Controller for my larg format 3D printer

bernardomattiucci

Good evening. I hope everything goes well with you.

For my part I completed the zero prototype of the printer I was assembling and I started some tests using, as electronics, Arduino Mega, with a Ramps 1.4, external TB6600 drivers (in reality they are TB67S109AFTG) for Axis X, Axis Y and Axis Z , all powered at 24 volts; while for the extruder I'm using the original DRV8825 mounted on the Ramps.

As you well know, the complexity is given by the presence of 4 motors for the Z axis. Currently these motors are connected in parallel, the 2 on the right on one driver and the 2 on the left on another driver.

The adjustment is currently done manually ... acting directly on the ball screws SFU1204.
The ideal, however, is to have an "independent" control of the 4 motors, to which I intend to add linear encoders mounted on the guides.

In the current configuration, the zeroing of the Z axis occurs at the bottom, with a sensor positioned at X0 Y0.

The vertical movement of the XY plane (the printing table is fixed) occurs regularly and as long as the speed is not excessive, all 4 motors move simultaneously and with precision.

Not wanting to spend too much and wanting to use a Duet2 wifi, what configuration do you recommend the most?

First test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0FEGJcm668
Last test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xsnecz19VRQ

EDIT:

Duet2 Wi-Fi or Duet2 Maestro
Duex2_2
PanelDue 7i

Questions:

Is it possible to control Nema17 motors with Encoders (linear or angular) through this card?
Axis X, Y, Z and Extruder, how should they be distributed on the 2 boards?
the Duet2 Maestro, can it be enough to control my printer?

Thanks
Bernardo

Phaedrux

Encoders are not currently supported. Same situation as the last reply from DC42. So if encoders are a hard requirement you'd have to wait a bit longer yet.

The Maestro is no longer being produced and is being supplanted by the Duet 3 Mini 5+ which is coming in the new year.

Given your requirement of 4 Z drivers, X Y E I think your best bet is probably a Duet 2 + Duex 5. With all 4 Z drivers on the Duex.

Some would question whether encoders are really useful anyway given the fact when properly configured skipped steps are quite rare and stall detection for X Y is fairly reliable for when the print head gets caught up on the print causing it to skip.

bernardomattiucci

Good morning
Thanks for the reply

We arrived at the shopping list:

Duet2 Wi-fi
Duex5
PanelDue 7i

Do you need anything else to mount everything and make the printer work?
For example, the temperature sensors and the heater for the hotend, do they need some other additional card?

Thanks
Bernardo

Phaedrux

@bernardomattiucci said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

Do you need anything else to mount everything and make the printer work?
For example, the temperature sensors and the heater for the hotend, do they need some other additional card?

Genuine Duets comes with crimp and shell packs for the wiring. You'd need a crimping tool and wire obviously.

Standard NTC thermistors can connect directly to the board. PT100 and thermocouples require a their own specific daughterboards.

dc42

@bernardomattiucci said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

Good morning
Thanks for the reply

We arrived at the shopping list:

Duet2 Wi-fi
Duex5
PanelDue 7i

Do you need anything else to mount everything and make the printer work?
For example, the temperature sensors and the heater for the hotend, do they need some other additional card?

Thanks
Bernardo

If you still intend to use external drivers for the Z axis then you don't need the DueX5, you need the EBOB instead. Duet WiFi + EBOB will give you 5 internal drivers, plus 5 outputs for external drivers.

bernardomattiucci

@dc42 said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

If you still intend to use external drivers for the Z axis then you don't need the DueX5, you need the EBOB instead. Duet WiFi + EBOB will give you 5 internal drivers, plus 5 outputs for external drivers.

I prefer, on this printer that uses nema17, to use the Duet2 wi-fi + DueX5 internal drivers
In the future, on the bigger and more powerful one (nema23), I will evaluate the Duet3.

auto_awesome
Forse cercavi: Preferisco, su questa stampante che usa nema 17, usare i driver interni della Duet2 wi-fi + DueX5 In futuro, su quella più grossa e potente (nema23), valuterò la Duet3. grazie
175 / 5000
Risultati della traduzione
I prefer, on this printer that uses nema17, to use the Duet2 wi-fi + DueX5 internal drivers
In the future, on the bigger and more powerful one (nema23), I will evaluate the Duet3.

thanks

bernardomattiucci

We have finally come to the end.
We bought the electronics (from the Italian dealer) and it arrived yesterday morning.

Before moving on to the assembly, however, I wanted to create a wiring diagram of the connections, to be sure there are no surprises.

I would like to know from you if it is correct or if there is any error.

Then I have questions:

12 volt 30 Amp or 24 volt 15 Amp power supply?
Is it possible to install the electronics and relative display on a "console" external to the printer and connected to it with a cable of about 2 meters? I mean ... can the length of the connections affect the correct operation of the printer?

Thank you
Bernard

fcwilt

@bernardomattiucci said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

I would like to know from you if it is correct or if there is any error.

Just for your information it is perfectly feasible to have multiple Z endstops.

On my printer I have 3 Z steppers each with their own endstop.

When homing using the endstops the firmware runs each Z stepper until it's associated endstop is activated.

BUT I also have a Z probe which I can (and do) use with Auto Bed Leveling (ABL) to insure the bed is level as possible.

Now it may be that I have the Z probe configured wrong but I can home Z much faster using the endstops than I can if I configure things to home Z with the Z probe.

Frederick

fcwilt

I forgot to mention that with firmware v3.2.0 there is a problem with multiple endstops that occurs under certain circumstances.

I use v3.1.1 and it works just fine.

Frederick

bernardomattiucci

@fcwilt

Thanks so much.
Beautiful ... 4 Z limit switches, at the moment, are ideal.
I have to connect them to the E2, E3, E4 and E5 inputs of the Duex5, right?

Correct?

fcwilt

@fcwilt said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

I forgot to mention that with firmware v3.2.0 there is a problem with multiple endstops that occurs under certain circumstances.

I use v3.1.1 and it works just fine.

Frederick

I also forgot to mention that the cause of the problem with v3.2.0 has been found and a fix is being devised.

Frederick

fcwilt

@bernardomattiucci said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

@fcwilt
Thanks so much.
Beautiful ... 4 Z limit switches, at the moment, are ideal.
I have to connect them to the E2, E3, E4 and E5 inputs of the Duex5, right?

This is my configuration command for my 3 Z endstops sensors...

M574 Z1 S1 P"!duex.e2stop + !duex.e3stop + !duex.e4stop"

Yours would look like...

M574 Z1 S1 P"!duex.e2stop + !duex.e3stop + !duex.e4stop + !duex.e5stop"

BUT you may or may not need the ! character. It depends on your actual endstop sensors. If you find that the firmware reports the endstop sensors are activated when they are not then add/remove the ! character as needed to achieve the desired behavior.

Frederick

dc42

@fcwilt said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

I forgot to mention that with firmware v3.2.0 there is a problem with multiple endstops that occurs under certain circumstances.

I use v3.1.1 and it works just fine.

Frederick

That issue is now fixed. The fix will be in the 3.2.2 release.

fcwilt

@dc42 said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

That issue is now fixed. The fix will be in the 3.2.2 release.

I would nominate you for a Nobel Prize if I knew how.

Thanks.

Frederick

bernardomattiucci

@dc42

Please:

I have two questions:

12 volt 30 Amp or 24 volt 15 Amp power supply?
Is it possible to install the electronics and relative display on a "console" external to the printer and connected to it with a cable of about 2 meters? I mean ... can the length of the connections affect the correct operation of the printer?

Thank you
Bernardo

Phaedrux

@bernardomattiucci said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

can the length of the connections affect the correct operation of the printer?

Yes there are going to be some distance limits. It might be a better idea to have the electronics on the printer itself and then use the network to interface with the Duet. Then your "console" just needs to be a computer device with a web browser.

@bernardomattiucci said in Controller for my larg format 3D printer:

12 volt 30 Amp or 24 volt 15 Amp power supply?

24v is preferable for a number of reasons, but your heaters and fans must be compatible. A buck converter can be used to provide 12v for fans at least.