So, I’ve just checked tracking & supposedly my Smoothieboard is with the delivery driver for delivery today. Yay!
Anyway, I’ve seen that when people are sorting out the Smoothie things like the PSU & original controller board are usually requested. This is my PSU & M2Nano board.
Is there any other photos that will be necessary to assist me getting the Smoothie hooked up?
Also, what other things are necessary to ensure I don’t kill the smoothie? I’ve seen people talking about a level shifter (3.3v or something?). As I’m not very electrically knowledgeable I’m probably going to need a bit of assistance on this one.
@Alex_Krause You’re going to have to excuse my total ignorance, but what exactly does a middleman board do? From my understanding it is something to help bridge the connections between the existing K40 electronics (motors/endstops/etc) & the smoothie. Is that right?
On the picture of your board the lower left corner of your board is a ribbon cable that contains your X axis motor connector and your limit switch connections… you can either get a middle man board or run a new set of wires to those components
@Alex_Krause Oh right, I get it. So the middleman is because I have the ribbon cable instead of modular plugs. I’m thinking middleman is probably the way to go for me, as I intend to have a switchable setup for Smoothie/m2Nano, using @Scott_Marshall 's plug&play kit that he is developing.
Although, is it necessary to have a middleman with your kit Scott? Or does your kit function as a middleman for the ribbon?
@Susan_Moroney Ooo… That’d be nice. Although, I have no idea how many plugs I have/need. I’d be happy to go with that deal though. I will take a better photo of the plugs & stuff that came with my Smoothie a bit later & then upload/share with you so we can work out what you need/I need out of it.
RS Online are a great supplier for electronic pieces. Have used them in the past for finding specific components for a portable gas-fridge’s electronics. Original place quoted something ridiculous to replace the part (like $100) when it was a $5 part from RS.
@Alex_Krause@Susan_Moroney I’ve ordered one of those SparkFun logic converter/level shifter that Alex provided the link for. I should have ordered a couple at the same time, since you will also need one Susan. Just a heads up, there is a “lead time of greater than 1 day (i.e. it’s coming in from one of our suppliers)” according to their email. It is actually coming from SparkFun themselves, so you might want to get one before your Smoothie arrives. It’s about $6.08 + $7.20 postage (to Gold Coast).
@Yuusuf_Sallahuddin_Y I do not think a Middleman is needed if you use the Scots switching board.
I am working on the PWM problem for my own machine conversion and you can see my research here: http://donsthings.blogspot.com/2016/06/k40-s-laser-power-control-interface.htm
l am sorry I have not finished testing so I do not know how it fits your timeline. Other parts of the conversion are also developing on other posts in this blog.
@donkjr Thanks Don. To be perfectly honest, all of that discussion on your blog regarding the PWM is way over my current level of understanding. But it’s great the work you’re doing, as those here who know what it means will have a great reference for designing/modifying solutions. I will probably just use the middleman board temporarily until Scott’s solution is ready to ship & then I can switch it out I guess for Scott’s solution. Then I’ll have a middleman on hand for anyone else in Australia that is in need of one.
Sorry to slog everyone through the research and I plan to get all that detail condensed to a final method that anyone can use.
BTW the LPS interface does not really involve the Middleman it is all about to LS or not and where to connect on what LPS
@donkjr I feel like a total noob reading your posts as it all goes over my head. I have no idea what a LPS interface is or what LS is, etc. This is all a major learning curve for me. Thanks for all your explanations though.
@Yuusuf_Sallahuddin_Y Gosh I am sorry I should not use acronyms.
LPS = laser power supply
LS= level shifter
I assure you I am on a steep learning curve myself in regard to this K40… it is all very confusing.
