MatterHackers’ execs take an in-depth take a look at this fast-processing, 32-bit controller board that may assist produce cleaner 3D printed components.
What’s a controller board?
The controller board (or motherboard) is the mind of the printer. It takes the instructions given to it by your laptop (within the type of G-Code) and orchestrates their execution. The motherboard comprises a microcontroller (basically a tiny, self-contained laptop) and all of the circuitry wanted for operating the motors, studying the sensors, and speaking to your laptop.
Why get a Smoothie board?
The Azteeg X5 Mini isn’t like most 3D printer controllers. Most boards (based mostly on the Arduino) have an 8 bit 16 Mhz Atmel AVR processor. That is roughly equal to a pc from the late 70s. The Azteeg X5 is provided with a 32 bit 120 Mhz ARM processor. That is mainly a slimmed down model of the chip that powers your cellphone.
The X5 additionally runs a unique firmware known as Smoothie. Smoothie is a brand new firmware that’s designed to reap the benefits of trendy processors. It prides itself in itâs superior movement management, thus the Smoothie title. The code is far cleaner than Marlin, and a lot better documented. You’ll be able to study extra about Smoothie at smoothieware.org.
Straightforward to make use of
Anybody who has tried to add firmware by way of Arduino can inform you how a lot of a problem it’s. Arduino is a software that was made for growth and prototyping, not for normal individuals who simply wish to get their printer working. Smoothie is totally different.
The Smoothieboard seems to your laptop as a daily previous flash drive. To replace the firmware, merely drag and drop the firmware.bin file to the drive.
Need to make a configuration change? No must recompile and reupload the firmware. There’s a file on the drive known as config.txt that comprises all of your settings. You’ll be able to edit it as you’d another textual content file. The adjustments take impact when you restart your printer. Easy.
Price
Regardless of what you could assume, the Azteeg X5 Mini truly prices lower than an equal Arduino based mostly board. The X5 is $113 whereas the Mini RAMBo is $128.
Options
Listed below are the opposite issues that make the Azteeg X5 our favourite controller board.
Networking
The X5 Mini now has an Ethernet (RJ45) jack, identical to the official Smoothieboard. Now you not must have your printer tied to your laptop with USB. You’ll be able to join it to your community and management it from wherever in your home, and even the world. It’s also possible to verify on the standing of your printer by way of your internet browser. See the Smoothie documentation for extra on how this works.
You’ll be able to hook up with your printer utilizing MatterControlâs community printing characteristic.
Tremendous Microstepping
The X5 now makes use of modular Pololu type stepper drivers, identical to the Azteeg X3 and X3 Professional. The board comes with a set of SD5984 drivers, however you need to use no matter different drivers you need with it as effectively. Keep in mind to solder on the additional 3 pin header for digital present management.
The place the X5 actually shines is at the side of the SD6128 stepper drivers. These drivers are able to 1/128th microstepping, which is 4 occasions greater than the the inventory SD5984 drivers the board comes with (1/32) and possibly 8 occasions greater than what you’re used to (1/16).
What’s microstepping?
The usual stepper motors utilized in most printers have 200 steps per rotation. Nonetheless, by balancing the ability fed to the motor coils, these steps will be divided up. This permits the motor to maneuver in smaller increments, and makes the general movement much less jerky and quieter.
Most different boards aren’t able to using such excessive ranges of microstepping because of processing energy limitations. The upper the extent of microstepping, the much less time there may be between steps for the processor to make calculations. The AVR boards, with a 16 Mhz processor, can’t deal with greater than 1/32 microstepping at a print velocity of 150 mm/s. The Azteeg X5âs ARM chip, with a 120 Mhz processor, can deal with 1/128 stepping on the identical velocity.
Different Options
- Inbuilt micro SD card slot.
- The Azteeg X5 is the simplest board to hook as much as the gorgeous VIKI 2.0 graphic LCD show.
- Digital present management (utilizing supported stepper drivers) permits you to alter the ability delivered to your stepper motors by way of software program. No want to regulate trim screws on the board.
Panucatt Azteeg X5 GT 32bit Movement Controller
Along with the Azteeg X5 Mini, Panucatt now affords the Azteeg X5 GT. The GT is a bigger board that has further stepper drivers and heaters, permitting you to run twin extruders. It has just a few different further options as effectively.
- Help for Panucattâs excessive energy Bigfoot stepper drivers.
- Magnetically remoted USB circuitry which prevents you from frying your laptop in case your printer shorts out.
- Onboard 12V energy provide permits you to use 12V followers and equipment with a 24V printer.
- Addon board for ethernet (not in-built).
