Help with the firmware on RAMPS 1.4

I’m new at this. What firmware should I install on MPCNC with RAMPS 1.4 - give me a link or a file.

Marlin Firmware is probably what you’re looking for. There is a variant for the dual endstop version, and one without.

It is configured for the 12864 full graphic controller, but you don’t need that. It will take a bit of configuration to use the 2004 RepRap Discount controller, but that’s not hard.

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Thanks for the answer. I am a nimble and very confused. Tell me this firmware will fit - found on the forum. MPCNC_Ramps_T8_16T_LCD_32step

Yes that’s the one you want.

Quoted from another thread:

Depending on your specific set-up (What stepper drivers do you have? Is your leadscrew a T8? Are you using lcd? Which one?), after you open Marlin.ino in Arduino you may need to change some things in the Configuration.h.

Also add the U8glib library - this is the library needed for graphics displays (The “how-to” is here: Marlin Firmware - V1 Engineering Documentation).

I can’t help with the specifics of editing the Configuration.h in your case because I’m an Arduino n00b and still working it out myself. It seems you can just go through the Configuration.h and change things to suit your setup. There are lots of comments and explanations of what each setting is for.

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That is pretty old now. I did make a V1CNC_Ramps_Dual firmware and the new MarlinBuilder releases has some Ramps variants.

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Thanks Jeff. Which one would you recommend for a LR2 with a 2560 and RAMPS 1.6?

I don’t have a ramps 1.6, but I assume it is the same as ramps, from a software standpoint?

https://github.com/V1EngineeringInc/MarlinBuilder/releases/download/505/V1CNC_Rambo_DualLR-2.0.6.1-src.zip

This DualLR setup is brand spanking new, and we are still working out some of the complaints. If you just wire it up with one motor per driver and don’t want to worry about endstops, I am sure it will work. If you want to do dual endstops, LR has some tricks and Ryan and I had to make some decisions that not everyone will like. It is Dual Y and Dual Z. The homing sequence on Z goes up, and you can still probe with one probe going down with a G38.2 command.

If that doesn’t sound like what you want, you can still use this firmware, but wire your dual axes in series on one driver. It will be nearly the same.

If there is anything you need to do to switch from ramps 1.4 to 1.6, then you’ll have to do that to any of these firmwares.

Pretty sure the software side of 1.4/1.5/1.6 is the same, just a few hardware upgrades.
I’m looking at the firmware now… for single endstops should I comment these lines? :
#define USE_XMAX_PLUG
#define USE_YMAX_PLUG

I would recommend avoiding single endstops altogether. They just don’t make much sense on a CNC. The Zero is really about the work, not the machine coordinates.

If you want to run off of three drivers, you can still use the dual firmware, but just wire the motors in series (not parallel) on the doubled up drives.

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Awesome, thanks :slight_smile:
Learning heaps :+1:

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@SupraGuy
Hi there Dan, since you mentioned the thing i am trying to achieve (reprap discount long screen)
Any hints? Been trying to get it correctly working but I’m swimming in too much advice, YouTube instructions, and it seems like everyone has a slightly different marlin and specific sub- instructions. Im using arduino mega, ramps 1.4 Hope you are well.

It’s actually not difficult.

I don’t have the result in front of me at the moment, but since I did this today for my ZenXY…

Comment out the custom boot screen. It’s cool, but doesn’t work for the non graphic controller.

//#define SHOW_CUSTOM_BOOTSCREEN

Disable the full graphic controller

//#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER

Enable the RepRapDiscount 2004 controller

#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_SMART_CONTROLLER

Compile and upload.

I also changed the machine name, and of course defined my X and Y max sizes for the ZenXY.

I have not yet actually run it, but it compiles, and the 2004 controller is active and the menus run.

@SupraGuy

Awesome, this seems like a stellar set of advice! The most succinct yet! I won’t make you wonder endlessly if it worked or not, i don’t know if i can make the time within the next 24 hrs to sit down, define and test, but I’m getting a good feeling from your wisdom! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! Hopefully I’ll pop back in some short amount of time to make it rain with the gratitude. Thanks again and have a great day there!!!

hi Jeff,

Are you saying that Rambo_DualLR is interchangeable with Ramps_DualLR (which I can find nowhere on the release page!)??
If not, what are issues stopping us from releasing a Ramps_DualLR?! I like your decision with homing Z going up and being able to probe Z down.

thx

Sam

No, sorry. I am not sure why I didn’t make a ramps dual lr. They are not exactly interchangeable, but they are not too different. If you change the board type and steps/mm, you should be good. I have made an issue and maybe I can get that into v510.

(It would be untested, since Ryan and I do not have this board anymore).

thx. I can test it when it is released…