1

Topic: 3 solidoodles in a cell

What's the best way to control 3 printers from one computer? I see some companies use 1 controller to run 100 printers.  What's the trick? I've heard things like octoprint, beaglebone, and toggle.. anyone ?

2

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

Each of my Solidoodles is actually hooked to its own Raspberry Pi running OctoPrint.  In this way, only one computer (the Pi) is directly controlling the printer.  However, my PC across the room can talk to any, or all of them, as I need.  My workflow involves the design and slicing being done on my PC, but the printing done through a web browser, talking to OctoPrint on the Pi. 

I found this the best solution for my problem.  I can have the Pis work wirelessly, but since the connection from the Pi to the printer is wired, I don't have to worry about problems with the print process if the wireless experiences problems.

https://octopi.octoprint.org/ is where you can get a ready-made disk image for a Raspberry Pi to control the printer over a web interface.

3

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

What's the difference between the pi and the beaglebone?

4

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

What's the difference between the pi and the beaglebone?

5

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

Any pictures??

josefcub wrote:

Each of my Solidoodles is actually hooked to its own Raspberry Pi running OctoPrint.  In this way, only one computer (the Pi) is directly controlling the printer.  However, my PC across the room can talk to any, or all of them, as I need.  My workflow involves the design and slicing being done on my PC, but the printing done through a web browser, talking to OctoPrint on the Pi. 

I found this the best solution for my problem.  I can have the Pis work wirelessly, but since the connection from the Pi to the printer is wired, I don't have to worry about problems with the print process if the wireless experiences problems.

https://octopi.octoprint.org/ is where you can get a ready-made disk image for a Raspberry Pi to control the printer over a web interface.

6

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

diyengineer wrote:

What's the difference between the pi and the beaglebone?

They're both inexpensive single board computers, with ARM processors, differing mainly in the details (RAM, etc), and price.  There are pretty good user communities for both.  I went with the Raspberry Pi because I had all of the hardware already to do the work.

7

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

diyengineer wrote:

Any pictures??

josefcub wrote:

Each of my Solidoodles is actually hooked to its own Raspberry Pi running OctoPrint.  In this way, only one computer (the Pi) is directly controlling the printer.  However, my PC across the room can talk to any, or all of them, as I need.  My workflow involves the design and slicing being done on my PC, but the printing done through a web browser, talking to OctoPrint on the Pi. 

I found this the best solution for my problem.  I can have the Pis work wirelessly, but since the connection from the Pi to the printer is wired, I don't have to worry about problems with the print process if the wireless experiences problems.

https://octopi.octoprint.org/ is where you can get a ready-made disk image for a Raspberry Pi to control the printer over a web interface.

I'm not sure what you'd want a picture of, really.  Solidoodle 4s with Raspberry Pi cases velcroed to the back of them near the Supernight power supply isn't very picturesque from the rear.  If you really want them, I can post them after I get off of work.

8

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

Load some up! What do you use for a screen?

josefcub wrote:
diyengineer wrote:

Any pictures??

josefcub wrote:

Each of my Solidoodles is actually hooked to its own Raspberry Pi running OctoPrint.  In this way, only one computer (the Pi) is directly controlling the printer.  However, my PC across the room can talk to any, or all of them, as I need.  My workflow involves the design and slicing being done on my PC, but the printing done through a web browser, talking to OctoPrint on the Pi. 

I found this the best solution for my problem.  I can have the Pis work wirelessly, but since the connection from the Pi to the printer is wired, I don't have to worry about problems with the print process if the wireless experiences problems.

https://octopi.octoprint.org/ is where you can get a ready-made disk image for a Raspberry Pi to control the printer over a web interface.

I'm not sure what you'd want a picture of, really.  Solidoodle 4s with Raspberry Pi cases velcroed to the back of them near the Supernight power supply isn't very picturesque from the rear.  If you really want them, I can post them after I get off of work.

9

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

diyengineer wrote:

Load some up! What do you use for a screen?

josefcub wrote:
diyengineer wrote:

Any pictures??

I'm not sure what you'd want a picture of, really.  Solidoodle 4s with Raspberry Pi cases velcroed to the back of them near the Supernight power supply isn't very picturesque from the rear.  If you really want them, I can post them after I get off of work.


Based on his description it sounds like he has a Pi on each printer to run it but those Pi's are connected to a master Pi and it would be the only with a screen if it has one. I would think he uses the computer across the room to actually connect to, control, and send the file to each printer through the master Pi.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

10 (edited by josefcub 2016-11-26 07:24:10)

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

carl_m1968 wrote:
diyengineer wrote:

Load some up! What do you use for a screen?


Based on his description it sounds like he has a Pi on each printer to run it but those Pi's are connected to a master Pi and it would be the only with a screen if it has one. I would think he uses the computer across the room to actually connect to, control, and send the file to each printer through the master Pi.

Actually, each Pi is independent, talking to my network over wifi.  One Pi controls one printer.  Each printer -does- have a control panel, because I don't like having to walk across the room every time I want the print head to traverse the bed manually. 

Old, or cheap Chinese, cell phones capable of running Chrome can take advantage of an OctoPrint plugin called 'TouchUI'.  Put one on each printer with velcro, and each printer now has a control panel capable of controlling both the Pi's print jobs and the printer's mechanics and heaters.  I used velcro on the front door of each SD4, after trying out a few other solutions (many of whom worked great, but wouldn't really stay -attached- to the printer, or wobbled badly when you tried to use it).

My actual workflow uses a regular PC with things like OpenSCAD and Slic3r to create simple objects and generate the printer's gcode.  From there, I can export the gcode and upload from the PC to a particular printer's OctoPrint instance, and use the PC and the phones to do things like tram the bed and start the heaters going before hitting the big Print button on the web interface.

OctoPrint is basically just taking something like Pronterface or Repetier Host, and making it into a web interface, so I can use Firefox or Chrome to control the printer from afar, instead of having the USB cable plugged into my PC.  It's seriously good stuff.

Also, here's a few potato quality pictures, as requested.

The back of one of my printers.  It's currently mostly disassembled for upgrade greatness, so sorry about the incompleteness of it:

http://i.imgur.com/KKevTqC.jpg

The front of one of the two working printers.  This shows the cheap cellphone velcroed to the front of the door, for controlling the printer without having it sitting by my PC.  The phones are -charged- by the Raspberry Pis, but -connect- via wifi to my network, and I have a home screen shortcut to that printer's URL on it, so I can one-touch start up the interface on the phone, if I have to reboot it.

http://i.imgur.com/sZxZws2.jpg

Here's a picture of both working printers on my impromptu printer stand.  It's an old cabinet radio without the electronics.  I found it, and the inch thick slate that goes on top, by the dumpster of my apartment complex.  The slate is very heavy, and helps isolate vibrations.  Plus, there's storage below for filament, tools, spare parts, other supplies, and a UPS.

http://i.imgur.com/XZiADES.jpg

The old/new power center between the printers controls power to both main printer frames, and the respective Raspberry Pis.  It makes it handy if I have to turn something off in a hurry.

Hope that's answered your questions adequately!

11

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

Awesome. I see you used cell phones as your "tablet". What did that cost, vs buying the screen attachment? I'd like to get the PiCam attachment as well, and wifi, with a 32GB card, and actively cooled case. I need to swap out my power brick also to a better power supply, as well as a nice power switch.

12

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

diyengineer wrote:

Awesome. I see you used cell phones as your "tablet". What did that cost, vs buying the screen attachment? I'd like to get the PiCam attachment as well, and wifi, with a 32GB card, and actively cooled case. I need to swap out my power brick also to a better power supply, as well as a nice power switch.

Well, a RepRapDiscount LCD clone with wires averages ~$10 on eBay, from a generic source.  I use this on my venerable MendelMax.  However...

You then need to make up an adapter cable to go between it and the standard Solidoodle Printrboard (if this is even a thing; search the forum to confirm before trying, please), -and- solder in the appropriate header pins on the Printrboard.  But, based on the experience I've had, I'm not sure the Printrboard's Atmega chip has enough program storage for a recent version of Marlin with the LCD code installed.  It certainly doesn't have space for that and the automatic bed tilt compensation code together, which I need for my current upgrades...

If you spend $40 or so more, you can get a RAMPS 1.4 motherboard.  But you now have to fit it into that tiny enclosure where the Printrboard is, modify connectors on the printer, -and- configure the firmware to match your printer, along with that $10 LCD, and any incidental costs, such as connectors, solder, pins, wire, heat shrink tubing, an external MOSFET for the heat bed (because the heat bed can melt the connectors on the RAMPS, you want an external solid state relay or MOSFET to pass the heavy current through, with its own power wires going to the PSU).

Or, you can spend $50 on a phone, such as a BLU Studio X8 HD, and install Chrome, point it at your Pi's address, and be done.

You can tell the choice I made. ;-)  (I've since upgraded two of the machines to use RAMPS boards, with external MOSFETs for the bed, so I know what I've gotten into.  I still had the phones though, so there was no sense it putting a less nice display in their place)

I used to have a webcam in one of them, but the Pis were having trouble running the printer, charging the phone, -and- making videos with the cameras I had, so I pulled it out.  I stripped the plastic off of a cheap webcam from Goodwill, and mounted the board inside the case, in the front upper-left corner, aimed at the bed.  Look for my username on Youtube, and you can see a few videos of the quality that gave me.  A PiCam might actually do better, but you'll need a decent length cable to get the camera where you want it for great video.

13

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

I love the ingenuity in this thread, shows what can be accomplished with a little imagination.

To address the OP's original question.  I run three SD printers from one PC all the time by simply opening three instances of RH and ensuring each printer is connected and labeled to its own com port.  This can be done through a powered hub also.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
SSR/500W AC Heated Glass Bed, Linear bearings on SS rods. Direct Drive Y-axis, BulldogXL
Thanks to all for your contributions

14

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

wardjr wrote:

I love the ingenuity in this thread, shows what can be accomplished with a little imagination.

To address the OP's original question.  I run three SD printers from one PC all the time by simply opening three instances of RH and ensuring each printer is connected and labeled to its own com port.  This can be done through a powered hub also.

This is how I do it as well. The only issue I have run into is with 2 printers that are basically identical - same controller board, same firmware, etc...
If they are plugged into the same USB hub on the computer, then RH tends to get confused as to which one is which - even with manually specified COM ports. The work around for that is using a different USB location... either a powered hub, or a different location on the computer itself (front vs back, or left vs right on a laptop)

SD4 #1 & #2 - Lawsy carriages, E3D v6, Rumba controller board, mirror bed plate, X motor fan, upgraded PSU & Mica bed heater
SD4 #3 - in the works ~ Folgertech FT-5, rev 1
Printit Industries Beta Tester - Horizon H1

15

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

heartless wrote:

[
This is how I do it as well. The only issue I have run into is with 2 printers that are basically identical - same controller board, same firmware, etc...
If they are plugged into the same USB hub on the computer, then RH tends to get confused as to which one is which - even with manually specified COM ports. The work around for that is using a different USB location... either a powered hub, or a different location on the computer itself (front vs back, or left vs right on a laptop)

I used to run two of the printers from one old laptop, using multiple instances of OctoPrint, and I'd always have the issue of not knowing which OctoPrint instance was controlling what printer at any given time.  Having to determine which printer I'm printing with today was always fun. wink  That's why I went with separate Pis for each printer.  It got worse when I tried to have both of them have webcams, too.  "So which stream is actually recording, on what printer, with which OctoPrint instance?"  It was enough to drive one mad.  Or at least to Raspberry Pis. wink

16

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

that is why you should give each printer a unique name when setting it up.

SD4 #1 & #2 - Lawsy carriages, E3D v6, Rumba controller board, mirror bed plate, X motor fan, upgraded PSU & Mica bed heater
SD4 #3 - in the works ~ Folgertech FT-5, rev 1
Printit Industries Beta Tester - Horizon H1

17 (edited by diyengineer 2016-11-29 00:39:24)

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

I went ahead and ordered 3 pi's. smile on sale, cyber Monday deal.

18

Re: 3 solidoodles in a cell

Just scored a solidoodle press to add to the cell, was so cheap i couldnt pass up giving it a shot. Have been so busy, haven't had time to work on it. 5 solidoodles total now.