Aluminatus TrinityOne Software Electronics
Aluminatus TrinityOne Documentation
Contents
Software
Download The Software
- Slicing Software
- Printer Control/Gcode Reviewing Software
- Download Pronterface. This software allows you to print something over USB and manually drive around your bot.
- Download Repetier Host. This alternative software also allows you to print something over USB and manually driver around your bot. But it also features a fantastic G-Code view to allow you to verify the G-Code before printing.
- Firmware Updating Software
- Download Arduino. This allows you the open the firmware (Marlin), make changes, and upload new firmware to your bot's electronics.
- Download Marlin. This is the actual firmware files for your electronics. It has been preconfigured and is ready to go.
- Place the Marlin folder in the Arduino directory for it to be recognized.
- To flash the firmware to your electronics, refer to this guide.
Electronics
RAMPS
Necessary Additional Steps
- If you are experiencing missed steps, ensure the Pololu stepper drivers are set to the appropriate current.
- Current recommendation is a Vref of 0.460 V, setting output current to 1.15 amps
- Provide for cooling of RAMPS / Pololu stepper drivers if LCD panel is installed, blocking fan flow
- Re-locate 40 mm fan to one side, blowing across all driver chips.
- Upgrade fan if desired (a 60 mm fan will fit).
- Current best practice recommends not installing heat sinks on these chips.
- Verify correct extrusion direction
- Some printers shipped with a mirrored extruder mount piece (printed). This causes the extruder to run "backwards" since the motor is mounted on the other side.
- The simplest fix is to remove, flip, and reinstall the 4-wire connector connected to 'E0' on the RAMPS board.
- POWER OFF your machine before doing this or you will destroy electronics
- This may also be corrected in the firmware.
- Look in the Configuration.h file of Marlin for the line: #define INVERT_E0_DIR false
- Change it to: #define INVERT_E0_DIR true
- (It might be the other way, you just need to make it "true" or "false", whatever isn't stated there currently)
- Now reflash Marlin to your electronics. Refer to this guide for help.
- Note that if a new, correct extruder mount is printed, the direction will need to be re-reversed.
Helpful Additional Steps
- Address X-endstop electrical noise issue
- Re-route X-endstop wiring such that it does not run next to any stepper motor wiring
- Alternatively, add a 10-100nF ceramic capacitor on the RAMPS side of the wiring (this may be jammed into the connector, which would not require soldering)
- Alternatively, add a 4700-ohm resistor to the x-endstop wiring (which side?). Some owners have made cable extensions with a resistor, eliminating the need to cut stock wiring.
- Alternatively, re-wire X-endstop and/or stepper motor wires using shielded, twisted cable.
- Alternatively, unplug the X-endstop switch at the RAMPS board and ensure that no homing process is inserted into the G-code when printing.
- Note most of these may be combined.
- Verify functionality of the SD card slot
- Some SD card readers on the LCD panel have cold solder joints. Re-solder as needed.
- There is a small switch (leaf spring style) on the side of the reader that may have been damaged. Check for misaligned parts, adjust with a pin or other small tool.
Helpful Firmware Tweaks
- Increase the PID_FUNCTIONAL_RANGE in the config.h file of Marlin to 20.
- The default for the value is 10. With a 24 V system, 10 degrees for the hotend is about 1 second when initially heating up so it would overshoot a lot.
- Make sure your PID is tuned.
- Values I like:
- Send M301 P12.5 I0.18 D12.0 to update your hotend PID settings. (Send these commands from Pronterface or something similar)
- Send M304 P125.0 I0.3 D300.0 to update your Bed PID settings.
- Now send M500 to save the PID settings to EEPROM.
- Values I like:
