[Solved] MK4 Wishlist  

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

Put notches on the magnetic bed so it can't shift.
failure warnings
integrated raspberry pie for expansion
- webcam motoring
- smartphone alerts
- spagetti failure detection
display estimated time remaining not just PERCENT
voice guidance

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

The OLED display requires a lot more computing power, and its never enough.
It will not significantly increase the functionality. I am against it.

I see two directions of development:
The first is the development of the current MK3 architecture, that is: improvement of the X, Z axis, multimaterial, sensors etc. So everything that is the essence of printing.
The other is an external extension, such as the MK4 plus
It would require the development of a separate tile cooperating with the basic version or the use of the present eg Raspberry PI.
The basic features would be to:
• Communication with Prusa I3 MK x printers.
• Connections via ethernet and wifi
• control the printer directly from this system, start printing, etc.
• control of the contents of the SD card memory
• remote access to the printer menu copy
• connection and sharing video from the camera
• printer control from a mobile phone, and in the application, reading the vision from the camera, the ability to control the printer, eg stop printing
• allowing the printer to be controlled by other applications
• other plugins written by the community
• option: the ability to connect the keyboard, mouse and monitor

All this should have its own processor, ram, memory, etc., so as not to disturb the printer itself. Interface via e.g. www. It seems to me that $ 250 per sale will sell like fresh rolls. The cost of developing the project would quickly turn up.

That's how I see MK4.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

I just remembered another thing I think should be considered. The square/hex nuts for adding threads to printed parts are definitely the most difficult and most annoying part of assembly, in my opinion. Threaded brass inserts like LulzBot uses seem to be the alternate way to go, although they do require the extra step of pressing them in (and you can't get them back out after the fact). I guess you'd have to decide whether to do this in the factory or having the user do it. I don't think this is that hard though, and they have the huge advantage of being more accurate and reliable as they won't fall out at all, and can't be put in at an angle or get stuck halfway between being usable and being able to get it back out. This happened to the square nuts for mounting the leadscrew nuts on my MK3 (both sides...), fortunately it worked fine anyway, but that was pretty stressful. Anyway I think brass inserts are kind of the more "technically correct" way of doing it. Square/hex nuts feel kind of cheap to me, and that's not something you want to see in a $750 printer.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

The OLED display requires a lot more computing power, and its never enough.

Really ?

I use OLED (character display) as simple a LCD. Only the initialisation-routine is different. Writing to OLED is the same. I've posted an thead for some time ago in the forum to drive an OLED. It's works, but sometimes there are some garbage on the display. It's caused by different timing and initialisation. Only a minor step to keep it working probaly, but you gain much more comfort (contrast, viewing angle).

But, addidional wish :

- remove the >>100% (filament flowrate ?) from the display and replace it with the part cooling fan speed. I've never used the flowrate, but I always check the fan-speed for optimizing new filament brands and types.

Thomas

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

USB instead of sd card! 😀

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

USB instead of sd card! 😀

You mean USB-stick ?

Thomas

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

USB instead of sd card! 😀

You mean USB-stick ?

Thomas

Yep

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

- remove the >>100% (filament flowrate ?) from the display and replace it with the part cooling fan speed. I've never used the flowrate, but I always check the fan-speed for optimizing new filament brands and types.

I'd like to see this configurable 😀

And I also second a USB stick instead of SD card.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

A back button.
A nicer screen. It doesn't have to be color or oled or anything, just something with better viewing angles.
A back button.
A part cooling fan that doesn't make annoying noises at speeds that aren't 0 or 100%.
A button that, when pressed, goes back to the previous screen.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

A new Settings menu option to re-index/re-read contents on the SD Card if [flashair] is enabled. I've never felt really comfortable pulling it out/in while the device is powered up just get the contents updated.

Even if this could be something in Pronterface to reload the index.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

I would like the capability to park the extruder in a different location so that I can pull the print sheet up for prepping the next print. That's if the capability is not already there and I haven't found it yet.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

I would like the capability to park the extruder in a different location so that I can pull the print sheet up for prepping the next print. That's if the capability is not already there and I haven't found it yet.

Like raising the extruder to the top and move the bed to the front after print is finished? This is something you can do already.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

I would like the capability to park the extruder in a different location so that I can pull the print sheet up for prepping the next print. That's if the capability is not already there and I haven't found it yet.

Most people just add the movement steps to the end gcode

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

I would like the capability to park the extruder in a different location so that I can pull the print sheet up for prepping the next print. That's if the capability is not already there and I haven't found it yet.

Most people just add the movement steps to the end gcode

True. But the thread is about enhancements. It would be a easy to build this in as the default behavior, and would improve the printer for those who are not comfortable with adding g-code. That is, the people for whom PrusaControl was written.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

True. But the thread is about enhancements. It would be a easy to build this in as the default behavior, and would improve the printer for those who are not comfortable with adding g-code. That is, the people for whom PrusaControl was written.

This default behavior is setup in Slic3r (or any other slicer), not the printer.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

An LCD/OLED might not be much value to experienced users but for making the thing "easy" to use, it's a must. especially for wizzards and calibration, showing graphics of what your supposed to do or what should look like what is a huge deal for usability. my kids can use the printer but it would of been easier with a touch/LCD.... that single rotating knob and a button just don't cut it.

Even $40 ink jet printer with a scanner has touch LCD's now days.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

Even $40 ink jet printer with a scanner has touch LCD's now days.

And to make a touchscreen half usable (which most ink jets that have them are not) it needs a lot of real estate. Real estate costs money. No thank you 🙂

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

I would like to see a FPGA doing the bulk of the motion control. Probably a Zynq as that also contains a very capable CPU.

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

The problem with using FPGAs is the toolchains are usually proprietary and expensive. What would be interesting is to offload the motion control to a separate processor that could spend all of it's cycles on optimizing the path to eliminate vibrations in the system. Then the main processor can handle everything else, like user interface, collision control, power-off detection, UI, bit-coin mining, etc. without worrying about missing a step on one of the motors.

Just a thought, probably not a good one.

Kevin

Re: MK3S / MK4 Wishlist

The problem with using FPGAs is the toolchains are usually proprietary and expensive. What would be interesting is to offload the motion control to a separate processor that could spend all of it's cycles on optimizing the path to eliminate vibrations in the system. Then the main processor can handle everything else, like user interface, collision control, power-off detection, UI, bit-coin mining, etc. without worrying about missing a step on one of the motors.

Just a thought, probably not a good one.

Kevin

The smaller/cheaper FPGAs generally have free IDEs. Even the XC7A35T (a $100 or so board that is far overkill for a 3D printer) works with the free version of Vivado. The ICE40 FPGAs also have a fully open compiler.