thanks - now it makes sense… other unless you’re homing it makes the end stops non operational. Used only for squaring the gantry.
When the gantry squares it’s self does the opposite stepper remember it’s position count?
If you have a design that is bigger than the print pad and you don’t catch it - does this mean the limit switch won’t stop the printer? I thought that was the whole reason for limit switches to prevent machine damaging itself?
I have all six limit switches wired and are printing the brackets to hold them. They were two different brands and wired two different ways some with leds and resistors that confused the wiring feedback. I got it all laid out and will test the squaring.
New topic: when I call up the Marlin program
it seems to be tailored for a laser. There’s no selection for printing 3D. Is this a different firmware?
Hello Rand,
If you are using the most current firmware on the TFT (CNC TFT on the github), “Print” is “cut” for our purposes. I don’t use “Marlin Mode” on mine so if that is the question I am not much help.
And on the auto-squaring, it takes the minute differences between the steppers and zeros to that. After it squares the offset for each is “remembered” and used as Zero. Your end stops can’t be a mile off, but the small amounts that we take up it can “remember”
No it is not possible with that board(6 limit ports) and the Dual endstop firmware, regarding to the MPCNC design that have 2 motors for X and 2 for Y and 1 for Z.
Might be possible to reallocate some other unused pins to be reuse as limit switch but it would take lots of efforts, would need to have advance knowing on the marlins SKR pro board HAL configuration file and i can’t remember i’ve already rode that usecase on V1 forum…
I think it could be simplier in Serial wiring(3 steppers) to have a limit switch for X- X+ Y- Y+ but :
you would loose autosquaring / homing - Not a big deal as majority of MPCNC owner uses serial and squares gantries manually. They just push the gantries to the left and bottom so everything is touching the 4 stop blocks before to engage motors with a macro. Just an easy manual routine
you would need to download the Marlin V1 serial firmware sources, find where to enable classical X- X+ Y- Y+ limit switch in Marlin configuration, recompile it then flash your board.
An important things to know is you can not damage your machine with that Nema 17 motors, they will hit and make unpleasant noise but they won’t break anything trying to going further than your machine dimension.
Just reviewed the pics above. You are using 515D firmware by the TFT pic. You have 3 stepper drivers in the board. For dual end stop firmware you need 5 stepper drivers populated, when the drivers are on the top edge, the sequence is X, Y, Z, X1, Y1. The last stepper slot is not used. With one stepper driving, it will not Home accurately. I just had this issue when my X1 came loose on the board, it caused oval cuts, it was the last thing I looked at
John,
thanks for your response
I think I have an older machine wired in series with the newest software that set up for five stepper motors. That’s why I only have three drivers installed and plan to add the extruder stepper driver. Oli suggests I go back to the older Marlin firmware but I don’t think i can make the program changes in Marlin H configuration and red lash the SKR board.
I have had a tough time just flashing the pre made MPCNC firmware. I have Virtual Studio Code/ Platform IO / Marlin Builder and Cura.
Every time I try I hit a problem and it never loads.
I have Windows 11 and nothing ever matches the instructions on the firmware side.
Is there a file l can load that uses the TfT screen
SKR Pro and three drivers wired in series?
Rand
OK, Rand we can fix this.
Olijouve posted the series firmware on the GitHub.
1-Do you have a MicroSD card of 8gb or less? A 16gb might work, might not. If so format it Fat32, with default allocation size. Or use this software tool to format: SD Memory Card Formatter | SD Association
2- Put the “Firmware.bin” on the MicroSD card. Nothing else.
3-On the SKR Pro 1.2 Pro board, disconnect the power leads, for this part you will not need 12v power. Disconnect the TFT35 as well.
4-Orient the board with the stepper drivers along the top edge. On the board, left middle, is a jumper for using either USB or power, set the jumper for USB power. Plug in a usb cable. The stepper lights should light up, as well as the lights middle right that indicate logic power.
5-Unplug the USB cable.
6-Insert your freshly formatted MicroSD that has the Firmware.bin file on it.
7-Plug in the USB cable, the lights will come on, and near the middle of it, a green light should flash like mad for 5 or so seconds, this is the board updating the firmware.
8-After the light quits flashing let it set for a minute as is then unplug the USB Cable and remove the MicroSD Card.
9-Reset the USB Jumper, left middle, for main power.
10-Plug the TFT35 back in, the EXP cables and the black ribbon. Re-connect the 12v power
11-Power on. Check the firmware version, It should now be 515S.
If I remember correctly the Series firmware doesn’t use end stops, so they may or may not work, likewise it cannot auto-square, as that feature requires end stops, and individual stepper drivers for all the steppers, 2 micro switches each on X and Y as the steppers are driven individually. Series wiring actually is a bit more difficult to get the machine square, as mechanically you have to get the X and Y axis as square as possible by tightening or loosening the Truck bearing bolts. When I built my first Primo, it was series wired. It took some tinkering to get the frame, the X and the Y square. Take your time, I used a spacer block between the Corner Top, and the Truck to check that spacing with the Core in the lower left corner (the Home corner)
The new firmware will work with the series wires we just tell you not to home, but the end stops also will not function correctly. You would be able to see them but you can not home without individual wires and all the end stops. With series, John is right you either use stop blocks or adjust you machine to the best of your abilities and just run it. That is how we all did it for years and unless you need to fit a lot of parts together it works perfect for carves and single piece cutouts.
Ryan,
I have gotten to the point where I can draw the crown from the TFT screen. Now I have wanted to preheat the printer to test with benchy. When I select preheat PLS I get an error
M140 S60. I think the power is correct and the thermistors are plugged in. What else should I look for? Neither the bed or the hotend heat up.
Rand
Ryan,
Do you have firmware for an older MPCNC machine wired in series that can be used for 3D printing?
I understand you no longer support 3D printing but I have several machines I wanted to update to SKR pro boards.
Now: You just delivered a new flashed board. Does this mean it’s only for CNC applications and not for 3D printing? Will it operate a laser movement and turn off and on?
Can I get an SD micro chip flashed for 3D firmware that I can use to renew my printers? I have not been successful downloading the bin files and transferring them through my computer.
If you have disconnected the heater controls in the Marlin software I will
Stop trying to get it to connect.
I have never had a printing version of the SKR board. It can be but the firmware would need to be edited pretty heavily.
Printers need extra information. Since enabling dual end stops we turned off the extruder section all together. Esteps, thermistor settings, and extruder speed, and accels would need to be set and tuned for your specific extruder. I only originally supported the MK8, I do not think I even own one of those anymore.
These days actual printers are much better suited that trying to sling around a CNC. Early on we were not actually much slower. now we would be crawling in comparison.
Correct.
yes, as is. There is an update I am working on for the laser instruction page. I just need to insert a few more pictures before publishing it.
All the heaters and the extruder section all together.
Thanks Ryan,
Do you have a link for the old version of firmware for the arduino mega with ramps board for 3D printing on an older MP CNC without endstops but with extruder and heated bed? I have several MPCNC machines and would like to get them up and running as is….
Thank you.
Rand
No matter what you will have to edit the firmware. Some years ago we switched to 5 driver boards so to make it work you would need a 6 driver board. Without that, it is going to be completely custom. You will also need to wire one or more axis in series, that will decrease your axis significantly unless you get a 6 driver board.
There are many reasons not to do this anymore. I really think an inexpensive printer is the right call here.
John,
Thanks for your help several months ago. I followed your clear and concise instructions step by step. I still can’t get the bin firmware file to load. I get the touch screen functionalbut the steppers don’t respond and in the Marlin Mode I get a blank screen with no menu for the controls. I have tried several times and tried different chips. Am I using the correct bin file? It never changes from a bin file after loading. Can I Load the file thru the usb connection instead of the micro chip?