Geeetech

Hello all.

I decided to create a separate thread for my firmware builds. This post here will be the main place for me to announce new builds, so some people can test it before I'll make an upstream pull request in github. As 1.1.9 is final version in 1.1.x branch, I'm looking into getting Marlin 2.x.x branch compiled foe A10 and A10M. This way some of my future contributions wouldn't be limited to Geeetech only. I definitely plan on getting the hotfix (below) merged with the active Marlin development branch(es)...

Here's the list of latest common changes and improvements in todays firmware build:

• Extended print area from 220x220 to match the actual bed (234mm x 234mm), also re-aligned bed center
  point.
• Enabled direct colour mixing. Allow ABCDHI mix factors in G1 movement commands
• Enabled cold extrusion prevention (won't engage extruter motors below 170C)
• Enabled S-curve accleration for smoother, quieter opration
• Enabled print statistics in INFO menu
• Fine-tuned rotary encoder to active value translation at higher speed (improves fast value changes from A to B)
• Added separate single axis homing commands (Home X, Home Y, Home Z)

In addition to common changes above there are a few specific changes to:

Standard (no 3d touch) version:

• Enabled LCD-based Manual multi-point bed levelling (Mesh).

3d touch version specific changes:

• Optimised Automatic Bed Levelling, so it completes the whole cycle 2 times faster now. In addition second probe pass is now with higher precision, yet faster.
• Levelling on right edge is now extrapolated beyond the grid (based on calculated tilt)
• Discovered a general flaw in Marlin which in certain situations could start homing procedure with touch sensor deployed. Not an issue when going off the plate towards X-endstop, as deployed probe would slide on top of the hotplate. It's the coming back part that could damage the probe, if it was deployed low enough, so the tip would fall lower than the hotbed. Fixed it in G28 code by adding touch sensor's reset + stow before doing any of the axis moves at the beginning of homing procedure

Hex files: The changes will also be visible in the repository

My congratulations, I wish you further perseverance in the implementation of the project.

Thanks. I always feel passionate about stuff I use every day. So when there's something to be improved I always try to contribute too.
Right now I'm thinking of creating a visual guide on how to properly install and use the touch sensor, so you'd always get a perfect ground zero at all hotbed coordinates.

I am wondering a bit... The configuration.h file states number of extruders 1 - and also no steps/mm are defined for the second extruder...

Are these files for the A10 and not the A10M (even though located in a subfolder under A10M_marlin1.1.9) ?

I don't have an A10M myself (yet), but I am seriously considering to buy one.. But I would prefer to be sure, that I am able to "tweak" the Marlin firmware, so that functionality can be added by myself - if required....

Update - found something under mising extruders - that being said, I think the firmware assumes same e-steps value for both extruders - am I right ?

Regards
/B

No, it's for A10M. I have both A10 and A10M.

Single hotend with 2 extruder motors must be defined as one extruder. Look further down, there's virtual tools section as well as the line defining mixing extruder..
In gcode T0 maps to first extruder, T1 to other.
Same goes for E0 and E1 in gcode.
T0/E0 is mix 0/100 and T1/E1 produce 100/0

It's also possible to define custom mix factors and assign them to up to 16 other virtual tools T0... T15 (so while E0 is always 0%/100% mix then T0 can be overridden to for example 30/70), so in gcode when you use one of these assigned tools you get a different mix. However most slicers have no colour mixing support yet.

But if you write your own gcode or do post processing of slicer's gcode, you can print multiple colour variations and custom fades, what ever

That said, printers anf firmware capabilities are far ahead of what slicing softwares have yet to implement

Also I have enabled direct per filament extrude colour mixing support in G1 code. I havent updated github with the above changes yet. But the firmware in my above post has everything enabled as described

what i just downloaded from your link is a hex file so how do I intergrate this hex file in this arduino Programm ?? in the geeetech Manual they are taking about an Firmware Folder you should download to update your Firmware for the A10M

This is a pre-built firmware that can be flashed into printer. There's nothing to integrate. It's offered by me as is and meant for people who don't want to mess around with building the firmware..

As of now I've had 2 successful prints with it. To be honest I've never gotten such level first layers as I'm getting with this now.

I think he means how exactly do you flash a .hex file? The Arduino software doesn't let you open .hex files, and I personally can't see a way to upload a .hex file with it either

So I just got an A10M today. I'm trying to do a build with your configuration.h file for the touch version, and Arduino first is triggering an Unknown Motherboard error. I swapped that to be BOARD_GT2560_REV_A and after that I received a LEVEL_BED_CORNERS requires a LEVEL_CORNERS_INSET value. Please update your Configuration.h. error.