PrusaBuildNotesBraino

summary To catch my build notes for my Prusa Build Autumn 2011

High level project is to implement an alternative processor, specifically the Parallax Propeller per this discussion http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?129448-Prop-based-CNC-3D-printer

In order to establish a baseline as to what constitutes the current 3D-Printer (as of 20110701), I opted to build a unit for comparison. I settled on a modified Mendel Prusa http://reprap.org/wiki/Prusa

This is a log of the specifics I encountered. The brick and mortar locations are in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs.

Mechanical

Printed parts from Sacha at Pumping Station One http://pumpingstationone.org/tag/reprap/ This kit includes all the printed parts. The vertices are replaces by MDF pieces in this kit, that are very precise and are quicker to make. There might be one peice missing from Sacha's kit, the wooden plate for the modified Wades' extruder. Be sure to ask if you go this route.

Rods from McMaster-Carr (they delivered to my door!)

Fasterners from Jordan Supply (there's more than listed on the web site) http://www.jordanindustrial.com/

Hot End

MakerGear - the instructions are not organized clearly. I made some major mistakes despite reading them first several times, and following quite closely.

http://www.makergear.com/products/operators-pack "Operator pack" and "Hot End Pack" and (there was third term) all refer to the assembly that holds the heater coil and extruder tip. It cost $75

The Hot End pack requires Wooden Mounting Pieces - Wade for $6.00 USD.

The wooden mounting plates did not fit the modified Wades extruder directly. (the screw holes were off by about 2mm). I don't know if there is and alternate wooden plate with the correct dimensions, perhaps Sacha laser cut his own and forgot to include them in the kit of parts he sells?

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Electronics

I opted for a one piece mainboard

http://reprap.org/wiki/Sanguinololu

This one is preassembled

http://store.solidoodle.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=63&product_id=52

It includes a bootloader pre-burned during assembly and testing during production.

This needed a two pin shunt header soldered to the AUTO RST labeled on the skilk screen to enable Autoreset. Shunting the jumper allows the PC to restart the Arduino for programming, etc. Removing the shunt (default) allow the unit to operate stand alone; that is, it will not reboot when the unit is disconnected or reconnected to the PC print.

This module is intended to be swapped out and replaced with the propeller chip implementation at some point.

Stepper Motors and Drivers

Pololu 1200 were recommended by several sources. FIVE are needed, two for the Z-axis. Reodering one more motor costs double the price of the motor due to shipping.

http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/1200/faqs

The stepper drivers are refered to by the stepper driver IC. The unit we buy is the IC mounted on a carried board. The A4988 has over current protection. FOUR are needed. The one used for the Z-axis can drive the two Z-motors easily. New notes say to wire them in series instead of parallel contraindicating the instructions.

http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/1182

Software

PC

The PC software needs to be set up to run interface to the Arduino firmware.

I selected the first Recommended firmware from http://reprap.org/wiki/Sanguinololu#Software * SPRINTER *

The software needs to be set up on the PC before the firmware will respond.

The software might not need to be installed in this exact order, but do it this way to be safe.

Windows XP workstation:

• Needs Python 2.7.2

http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.7.2/ I used http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.2/python-2.7.2.msi

• Needs Python wx

http://www.wxpython.org/download.php#stable I used http://downloads.sourceforge.net/wxpython/wxPython2.8-win32-unicode-2.8.12.1-py27.exe

Download and extract the SPRINTER archive https://github.com/kliment/Sprinter

Follow the instructions in the SPRINTER README

• Arduino IDE http://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software

I used current newest version 0023

• Sanguino configuration files, version 0018

http://sanguino.cc/softwareforwindows

EDIT the files as directed