What do you want?

[DavidS]

As I am getting very close to the condition of complete and ready for others in my 3D printer build, and I intend to release the design, I ask if it would be of much use.


The firmware, and a bit of host side software will be released under the MIT license. The HW design will be released under either a MIT or BSD type license (still deciding on that).

The simple design makes it easy to print replacement parts for almost everything, and at a lower cost than it is to buy the parts for the first one. So making a second one would cost even less than the first one (which costs about $150).

The basic features are:
+About $150 total in needed parts for the complete printer, assuming single extruder (add about $10 per each additional extruder).
+Up to 4 extruders.
+Print speed up to 60mm per second.
+PLA preferred, though works with ABS (no heated bed, speed control used to prevent warping).
+Box frame, with fixed Y rail, and fixed height X rail.
+Bed raises and lowers for Z movement.
+Uses simple thread spooling to drive movement.
+Uses a Parallax Propeller P8X32A MCU for its integrated controller.
+Firmware is in two versions, one written in Assembly for the Propeller, and one in SPIN (a pascal like language for the Propeller).
+Uses 3 Stepers for X/Y/Z movement (Nema 17 for Z, and two small steppers for X/Y).
+Uses 4 ULN2803's for the current drivers.
+Build volume dependant on how built. The original being 7 inches by 7 inches by 10 inches (x by y by z), though easy to scale as built up to 24 inches cubed (maximum structurally safe from my math).
+Software controlled ALL-STOP.
+Very Simple all metal hot end.
+Frictional filament feeder.

And the only tools needed to construct are:
+A drill press and two bits (can be done with hand drill + vice and a very steady hand).
+A hack saw.
+A soldering iron.
+A Desktop Computer (laptop will work).
+A Philips Screw Driver.


So I ask is there anything I should consider improving before I release the design and firmware? It is getting close, so this is the time for such considerations.

[KDog]

One of the benefits of open source is that good designs will be embraced by the community and enhanced. I wouldn't worry too much about rough edges if I were you. Just make sure that you release it in a format that can be edited and documented. If folks like it they will build one and help trouble shoot it. Thanks in advance for sharing!

[DavidS]

One of the benefits of open source is that good designs will be embraced by the community and enhanced. I wouldn't worry too much about rough edges if I were you. Just make sure that you release it in a format that can be edited and documented. If folks like it they will build one and help trouble shoot it. Thanks in advance for sharing!

A big part of the reason I built this one is to lower the entry barrier for others. You are welcome.

I am hoping that with in a few days I will be able to make a release, though at most a week or two.

[truly_bent]

DavidS;
I like what you're doing and look forward to seeing the results. Sounds like you're taking on the whole ball of wax, so to speak.

I have one question though; why did you choose SPIN for the high level programming language, when C (Propeller C) is also available? Surely more people are comfortable programming in C than the relatively obscure SPIN. As a student of programming languages yourself, C must already be in your repertoire.

Personally, i'll have no problem picking the the syntax, but i thought one of your stated aims was to make this project more accessible. Forcing people to adopt (yet) another programming dialect would seem to be doing the opposite.

[DavidS]

DavidS;
I like what you're doing and look forward to seeing the results. Sounds like you're taking on the whole ball of wax, so to speak.

I have one question though; why did you choose SPIN for the high level programming language, when C (Propeller C) is also available? Surely more people are comfortable programming in C than the relatively obscure SPIN. As a student of programming languages yourself, C must already be in your repertoire.

Personally, i'll have no problem picking the the syntax, but i thought one of your stated aims was to make this project more accessible. Forcing people to adopt (yet) another programming dialect would seem to be doing the opposite.

Good question. Learning the little quirks of Propeller C (even using Prop GCC) is more difficult for a C programmer than learning SPIN. This is due to the way that code is isolated on the Propeller.

Also the easily availability of SPIN to SPIN bytcode compilers for the Propeller. I do not want to write a tutorial on how to setup one of the various C compilers for the Propeller.

Though I will be including the binaries and instructions for uploading them to the Propeller board, for the non-programmers. The binaries will be from the assembly version, not the SPIN version (Spin is fast enough to do the job, though it is still a byte code interpreted language that only runs at around 0.5 million spin operations per second).

I have thought about a possible future rewrite in C, though the first two versions will be in Propeller Assembly (PASM), and SPIN.

I have also thought about doing a version in PropBASIC, a BASIC like language since many are familiar with BASIC.