Duet 3 Mainboard 6HC - initial production run.

dc42

For clarification: although we designed the Duet 3 to work with a RPi or other SBC to provide the user interface, network interface and file storage, it's possible to run it standalone (i.e. without the RPi) using the built-in SD card socket and Ethernet port, and to attach a PanelDue. Currently this requires a different build of the firmware, but I expect to combine the two builds in due course. You would need to provide your own SD card image and populate it with suitable files. The network functionality when running standalone is similar to the functionality of RRF3 on a Duet Ethernet.

mundsen

Hi, I`m working on a CoreXY design based/inspired by RailCore.

Dimensions : 440x440x 580mm

I Plan to install the power module in the lower part of the frame.

My question is - is it ok to install the Duet 3 + Pi in the same place? or do I get problems because of too long wires to the extruder/hot end?
Is it better to install the controller in a separate box towards the top to get shorter wires?

0_1567351701650_CoreXY_V3_2019-Sep-01_03-09-33PM-000_CustomizedView10547249185.png

DocTrucker

@mundsen I'd read installing the boards on vertical surfaces helps with cooling the stepper drivers, or in Duet3 case the MOSFETs. Perhaps compromise and install on the vertical real surface?

PT100 are being read by the same daughter boards as used for the duet 2 boards, so their leads are likely to need careful routing to avoid major noise sources.

A Former User

Wire length in itself isn't going to be an issue, voltage drop and or noise could be potential issues, but that's just a matter of using sufficiently large wire gauge and possibly shielded cabling. However I don't think the proposed dimensions will be much different from my old chinesium delta kit which didn't have particularly heavy wire nor any shielded wires and worked just fine. If you can go with 24v heaters you'll have less voltage drop due to lower currents.

mundsen

I plan to use 24v

deckingman

@mundsen The RPi has an SD card that you may occasionally need to access. The main board also has things like diagnostic LEDs and it helps if you can see these. There is also a reset switch which you may have to resort to pressing if things go horribly wrong. Personally, I prefer to have good acccess to these things even though it is on very rare occasions that you need too.

Size wise - don't worry about it. My CoreXYUVAB is mostly 600mm wide and deep but the upper (UVA and B) gantries are wider and deeper and it's about 1.7 metres tall.

mundsen

@deckingman Thank you - Seems like the best option is a "box" on the side for simple access
But I`ll install the PSU in the lower part.

mundsen

I plan to combine the Duet 3 with a Raspberry PI 4 2GB
Most of the time I will manage the printer from my Windows computer connected using Ethernet.

a iPad or android tablet as an panel due alternative.

Or is it best to connect a HDMI touch lcd to the PI?

Trying to find what is the best combination while waiting for the Duet 3 to arrive

T3P3Tony

@mundsen I plan to use an HDMI connected touch screen. you could also use a screen connected to the Raspi display connector but HDMI is easier to work with for me.

mundsen

@t3p3tony Do you have an URL for the display you plan to use?

Recommended resolution/inches?

I quess this is more responsive/stable compared to iPad/Android Tablet (WiFi) ?

T3P3Tony

@mundsen I just picked something up off amazon - it hink it was the recommended 7 inch HDMI display. We are also looking at sourcing "official" ones from the same supplier as the PanelDue screens but thats not confirmed and will be a while.

mundsen

Something like this? or 1080p on 5 inch a bit small?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32973438104.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1ec61cd5yCb4ht&algo_pvid=aab541b3-0841-4198-b029-641d3444c011&algo_expid=aab541b3-0841-4198-b029-641d3444c011-8&btsid=900442e3-c2bc-49bb-971b-a81b0b70e3f9&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4,searchweb201603_53

T3P3Tony

@mundsen i went with a 7 inch one and cheaper but basically the same. as its attaching to the Pi I would check that it works with that.

KP0005

@dc42 thank you, tho I'm not really interested in getting a full duet 2, that's why I was asking about the Maestro. I can certainly live without the feature, I just thought it would be handy if it can be used with the older cheaper board.

SuperWhisk

Looks like was about a month too late on this. Looked last night and already out of stock.
Any ideas on timeline for the full release?
I'm working on my own printer design, but I'm not nearly ready for electronics yet, so I may wait to get a duet 3 instead of a duet 2 + Duex5 if it won't be too long.

deckingman

@superwhisk Duet 2 will still be the mainstream product. Do you need to run more than 12 motors or motors that use > 2.8 amps?

SuperWhisk

@deckingman No, I don't need to run 12 motors, from that standpoint the Duet 2 + Duex 5 would be fine. However, I like the idea of running the interface on a raspberry Pi. I'm a software developer, but don't have much experience with embedded programming. Being able to run the interface on a full Linux system means I can more easily create my own or modify the existing one. It also means that whatever functionality I add won't affect the critical real-time functions of the firmware running the printer.

deckingman

@superwhisk Fair comments. I do foresee that that we may see some useful and perhaps amazing applications being developed for the SBC by people such as yourself.

garyd9

@deckingman said in Duet 3 Mainboard 6HC - initial production run.:

@superwhisk Duet 2 will still be the mainstream product. Do you need to run more than 12 motors or motors that use > 2.8 amps?

You're talking to an audience that has either scratch built 3D printers, or torn down and re-assembled existing printers that worked perfectly fine. We download and use "beta" software daily. We push our printers to go faster with better detail, etc. Using an off the shelf printer as-is simply isn't an option for us.

What does "mainstream" mean?

dc42

What it means is that Duet 3 has high-end technology such as 6 high power stepper drivers, 240MHz ARM Cortex M7 processor and CAN expansion. This makes the Duet 3 expensive and it is gross overkill for typical 3D printers, also the RPi is a more expensive (but more flexible) option than the on-board networking of Duet 2. So it's going to be hard to justify using Duet 3 in low-cost printers.

Going forwards, we will probably offer a Duet 2 variant that supports the RPi instead of built-in networking. In its simplest form, this would be a Duet Ethernet without the Ethernet daughter board.