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Repetier 0.92 on Da Vinci 2.0A

abearabear
in Bug Reports

Hi Repetier,

I held off flashing my da vinci as there was so little information on it for the da vinci 2.0a.
But once I got to a print job that would not print with XYZ firmware, I bit the bullet and tried your firmware.
I should point out that I am software developer myself and have been for 20 years, but I am new to 3d printing (1 month now).

This is my experience with Repetier 0.92 on my Da Vinci 2.0A DUO  ....

I managed to get your firmware installed and it even resolved my initial issue with the XYZ firmware, but there are just too many other issues.

1. Installation - This is just far to difficult for any standard user.
You need to build a firmware installation tool that allows the user to pick their printer and click install/upgrade (with a backup option). You could put this feature into your Repetier-host which could in turn look for updates online when opened.
I should NOT need a dev environment or to compile anything to install your firmware, it should be a versioned binary ready to go.

2. Configuration - OK, to be fair, the only real config the "firmware" had to do was the Auto Bed Calibration, and this actually executed ok.
But when I selected one of the demo files to print immediately after. It simply ran the print bed into the extruder and I had to power off to stop it.
 - Please fix this ASAP, the printer should NEVER over drive the motors in any axis, this will wreck the printer almost immediately

3. Printing - From Repetier-Host
 - Too many places to configure the "printer" settings, which should just be sourced from the firmware installed on the device anyway (i.e. printer area, extruder count)
 - Connection is flaky and complex, This needs to just work on auto-detect with default settings. Users can't match up baud rates and flow control settings
 - My first print, I had to manually turn the extruder and bed heaters on, I was wondering why it wasn't printing then noticed some manual print setting where marked locked/disabled
  - This can damage the extruders, trying to force filament through an extruder that has not been heated up
 - printing was too hard so I ended up using Simplify3d

4. Printing - From Simplify3D
Printing from Simplify3d worked great with XYZ firmware (except for 1 cartridge error issues I was getting), so these issues are obvously related to the Repetier firmware
 - At the beginning of each print, one of the axis is overdriven for a moment (I can't tell which one as it stops very quickly, but I suspect its the Y-Axis)
 - The infill is short on one side and is not overlapping the outline shell
 - At the end of the print, the extruder just stops, it does not cool down and it does not move to it's home x/y position
 - I attempted to use the LCD display and change the Extruder position, I navigated to the Position=>Z Position, selected 10 mm and attempted to arrow down.
This resulted in a new page (which was abnormal) asking if I wanted to home the extruder, I selected No, but it attempted to do so any, I immediately turned the printer off.
Even after turning the printer back on, and selecting Position=>Z Position=>10 mm and arrow down this still prompted to go home. At this point I didn't trust it and turned the printer off again.
I had to wait for the printer too cool, before forcing the printed article out from under extruder
 - Printing from Simplify3d using repetier firmware (as opposed to the xyz firmware), the extruders are revered (i.e. left is right and Vice versa).
At the beginning of a print the extruder rolls all the way to the right and then dumps filament out of the left extruder, missing the bucket and dumping it on the floor of the printer.
It then repeats this on the other side, shifting all the way left, extruding out of the right extruder, missing the bucket and dropping on the floor of the printer.
Also when a print starts that uses the left extruder it prints about 35 mm to the left of where it should be.
This is quite clearly the result of some code going backwards in the firmware.

I hope you don't get me wrong here, I love what your doing and want to use Repetier firmware (and Repetier host).
But if I had purchased it, I would be rather upset.
On the other hand, I have donated, but for the moment would like to go back to the XYZ firmware until you sort these issues out.

Thanks

Adrian

Comments

  • abearabear

    Also the Repetier firmware is cutting the entire left side off large objects. There is about a 2 inch strip down the left hand side of the print bed the extruder wont touch and just draws everything that cross the line, down that line.

    Adrian

  • deanbdeanb
    Adrian,

    I was hoping your experiences were anomalies—I was wondering whether you made an progress with any settings? I too am starting with Simply3D and a Repetier-flashed Duo. Initially I am most concerned about the switching of the extruders, which I partially have worked around and moreso the overdriving of the stepper as startup.
  • weirdguyweirdguy
    yeah the reversed extruders and the over driving is a concerning problem and trying to center both extruders seems to be impossible. am having most of the problems mentioned in this thread and the fact that they haven't fixed these issues in the time since this thread was posted isn't very promising, really wish i had spotted this before flashing the firmware, would really like to revert back to stock firmware but that is also impossible from what I understand
  • RepetierRepetier
    There are no problems I can understand.

    What are you meaning with reversed extruder? After all you define oder of extruders in config.

    If you configure a printer yourself you need to configure it correctly to behave correctly. Many vendors use our firmware with no problems. So it is possible. YOu just need to think it is a different firmware with maybe some different solutions.

    And last, we still not have flashforge printers, so we know nothing about special related problems.
  • calmissilecalmissile
    Not sure why this thread has not been updated recently.  The DaVinci Duo 2.0A printers are selling like hotcakes and I purchased two of them. Like eveyone else, I love the printer but hate the XYZ software/firmware.  I have been using the printers with Simplify3D software and XYZ original firmware.  The combination has worked reasonably well but S3D is very limited due to the XYZ firmware.

    I am in agreement with comments made by Ebear in his post.  There needs to be an updated post of a procedure that is current to todays state of affairs.  In other words, the versions and configurations of the DaVinci printers that are sold today and the firmware versions as well.  Also taking into consideration the current version of Aruino software and the Repetier firmware.

    As I understand it, the Repetier firmware for the DaVinci is writtten/maintained  by a german fellow in his spare time, the Repetier host program is maintained by the Repetier group and of course Simplify3D is written and maintained by the commercial company that sells it.

    Whether we choose to use Repetier Host, Simplify3D, or some other host program with the printer, they all depend on the revised firmware for the DaVinci printers.  The effort needs to be focused on producing a stabe version of the DaVinci firmware for Repetier and a new procedure to be able to flash the printer with the firmware.  A couple years of posts on various forums dealing with all the trials and tribulations that eveyone went through in this saga is not very helpful to the new owners of DaVinci printers.  Having to move files from one directory to others (that do not exist :) ) is frustrating.

    The instructions for installing the firmware are not adaquate and in some cases not correct or have not been updated.  I have a Atmel ICE3 development tool and can flash the firmware directly if I can find the actual .bin file somewhere in the mess of downloads.   By the way, there is a JTAG provision on the DUO 2.0A motherboards.  There is no header or info on the pinouts, so I remeoved the board and traced out each pin to the CPU and identified the configuration of the pads.  I did not have a header or connector on hand that would match the pad layout, so I soldered wires from a ribbon cable and brought the cable out the backside of the printer.  Using the Atmel software I am able to interrogate the ATSAM chip.  The Atmel ICE tool is only about $150 and readily available.  I need it for other development work so is an inexpensive investment.

    If I am able to find the actual firmware bin file for the .92 firmware this weekend, I am going to bite the bullet and erase the stock firmware and flash the new Retetier F/W with the JTAG tool.  I don't have time to wait for the Arduino method to get cleaned up.  Anyone wanting the JTAG wiring/configuration for the DaVinci can contact me.  I will write up a brief sketch of the configuration.
  • calmissilecalmissile
    I forgot to add that I contacted Simplify3D about using their software with the Repetier firmware for the Duo 2.0A and they emailed me a couple files that configure their software for the DaVinci printers.  This should make it a lot easier to integrate the S3D program with the printer.  Considering the large amount of configuration parameters that need to be set properly, the files that automate it is a great step. 
  • calmissilecalmissile
    After several days messing around with various versions of Arduino I was finally able to get the Duo 2.0A flashed.  I ended up using Arduinno 1.5.8 and Repetier .92 Master firmware.  It seems to be the only combination that matches the procedures.

    There was a configuration problem with Simplify 3D but was quickly corrected by product support.  The only remaining issue is that the print is shifted about an inch to the left on the bed.  I don' know the cause yet, but I simply moved the parts placement on the bed in order to try out a print.

    I was amazed at how quiet and smooth the printing went.  It is the first time since I bought the printer that I could print 6 items on the bed and not have some of them get knocked over and messing up the print job.  I also noticed a huge difference in the vibration of the printer and bed during printer.  Using XYZ I was beginning to think that the printer was going to shake off the table or ruin the bearings.  :)  It does seems to be printing slower than XYZ (with the default settinggs) , but the print is veryt high quality.

    So far I am very impressed with Simplify 3D with the Da Vinci 2.0A printer.  I can also state that customer support from S3D is excellent with responses often the same day.

  • RepetierRepetier
    You can set a move back after homing to be more to the right after homing x. Homing x stopps at endstop if set to 0, but the bed does not to start there necessary, so you can add a extra move there. If you have multiple extruders it will reduce move by extruder distance so that you can use both extruders everywhere instead of crashing into boundary.
  • calmissilecalmissile
    Thanks for the prompt response.  I am not new to CNC but am new to 3D printing.  I am not familiar with 'move back' after homing. I do understand the probe to do the Z-Axis sensing and the photo-optic sensors to sense X and Y axis reference points.  What is not clear to me is how the software uses these sensors and apply them to establishing reference points in the software/initialization.  I have searched the forums and find bits and pieces of how to do this and that, but nowhere did I find a full explanation of how the sensors are used in the software.

    Hopefully someone will have time to do a detailed explanation of how the sensors and software all fit together.  Many of us can figure out the solution if we can find a detailed explanation of the  references and their implimentation in the software.

    Again, thank you for your response.

  • RepetierRepetier
    Homing is quite simple

    1. move to endstop
    2. go back a few mm
    3. retest endstop but slower
    4. move back Endstop distance after homing (from config tool)
    5. Call this position x/y/z min/max position.

    So as you see you can increase 4 to move area or change xmin to have 0 more right but then it would stop mor eleft after homing.

  • BryanByrneBryanByrne
    calmissile, were you able to locate the .bin file for flashing the 2.0 DUO?
  • MasterCATZMasterCATZ
    edited July 2020
    Da vinci 2.0
    1.17-08-01_1.3A
    Repetier0.92.10M

    should I try and do a upgrade ? from memory it was hell to get flashed the first time  :cold_sweat: 
  • bapplaybapplay
    Was hell to flash the Davinci 2.0a printer but finally got it.  Now the print head hits the edge of the bed. help.....
  • RepetierRepetier
    > Now the print head hits the edge of the bed. help.....
    what does that mean? When? Bad offsets or end stops configured wrong so they get ignored?
  • trinity3dprintstrinity3dprints
    Is this thread still open for discussion 
  • RepetierRepetier
    You can still ask of course, just remember that the davinci fork is a modified old version, so there might be things we do not know.
  • YishakcYishakc
    calmissile 
    Do you have any diagram or sketch of how you used Arduino and the 0.92 version of the flashed repeater? I just flashed my da vinci duo but it has several problems
  • RepetierRepetier
    I don't have a DaVince printer and fors is not from us, so no sorry - no experience with special DaVinci issues. Was it also compatible with Duo version?
  • arcticfixarcticfix
    i also have an duo 2.0a....cannot get it to work properly in simplify3d....does anyone have an valid printer file they can share.....any updates in future for this firmware
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