Heavily modified FT5 with the new Duet Engine :)

[WalterSKW]

In the hope this can be usefull for other FT5 owners, here is my configuration.

The FT5 is a cartesian machine with a (theoretical) build volume of 300x300x400mm. On my printer it is 280x280x360 which is still enough for my projects up to now.
Don't feel like I want to print an Eiffeltower
Standard config is 1 X, 2Y and 2Z steppers, MKS GEN 1.4 board, 12V 30amps PSU and Polulu drivers. X and Y are build on linear guides.
The fT5 is sold by Folgertech (https://folgertech.com/)

The modifications I did and the how and why can be found in several threads on the folgerforum (http://folgerforum.com/t/walters-modifications-part-2/1213/36)
Parts for the printer can be found on thingiverse : https://www.thingiverse.com/WalterSKW/designs

In a nutshell :
-replaced all the melamine by aluminum! that one couldn't be fast enough!
-replaced underpowered bed heater by a Keenovo 750W/230V heater (and a SSR of course)
-replaced 12V chinese no name PSU by a Meanwell 24V one
-replaced stock extruder by E3D stuff (Titan Aero + Volcano) and PT100
-designed some partcoolers in the process of optimizing the thing…
-replaced all pulleys by larger ones
-changed Z configuration to one stepper driving both threaded rods
-enclosed the printer completely with 3mm clear PC fixed with magnets for easy removal (yes : I want to see what's going on and I want easy access at all times)
-installed bedleveling.
first with the DC42 IR probe in front of the hot end, but had issues with reflection AND I'm changing nozzles far to often.
finally with a BLTouch probe.
-build a larger aluminum electronics box with a (yes : clear PC) door
-build a new bed support in aluminum to get a better rigidity
-designed new printheads and several other parts to improve printing

Oh before I forget one : installed finally a Duetwifi !

Here are some impressions and at the end of this 'article' I included the configuration files I use as a reference. (They work at least for me)
An impression of the size :

Printhead, bed, axes

Back of the printhead and X-stepper&endstop

What would that be down on the left ?

Grey block in the middle is the SSR for the bed heater.

My way of connecting something to the expansion connector …

Here are the files I modified :

config.g
Change the X&Y-offsets for the BLTouch in the g31 command according to your config. If you're using my BLTouch mount on the Aero setup, it is X50. Using the new with mount on the left it becomes X-25.

; General preferences
;
M111 S0 			; Debugging off
;
;
M555 P2 			; Set firmware compatibility to look like Marlin
;
; M569 - direction : S0=back, S1=forward
M569 P0 S0            		; Drive 0 - X
M569 P1 S1            		; Drive 1 - Y
M569 P2 S0            		; Drive 2 - Z
M569 P3 S1            		; Drive 3 goes forwards - E0
M569 P4 S1            		; Drive 4 goes forwards - E0
M350 X64 Y64 Z64 E32  		; Configure microstepping without interpolation
M906 X900 Y900 Z1200 E800 I30 ; Set motor currents (mA) and motor idle factor in per cent
;
; Endstops
;
M574 X1 Y1 Z0 S0 		; Define active low (S0), X/Y : low end (1), Z : unused(0)
;
M201 X500 Y500 Z500 E500 	; Set accelerations (mm/s^2)
M203 X18000 Y18000 Z3000 E12000 ; Set maximum speeds (mm/min)
M566 X600 Y600 Z100 E100 	; Set maximum instantaneous speed changes (mm/min)
M208 X0 Y0 Z0 S1 		; Set axis minima
M208 X290 Y280 Z360 S0 		; Set axis maxima
M92 X320 Y320 Z1600 E1747 	; Set steps per mm
G21 				; Work in millimetres
G90 				; Send absolute coordinates...
M83 				; relative extruder moves
;
; ** BLTouch in config.g
M307 H3 A-1 C-1 D-1 		; BLTouch - servo pulse on heater 3 pin - disable heater
M558 P5 X0 Y0 Z1 H5 F200 T5000 	; P5 for BLTouch (Normally closed switch on Z-probe inputs)
G31 X-25.00 Y0.0 Z2.73 P5 		; Z=trigger height, P=trigger value, not needed for contact probe, X/Y distance from nozzle
;
; Heaters
;
M305 P0  T100000 B3950 C0 R4700 ; Set thermistor + ADC parameters 
M305 P1  X200 			; Set PT100 for 1st extruder and connect to channel 200 (PT100)
; max temperatures
M143 H1 S300 			; Hotend
M143 H0 S140			; Bed
; PID
M307 H0 S0.7 B0 A90 C700 D10
M307 H1 S1.0 B0 A340 C140 D5.5
;
M141 H2                       ; heater  is the chamber heater
M305 P2 R4700 T100000 B3950   ; heater 3 is monitored by a 100K thermistor with B=3950 and a 4.7K series resistor
M301 H2 P-1                   ; use bang-bang control for the chamber heater
; 
; Tools
; Define tool 0 = Extruder 0, Heater 1 
M563 P0 D0 H1 F1
G10 P0 X0 Y0 Z0 R0 S0		; Set tool 0 axis offsets, tool 0 active and standby temperatures to 0C
;
; Network
M550 BigOne			; Machine name and Netbios name (can be anything you like)
M552 S1 			; Enable network
;
; Access point is configured manually via M587 by the user
M586 P0 S1 ; Enable HTTP
M586 P1 S0 ; Disable FTP
M586 P2 S1 ; Disable Telnet
;
; Fans
; i0=default, i-1=disabled, fxxx=frequency, Lnnn=minimum speed, Bnnn=Blip time, Hnn:nn:nn=heaters selected thermostatic mode, Tnnn or Tnn:nn trigger temp or range
;
; Hotend cooling fan
; M106 P1 I0 F500 H1 T50 L1.0	; Thermostatic control start at 50°C, directly to 100%
; Electronics cooling fan
M106 P2 H100:101 T40:55 L0.3   ; @30% when above 45°C gradually increasing to 100% at 55°C, virtual heaters =CPU and TMC's
;
; Custom settings are not configured
M911 S16.0:20.0:22.0 		; auto-pause at 20V, then either stop at 16V or auto-resume at 22V
G29 S1				; load stored bed height map	
M376 H15			; Bed compensation tapered up to xxmm

bed.g

;** BLTouch
;
G28 					; home all - sys/homeall.g
G91 					; relative mode
G1 Z5 F2000 			; move bed down a bit for clearance
G90 					; absolute mode
M401 					; call sys/deployprobe.g
M557 X10:270 Y10:270 S40; probe every 40mm from 10 to 270 in X and Y
G29 					; run auto bed mesh level
M402 					; call sys/retractprobe.g
G1 X10 Y10 Z10 F5000	; back to safe position out of the way

deployprobe.g

M280 P3 S10 I1 		; Set servo 3 to 10 degrees and invert signal

retractprobe.g

M280 P3 S90 I1 		; Set servo 3 to 90 degrees and invert signal

homex.g

; homex.g
; called to home the X axis
;
; generated by RepRapFirmware Configuration Tool on Wed Aug 16 2017 22:24:32 GMT+0200 (Romance Daylight Time)
; Bed down a bit relative to current position
G91
G1 Z5 F3000
G90
M913 X70		; reduce stepper current to xx% 
; Move quickly to X axis endstop and stop there (first pass)
G1 X-300 F3000 S1
;
; Go back a few mm
G91
G1 X5 F3000
G90
;
; Move slowly to X axis endstop once more (second pass)
G1 X-275 F360 S1
;
M913 X100		; set stepper current to normal value again
;
; Lift bed to original position
G91
G1 Z-5 F3000
G90

homey.g

; homey.g
; called to home the Y axis
;
; generated by RepRapFirmware Configuration Tool on Wed Aug 16 2017 22:24:32 GMT+0200 (Romance Daylight Time)

; Bed down a bit relative to current position
G91
G1 Z5 F3000
G90
;
M913 Y70		; reduce stepper current to xx% 
;
; Move quickly to Y axis endstop and stop there (first pass)
G1 Y-300 F3000 S1

; Go back a few mm
G91
G1 Y+5 F6000
G90

; Move slowly to X axis endstop once more (second pass)
G1 Y-300 F360 S1
;
M913 X100		; set stepper current to normal again
;
; Lift bed to original position
G91
G1 Z-5 F3000
G90

homez.g

;
G1 Z10 F200 				; Lower bed.
G4 P500 					; Dwell for 500ms - to ensure bed is down
;
M913 Z70					; reduce stepper current to xx% 
;
G90 ; Absolute positioning
G1 X140 Y140 F6000 			; Go to first bed probe point and home the Z axis
M401 						; Lower Z probe (BLTouch)
G30 						; Calibrate Z-axis
M402 						; Retract Probe
M913 Z100					; set stepper current to normal 
;
G1 Z10 F2000 				; bed to 10mm

Oh yes : I replaced the Polulus by 8825-drivers, better but not happy, then the 8825's by TMC2100 ones (Watteroth) : happy.
And now I'm very happy with the Duet TMC's.

[dc42]

You can share images on Dropbox directly if you use the Image button and replace ?dl=0 at the end of the URL by ?raw=1.

[WalterSKW]

Thank you David for the tip!