Machine Design

Task

I have this week participated in the group assignment about machine design. My part of the group assignmet was to make modifications to and uploade the (suggested) code, but I have through the week completed the following:

• Made modifications & fixed erros in the (suggested) Marlin-Code
• Succesfully Uploaded the Marlin-Code
• Investegating Error Resulting in Smoked Arduino
• Exploring/debugging the Stepper Functionality
• Finding, Modifying and Uploading a newer version of Marlin-Code

Group Project Page

Read more on our group project page.

Challenges during the Week

• Group Work Complicated by
  • Maybe a too large group size
  • Many of us have jobs & families
  • We have different 'FabAcademy' schedules
• We followed an old tutorial
  • Inequivilant instructions
  • The referenced codes didn't support the hardware
• The group work shoul integrate with a final project
  • Specific Requirements
  • Project ownship split between group and individual

This Week could have been this simple!

Renaming Folder with Code

Opening the .INO-File

Browsing the Code

Checking Configuration.h File

Finding the pins.h-File

Selecting The Board

Selecting the Processor

Selecting the Port

'Fpos_t' Error When Compiling

Renaming 'fpos_t' to 'fpost'

Compiling Again

This Time Succesfull Compiling

Uploading the Code

Now the Fun Started

We added ramps and power to the board - aka the smoke test - and we unfortunately recieved smoke

Removing Diode D1
We found out that the 'clone' Arduino Mega propably had less capable voltage regulator the the original.
Searching 'Arduino Mega Overheats Ramps' led to this suggestion which we followed and removed the D1 diode, which disconnects power from Ramps to the Arduino.
After adding power once more - we realized that it unfortunately did not remove the problem = more smoke.

Problems Connection to the Board

Getting Error when Burning the Bootloader
Searching to understand the AVR Verification Error - which most likely can be ignored

Connecting the Stepmotor directly to Arduino
Got some movement, but it seemed under powered

Decided to include the Driver to Satisfy the Power Demand

Connecting the Stepmotor through the Driver

Uploading a Simple Stepper Code

Got No Movement Using the Driver

Debugging the Driver using Osillioscope
Found expected current (12V / 5V respectively) on V and the Arduino output for steps and direction,
but only very weak signals when meassuring step and directionon at the driver

Debugging the Driver using Osillioscope

Reattempting with New MEGA & Drivers

With the D1 removed we now added the same code to the new Mega and added the New Mega and Driver to the Ramps.
We received a continious beep and nothing on the display.
Soe code digestion led to the hypotesis that the code (suggesten in the tutorial) maybe didn't support Ramps 1.4.

We thus Downloaded the Latest Version of Marlin

Adding Generic Delta Printer Configuration.h-file

Enabled Support for Display

And then we had a Functioning Display
We were however unable to select a file from the SD-card

So we Enabled SD-support

First Attempt Using the 3D-printer

Need for further calibration

Thank You for a Tremendous Group Effort

Making The Machine Move

After been informed by the status of our group project - I today found time to troubleshoot the machine.

I added the board and steppers and played around in the software and succeded in making manual motion. The menupoint 'manual motion' will first appear after having completed 'auto home'.

I then printed the gcode from the SD-Card, but the files started with a auto zeroing (and the endstops were not connected).

I the skipped (added a #) the line in the gcode starting with 91, which can be found in the initial lines of the gcode.

The second time I printed from the SD-Card the machine was moving in all three dimensions.

First Movement with Delta Printer

First Attempt in Printing from SD Card

Finally Making 3D Motion

Motion Seen From Above

Motion Close Up

Side View

Axis Close Up

Display Close Up