Adding more extruders

Adding An Extruder Motor To Ramps With CNC Shield

• As this section does not directly relate to the Diamond Hotend, it is proposed that this section is moved to its own page

This outlines the hardware connections required to add an extruder to your existing RAMPS board for cheap.

Parts needed (Can All Be Bought from China for Under $10 Shipped to the US):

• 1 x CNC Shield v3. Can Be had for $3.70 from China
• 4 x 10cm Female to Female Jumper Wires
• 1 x 20cm Female to Female Jumper Wires (You can use all 5 20cm if you want.)
• 1 x Stepper Motor Driver DRV8825 Or A4988 (China Clones Can be Had for Under $1.70 for DRV8825
• 5 x Standard Header Jumpers
• 2 x Short Scrap Stranded Wire 18 AWG or Larger.
• 2 x M3 Screws 8-16mm Length
• 4 x M3 Nuts
• 1x Printed RAMPS Bracket [1] DO NOT USE THIS. Causes Shorts When you use the nut as a spacer.

Steps:

• Start by printing the bracket
• Attach the bracket to the CNC board with the M3 Screws.
• Install the 5 Jumpers as shown here.

• Find The Enable pin on your stepper Driver

• Make Sure the Enable Pin on your driver lines up with the enable pin on the CNC Shield then install it into the shield on the A Axis (Typically the Red Colored Headers)

• Examine the pin locations here and make the following connections: [[2]]

* AUX-1

* 5v to 5v on CNC Board

* GND to GND on CNC Board

* D1 to A.Step on CNC Board

* D0 to A.Step Direction on CNC Board

* AUX-2

* D66 to Enable on CNC Board Using 20cm Wire

• Final Connections Should look something like this:

• Hook Up to 12v or 24v supply on the CNC Board. (It does not need to be the same supply as the rest of the RAMPS Board ex. if you do not have enough current from 1 power supply.)

This method can be used to add up to 4 extra motors while still leaving 4 IO pins, fan extender, and LCD functional. There is no need to go buy an expensive board meant for a kraken because we only use 1 heater.

This method can also be used for other boards like (Melzi, Ultimaker, Printrboard, etc.)

Firmware Changes

Note: This will only work if being done for a RAMPS 1.3 or 1.4 Board. In configuration.h change the lines to the following:

#define EXTRUDERS 3
#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 6
#define TEMP_SENSOR_1 6
#define TEMP_SENSOR_2 6

Ensure it is setup so the power outputs are for only 1 extruder. i.e, one of the following:

#define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_RAMPS_13_EFB
#define MOTHERBOARD 33
#define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_RAMPS_13_EFF
#define MOTHERBOARD 35

The top 2 are equivalent and have the power outputs for an extruder, fan and bed (EFB), the bottom 2 are equivalent and have power outputs for an extruder and 2 fans (EFF).

And in pins.h: You may need to add:

#define E2_MS1_PIN -1
#define E2_MS2_PIN -1

In the RAMPS section (under where it has "if IS_RAMPS", after the else for if MB(3DRAG), if it has #define SDPOWER right after it is the wrong one) you need to add:

    #define E2_STEP_PIN        0
    #define E2_DIR_PIN         1
    #define E2_ENABLE_PIN      66

If you chose EFF, then change:

  #if MB(RAMPS_13_EFB) || MB(AZTEEG_X3)
    #define HEATER_1_PIN       -1
  #else
    #define HEATER_1_PIN       9    // EXTRUDER 2 (FAN On Sprinter)
  #endif

To

  #if MB(RAMPS_13_EFB) || MB(AZTEEG_X3)
    #define HEATER_1_PIN       -1
  #else
    #define HEATER_1_PIN       -1    // EXTRUDER 2 (FAN On Sprinter)
  #endif

And change the following (near line 700):

#define TEMP_1_PIN          13

And shortly below, after the else:

#define TEMP_2_PIN          13