Oct.3, 2013
If you are looking for an electronics upgrade for your 3D printer, you might want to check out SmoothieBoard. SmoothieBoard is an Open Source Hardware CNC controller board based on the LPC 1769 or LPC1768 Cortex-M3 chip.
While most current 3D printer controller boards use 8-bit AVR microcontrollers (such as those used by Arduino) Smoothieboard runs on a more powerful 32-bit ARM microcontroller (LPC1768 Cortex-M3). This allows for smoother and faster step generation, as well as more precise math, deeper planning, and leaves room to add more features.
Beta Smoothieboard with 4 Axes
By combining all of the jobs into a single modular firmware Smoothie allows different communities that would otherwise be working apart to share a common basis and to add their specific uses on top of it. Smoothieboard features an Ethernet connector, Drag and drop flashing, native USB interface with mass-storage and serial ports, and playing g-code files from USB etc.
The Smoothieboard comes in 3 to 5 Allegro A4982 stepper drivers, each capable of driving bipolar steppers up to 35V and 2A. The firmware is modular, so you can run 3D Printers, Laser cutters, CNC Mills, Pick and place and other small-sized CNC machines.
Connecting Smoothieboard to a 3d printer
Smoothie is Open Source and open hardware. The project was started in the end of 2010, since then many makers have contributed to this project to make it easier to use than conventional firmwares.
You can now get a smoothieboard or support the project here on Kickstarter. The team made it to their $20,000 funding goal in less than 48 hours. They have raised $49,265 up to now, and there is still 11 days to go before the campaign ends. Arthur Wolf and Mark A. Cooper (a.k.a. Logxen), the core design team of smoothieboard will be working a booth at Maker Faire Rome from October 3rd through 6th. You may want to stop by their booth and check out the Smoothieboard there.
Thanks to Rick & Arthur for the tip!
Posted in 3D Printer Accessories
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