Hi all, as I said in my previous shout for help I live in

3D Printing
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1

Hi all, as I said in my previous shout for help I live in Brasil, and am finding out various suppliers for building a 3d printer
so my plea is this…does any one recognise this board ??
and any links to more info would be appreciated
it controls 5 axis and looks a good buy at $145 (brasilian dollars )
thanks for any help
stevep

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2

Don’t know the designation of the board, but it looks to be a Paralel based CNC controller. Probably not the best choice for 3D printing, but it could work in theory…

3

Thanks for a prompt reply…I did use a similar type to control a milling machine in the UK…why do you think its not suitable for 3d printing ??
thanks stevep

4

Probably not suitable for 3d printing. I’d look for boards specifically designed for 3d printing.

5

3D printing requires much more precise synchronization of the axes than a CNC due to the minimum movement speeds dictated by the extrusion system. Additionally, there is no temperature control on this board (true, it can be done off board, but having it on - board is very convenient.

Additionally, the timing required for 3D printing is critical, because the extrusion system builds up pressure which must be maintained for extrusion to proceed evenly, and if the timing glitches, even for a short period, it will cause imperfections in the print.

6

Thanks for that in depth explanation …you just saved me $145 !!!
stevep

7

it is a so-called breakout board you can use with Windows Mach3 or Linux EMC2 to power a CNC machine. A 3D printer is a 4-axis CNC machine, it uses similar g-code but it needs one or two PID loops for temperature that the card does not handle. That is the deal breaker for using it as a 3D printer controller. OTOH, that board only provides the signals for external controllers. That means you still will need to but stepper motor drivers so the board could actually drive the motors, that and a power supply, and then tweak the software … it may not be worth all the trouble.

8

i use this on one of my printers an it works very well! http://reprap.org/wiki/Rambo

9

for half that money you can get professional solution (though this supplier may not be the best but the cheapest choice): http://www.geeetech.com/rambo-reprap-arduinocompatible-mother-board-v11a-p-686.html

10

@stephen_prescott , sainsmart has a RAMPS 1.4, Arduino MEGA, with appropriate stepper drivers for $80: http://www.sainsmart.com/starter-kit/3d-printer-parts/sainsmart-mega2560-a4988-ramps-1-4-3d-printer-kit-for-arduino-reprap.html

From there all you need is stepper motors, end stops, and thermistors. The money you saved by not buying that piece of junk more than covers it. I suggest the Kysan steppers from Ultimachine.com or the 400 step/rev steppers from Sparkfun.com - though Ultimachine sells all the rest of the misc parts you might need; thermistors, end stops, wire, cable, connectors,

11

Just to follow up, the Google reverse image search found a whole lot of information and alternative suppliers - some as cheap as US$16 including shipping. Google Search (link might be German, i have no idea how it shows for others)

12

+1 on the SainSmart, 79.99USD, and it arrived in about a week. Now I just need something to strap it to :slight_smile:

13

Thanks so much for those Brasil links,now just need to find one that supplies extruded aluminium sections so I can build the frame work, have been looking but so far no luck
stevep

14

@Tim_Rastall got his T-slot from Aliexpress I think? – or maybe that was just the smooth rod? I know I found some awesome t-slot prices on there.

15

P5 20X20 6pcs L1000mm aluminium profile

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That’s about 85 usd for 6 metres including shipping.

17

Thanks for the info guys…only problem with imports is the heavy tax they have here …
stevep

18

What @Miguel_Sanchez said. It’s a breakout board that is useless without existing stepper drivers, and you still need some way to control the temperature of the extruder and heated bed. For a 3D printer where you’re not particularly concerned about galvanic isolation between the computer and the machine, this board can basically be replaced by wires. If you’re wanting to use a PC instead of an Arduino for control, I made an interface board to hook a parallel port up to a RAMPS board for LinuxCNC: https://github.com/cdsteinkuehler/LinuxCNC-RepRap
…but I’ve since moved on to using the BeagleBone Black and a BeBoPr board.

19

I would say this board would work fine with external process controllers for heated bed(abs) and extruder. I don’t know why the guy way up above says a CNC board is not as good as a RAMPS, etc. CNC machines are just as accurate, if not more, than 3dp machines. I used Mach3 with my Gecko 540 and an external extruder temp controller to print all the plastic parts for my 3D printer amd they are by far some of the best parts I’ve printed to date.