Anyone tried to make a 3D Printer controller?

Ok. Easiest way should be to have a extra power connector for the Heatbed module, everything else can be powered by the pin headers. (normal Stepper Motors shouldnt consume more than 3A anyway, thats just 3 or even 4 rows of pin, not that much space is consumed).
And I finally found a datasheet for afuse holder. Link to Datasheet. So Im trying to make a footprint for it.

After using KiCad for a while im getting slowly used to it. But kinda bothers me that i cant search fast for the right footprint. A field where i can enter a text (like *SOT23*) and it shows me every footprint with that in the name is something that really should be implemented. But thats just one thing. I already made a new repo called ReST32 (Reprap ST32 controller. But havent commited anything to it.
Got the basic schematic of the mainboard finished, Heatbed module is also almost finished (just missing that fuse holder).

~Straw

New Github Repo!

I think of starting a new Thread, to clear things bit more, so we actually start with that project and that people can follow the discussion more easily.

Currently in the repo is the start of the mainboard schematic (Just the MCU ATM) aswell as the Heatbed Module Schematic and the fitting parts on the pcb (which I will work on tomorrow).

~Straw

Just added the Pololu Stepper Driver Module. Take a look

~Straw

strawberrymaker wrote:Just added the Pololu Stepper Driver Module. Take a look

oh sorry, i will upload the used libs when im home, sorry.

But i dont think i used every of these libs, thats crazy.

Well, that autoroute doesnt seem to be that great, let it be the trace width.

Sorry for that, didnt knew they are necessary ^^

~Straw

Ok, added all missing libraries in a folder. You can also include the cache.lib of the projects. Any suggestions onto how to clean up that extra-library mess?

~Straw

Published the Heatbed PCB, only thing missing is the heater board and then its getting serious
But somehow im not really happy with it, it seems still too big, with around 4.5cm * 3cm. That fuse really takes up a whole lot of space. But the other modules shouldnt get that big then.

Could you try to open it? I really fucked up with the libraries, included them now, but i really dont know how to manage that one really. Any suggestions about that? Thanks ^^

~Straw

In short..1st, I didn’fd found the repo, it seems gone, then I found something new: ReST32..
But I cannot download, no clone, no zip.. will try tomorrow evening…

Libs..oh yeah, I’m fucked up too. Quite heavily.
I told one of them guys something about “frustration levels”

At least I installed all actual footprint libs locally.
But I’m still stressed with with my self constructed footprints, they are not listed in CvPCB.
But it seems I’m not alone, I found many cries for help and vulgary comments.

At the moment CvPCB is absolutely buggy.
So no other way than try & error for finding a driveable road, track, path, trace…

Yeah, i renamed it, havent updated the link in my earlier post, thanks for reminding me.
Guess that is a fault on githubs side that you cant download it.

About CvPCB: I found a flowchart in KiCad’s docs Image . I think i’ll try that one out. Hope that it is actually better in terms of libs handling and faster. Really crazy how long CvPCB takes to load. Ok, ~30 seconds isnt much, but takes much time if you need to swap something out fast.

I still want to make something like a small mosfet driver module for things like fans etc but im having a really hard time finding something suitable with ~3A and VGS higher than 24V.

Wondering if they will add a function to automaticaly generate the netlist and load it into pcbnew. Yeah i know, its just a small step, but its a small thing (which i loved about eagle).

~Straw

Maybe a little bit offtopic for this thread (or not).
It seems like the first “commercial” STM32 based printer boards are out (even in china) —> scroll down to “new control system”:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Geeetech … 68672.html
Only question: is it a RET or VET?
<edit> ok, this was maybe not the first board, here is a ZET based on (expensive): http://www.aliexpress.com/item/3D-Print … 61811.html

@madia SNAP. Well, it was already mentioned earlier, but seems to be a geetech-only thing. couldnt find any data on this, or even the board itself. But by the looks of it this atleast VCT6, could even be a ZCT6!

But we got something open-source, and easily fixable :mrgreen:

Well, still got some work to do, aim is to get that thing with modules out for a lower cost than the radds.

~Straw

madias wrote:Maybe a little bit offtopic for this thread (or not).
It seems like the first “commercial” STM32 based printer boards are out (even in china) —> scroll down to “new control system”:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Geeetech … 68672.html
Only question: is it a RET or VET?
<edit> ok, this was maybe not the first board, here is a ZET based on (expensive): http://www.aliexpress.com/item/3D-Print … 61811.html

chitu if you zoom in has horizontals, top and bottom. char to the left is a 3 = E rotated, suggests zet to me

that’s a bit of a diesel, add-ons needed to really run, improving power & efficiency

@Drakelive @zmemw16 well that pin count already looks like a Zet6

Looks pretty neat, but im personally not a fan of soldered stepper driver

Kinda pushes me to finish that PCB faster

~Straw

a search as suggested and setting increasing price shows a lot of add in board types, all to me pretty non-inexpensive.
including a higher power stepper motor drive board.

Updated the Github Repo

Ok, think I nailed all the modules there. Heatbed, heater, stepper and additional High Power PWM Output (For Fans and such).

Sizes: Heatbed: 4,8cm x 3cm
Heater: 3,4cm x 2,9cm
Pololu Holder: 3,5cm x 2,6cm
Additional: 3,9cm x 2cm

Now comes the working on the mainboard schematic, and then the real pain: the pcb x) .

Well, will be hard to make a 4 extruder board with the size of dirtypcb’s 10x10cm. Think 2 should be enough (and most common) anyway.

~Straw

EDIT: Just noticed that is kinda questionable if a pololu holder is really necessary.

Just downloaded your stuff, hopefully I’ll find some time this weekend

Nice
I already pushed a new update. Just some small things:
-copied the pololu holder for 3 Axis and 2 Extruders.
-Changed MCU To VET6
-Added USB Connector and ESD Protection
-added 5V Regulator (3.3V still missing though).

~Straw

Ok, i finished the Schematic basically, only have to link the pinouts.
Here’s a link for a PDF of the pinout
Maybe someone could report if i made the LCD Parallel Pinout right (8 bits and 3 control pins, right?)
Sooo…only need to add the actual pins on the board and as mentioned, add the pin names to them. Then start designing the board (and checking everything).

~Straw

Hi

For info : http://www.st.com/web/en/press/p3781

finally they understood …. better late than never!
So now, all ST libraries are freely usable?

drk