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Debate Time: 3D Printer User Interface - What Is Really Required — Parallax Forums

Debate Time: 3D Printer User Interface - What Is Really Required

idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
edited 2014-05-22 17:16 in Propeller 1
Through exhaustive discussion, various schemes and ideas have been presented to enable 3D printing with a single Propeller chip. There is no doubt that it can be done, but the question remains, how good will the solution be? The hardware part has already been solved, but new answers from various parties are still evolving to save resources, to me the main problem now lies in the resources required for an adequate user interface. Basically there are three questions that must be answered:
*SD cards are not meant to be part of this debate.
*Preferably this discussion should only contain references to LEDs, pushbuttons or other switches, and displays. I suppose you could also include mouse and keyboard support, but then I think we are back into a two chip solution.
  1. What does the user interface consist of?
  2. How many IO pins are required for the user interface?
  3. How many cogs are required for the user interface?
Additionally, a brief overview explaining your interface and stance, would be very helpful in determining the validity of your input.

If you are reading this, I ask you to please participate in some thoughtful discussion, in an effort to bring us closer to a nice, single Propeller 3D printer solution.

Comments

  • pjvpjv Posts: 1,903
    edited 2014-05-22 08:33
    Hi Bruce;

    IMHO it's the cart before the horse again.

    Until you have a working mechanical setup operating at an acceptable level of precision, speeds and accelerations, the whole HMI issue is rather pointless. Get the mechanics working and understand the issues pertaining to feeds and speeds. Only then can you properly decide how many props you will need, and what the interfaces need to be.

    I know you are stubborn, and anyway not likely to listen to advice unless it aligns with your thinking.

    Just my opinion.

    Cheers,

    Peter (pjv)
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2014-05-22 08:36
    My XY table plotter solution was this:

    Single Propeller

    No keyboard, mouse, vga, etc....
    GCode interpreter driving stepper motors
    An on/offline button and LED interface.

    When offline, the machine could be setup/maintained and zeroed as necessary.

    GCode interpreter enabled if online was a simple readline and status prompt interface.
  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,261
    edited 2014-05-22 09:10
    Text display, LCD, whatever. One COG, a few buttons.

    Overview? Based on commercial 3D printers with precisely that UI.
  • StefanL38StefanL38 Posts: 2,292
    edited 2014-05-22 10:55
    My opinion is: not EVERYThing must be done with a propeller.

    A Rasperry Pi costs only $40 and would offer to use almost any kind of user-interface.with luxury if you want.

    So I would suggest: the propeller-code does just receive serial commands and does some handshalking
    and everything else is done in a second device which could vary from a propeller-chip up to PC

    best regards
    Stefan
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2014-05-22 11:07
    If you must bring the Raspberry Pi into it, get a real System On Chip motherboard that works well.

    The CubieTruck at www.cubieboard.org

    As for the rest of the debate...
    I will just try to plod along with what I got started awhile ago, the Teacup-ette code. I keep hitting snags but I am trying to slog away without making a lot of drama out of it.
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2014-05-22 11:20
    @Peter
    I know you are stubborn, and anyway not likely to listen to advice unless it aligns with your thinking.

    I certainly don't listen to bad advice or "You can't do" advice.

    @Jazzed and potatohead

    Yea, I cannot see any reason to make it anymore complicated than your normal everyday printer interface, including an LCD and several buttons.

    @StefanL38
    My opinion is: not EVERYThing must be done with a propeller.

    I agree, but I also believe the Propeller community should have a solution for 3D printing. We all know it is fully capable, yet we are still behind the eight ball on this issue.
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2014-05-22 17:16
    I believe I finally figured out the correct combination for my project. It is meant to be a single Propeller solution. For more information, please refer to Post #71 of this thread: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/155404-Input-Needed-Combining-Propeller-Proto-Board-Prop-DIP-40-and-ADC-for-3D-Printer

    Special thanks to Loopy and Kwinn for advising me on using the spare channels of the ADC for inputs.
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