Pause Button

I know that this 3d printing thing is supposed to be automated, and you should be able to walk away and let it go. So I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, or if it's just this finicky for everyone, but I keep having instances where the print head crashes into some part - especially support material or a feature being built up from support from a point, like a cone shape, and the edges curl up (how do I stop that???), but it crashes into it and knocks it off. I then pause the print, hot glue it back down, and hope for the best.

The problem is that going through the menus is such a cumbersome way to get to the pause, especially when you need to stop it NOW. Without having programmed for Arduino before (or in C++ for that matter - that is what it is coded in, right?), how would I go about programming for an external "Pause" button (added hardware button, of course)? 

Comments

  • I am not an experienced developer, BTW, but I do know how to get into the Arduino IDE that I used to flash the firmware to the Arduino.
  • You can add any number of buttons and assign function directly to them. Go in ui.h and find the section for your controller. There you see the keys getting initalized and assigned a function. Do the same with your extra key and assign it the desired function. At the top of ui.h you see all the UI_ACTION_.. commands available.

    With your othe rproblem use BuildTak as bed surface. It sticks much better then anything else. If you print to closely you will get real trouble getting it off at all. That would prevent most objects from coming off while printing. The curling always happens with overhangs. The steeper the angle the more curling you get. Use a goof fan to reduce it. Also some filaments curl more then others, depends on manucafurer and type.
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