Arduino Problems Uploading to Board Anet A8

Anet A8 is a cheap Prusa i3 3D printer Chinese clone that tin can exist found on GearBest for about $160. It comes with a custom principal board, based on Melzi V2.0 board, with integrated SD bill of fare reader and a LCD 20×iv with v keys controller.

If y'all are looking for a inexpensive 3D printer for sporadic non-professional use, probably this is a good option, but you may need to invest at least some extra fourth dimension and money if really want a properly working 3D printer.

Indice

• 1 The hardware
• 2 The stock firmware
• three Alternative firmwares
  • 3.1 Marlin
  • iii.2 Repetier
  • 3.3 Repository
  • 3.iv Arduino IDE hardware definition for Anet main board V1.0
  • 3.5 Clearing EEPROM
  • 3.6 Repetier firmware
  • 3.7 Burning bootloader
  • 3.8 References

The hardware

You lot tin can't expect top specifications hardware from a 160$ 3D printer. Everything in this printer is just at blood-red line, if you don't ensure all cables contacts are fine and all screws are tight, it may catch fire. By the way, mine has been working fine for some months without whatsoever issue. I'll talk in deep about hardware soon, for at present lets showtime for the role that will no require you to spent a single extra dollar.

The stock firmware

The printer comes with a completely functional firmware preinstalled, but you volition never know exactly how is that firmware working. One thing you will notice is that it is not very polished. It uses a very aggressive algorithm for heating the bed, that volition make the hardware to work at its limit. Don't take whatsoever security measure for preventing overheating of the extruder heater, so if the heater or the temperature sensor comes out from its place, the main board will go on sending electric current until some part catches fire…

On the other manus, looks like it is non implementing a proper communication protocol every bit I suffered many times suddenly stops of my printing jobs when using a Rasberry Pi as printer server. So I decided to await for an alternative firmware.

Alternative firmwares

Marlin

Marlin is i of the mos used firmware in amateur 3D printers and, later on a lot of time is officially supporting the Anet A8.

I have never tried it, generally because, when I was looking a replacement firmware, at that place where no official support for my printer. Skynet 3D, a Marlin derivative, had support for information technology, but I never got attracted by the code organisation.

As soon as I have soon free fourth dimension, I will update this article to include instructions for Marlin.

Repetier

Y'all will not hands observe this firmware associated with the Anet printer, but taking a expect at its supported boards, you volition find that they talk about Anet principal board nether a board called "Zonestar P802M". Its source code is non wonderful only, in my opinion, better organised than Marlin's one.

Repository

I have created a github repository with all the needed files, and so you should exist able to follow the following instructions on this post and accept all needed files from the repository for configuring your arduino IDE for the Anet primary lath and configure and compile any firmware., and then get-go downloading the files I have placed on github.

Arduino IDE hardware definition for Anet main board V1.0

First affair you volition demand to practice is add together support to your ardunio IDE for the Anet master board, so after downloading and installing arduino IDE, follow this instructions:

• Copy the Arduino folder content into your Arduino sketches folder, commonly placed at your habitation directory.
• Open up arduino IDE
• Add together the following url at "Additional Boards Manager URLs" on "preferences": https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Lauszus/Sanguino/master/package_lauszus_sanguino_index.json
• Install last version of "Arduino AVR Boards" and "Sanguino" using the boards manager

Clearing EEPROM

Clearing EEPROM is very of import if you lot are irresolute firmware family, for case from marlin based to repetier based. If you are not sure, I recommend you to articulate the EEPROM before flashing the new firmware. For clearing the EEPROM follow the following steps:

• Open up Arduino IDE
• Become to File -> Examples -> EEPROM -> eeprom_clear
• Select board "Anet V1.0" (Tools -> Lath ->Anet V1.0)
• Click upload button
• Give, lets say, 10 secconds for your printer to reset and execute the sketch

Repetier firmware

If you want to test repetier firmware, but practise the following:

• Become to https://www.repetier.com/firmware/v092/
• Upload the configuration file from the repository
• Click on "Download" tab
• Click "Download complete firmware incl. these settings" push button
• Open up downloaded "repetier.ino" file with arduino IDE
• Select board "Anet V1.0" (Tools -> Board ->Anet V1.0)
• Click upload push

Burning bootloader

Y'all may brick your main board if you do things like selecting a incorrect lath on the arduino IDE, forcing the system to wink a incorrect firmware or unplugging the USB while information technology is flashing. Subsequently that, you may not be able to wink your primary board anymore and probably you will start getting errors like this:

          avrdude: stk500_cmd(): programmer is out of sync                  

If this happens, starting time discard that you don't have a defective USB cablevision by replacing it. If yous are nonetheless unable to flash your main board, virtually likely y'all are against a boot loader abuse, and then your main board is probably "bricked".

You tin endeavor to fire again the bootloader using an Arduino as ISP programer connected to your board post-obit this diagram and following this steps:

• Plug the USB cable to the arduino board
• Open arduino IDE
• Open the ArduinoISP firmware (in Examples)
• Select the items in the Tools > Lath and Tools > Serial Port menus that stand for to the arduino board you are using equally the developer (not the Anet primary board beingness programmed)
• Upload the ArduinoISP sketch
• Disconnect the USB cablevision from the arduino board
• Disconnect everything from your printer mainboard, even the power supply
• Wire your Arduino board to the board as shown in the diagram
• Bank check your wiring at least three times, equally a wrong wiring may destroy your Arduino and fifty-fifty your principal board
• Plug the USB cable to the arduino board
• Select the item "Anet V1.0" in the Tools > Board menu
• Select the Arduino equally ISP in the Tools > Programmer card
• Use the Burn Bootloader command
• If the burning finish without errors, disconnect all wires between the arduino and the main lath and connect once again everything to the main board (fans, motors, LCD, etc.)

Now you lot should be able to connect your USB cablevision to the main lath, as usual, and flash any new firmware to it. I propose yous to start testing with the "Blink" case and check that the LED into the main lath beginning to blink.

This steps has been taken from https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/ArduinoISP, consult it for extra information.

References

• https://github.com/erm2587/Anet
• https://github.com/Lauszus/Sanguino
• https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin
• https://3dprint.wiki/reprap/firmware/anet/repetier/install
• https://github.com/repetier/Repetier-Firmware
• http://3dtoday.ru/upload/principal/233/Anet.jpg

joneswhattho.blogspot.com

Source: https://tecnoysoft.com/en/dealing-with-an-anet-a8-3d-printer-firmware/

Share this post