Getting Started Guide v1

by Marcus Dobeck and Rick Pollack

Important Note
At the time of writing, this is the current accepted standard and works well with
Makergear Prusa and Mosaic printers. There may be future upgrades that are not covered
in this document. We encourage experimentation and also suggest you back up your
existing versionsettings before attempting to upgrade. This guide is meant to be followed
se!uentially.
PreSetup
"ownload the following and place in a folder on your desktop labeled
MakerGear_Source_iles!"
or #indo$s %sers&
"ownload the lastest Printrun experimental from here. This version does not re!uire the
following dependency files.
Do$nload Pronter'ace ( Prere)uisites *only re)uired i' not using t+e
above 'ile,
#atest Pronterface$ https$github.comklimentPrintrun
P%&erial$ http$sourceforge.netpro'ectspyserial
P%(eadline$ https$launchpad.netpyreadline)download
wxPython *+nicode,$ http$www.wxpython.orgdownload.php
-o use Skein'orge or S./-0 pyt+on is re)uired
Python -.x$ http$python.orgdownload
Do$nload 1atest S./-
&.A/T$ http$github.comahmetcemturan&.A/T
Slic2r is a ne$ slicing program t+at is easier to use t+an Skein'orge but
does not +ave as many 'eatures" I' you don3t need support material0 try
Slic2r 'irst
+ttp&44slic2r"org4
Do$nload latest .rduino ID5 ( irm$are
http$www.arduino.ccenMainsoftware
.irmware$ *0ptional, http$groups.google.comgroupmakergear *select &printer for
Prusa or Mosaic respectively,
%our Maker1ear2&ource2.iles folder will look similar to this$ *if you have downloaded
all of the dependency files,
So't$are Installs
Pronter'ace
3. 4nstall Python -.5x from the Maker1ear2&ource2.iles folder, select defaults.
-. 4nstall P%&erial from the Maker1ear2&ource2.iles folder, select defaults.
6. 4nstall P%(eadline from the Maker1ear2&ource2.iles folder, select defaults.
7. 4nstall wxPython from the Maker1ear2&ource2.iles folder, select defaults.
8. 4nstall Pronterface$
a. +n9ip kliment:Printrun:;;;.9ip to a subfolder.
b. (ename the subfolder that contains the Pronterface files to <Pronterface=
c. Move the folder to the root of your </= drive.
d. /reate a shortcut on your desktop pointing to
/$>Pronterface>Pronterface.py
e. (ight click on the shortcut, select Properties, select </hange 4con=,
browse to /$>Pronterface>p:face.ico hit 0? to set the icon.
@. Ariefly test Pronterface by double clicking on the desktop icon.
5. .or additional help, please see the Pronterface Wiki$
http$reprap.orgwikiPrintrun
S./-
3. Bxtract &.A/T into your /$>Pronterface>skeinforge directory
-. .or additional help, please see the &.A/T wiki*s,$
http$www.reprapfordummies.net
http$reprap.orgwiki&fact
.rduino ID5
3. +n9ip arduino:CC;;.9ip to a subfolder and move it to /$>
-. /reate a shortcut on your desktop pointing to /$>arduino:CC-6>arduino.exe
Driver Install4irm$are %pload
*Dote; This guide does not cover initial firmware configuration.,
3. Power up your machine and connect to your P/ via usb.
-. When asked for a driver for your Arduino, choose /$>arduino:CC-6>drivers
D0TB;; Makergear ships ArduinoEs with &printer firmware pre:installed. %ou do
not need to continue to upload firmware if you are not making changes or upgrading.
6. +pload your firmware$
a. &tart the Arduino 4"B from your desktop.
b. .ind the /0M port your Arduino is using
i. (ight click on <My /omputer=, click <Manage=, and click "evice
Manager.
ii. 4n the right pane, under Ports */0M F #PT,, locate the Arduino
iii. Take note of what Port it is using
c. 4n the Arduino 4"B, select the Tools menu, Aoard, then choose Arduino
-8@C.
d. &elect the tools menu, &erial Port, and select the port G listed above.
e. Bxtract the firmware 9ip file into a folder. 4n the Arduino 4"B, click
.ile0pen and select the <&printer.h= file in the firmware folder.
f. 6R R.MPS 71"8 %S5RS& Bdit configuration.h file and change
<Gdefine M0THB(A0A(" 6= to <Gdefine M0THB(A0A(" 6= and
save. Also, "3C should be connected to your hot end heater, "CI is
reserved for an optional fan, and "CJ should be connected to your heated
bed. These values are different previous versions of the firmware.
g. /lick the +pload button to upload your new firmware
Pronter'ace /on'iguration
3. 0pen Pronterface from your desktop.
-. &et the correct port you took note of earlier
6. &elect 338-CC for baud rate
7. /lick </onnect= and you will see the online message in the results box
8. The default settings in <Heater= and <Aed= have been tested and are appropriate
for an unmodified Makergear Prusa build with P#A and AA&, respectively. &elect
the appropriate setting and click <set=. Wait for the temps to reach their set values
*check by clicking </heck Temp=,
@. or t+e movement testing0 keep your +and on t+e po$er4usb connection so
you can disconnect t+e printer )uickly i' somet+ing does not do $+at it is
supposed to do" -+is is a good idea $it+ .N9 calibration steps"
5. Test movement in K, %, and L by clicking on the 3x, 3y, and 39 'og ring, as noted
in image.
:6M5

;6G
J. Test the <Home buttons= as noted in the above image.
Mosaic only s+ips $it+ t+e < a=is endstop so only < +oming is in
place" 9ou3ll need to install t+e > and 9 endstops to +ome t+e > and 9
a=es"
4f an axis moves in the wrong direction, power down the machine and flip
the motor connector where it plugs into (AMP&.
I. This concludes the basic setup and testing of Pronterface.
S./- /on'iguration
This section is in place to give you a <starting point= and to show you the basics of tuning
&.A/T. The settings provided will get you on your way to a good print, but further
tuning is re!uired on a trial and error basis.
-+ese settings are made on a 'e$ assumptions$ %our firmware is correct, you have a
full Makergear Prusa with heated bed, you are using 6mm filament, and you have a
C.68mm no99le.
3. 0pen Pronterface and click on &ettings&.A/T &ettings
-. /lick the </arve= button and set the <#ayer Height= to C.-J. The layer height
setting increases or decreases the desired layer height. .or example, if your no99le
is C.68mm, C.-J seems to give a perfect layer height, s!uishing the filament 'ust
enough.
6. /lick the </hamber= button. /heck <Activate /hamber= and set the heated bed to
@C *33C for AA&,. We also recommend checking the two boxes below *Turn print
bed and extruder heater off at shut down.,. When your print is finished, you donEt
want hot oo9e dripping all over your new bottle opener or kitten statue, do youM
7. /lick on the <"imension= button. The filament diameter is set to -.J by default
*for 6mm filament, but can be set to 3.@8 for 3.58mm filament.
8. /lick the <.ill= button. &et the infill pattern to <1rid Hexagonal=. There are
exceptions, but weEve found that this type of infill gives the best all around
results.
@. /lick the <4nset= button and set your Do99le "iameter to <C.68= *or whatever si9e
your no99le is,
5. *0ptional,/lick the <(aft= button. 4f you wish to add a <(aft= to your ob'ect,
change the Aase #ayers to 3 and the 4nterface #ayers to 3. This step is completely
optionalN we find that most prints do not re!uire rafts. This is also the area where
you add support material to overhangs too great to be printed alone. /hange the
<Where to add support= option to suit your needs.
J. /lick the <&peed= button to set your feed rate. &et your feed rate *mms, to 7C.
This can be set higher once you are confident in your printers tuning. 7Cmms is a
good starting point and has been proven to work well with you printer.
I. *0ptional,/lick the <Temperature= button. /heck <Activate Temperature= to add
temperature information to your output. This is for fine tuning and allows you to
change your extruderEs temperature in various scenarios on the fly.
3C. /lick <&ave All= at the bottom to save your settings and return to Pronterface.
< .=is ?asic Setup
This is one of the most important settings for your printer and we believe it is worth
mentioning in our !uick start guide. C.3mm can make a big difference in your print. We
found simply using a piece of printer paper gives us the correct spacing. This guide
assumes your print bed is level and even in all four corners.
3. Ae sure there is no filament stuck to the bottom of your no99le
-. Ad'ust your L axis end stop so that you are 'ust able to slide a piece of printer
paper under it with little resistance. Ay <'ust slip= we mean barely 'ust slip.
6. Ae careful that you arenEt actually pushing down on your spring loaded bed when
you are trying to move the paper, which will skew your results.
7. Dow move your no99le using the Pronterface 3Cmm 'og button on K and %. %our
paper should not bind. 4f the paper binds at one point and not another, ad'ust your
bed height to make it even.
8. %our end stop should now be setting your no99le 'ust about C.3mm above the
print bed and you are ready to printO
or t+e latest updates c+eck t+e MakerGear Google Group" 9ou can
'ind 'irm$are0 skein'orge and slic2r settings 'or our Mosaic and Prusa
2D printers"