Talk:Generation 6 Electronics

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Is there a possibility to manage a heated bed with these electronics? So is it possible to connect a second thermistor and is there a second output to connect a relay or something similar? I see some unused connections next to the usb-connector. I hope those can be used for this.

Tman 11:26, 2 September 2010 (UTC)


Yes this is possible, we have connectors for later addons. So you would need new firmware and an extra small PCB that is connected via the extra RS485 port.

We will develop a heated bed addon PCB in the near future also. So customers that buy our electronics have the ability to upgrade in the future. Just buy installing new firmware and buying/plugging in the extra PCB. I hope that answers your question.

User:Camiel 14:51, 2 September 2010 (UTC)

  • Perhaps we could connect an extruder controller V2.2 via the RS485 and with a UTP cable. The extruder board can be used to control a heated bed, other extruders and a DC motor for something else? Do you think this would require a lot of change to the firmware, seeing that the basis for the extruder controller to act like a slave is already in the firmware? --Matthew 09:05, 6 October 2010 (UTC)


I really would like to see the details, so I am waiting for the detailed schematics of this board.


I too would like to see the details (schematics, parts lists, etc). Is this open source work or will it be licensed to your company? --Matthew 06:50, 15 September 2010 (UTC)

Matthew, everything in RepRap is open source to the extent of everyone's ability. Camiel will be putting the files up once he starts selling. Both because he's a nice guy, and because we're RepRap and he's a RepRap developer--Sebastien Bailard 16:29, 15 September 2010 (UTC).

  • Excellent, thanks Sebastien. I'm looking forward to see how it's all implemented and which MOSFETS, drivers and MCU's are used.--Matthew 06:39, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Matthew, everyone, you should hang out in http://lists.reprap.org/mailman/listinfo/reprap-dev, the super-secret developer mailing list.--Sebastien Bailard 09:17, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

The posted specs say Atmega644. Is this correct, or is it the 664p like the Gen. 3 (Makerbot) electronics. The two chips seem to be virtually identical, except that the 664 does not have the second serial port used for by the RepRap firmware for RS485. Camiel mentioned that the RS485 port is still present, so it should be the 664p, right?

Also, this appears to lack the sd card slot found on Gen. 3. I know the 5D code still does not have support for it, but a guy can hope. Is this correct, or does it perhaps have a microSD slot on the back like the Techzone version? --Whosawhatsis 18:50, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

I consider it as inappropriate to nominate a man, who is solely working for the purpose of his own business, as "lead developer". There are dozens of people working equally or more for a better RepRap, no need to alienate these. Traumflug 20:08, 4 October 2010 (UTC)

I would say he's the lead developer of this design, since it appears he's invested his time and money into the development. --Buback 21:32, 4 October 2010 (UTC)

Traumflug, Camiel is an entrepreneur, but he's also one of the many entrepreneurs who really wants to make RepRap better. It is unfair to characterize his actions as only working for the purpose of his business. He wants reprap to achieve its myriad public and covert goals and wants to make a living at it. He's in it for love of art, and also love of making house payments.

I personally regard him as one of our lead developers, since he's actually uploading files and distributing atoms, but I'm not sure if the subject is worth arguing about. He is currently fuzzy as to what files are required, but I am loudly educating him on the subject: ("All the eagle files, Camiel, all the eagle files".) --Sebastien Bailard 22:09, 4 October 2010 (UTC)

  • Sebastien, Unknown: as I fit into all these qualifications as well, please call me a lead developer as well. Just like rocketscientist, nophead, VDX, peer, wakeer, Stoffel15, the MakerBot guys, the TechZone guys, ... and many others. Traumflug 09:08, 5 October 2010 (UTC)