Ethernet | WiFi | SPI | I2C | RS485 | ISP | CPU | CPU Speed ( Mhz ) | Stepper driver | Other features |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RAMPS | GPL | v1.4 | 1-2 | 3 (maximum, shared w/ Heaters) | 3 (maximum, shared with Fans) | 6 | 3 | No | No | Yes, future | Yes, future | No (via Arduino: Yes) | No (via Arduino: Yes) | Arduino Mega 8 bits ATmega1280, ATmega2560 | 16 | A4988, Pololu boards | |
SmoothieBoard | GPL and CERN OHL | v1.1 | 1 or 2 | 2+ | 4+ | 6 | 4, with possibility of more | Yes | As an extension | 2 | 2 | As an extension | ISP, DFU(USB), JTAG | 32 bit ARM ( LPC1769 ) | 120 | A5984 ( 1/32 microstepping ), digital current control | MicroSD card, file_based config, USB composite (serial + mass storage), Network with web interface, file-based configuration |
Generation 7 Electronics | CC BY-NC-SA | v2.0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | No | No | 2 | - | - | yes | 32-bits LPC1114 | 48 | A4988, Pololu boards | Designed for DIY, mill-/etchable PCB. |
RAMBo | CC ShareAlike 3.0 | 1.1b | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | No | No | 1 | 1 | 0 | USB | Atmega2560, Atmega32u2 | 16 | A4982, digital current control | all-in-one RAMPS board, marlin FW, extra ports |
Duet WiFi | CERN OHL | 1.02 | 2 (up to 9 with DueX5 expansion board) | 3 (up to 9 with DueX5) | 3 (up to 8 with DueX5) | 5 (12 with Duex5) | 3 (8 with Duex5) also up to 8 digital PT100/Thermocouple inputs on daughterboards | No | Yes | 3 | 1 | 0 | USB, SD card, web | 32-bit ARM SAM4E8E microprocessor with hardware floating point | 120 | Trinamic TMC2660 stepper drivers, up to 2.8A, up to x256 microstepping, digital current control | Built in web interface with high speed file upload to SD card, high speed SD card, native USB, file-based config, 18A heated bed support |
Duet Ethernet | CERN OHL | 1.02 | 2 (up to 9 with DueX5 expansion board) | 3 (up to 9 with DueX5) | 3 (up to 8 with DueX5) | 5 (12 with Duex5) | 3 (8 with Duex5) also up to 8 digital PT100/Thermocouple inputs on daughterboards | Yes | No | 3 | 1 | 0 | USB, SD card, web | 32-bit ARM SAM4E8E microprocessor with hardware floating point | 120 | Trinamic TMC2660 stepper drivers, up to 2.8A, up to x256 microstepping, digital current control | Built in web interface with high speed file upload to SD card, high speed SD card, native USB, file-based config, 18A heated bed support |
Megatronics | GPLv2 | v3.0 | 1-3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 8 bits ATmega2560 | 16 | A4988, Pololu boards | |
Board | License | Latest Version |
Extruders | Fans | Heaters | Endstops | Temp sense | Ethernet | WiFi | SPI | I2C | RS485 | ISP | CPU | CPU Speed ( Mhz ) | Stepper driver | Other features |
This second list lists other less popular boards, and boards that have only historical significance :
Board | License | Latest Version |
Extruders | Fans | Heaters | Endstops | Temp sense | Ethernet | WiFi | SPI | I2C | RS485 | ISP | CPU | CPU Speed ( Mhz ) | Stepper driver | Other features |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SinapTec | GPL | 328.02 | 1 | ? | 1 | 3 | ? | No | No | ? | ? | ? | Not with Nano USB | ATmega328, Arduino Nano | 16 | Any Standard | etchable |
Sanguinololu | GPL | v1.3a | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | No | No | - | 1 | - | 1 | 8 bits ATmega644P (or ATMEGA1284) | 16 | A4988, Pololu boards | |
Azteeg X3 Pro | ? | v1.0 | 5 | 8 (maximum, shared w/ Heaters) | 8 (maximum, shared w/ Heaters) | 6 | 6 + 2 thermocouple | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | 8 bits ATmega2560 | 19 | A4988, Pololu boards, digital current control | MicroSD-Card, 24V, clickwheel, USB |
Melzi | GPL | v2.0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | No | No | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 bits ATmega1284P | 16 | A4982 | |
Minitronics | GPLv2 | v1.1 | 1-2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 8 bits ATmega1281 | 16 | DRV8825 | |
Printrboard | CC ShareAlike 3.0 | v0.7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | No | No | 1 | 1 | ? | USB | 8 bits AT90USB1286 | 16 | A4982 | |
Teensylu | GPL | v0.7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | No | No | 1 | 1 | ? | USB | 8 bits AT90USB1286 | 20 | Pololu boards | |
Ultimaker Electronics | GPL | v1.5.4 | 1-2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | No | No | - | - | - | - | Arduino Mega 8 bits ATmega1280 | 16 | A4988, Pololu boards | |
Generation 6 Electronics | GPL | v1.0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | No | No | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 bits ATmega644P | 16 | DRV8811 | |
4pi from Kliment[1][2] | GPL | beta | 1-2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | No | No | 1 | 1 | ? | ? | 32 bit ARM ( SAM3U ) | 96 | A4982 | |
Azteeg X1 | CC ShareAlike 3.0 | v1.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | No | No | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | ATmega1284P(644P on v1.0) | 16 | A4988, Pololu boards | |
Azteeg X3 | CC ShareAlike 3.0 | v1.2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | No | No | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | ATmega1280/2560 | 16 | A4988, Pololu boards | |
R2C2 electronics | CC Non Commercial | v1.2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | No | No | 2 | 1 | ? | USB | 32 bits ARM ( LPC175x ) | 100 | A4988 | |
Pololu Electronics | GPL | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | Arduino Mega 8 bits ATmega1280 | 16 | A4988, Pololu boards | |
Generation 3 Electronics/Tech Zone Remix | GPL | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | 8 bits ATMEGA644P | 16 | A3982 | |
Monotronics | GPL | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | 8 bits Atmega644P | 16 | ? | |
Phoenix | CERN Open hardware license | ? | 3 | 2 | ? | ? | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 8 bits Atmega644P | 16 | TB6560 | |
Brainwave | GPL | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | No | No | - | - | - | ? | 8 bits AT90USB646 | 16 | LV8713T | |
RUMBA | GPL | 1.0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | No | No | ? | 1 | 0 | USB & ISP Headers for both microcontroller | 8 bits Atmega2560, Atmega16u2 | 16 | A4988, DRV8825 Pololu boards | all-in-one RAMPS board, marlin FW, sprinter, repetier, JTAG Breakout |
Duet | CERN OHL | 0.6 | 1 (5 with Duex4) | 1 (up to 5 with Duex4) | 2 (up to 6 with Duex4) | 4 (8 with Duex4) | 2 (6 with Duex4) | Yes | No | 1 | 2 | 0 | USB, wreb | 32-bit ARM SAM3X8E microprocessor, same as Arduino Due. | 84MHz | A4982, digital current control | µSD card ,native Ethernet, native USB, file based config, built in web interface |
Duet | CERN OHL | 0.8.5 | 2 (6 with Duex4) | 2 (up to 6 with Duex4) | 3 (up to 7 with Duex4) | 4 (8 with Duex4) | 3 (7 with Duex4) | Yes | No | 1 | 2 | 0 | USB, web | 32-bit ARM SAM3X8E microprocessor, same as Arduino Due. | 84MHz | A4982, digital current control | µSD card native Ethernet, native USB, file-based config, built in web interface |
RADDS | CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 | 1.5 | 3-5 | 6 (maximum, shared w/ Heaters) | 6 (maximum, shared w/ Fans) | 6 | 5 + 1 Thermocouple | No | No | yes | yes | RS232 | No (via
Arduino: Yes) |
32-bit ARM SAM3X8E Arduino DUE | 84MHz | RAPS128 (THB6128-based), ((A4988?), (DRV8825?) Pololu boards) | USB, SD card, Repetier-Firmware, Marlin4Due, RepRap-Firmware With RADDS Extension Board 8 StepperMotors + Bluetooth or W-Lan etc... |
SAV_MKI | CC BY-SA | Rev.C | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | No | No | 1 | 1 | ? | 1 | 8 bits AT90USB1286 | 16 | Pololu boards | uSD, A4988, DRV8825 pololu boards, native USB, BT interface (though dongle), Marlin, LCD companion board SAV 3D LCD |
Replicape | CC BY-SA | Rev A4A | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | Yes | No | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 32 bit ARM Cortex-A8 | 1000 | DRV8825 | uSD, 4GB flash (on BBB), USB host, PRU: 200 MHz co processor, LCD companion board Manga Screen |
RD3D/1.0 | GPLv3 | 1.00 | 2 | 1 low-power, 4 shared with heaters | 4 shared with heaters | 6 | 3 (+2 spare ADCs) | w/SPI shield | w/SPI shield | 2 | 1 | 0 | USB, SD card, web | Arduino and Due compatible (both 3.3v and 5.0v supported) | depends | A4988-compatible polulu steppers, up to 4 TMC2130 SPI-driven steppers supported | Supports up to 6 on-board stepper modules (up to 3 extruders, or triple Z lead screws for auto-bed-levelling), On-board MicroSD card slot, supports 12 and 24v (and dual separate heated bed) power, on-board 8v regulator to supply Arduino/Due from main DC power, takes standard automotive "blade" fuses, expansion port for LCD, expansion port for up to 3 standard steppers or 6 SPI-based stepper ICs |
Board | License | Latest Version |
Extruders | Fans | Heaters | Endstops | Temp sense | Ethernet | WiFi | SPI | I2C | RS485 | ISP | CPU | CPU Speed ( Mhz ) | Stepper driver | Other features |
Further reading
- The above chart compares "complete" RepRap electronics systems -- the stepper motors plug into one side, and the USB cable from the laptop plugs into the other side. Such systems often include 4 identical stepper driver boards, one for X, Y, Z, and Extrude motors. For a chart comparing stepper driver boards, see stepper motor driver#Stepper drivers.
- After you get a set of electronics, you may want to read Testing RepRap Electronics.
- Ideas for better electronics? Please add your ideas for making things better to ideas to place or Vaporware Electronics.
- If you have ideas for better firmware running on the electronics, please add your ideas to FirmwareWishList.
- Think you can design better electronics, please feel free to use the ideas at ideas to place, FuturePlans, Vaporware Electronics, FutureToolIdeas, Alternative Electronics, Development Pathway, etc. Feel free to create a new wiki page to document your new electronics. Feel free to add your designs to the list at list of electronics, and the above chart.