Melzi runs as a version of Sanguinololu. Thus it uses root sanguinololu files that aren’t in the Arduino IDE. These files were last updated in 2012. On top of that they’re not really expandable, you can’t add more capability to your printer.
As with everyone I’ve met with a Melzi or Anet I’d recommend upgrading to a £20 GT2560 or if that’s too steep a £10 RAMPS 1.4 from China.
Just because a printer comes with a melzi doesnt mean its low quality. I have an all aluminum X3 from Tronxy and albiet I have a few minor complaints for the most part the printer has some high quality components on it.
True, but it’s not exactly a FF Dreamer or even a Lulzbot, is it? It’s a simple Prusa build, one of the most common, basic and still very reliable ones. They aren’t demanding and you certainly don’t need a 32 bit processor, not even a 16 bit unless you really push it.
So, in the grand scheme of things, it may have excellently high quality parts but that doesn’t mean it’s not a simple one and the overall design isn’t low quality. Same as sticking a 1080P screen on a toaster doesn’t miraculously improve its quality.
To sum: it’s a simple design, not much is asked of it, no need to smoothieboard, just RAMPS or GT2560.
Send me an email and we can talk if your interested in just running the same setup. I have gt2560 rev a in stock. Online store is georges3dprinters.com 45 yeah I know the store needs work, soon… Can email me at george@georges3dprinters.com if your interested in buying and have some technical support to go with it.
Well, same kinda firmware anyways.
Impressed with that too. Also been watching to see if/when their “MK42” board becomes cloned and available at cheaper prices. Prusa Research never seem to have it in stock by itself yet due to such a demand for the whole printer.
Interesting how their open source views are becoming more “fenced in” to help sell their printers. I’d love to buy the new addons such as the new bed and the multicolour setup as separate items and add them to my own setup, but it seems for now you need to buy into the whole “Original i3” system to benefit from all of Josef’s cool upgrades and developments with the least amount of headaches and cost.
Didn’t realise the multicolour addon was £220!
It’s funny how that works, isn’t it? The moment a company realises they’re onto a good thing their morals shift slightly. While you’re a small company being able to open source market and even sell replicas of other open source stuff is a nice, easy and legally simple way to make some dough, then once you’ve got a good thing going you get cagey!
I am glad they still consider themselves open source though, even if they don’t publish their schematics and coding, all it needs is some mid-level genius from China to buy a product, reverse engineer it and start making cheap clones.
I completely agree, I’d like to get my hands on that bed, looks pretty decent! And the multi extruder I’d like to use for different materials more than colour. Though it should be noted you can’t easily print things with notably different temperature requirements as it means some serious temp changing during a print. Would still be fun to toy with, except for the price!
Being open source does not mean they have to sell the product to you. If the plans and specs are available you are free to make your own.
They most likely have such a demand for full printers that they only have enough available for those.
Of course, the same is true for all markets. The first of a product will be more expensive because there been more R&D and work to finesse it. Later models just copy, change some stuff and sell it cheaper. That’s the way it’s been for a long time, everyone knows that.
It doesn’t hurt the open source movement though, that’s just about making ideas free and available to all. What it hurts is the innovative creators. In this way open source itself can hurt the innovators as there aren’t patent rules to protect them long enough to recuperate some money.
I have to eat my words, the Melzi board in my tronxy had a meltdown. The ground connector for the power coming into the board melted down yesterday on me rendering the board currently useless. Only had the printer up and running for 4 days!
Hmm, let me explain, firmware is setup for many boards. Gt2560 is a knock off of a RAMPs and Arduino mega combo. So arduino mega, which is the atmel2560 MCU that is on the GT2560. The research is not hard but why too much. Check out the blogs I did on georgeroblesjr.wordpress.com 17 And explains what happened with rev a, legacy board, etc. Plus I put up 4 version with autolevel, filament sensor, combo of both or one or simple setup. Not hard to mod for your own setup. Gt2560 is same as a RAMPs board but with a few less pins. The newer one is better but not been able to get large quantities yet. I stand by my product and am in USA southern California. I do most tech support via Skype and help/walk you through it yourself. Point is the difference between RAMPS board and gt2560 is really the heatsinks for the heater performance. The 24 volt setup is the real problem with that board. But if you plan on using dvr8825 stepper driver then go to a Rambo board, who’s is what the new Prusa uses and the original design is produced and design by ultimaker. Lulzbots taz 4/5/6 use Rambo board or the mini rambo. The drivers on those boards are still the regular a4988 drivers. So please, check out the info I gave you instead of just the forums where many who don’t know what they’re doing cause they just copy and paste. I ha e actually modded the firmware for my own and now many actually use it and don’t even know. I had made sure the runaway temp protection was enabled, tuned pid loops, setup and design my own autolevel and z probe bracket that fits on a mk8 or 40mm fan profile that uses magnets, printdparts, screws, tactile button, wires and, I did some g-code to use it, I flick it down bit does 9 point “auto tramming” which is the “autolevel” every one calls it. As for those out there saying Prusa is not open sourced it is, just not easy to find so they get ahead of China. Give it a month and China will be making new clones of the 4 color extruder. Yes it can do multiple materials but time is increased for the switch of filament for temp to change. Prusa uses open source ideas from the community as well. If you have a great idea then tell them and they will do the research.
I also have a RAMPs board but I stack a second 5/3.3 volt regulator on top the first to help handle the extra I put on it, servo control, fan controller, dual extruder with a heat bed, Bluetooth connection, filament sensor and a full graphics. However the MCU is too slow to handle most of it while reading an sd card so octoprint or a computer helps there to take some of the load.
I’m in California, let me know if you need a board, have ramps, Sanguinololu 1.3 and gt2560 in stock if needed.
Does research say anything about how the melzi board is a knock of a RAMPs 1.4 or ultimaker board? Cause that’s where gt2560 came from. Tom Schindler something did a review on it. Board quality depends on the manufacturer of the board. Some China supplier will make it themselves in there garage and resell on ebay, with at times the incorrect assembly process. Please just find a board that meets your requirements. Look into the manufacturer of the open source design. The ground connection is over heating due the the rating of the plastic connector. Most are only rated 10amps usa or “15 amps” outside of usa and have that cl listing and no UK something listing. They are different and they also run different voltage and Hertz. 220-240 @ 50htz. While we run 110-120 @ 60htz. Small things can make a difference in some areas. I say voltage cause so many skip that small line of instructions and don’t flick the psu from 220 volt to 120volt.
Tom Sandladerer. I disagree with your use of the term “knock-off”. These boards are all open source. And it’s more of a generational progression. GT2560 is RAMPS but improved. Unlike where things would be covered by patent law and then you be knock-offs.
GT2560 is a generational improvement on RAMPS, not a knock off. There’s a difference. Heat sinks aren’t an issue as far as I’ve seen, owning both a RAMPS and GT2560. GT2560 works fine without heat sinks.
On top of that, the direct 24V compatibility is a plus as the lowered current generates less heat and does less damage. Besides, you can run it at either level.
I don’t think anyone said Prusa wasn’t open source, never heard such a notion in my life!
I can’t ever remember his last name, thanks for that. I used knock off in the context it was being referred to at the comment, in response. I agree with your statement of open source hardware. Not a knock off in most cases. More like “kinda” a knockoff situation on some out there. However, the gt2560 was never “open source” technically as they at the time did not release the schematic and layout for PCB. Like other open source boards. But I assume you have never pushed a heatbed to 300 watts or adjusted the pid loops on your own machine based on your answer of never having an issue with the MOSFET cooling as they are rated far above what they are used for if one incorporates Infinite cooling, which is near impossible. Your rate of heating depends on what MOSFET was Installed by any one of the manufacturer. And the firmware being used. The person designed it based on (The ramps 1.4 as the state in wiki page they link to from there site). I Skype with him here and there. Do a little more research dude and you will see what I mean. And if you also have provided personal Input of the newer version. Like adding back ing the open pins so that others can add things like a servo or Bluetooth or filament breakage sensor or a measurement sensor like I put and Incorporated in my own i3. Others stated that Joseph Prusa newest version say not open sourced in other comments below. But I stated he took open sourced ideas and improved on them and said if you look it’s actually there they just don’t make it easy. Have you seen toms latest video of when he interviewed Mr Prusa about the new quad color upgrade? You may want to listen to what he says there. I k ow this comes off wrong so my apologies now. I only am stating what I know and learned on my own and may be wrong as information does change from time to time anf is hard to stay up to date o “everything” at once. So have a good day/night dude.
The 24 volt is not really set up correctly. As it puts out 24 volt to everything instead of 12 for the fans. And is or can be finicky at times. 3d printed life is building another machine and has stopped using the gt2560 for that reason. The Rambo board can have up to three different voltage Inputs for the bed, extruder and stepper, etc. That’s the board by the way that is the actual generational improvement of that board, again, designed by ultimaker, who also designed the ramps and ultimaker board and a couple others that I just can’t remember at the moment. But yes, double the voltage and amperage is cut in half. Simple ohms law deal. All about the watts. Lol.
At least GT2560 is still readily available at a decent price.
youre right, I haven’t tampered with that simply because I’ve never had to. My printer has printed everything I’ve wanted it to with minimum issue for a sling as I’ve had it, so no. I do know what you mean, first thing I did when I got my RAMPS was compare all the important components to the official schematics.
I haven’t done any serious mods like Bluetooth or filament diameter sensors because I don’t have to ATM, though may add a filament end sensor at some point! Got it hooked up to Octoprint though, rather enjoyable, printing across the country.
Yeah, I agree with the Prusa team statement. Lulzbot do the same, they have a beautifully laid out website but the source files you really want are ambiguously hidden away.
I did see the video and I did listen! Though it was half-heartedly because I was also getting some work done.
Hahah don’t worry! Your demeanour is pretty cordial 
Good morn/eve to you too, sir!
Must say I haven’t tested the 24V yet (again because I haven’t had to). I do believe the fans and LED outputs are meant to be on their own 12V strip.
Hahah yeah, Ohms law tells you what’s watt 
Lol
Hope you find one and are happy. Helps when you respond once In. A while
