Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[Stwert]

Emily is there on a Sunday but she will say she has to ask the "engineer" who has about as much brain power as does some moss on a dead log.

I firmly believe that a lot of the functionality in SF was removed by them because their product lacks a lot of things and/or they are too afraid of allowing the masses to have that much control but a lack of fan speed control takes the cake. Unless there is a missing FET (I think you will see there isn't unless I skipped over it though at the time I wasn't concerned about this) then they borked the code with their dodgy programming skills. It has already been shown, numerous times, they do NOT know wth they are doing and are just playing it by ear.


edit: This is not that easy to look through as Marlin but here is for the fan -
I wonder if they have that toggled off?

Yeah, I've just had a look at the motherboard and the FET is there and the connections are all as they should be, so that rules that out, it's definitely a software thing. I'd love to be able to see their source code, not that that'll happen.

[DarkAlchemist]

Yeah, I've just had a look at the motherboard and the FET is there and the connections are all as they should be, so that rules that out, it's definitely a software thing. I'd love to be able to see their source code, not that that'll happen.

See my edits above.

After reading the docs on SF 7.7 it seems we can write, and read, the eeprom to and from the SD card so if we knew where these two bytes were we could check the number that is there via a hex editor and if >= 100 we could change it.

What we are after, and probably change, is eeprom_offsets::COOLI NG_FAN_DUTY_CYCLE

edit: Lookee what I found (btw, this is the first time I ever downloaded, or saw, SF code so this is a learning experience compared to Marlin).

//Fan PWM level (0 - 100)
//$BEGIN_ENTRY
//$type:B $constraints:l,0,100 $tooltip:Set a blower strength (duty cycle) to use for the print cooling fan when it is activated by the print commands. Select a value between 0% (off) and 100% (on full). For example, if your fan is too strong, you may want to set this value to 50 so that the fan operates at 50% strength. If set this value to 0, then the cooling fan will not activate at all when the print commands request it to.
const static uint16_t COOLING_FAN_DUTY_CYCLE = 0x0F63;
#define COOLING_FAN_DUTY_CYCLE_DEFAULT 100

It would appear that this 4k file it will write the byte to look at would be at 0x0F63. What is throwing me is that it sounds like the duty cycle has to be set in the eeprom but that can't be right since the M command has a speed setting.

Yep, looking at this eeprom file everything is where it should be and what is there but a ton of 0xFF AND right at 0x0F63 is 0x64 which is 100 in decimal. So, PWM is never used.

Thing is if COOLING_FAN_PWM is not defined when compiled then the fan will always be full force and it will take a recompile and an upload to get rid of their 7.8 to get the fan PWM back.

Ahhh, crud I think I am chasing a red herring because in the Menu.cc there is this

#if defined(COOLING_FAN_PWM)
CoolingFanPwmScreen coolingFanPwmScreen;
#endif

Since we never see this then this probably means it was never defined so Qidi turned it off on purpose.

[Stwert]

See my edits above.

After reading the docs on SF 7.7 it seems we can write, and read, the eeprom to and from the SD card so if we knew where these two bytes were we could check the number that is there via a hex editor and if >= 100 we could change it.

What we are after, and probably change, is eeprom_offsets::COOLI NG_FAN_DUTY_CYCLE

edit: Lookee what I found (btw, this is the first time I ever downloaded, or saw, SF code so this is a learning experience compared to Marlin).

It would appear that this 4k file it will write the byte to look at would be at 0x0F63. What is throwing me is that it sounds like the duty cycle has to be set in the eeprom but that can't be right since the M command has a speed setting.

Yep, looking at this eeprom file everything is where it should be and what is there but a ton of 0xFF AND right at 0x0F63 is 0x64 which is 100 in decimal. So, PWM is never used.

Thing is if COOLING_FAN_PWM is not defined when compiled then the fan will always be full force and it will take a recompile and an upload to get rid of their 7.8 to get the fan PWM back.

Ahhh, crud I think I am chasing a red herring because in the Menu.cc there is this Since we never see this then this probably means it was never defined so Qidi turned it off on purpose.

It makes sense, well your logic does, Qidis on the other hand doesn't. Why the hell would they deliberately disable fan speed control. I just don't see the reasoning behind that, you can have it on, or off, but we won't let you have anything in between??? Wtf. Assuming of course it was intentional on their part and not someone's f up.

Still, it's something we should be able to rectify, but I'm curious to know what they've been up to in their implementation before I'd start flashing anything. Or, extra motherboard on standby

[DarkAlchemist]

It makes sense, well your logic does, Qidis on the other hand doesn't. Why the hell would they deliberately disable fan speed control. I just don't see the reasoning behind that, you can have it on, or off, but we won't let you have anything in between??? Wtf. Assuming of course it was intentional on their part and not someone's f up.

Still, it's something we should be able to rectify, but I'm curious to know what they've been up to in their implementation before I'd start flashing anything. Or, extra motherboard on standby

Well, not so fast on my part because I did more digging and while I do not know Python I can read most computer languages and if you look in the platforms.py hardly any machine uses COOLING_FAN_PWM. Not the FF, Wanhao, even some Replicators so all of these printers do not have a define for COOLING_FAN_PWM and without that the fan is just on or off.

What Qidi did was just %scons platform=Replictor something. So, they never made a profile for themselves but neither did all of these other printers either. I did see Azteeg X3, mighty_one-corexy, and mighty_two had the COOLING_FAN_PWM define but not another printer brand has the define. So, I am freaking shocked. Seriously, are we sure the mightyboard the Qidi uses can do PWM for that fan? I am in shock because all of these people out there with any other printer besides the Azteeg or the mighty1/2 based boards all are on or off. Now I am curious if this board can because this is way too crazy that only three systems out there can based on what I am seeing.

Go have a look at platforms.py to see what I mean as the COOLING_FAN_PWM define simply does not exist for almost every single printer out there based on the mightyboard.

I bet they used this one and if not something very close to it - 'mighty_one-2560-max31855' :
{ 'mcu' : 'atmega2560',
'programmer' : 'stk500v2',
'board_directory' : 'mighty_one',
'defines' : [ 'BUILD_STATS', 'ALTERNATE_UART', 'MAX31855',
'AUTO_LEVEL', 'PSTOP_ZMIN_LEVEL', 'HAS_RGB_LED',
'PLATFORM_SPLASH1_MSG=\\\"Sailfish Replicator1\\\"',
'PLATFORM_THE_REPLICATOR_STR=\\\"Replicator 1\\\"',
'EEPROM_MENU_ENABLE', 'RGB_LED_MENU' ]
},

Notice it is missing a lot of stuff but, just like our front panel, has the RGB LED yet our LEDS are just directly tied in with the mightyboard 24v cooling fan.

[Stwert]

Well, not so fast on my part because I did more digging and while I do not know Python I can read most computer languages and if you look in the platforms.py hardly any machine uses COOLING_FAN_PWM. Not the FF, Wanhao, even some Replicators so all of these printers do not have a define for COOLING_FAN_PWM and without that the fan is just on or off.

What Qidi did was just %scons platform=Replictor something. So, they never made a profile for themselves but neither did all of these other printers either. I did see Azteeg X3, mighty_one-corexy, and mighty_two had the COOLING_FAN_PWM define but not another printer brand has the define. So, I am freaking shocked. Seriously, are we sure the mightyboard the Qidi uses can do PWM for that fan? I am in shock because all of these people out there with any other printer besides the Azteeg or the mighty1/2 based boards all are on or off. Now I am curious if this board can because this is way too crazy that only three systems out there can based on what I am seeing.

Go have a look at platforms.py to see what I mean as the COOLING_FAN_PWM define simply does not exist for almost every single printer out there based on the mightyboard.

I bet they used this one and if not something very close to it - 'mighty_one-2560-max31855' :
{ 'mcu' : 'atmega2560',
'programmer' : 'stk500v2',
'board_directory' : 'mighty_one',
'defines' : [ 'BUILD_STATS', 'ALTERNATE_UART', 'MAX31855',
'AUTO_LEVEL', 'PSTOP_ZMIN_LEVEL', 'HAS_RGB_LED',
'PLATFORM_SPLASH1_MSG=\\\"Sailfish Replicator1\\\"',
'PLATFORM_THE_REPLICATOR_STR=\\\"Replicator 1\\\"',
'EEPROM_MENU_ENABLE', 'RGB_LED_MENU' ]
},

Notice it is missing a lot of stuff but, just like our front panel, has the RGB LED yet our LEDS are just directly tied in with the mightyboard 24v cooling fan.

There's definitely something odd about it, for so many of them not to be using it. Unless it's because the 7.8 f/w isn't finalized but than why use it in the first place. some of the others that have it enabled seem to be using the same board as the Qidi.
From looking at the board the Qidi is using it should theoretically be possible to control speed on the cooling fan. But something just isn't right and I can't put my finger on it yet. I'm digging more to see if anything makes sense.



There is this from one of the Google groups,

G-code control is hard because there is no place for fan speed control in the x3g protocol and it is hard to add it without breaking protocol compatibility

The same person though says he's running a custom version to allow setting the speed, but that's all that's said.

[wirlybird]

Managed to get a couple hours of sleep and then back to printing! This is addictive.

Couple questions. What are you guys finding to be good settings for ABS? I am using 110 on the bed with glass and 230 on the extruder. So far so good. I also have the magnetic Acurite thermometer someone here recommended for inside the box. Running ABS with all covers on I get 109 degrees F & 29% humidity. Does this seem ok?

What program would you use to modify a STL file? Say I have a basic cell phone cover and want to make a few minor changes such as add a design cutout to the back. I have Fusion 360 but haven't really got started with it yet!

@ DA, I ordered a couple rolls of Chrystal also from MG. Hope to have it by the weekend to try out.

Thanks as always for enduring all of my questions. The good side is this is a lot like learning the setup of a new vinyl cutter or printer.

[DarkAlchemist]

There's definitely something odd about it, for so many of them not to be using it. Unless it's because the 7.8 f/w isn't finalized but than why use it in the first place. some of the others that have it enabled seem to be using the same board as the Qidi.
From looking at the board the Qidi is using it should theoretically be possible to control speed on the cooling fan. But something just isn't right and I can't put my finger on it yet. I'm digging more to see if anything makes sense.



There is this from one of the Google groups,

G-code control is hard because there is no place for fan speed control in the x3g protocol and it is hard to add it without breaking protocol compatibility

The same person though says he's running a custom version to allow setting the speed, but that's all that's said.

Well, the code is there in SF 7.7 but only for those other boards BUT is SF 100% .s3g/.x3g or does SF do gcode as well? If it is strictly .s3g/.x3g (I believe it is since I found no gcode interpreter as I do in Marlin) then what you read is no longer right since the code is here in SF 7.7 to do fan PWM but only for those other boards.

[Stwert]

Managed to get a couple hours of sleep and then back to printing! This is addictive.

Couple questions. What are you guys finding to be good settings for ABS? I am using 110 on the bed with glass and 230 on the extruder. So far so good. I also have the magnetic Acurite thermometer someone here recommended for inside the box. Running ABS with all covers on I get 109 degrees F & 29% humidity. Does this seem ok?

What program would you use to modify a STL file? Say I have a basic cell phone cover and want to make a few minor changes such as add a design cutout to the back. I have Fusion 360 but haven't really got started with it yet!

@ DA, I ordered a couple rolls of Chrystal also from MG. Hope to have it by the weekend to try out.

Thanks as always for enduring all of my questions. The good side is this is a lot like learning the setup of a new vinyl cutter or printer.

Sleep? Lucky you

That's basically the same setup as me. I've been using those settings for ABS all along, with only minor changes depending on the brand of filament I'm using.

I also use Fusion, it's a seriously good app once you get used to it, you can do pretty much anything.

It's also handy to have a copy of meshlab installed for converting formats and especially for reducing triangle counts in extremely complex models.

I also use Blender, which is also free, for when Fusion doesn't quite hit the mark.

[Stwert]

Well, the code is there in SF 7.7 but only for those other boards BUT is SF 100% .s3g/.x3g or does SF do gcode as well? If it is strictly .s3g/.x3g (I believe it is since I found no gcode interpreter as I do in Marlin) then what you read is no longer right since the code is here in SF 7.7 to do fan PWM but only for those other boards.

I think you're right in that sf is an x3g system through and through.
But as gcode and x3g are mainly different in that gcode is plain text and x3g is binary, the same rules and constraints are likely to apply to both of them.

In theory anyway, but then I've had less than 3 hours sleep in 4 days and I've had enough morphine today to (literally) kill 3 cows. So my poor wee brain isn't at its best digging through this and trying to sort out my website and get some programming done at the same time

[DarkAlchemist]

I think you're right in that sf is an x3g system through and through.
But as gcode and x3g are mainly different in that gcode is plain text and x3g is binary, the same rules and constraints are likely to apply to both of them.

In theory anyway, but then I've had less than 3 hours sleep in 4 days and I've had enough morphine today to (literally) kill 3 cows. So my poor wee brain isn't at its best digging through this and trying to sort out my website and get some programming done at the same time

The compiled part is what makes this harder than sifting through a gcode interpreter but the code is already there to do PWM for HB, Fan, and Nozzle though the HBP PWM it said was wonky and not fully implemented in 7.7 so they use 1bit and it seems to work fairly well it said.

Maybe SF is all a big lie (Jetty has a huge ego and talking to him about anything with SF is a task at best) and none of this PWM has been working for anything since day one? Yes, that is a question because of what I saw concerning the HBP and PWM in 7.7's comment section then the fact most printers have no control over fan speed. YES, it is in the gcode that gets translated to binary (might even skip the S at this point) but the firmware simply skips it.

With Marlin PWM has been there for the Fan, HBP, and Nozzle going back to at least 2013 if not even before so SF is a big, no a HUGE, letdown if, for all of these years, people have honestly thought PWM for the HBP and the Fan actually worked but never really did. To be honest I wonder if on the machines that has the define for COOLING_FAN_PWM if it really works with because having the define does not mean it really works as it should either.