raspberry-pi [Bukobot 3D Printer Instructions & Docs]

Link to this comparison view

--- raspberry-pi [2013/10/08 00:02]
jit Update for the latest version of Raspbian.
+++ raspberry-pi [2013/10/20 17:41] (current)
jit
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 ==== Why? ====
-The Raspberry Pi is very small.  (It's about the same size as the Azteeg controller;  in the photo above it's hiding in the background, between the printer and the monitor.) It's so small that it could be embedded into the printer itself, making the Bukobot completely free-standing (except for monitor, keyboard, and mouse).  It can also connect to a network, perhaps allowing the user to run the printer from a web browser on another computer;  in this case, you wouldn't need to keep a monitor, keyboard, or mouse attached to it.
+Most 3D printers work a lot like regular printers, in the sense that you install some software on a computer and then plug the printer into the computer using a USB cable.  But 3D printers have a special requirement:  depending on the size and complexity of the object to be printed, it might take hours to do one print, and if the print job is interrupted for some reason, the print will likely be ruined and you will have to start over from scratch.
+If you use your regular desktop or laptop computer to drive your 3D printer, and then use that computer to do other things at the same time, you run the risk of accidentally interrupting the printing software during the job.  So it's best not to multitask with that computer while printing;  just use a dedicated computer for that task and that task alone.  With the costs of computers gradually approaching zero, it's not expensive to do this.
+The Raspberry Pi is a very small computer.  (It's about the same size as the Azteeg controller;  in the photo above it's hiding in the background, between the printer and the monitor.) It's so small that it could be embedded into the printer itself, making the Bukobot completely free-standing (except for monitor, keyboard, and mouse).  It can also connect to a network, perhaps allowing the user to run the printer from a web browser on another computer;  in this case, the printer becomes a standalone appliance, and you wouldn't need to keep a monitor, keyboard, or mouse attached to it.
 The cost to do all this is very small.  Current US prices:
@@ Line 20: / Line 24: @@
   * monitor, maybe $150 (but see below)
-Of course you may already have some of the above.
+Of course you may already have some of the above, or may not need some of the above.
 ==== Parts Required ====
@@ Line 28: / Line 32: @@
   * High quality power supply for same, 5V, at least 1A, plus micro USB cable to connect it to the Pi
-  * SD card, at least 8GB, preferably class 10 or better
+  * SD card, at least 8GB, preferably class 10 or better (but many people say class 4 works fine)
   * Powered USB hub
@@ Line 44: / Line 48: @@
   * Printer (the Bukobot is highly recommended)
-One of the primary reasons for having problems with a Raspberry Pi is the power supply.  There are many different power supplies on the market (most smartphones and similar small devices use this type) and a lot of these power supplies are of poor quality.  The Pi needs a high-quality power supply, and it must be rated at one amp or more.  The adafruit unit (their [[https://www.adafruit.com/products/501|#501]]) is recommended by Lady Ada, so it's a good one (and the price is good too).
+=== Power Supply ===
+One of the primary reasons for having problems with a Raspberry Pi is the power supply.  There are many different allegedly compatible power supplies on the market (most smartphones and similar small devices that recharge through a micro USB port use this type) and a lot of these power supplies are of poor quality.  The Pi needs a high-quality power supply, and it must be rated at one amp or more.  The adafruit unit (their [[https://www.adafruit.com/products/501|#501]]) is recommended by Lady Ada, so it's a good one (and the price is good too).
+=== Powered USB Hub ===
 If you intend to connect the Azteeg, a keyboard, and a mouse to the Pi then you'll need a USB hub for sure (the Pi only has two USB ports).  Might as well make that a powered hub and be sure you won't overwhelm the Pi's power supply.  (For not much more, you could instead get a powered hub that also has card slots, if you think you might want to connect memory cards to the Pi for some reason.  The Pi does have a built-in SD card slot, but you boot from that and can't remove the card while the Pi is running).
@@ Line 56: / Line 64: @@
 {{wiki:jitsbuild:hdmi-to-dvi.jpg}}
-If you have a monitor sitting around that has VGA input but not HDMI or DVI, you can use a [[http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1669934.pdf|Pi-View]] adapter.  (The system shown above is using one of these.)  You can get these from any Farnell/element14 affiliate (Newark in the U.S. currently has these for about $33).  Also now available from Adafruit:  [[https://www.adafruit.com/products/1151|HDMI to VGA Video + Audio Adapter]], which also has audio output, and costs even less.
+If you have a monitor sitting around that has VGA input but not HDMI or DVI, you can use a [[http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1669934.pdf|Pi-View]] adapter.  (The system shown above is using one of these.)  You can get these from any Farnell/element14 affiliate (Newark in the U.S. currently has these for about $33).  Also now available from Adafruit:  [[https://www.adafruit.com/products/1151|HDMI to VGA Video + Audio Adapter]], which also has audio output, and costs even less.  Also:  [[http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY®-Adapter-Power-free-Raspberry-Support/dp/B0088K7QUQ|this one]].  (But be warned, it can be a little tricky to get the VGA configured properly, and mis-configured VGA can result in no video output at all; see [[http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=437952|here]] for more information.)
 Of course the Pi also has a standard-definition TV output ("composite") through its RCA jack, that can be connected to an old-fashioned television.  It's low resolution, but perhaps sufficient to get the Pi set up and running headless.  (Anyone try this?)
@@ Line 63: / Line 71: @@
 Also, many monitors and TVs have multiple inputs, and can be connected to more than one computer at a time.  Just press the input button on the display to switch between computers.
+Finally, if you already have a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KVM_switch|KVM switch]] that can support DVI monitors, you can connect your Pi to the KVM switch through the HDMI-DVI adapter mentioned above, and then use the keyboard, video monitor and mouse that are already attached to your KVM switch to talk to your Pi.  And since many such KVM switches use a single USB connector for the keyboard and mouse connections, effectively putting a USB hub inside the KVM switch, you might not need a separate USB hub for the Pi;  plug the KVM switch into one of the Pi's USB ports, and the Azteeg into the other (don't connect the Azteeg through the KVM switch!).  In this case your total cost to add the Pi to your printer might be not much more than $50.
@@ Line 87: / Line 97: @@
 Watch the monitor.  Watch the text scroll by as the Pi boots up.
-Eventually, a menu resembling the one shown below should appear.  If it doesn't, troubleshoot.  (You can ask for help in the Linux Specific Software section of the forum.  Don't be intimidated by this software;  millions of people have successfully gotten Pis running, including a lot of nine-year-old kids.)
+Eventually, a menu resembling the one shown below should appear.  If it doesn't, troubleshoot.  (You can ask for help in the [[http://forum.bukobot.com/index.php?board=4.0|Linux Specific Software section of the forum]].  Don't be intimidated by this software;  millions of people have successfully gotten Pis running, including a lot of nine-year-old kids.)
 {{wiki:jitsbuild:raspi-config-2013-10.jpg}}
@@ Line 113: / Line 123: @@
 Watch it boot again.  It should boot into the [[http://lxde.org/|LXDE desktop environment]].  If it doesn't, troubleshoot.
-Start the Midori web browser and verify that the Pi can see the Internet.
+Find the icon for the [[http://www.midori-browser.org|Midori web browser]] on the Desktop, launch it, and verify that the Pi can see the Internet.
 Browse to this page.  Follow the rest of these directions.
@@ Line 165: / Line 175: @@
 At this point, your Raspberry Pi is set up as a modern general-purpose desktop computer.  Test it for a while;  become accustomed to its quirks.  It's roughly equivalent in power to a high-end desktop system from the 1990's, so don't expect it to be fast.  Startup times may annoy you, but you won't be starting programs very often;  you will be starting your host software and letting it run for minutes or hours as it tells your printer how to make things.
-There are currently more than 37,000 free software packages available for this system;  any of them can be installed with a few clicks.  Many of them are installed now.  Click the LXDE icon at the left side of the bottom panel to see some of them.  Use the Synaptic package manager (under Other) to see what is installed, or visit the Pi Store.  You can also use Synaptic to install updates.
+There are currently more than 37,000 free software packages available for this system;  any of them can be installed with a few clicks.  Many of them are installed now.  Click the LXDE icon at the left side of the bottom panel to see some of them.  Use the Synaptic package manager (under Other) to see what is installed, or visit the Pi Store.  You can also use Synaptic to install updates.  But remember, the Pi is rather slow and low on memory, and it's probably best if you don't try to run any other programs while the Pi is driving your printer.
 You should definitely change the default system password.  You may also want to create a new user (other than 'pi') and disable the pi account;  these are all standard security measures to protect your system from evil.  See [[http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=91&t=57395&p=432824|here]] for how.

User Tools

Site Tools

Page Tools