Control FELIX 3D printer for simple Y and Z motion

[bob75]

Hi,

I am trying to make a VI to control the build plate of a FELIX 3.0 3D printer. It's not for printing, just using it as a 2-axis mobile stage.

I am able to control the motion of the plate using some very simple CNC G code (using the Repeteir-Host program), and I looked into G code interpreters for LabVIEW. However, since I only want linear motion along the z- and y-directions, I was thinking there must be a simpler way. 

Can anyone provide some example code on how to send basic commands to the printer? I have the NI VISA module.

Thanks,

Steve

[ZKami]

Hello Bob75,

Does the plate communicate via USB? The NI-VISA drivers can be used for serial communication. NI does have motion products, but I don't know enough about what the inputs needed for the printer to know if any any of them would work for you. Essentially, we can show you how to send a command with VISA, but we won't be able to know what your printer needs. Some products make drivers which can be used with LabVIEW, is it possible that the printer has some of these?

Since the motor drives are most likely designed to take in Gcode input, it's likely you will need to use a LabVIEW to Gcode interpreter. 

[bob75]

Thanks for your reply ZofiaK.

Yes it is USB - I was unaware that VISA was just for serial communications.

And yes, it is designed for Gcode. Can you recommend a good LabVIEW to Gcode interpreter? So far I haven't found any that are free.

Cheers,

Steve

[ZKami]

Hello Bob75,

VISA is more than for just serial, sorry I can see how what I wrote was confusing. You can use VISA for GPIB, VXI, PXI, Serial, Ethernet, and/or USB. 

Unfortunately, I don't know of any free G code interpreters for LabVIEW.

[Newton2k1]

I have the same idea too: Control of a device which runs the Repetier-software on an Arduino processor to do e.g. 3D-printing. USB is in principle a serial communication with new connectors (cheaper and simpler than the DB9 and more bandwidth) and thus I've tried to use the same COM-port in the VISA driver as the Arduino is using in my PC. You can find this information in the Hardware Manager. I programmed the baud rate too to match the Arduino but LabVIEW did not communicate at all with the Arduino. Thus VISA does not appear to be able to do USB. The Arduino device I can sniff with an USB-sniffer software and using the Boxzy-3D-printer interface I can send single G-code manually to the printer which appear properly in the sniffer. Only LV is acting up...

May be my starting serial communication VI was a little bit too old: 1997. It was used to communicate with an ESA satellite with 2400 baud. Comparing how simple this was set-up and running the nowadays USB is not yet as good as I had thought, at least not as easy as the good old serial port.

[bseguin]

Look at this toolkit I made...

I think it's exactly what you are looking for.

https://lavag.org/files/file/303-grbl-11/

Benoit