Firmware homing support for ReplicatorG 24

thingiverse

This is a custom built version of the latest ReplicatorG (24) that includes to option to home your Makerbot using only one GCode (M138). It also includes a ready to use custom-built firmware for both the Thingomatic and the Cupcake that stores all of the data needed to home the Makerbot, right on the Makerbot! In permanent EEPROM memory! This means that one no longer has to re-slice all of their model STL files just to fix their homing routine! Just run through the GUI based setup process again (located in the control panel) to recalibrate your homing position and the Makerbot should start every print from its new home location without any re-skeining. In addition to being easier to use and modify than messing around with the old homing routine in the Start.txt file, opens up the possibility of using the same Start.txt file for multiple bots (Yay botfarming!) If you're curious about the code involved in this script. You can find the sourcecode in my Github Repos (with a pending pull to the ReplicatorG and MB firmware trunk) Here: git://github.com/xtremd/ReplicatorG.git And here for the custom Makerbot firmware: git://github.com/xtremd/Xtremd.git Disclaimer: This homing routine does an intricate dance designed to keep nozzle crashing possibilities to a minimum. It should always work but sometimes (usually due to user error/misread instructions/badly coded start.gcode/Evil Gremlins) very bad things can happen. Please be careful when first using this! I am in no way responsible for your bot driving a very hot nozzle through its build platform due to some user error or any other horrible train-wreck set of circumstances!! Sorry that sounded so much like a TV infomercial. Happy Hacking! :) Instructions Download the prebuilt ReplicatorG application for your operating system from the files below. Upload the new firmware using the "Upload new firmware..." selection under the "Machine" Menu. (You need to upload both the extruder FW and the motherboard FW) Go to the controlpanel and select the Automatic Homing -> Setup Automatic Homing menue item. Follow the instructions. You only have to do this once. Ever. Check that your Start.gcode files have chunk of code that looks like this: ( begin homing ) M138 (Go Home!) ( end homing ) If you dont have it, add it! Re-Slice everything to add the M138 code. Note: Once the M138 code has been added and skeined into the gcode there is no longer any need to re-skein a file just to change its homing settings; Just run the Automatic Homing -> Setup Automatic Homing menue item from the control panel and the new settings will automatically take effect. Watch your bot home and print autonomously! IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep your finger on the power switch the first time that your bot is homing until you know that you have calibrated it correctly! A sad but delicious Swiss cheese build platform could result if you are not careful with the setup!