Sunday, Oct 14 2018
What’s that?
Needs sensor
I decided I’m going to add an automatic bed leveling sensor to my CR-10S. I started out by printing the appropriate sensor mounting bracket to go along with the PETSFANG modular part cooling duct I mounted on the CR-10S last month. For some reason I didn’d document my change from version 1 to version 2 of the PETSFANG duct. I also updated the part cooling fan at that time.
I’ve ordered an EZABL direct wire kit. I don’t expect any issues hooking up the hardware once the kit arrives. In the mean while I’m preparing the software.
Monday, Oct 15 2018
In the past I used the TH3D version of Marlin. I changed to the standard release when I wanted to use the new version of LIN_ADVANCE that came in Marlin 1.1.9. At that time the TH3D version was still 1.1.8. I’ve made enough local changes to Marlin 1.1.9 that I really don’t want to go back to the TH3D version with its different setup files. As a result I spent the day going through the changes between stock Marlin and TH3D to figure out what I need to change to use the EZABL on my CR-10S. It seemed like a lot of changes. However, the job wasn’t that hard once I ignored changes for everything that is not a CR-10S.
I changed, did a bench check, compiled, and loaded the code onto my machine for a test. How? Well, the ABL sensor replaces the Z end stop. As long as I get the signal polarity configuration correct – inverted vs non-inverted – Marlin cant tell if I’m using the ABL sensor or a physical switch. I can run the code and see if it does the right thing when it gets a signal, regardless of the signal source.
The first test was to home and do a probe test. It did what it was supposed to do. I then printed a test without doing a probe. No problems. I added a G29 command to the start up G-code and printed the test again. This is what the start up looked like.
This code first homes the Z such that the sensor is roughly in the middle of the build plate. It then does 9 probes. The heaters are turned off during the probes. The 10 second delay after the last probe gives the machine time to get back to temperature. After that I prime the extruder and start printing the skirt or brim.
Things seem to be working as I expect. I am going to move the locations of the probes a bit further from the edges of the build plate. I’ll do that when I change the end stop polarity for the inductive probe once it arrives and is installed.