Firmware loading and driver calibration

1Firmware loading

This step is not necessary to start up the printer. The board is preloaded with the modified Marlin firmware for Prusa i3 Hephestos.

To load a new firmware on the board, follow these steps:

Download the firmware you wish to load. On RepRap Wiki you will find a list of all the available firmware:

reprap.org/wiki/List_of_Firmware

These are some of the most popular firmwares with our modification:

Marlin: reprap.org/wiki/Marlin

Sprinter: reprap.org/wiki/Sprinter

Marlin Hephestos: reprap.org/wiki/File:Marlin_Hephestos.zip

Download and install the software by Arduino:

www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software

Navigate to the chosen firmware folder and open the .ino file with the Arduino IDE.

Once opened, there will be a tab called configuration.h. In this file you may change the configuration parameters of your printer.

Once ready, load the programme on the Arduino Mega board connected to the RAMPS 1.4. To do this, connect the board to the computer with the USB cable. In the Arduino IDE, select the serial port to which the board is connected and the type of board (Arduino Mega 2560). Both options are in the Tools section.

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2

3

4

5

Important! If you load a different firmware than Marlin Hephestos the printer may not work correctly. You must configure the new firmware and adapt the parameters to those of Prusa i3 Hephestos.Please, only do this if you are an advanced user.

Ramps 1.4Freaduino Mega 2560 v1.2. Design derived from Arduino Mega 2560 + Ramps 1.4, with dissipator at the hotbed’s MOSFET.

LCD

Ready power source 220 AC 12 DC 100W

MultimeterNot included

Trimmer screwdriverCeramic screwdriver to adjust the drivers’ current for the Nema 17 bipolar stepper motors and extruder.

2Driver calibration

1 x 1 x

A D

1 x

B

1 x

C

A

B

C

E

D

1 x

E

Driver Voltage (V)

Amperage (Driver + Board = Total mA)

X axis 0,93 V 250 + 100 = 350 mA

Y axis 0,93 V 250 + 100 = 350 mA

Z axis 1,18 V 400 + 100 = 500 mA

Extruder 1,18 V 680 + 100 = 780 mA

Voltage and amperage of each driver

This step is not necessary to start up the printer and it is not recommended if you are not an expert user.

It is not necessary to disconnect the RAMPS from the printer to carry out calibration.

F

Assembly:

First, connect the LCD control panel to the RAMPS and, then, the USB cable (you will hear the Ramps beep).

Measure voltage between the potentiometer and the GND (1).

Adjust the driver’s potentiometer with the ceramic screwdriver until you achieve the desired voltage (2 and 3). To do this, look at the values in the voltage and amperage table for each driver F .

Repeat this adjustment on the drivers in axis Y, Z, and extruder.

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