RAMBo malfunction on z axis motors

[FelixP]

After attempting to begin the calibration process for my printer, I have discovered that the z axis motors will not move. I have performed a series of tests to determine what the cause of this problem is. The conclusion I have reached is that there is a fault on the RAMBo board that was shipped with my printer. While I am willing to work with tech support to see if there is some other cause for this malfunction, I would like to explain the tests and parameters under which I developed my conclusion.

1. The sofware I use is Repetier, for both the firmware and computer software.
2. To determine movement, I removed all of the motors from the frame, so if movement was slow or slight, it would not go unnoticed.
3. I always made certain to power off the printer and unplug it from the computer before removing or swapping cables.
4. For all tests I made sure to press down and release the endstop switches to make certain there was no error in the endstop logic causing the motors not to move.

The tests I have performed were:
1. I examined all of the motors with a multimeter to make sure the circuits were closed.
2. I tried all of the motors in the x/y slots to make sure all of the motors are functioning.
3. I have examined all of the endstop switches with a multimeter to make sure the endstops were properly soldered, wired, and functional.
4. I have checked in the firmware to make sure the motors are receiving enough power to move (the x and y axis motors are moving without problem)
5. I have checked virtually every combination of endstop logic choices in the firmware to ensure that there is no possibility of a faulty endstop setup in the firmware.
6. I have changed the EEPROM settings in the Repetier software such that the z axis motors have the same settings as the x and y axis motors, to prevent any programmed discrepancy from being the cause.
7. I have tried swapping endstop switches to ensure there was no issue with them. (I have tried every combination)
8. I have tried running the printer with nothing but the z motors and the z endstop connected.
9. I have tried running the printer with only the z motors connected, and the endstops physically disconnected from the board, and disabled in the firmware.

All of the tests I have attempted I did not do on my own. I had a friend who has assembled several printers with the RAMBo help me through the process. At the end of the tests we concluded there was nothing wrong with any of the other components.

[Alex-w]

first of all，i‘m sorry. we change the z axis motoer‘s stepper driver mapping。
you should change the pin’s setting in “pin.h” file
#define DIGIPOT_CHANNELS {4，5，3，2，1} // Ｘ　Ｙ　Ｚ　ＥＯ　Ｅ１

[FelixP]

I went into the pins.h of the firmware, the z pin location was the same, the extruder motor location was not. I changed it anyway, the z axis motors still are not moving.

[Alex-w]

ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ　ｕｓｅ　ｍｙ　ｆｉｒｍｗａｒｅ　。ｓｏ　ｔｈａｔ　ｃａｎ　ｈｅｌｐ　ｍｅ　ｓｏｌｖｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｒｏｂｌｅｍ

[FelixP]

Unfortunately I cannot upload this firmware. Somewhere in the code is the following error:

"const u8g_fntpgm_uint8_t does not name a type"

the file in question seems to have something to do with fonts, but out of all of the files I have no idea which one that is.

[Alex-w]

ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ　ｄｏｗｎｌｏａｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｍｉｓｓｉｎｇ　ｆｉｌｅ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｌｉｎｋ：http://code.google.com/p/u8glib/wiki/u8glib ｔｈｅｎ　ｕｐｚｉｐ　ｉｔ，ａｎｄ　ｐｕｔ　ｉｔ　ｔｏ　ｙｏｕｒ　ＩＤＥ　ｌｉｂｒａｒｉｓ

[FelixP]

I put it in the Arduino libraries and got the following error:

U8glib\U8glib.cpp.o: In function `U8GLIB::initRW8Bit(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)':
C:\Users\Executor\Documents\Arduino\libraries\U8glib/U8glib.cpp:74: multiple definition of `U8GLIB::initRW8Bit(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)'
U8glib.cpp.o:C:\Users\Executor\AppData\Local\Temp\build222876253954194082.tmp/U8glib.cpp:74: first defined here
c:/program files (x86)/arduino/hardware/tools/avr/bin/../lib/gcc/avr/4.3.2/../../../../avr/bin/ld.exe: Disabling relaxation: it will not work with multiple definitions
U8glib\U8glib.cpp.o: In function `U8GLIB::init8BitFixedPort(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)':
C:\Users\Executor\Documents\Arduino\libraries\U8glib/U8glib.cpp:67: multiple definition of `U8GLIB::init8BitFixedPort(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)'
U8glib.cpp.o:C:\Users\Executor\AppData\Local\Temp\build222876253954194082.tmp/U8glib.cpp:67: first defined here
U8glib\U8glib.cpp.o: In function `U8GLIB::init8Bit(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)':
C:\Users\Executor\Documents\Arduino\libraries\U8glib/U8glib.cpp:61: multiple definition of `U8GLIB::init8Bit(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)'
U8glib.cpp.o:C:\Users\Executor\AppData\Local\Temp\build222876253954194082.tmp/U8glib.cpp:61: first defined here
U8glib\U8glib.cpp.o: In function `U8GLIB::initI2C(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char)':
C:\Users\Executor\Documents\Arduino\libraries\U8glib/U8glib.cpp:54: multiple definition of `U8GLIB::initI2C(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char)'
U8glib.cpp.o:C:\Users\Executor\AppData\Local\Temp\build222876253954194082.tmp/U8glib.cpp:54: first defined here
U8glib\U8glib.cpp.o: In function `U8GLIB::initHWSPI(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)':
C:\Users\Executor\Documents\Arduino\libraries\U8glib/U8glib.cpp:48: multiple definition of `U8GLIB::initHWSPI(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)'
U8glib.cpp.o:C:\Users\Executor\AppData\Local\Temp\build222876253954194082.tmp/U8glib.cpp:48: first defined here
U8glib\U8glib.cpp.o: In function `U8GLIB::initSPI(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)':
C:\Users\Executor\Documents\Arduino\libraries\U8glib/U8glib.cpp:42: multiple definition of `U8GLIB::initSPI(_u8g_dev_t*, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char, unsigned char)'
U8glib.cpp.o:C:\Users\Executor\AppData\Local\Temp\build222876253954194082.tmp/U8glib.cpp:42: first defined here

[FelixP]

Disregard the post about the error.

I have uploaded the firmware, but I seem unable to input commands in the Repetier software. Repetier says "7 commands waiting" and whenever I try to input commands it increases the number of commands waiting, but the printer does nothing. Currently the lcd screen on the printer is flickering (on the repetier I did not have any of the lcd or sd card items set up in the firmware) but there is no data presented.

[Alex-w]

you can try to downloard my ide:http://www.geeetech.com/wiki/images/0/0 ... -1.0.1.zip

[FelixP]

As I said in the previous post, disregard the message about the error.

My current problem is that even with the right firmware I can't get the printer to test using the computer software I have. Unless there is a way of making tests via arduino I don't see the point of downloading it. (I downloaded it, so if there is a point, I do have it.)