Ramps 1.4 control board.

[jknightandkarr]

Got a Ramps 1.4 control system from Banggood.com and need to know if anyone has used the zprobe with ramps, and does it need any circuitry mods to work or just set the settings to use optical??

Joe

[jknightandkarr]

Well, trying to hook the Ramps 1.4 to the 1405, but need to know is the wiring on the Printrbot stepper motors different from the other Nema 17 motors? When i powered it up they really didnt move but was extreamly loud. Any tips?

Joe

[RetireeJay]

According to this video tutorial , the RAMPS has basically the same configuration as the Printrboard. Namely, one coil (with its two wires) is two pins on one end of the 4-pin connector, and the other coil is two pins on the other end of the connector.

[jknightandkarr]

I will do that test to see what happens. Anyhow, should i take the stepper driver boards from full step to 1/128 step? I saw one video that told me to do that. I was searching for vids on using ramps with printrbot n thats what they did in the video.

Joe

[Mooselake]

The maximum microstep value is controlled by your drivers. High microstep values might sound cool but they tax the mcu (more steps for a given distance) and add nothing to accuracy. Actual microstep position has a high error, up to +/- 20% or more. Giggle microstep position error (or similar) if you want to know more

Kirk

[RetireeJay]

Many thanks to Mooselake for joining the discussion.
Many (maybe most) 3D printers use 16X microstepping. As Mooselake says, any more than that is just chasing the wind. At 16x, with typical motors, pulleys and belts, you have a resolution in X and Y of 1/80 of a millimeter - far less than the thickness of a sheet of paper.

[Mooselake]

Microstepping was originally developed to make devices run smoother, not to improve resolution/accuracy (not the same thing...).

Don't fall into the calculator trap, more digits (microsteps) isn't better. OT, Jay and I started in the slide rule days when they taught those things. Not like today when the calculators make an apparent 12 digits out of two digit class measurements.

Kirk

[jknightandkarr]

Well, I will get the mircosteps alittle later, however, I have been trying to locate a copy of the Printrboard Rev 4 firmware so I can adjust settings as close to the Printrboard as I can, I know some stuff on the settings like the mcu and lcd need to stay as I have em now. So far, I can't locate any firmware. Marlin page don't list Printrbot at all, but still looking. I appreicate the help on this. I wasn't aware how much I needed to do, but you don't learn anything like this easy the first time. Only way to learn is read up, ask questions, do it n hope screwup's don't make the "Magic Smoke" lol

Joe

Edit: I think I "might" have found the firmware. Is this what I am looking for??

Edit2: Until I find my Printrboard to make sure, looks lie the steps on the board drivers might have been set to 16, is that true?
Note on this one, found my board, the MS-x,y,z,e are not soldered, so mine was set to full steps mode

[Mooselake]

16x is the 3D printer norm, and what Printrbot used.

Kirk

[jknightandkarr]

Will set them to 16x then, sadly though the Arduino Mega 2560 suffered damage from a blown component, so need to repair it before I can do anything on it..

Joe