OctoPrint issues and tips  

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Would it be possible to use the FlashAir wifi SD card for the file transfers only, and then use Pi Zero/W and Octoprint for printer control and monitoring? Camera?

OR

Use the FlashAir wifi SD card for the file transfers only, and then use Pi Zero W (with ONLY the power pins connected to the Einsy Bd.) and just use Octoprint to control the Pi camera for monitoring and time lapse? Not sure where the snapshots are stored to for the time lapse?

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Is a full reset required after updating the firmware?

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

When I update the firmware it definitely resets.

If you mean "factory reset of all the settings" (M502), I don't believe so but I'm not sure. There was a temporary firmware released early January (disabled Linear Advance to fix some buffer overflow issues) where Josef specifically called out a requirement to do m502/m500. Because he was so explicit there, and I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else, I assume that it is not needed (or the firmware updater is handling the appropriate settings fixes)

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Is Linear Advance (LA) still disabled in the new firmware?

I like LA and is not using Octoprint (using FlashAir) - if it is disabled I will wait until it is enabled again 😀

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Is Linear Advance (LA) still disabled in the new firmware?

I like LA and is not using Octoprint (using FlashAir) - if it is disabled I will wait until it is enabled again 😀

It says so in the changelog: Linear advance temporarily disabled as current implementation might be causing random layer shifts on MK2 and MK3
https://www.prusa3d.com/drivers#firmware

I'd rather have it disabled than layer shift.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Just uploaded rc5.

Printed 4x 30min Objects, works like a charm. (set to max. 200mm/s)
No checksum errors in the OctoPi Terminal any more, also when changing the feedrate to 150%.
Feels great again.
At the beginning I had also the clicking noise of the PSU, in the meantime it dissapeared.

Never the less, good job guys!!!

I love MK3!

Greetings,
Martin

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Is Linear Advance (LA) still disabled in the new firmware?

I like LA and is not using Octoprint (using FlashAir) - if it is disabled I will wait until it is enabled again 😀

It says so in the changelog: Linear advance temporarily disabled as current implementation might be causing random layer shifts on MK2 and MK3
https://www.prusa3d.com/drivers#firmware

I'd rather have it disabled than layer shift.

That is understandable, but using FlashAir/SD I never had any layershifts using LA - using it on both MK2S and MK3.
Unfortunately I think the problem will persist even when disabling LA. LA just got the problem more visible.

Way back before FlashAir/SD I used USB (serial) and RepetierHost and got layershifts and prints stopping in the middle without explanation, like the problems described with Octoprint.

I don't think the Arduino or the RP Zero are powerful enough to handle the very fast serial speed over USB. Maybe lowering the speed would help.

Working with microprocessors in industrial environments, my experience is that serial USB is way to unreliable in real-time applications. RS485 and Ethernet works. If the communication was moved to Ethernet a lot of problems would be solved - but fitting the Ethernet stack into the firmware would be a challenge...

Filament runout change procedure while spooling from OctoPrint.

- FW version: RC5
- RPi used: 3B
- Connection: USB
- Filament sensor: on
- Crash detection: on

Near the tail end of a 12 hour print on RC5 via Octoprint when my PETG ran out. Everything up to this point was flawless, then this sequence:

MK3 detected filament runout and moved Z up and X to the right as expected.
Display prompted to press button to unload filament.
I noted that no filament was exposed above the intake hole.
MK3 tried to eject, but the filament wrapped up inside the feed gear port.
Display asked if filament ejected properly, I indicated 'no'.
Display prompted to disassemble the extruder gearing to clear the filament.

Of course all of the above I attribute to the MK3 design. I wish that the MK3 design allowed for detection of filament runout before the end is so far into the extruder assembly that backing out the last couple inches causes a jam, but what occurred next leads me to believe that there may be an issue with this process while printing via Octoprint.

After clearing the jam, display prompted to load filament.
Asked if filament load properly. Yes.
Hot end appears to move back over the print at the proper Z, then proceeds to home as if starting a new print, attempts mesh bed level, and crashes into the existing print on the bed.

Anyone else experience this?

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Hi. Just as a data point: I have just finished an 18 hour print with very glossy PETG (Formfutura HD Glass) and like you also had to change spools. Same settings and firmware:

- FW version: RC5
- RPi: 3B
- Connection:USB
- Filament sensor: on
- Crash detection: on

No issues with changing the filament. In fact, no issues at all anymore with the latest firmware. No layer shifts, no false filament sensor errors, no random crass detections, etc. Everything working like a charm and print looks great.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

I just wanted to report that I've tired the new RC5_b150 version of the firmware. I have done the M502 gcode followed by M500 and I have adjusted the speed and acceleration as Joe has suggested. With the b143e version I was getting a lot of layer shifts because of the print head decelerating too fast, or something like that. This new version, b150, has reduced the frequency of that happening but it is still occurring. I am currently printing a simple Raspberry Pi Zero case and I have already watched the print head "crash" by decelerating too fast. It always seems to happen at the end of a non-extrude move. Luckily this new version of the firmware seems to detect these "crashes", rehomes the head, and continues without much error on the object. Actually as I was writing this sentence the head "crashed" and didn't rehome, ruining my print. I personally never had this problem with version b137 of the firmware and will be going back to that version until these bugs are sorted out.

- FW version: RC5_b150
- RPi: 3B
- Connection:USB, Octoprint
- Filament sensor: off
- Crash detection: on

EDIT: I just reflashed version b137 then immediately printed the same g-code file. The RPi case printed perfectly with no glitches, crashes, or layer shifts as opposed to any version higher than b137.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Earlier I wrote that Firmware rc5 still had issues with OctoPrint, but after some investigation I discovered that plastic waste was stuck to the nozzle housing and was scraping the print, causing the print to lift from the bed and crash the printer. I removed the plastic debris and once again used OctoPrint to manage a print of my e-reader stand. It worked perfectly.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Haven't had issues printing from Octoprint (Pi Zero W mounted to the Rambo) since moving to RC5 (stock speeds in Slic3r), including on those files that were failing from layer shift in RC4 despite the interim beta and the lower speed settings.
So far so good.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

rc5 has fixed all my octopi issues. I still have crash detection disabled though.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

So after all the doom and gloom around Octoprint/Pi.. Are we starting to get a feeling that the Pi Zero solution is going to work as a permanent part of the process?

I am building my MK3 (I am 3 weeks behind because of an illness) and had started to think the Pi wasn't the best solution, so have ordered a Flash Air card instead.. But if things are now improving on the Pi front, I think I need to revisit that part of the project.

Has anyone writen a guide on how to setup the SD? I am trying to do it without setting the Pi up on a bench with Power/Mouse/Keyboard/Monitors... My hope was:

1. Put the image on the card
2. Mount it on a Linux system
3. Edit the files pertaining to Wifi/SSID/Password
4. Install into Prusa
5. Boot

Are people using this method or are they getting the Pi to work on the bench first before installing it?

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

A few questions.

1. Has anyone tried to use the Pi camera yet for the time lapse or video monitoring?

2. Where are the lime lapse shots and video written to, SD card, PC?

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

A few questions.

1. Has anyone tried to use the Pi camera yet for the time lapse or video monitoring?

2. Where are the lime lapse shots and video written to, SD card, PC?

Yes, I have the canonical Pi Zero W + Pi camera and it works well and out of the box. The time lapse pics are stored on the Pi's SD card then assembled automatically on the Pi after the print is finished, still on the Pi's SD card. It takes a few seconds to several minutes - it's clearly indicated on the Octopi UI. You then have the option to download it on the PC through the UI. The time lapse vids stay on the Pi's SD card until you explicitly delete them.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

So after all the doom and gloom around Octoprint/Pi.. Are we starting to get a feeling that the Pi Zero solution is going to work as a permanent part of the process?

I am building my MK3 (I am 3 weeks behind because of an illness) and had started to think the Pi wasn't the best solution, so have ordered a Flash Air card instead.. But if things are now improving on the Pi front, I think I need to revisit that part of the project.

Has anyone writen a guide on how to setup the SD? I am trying to do it without setting the Pi up on a bench with Power/Mouse/Keyboard/Monitors... My hope was:

1. Put the image on the card
2. Mount it on a Linux system
3. Edit the files pertaining to Wifi/SSID/Password
4. Install into Prusa
5. Boot

Are people using this method or are they getting the Pi to work on the bench first before installing it?

See first post of
https://shop.prusa3d.com/forum/original-prusa-i3-mk3-f30/rpi-zero-octopi-working--t12432.html
It has all the steps in details.

I should add that:
* You need to switch the RPi setting to [on] in the mk3 firmware (it has changed in recent firmware but it's now dead easy - just look at the Settings menu in the UI of the printer).
* Octopi will take a while updating with a bunch of warning and errors, but all good at the end.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

A few questions.

1. Has anyone tried to use the Pi camera yet for the time lapse or video monitoring?

2. Where are the lime lapse shots and video written to, SD card, PC?

I'm using the Pi camera on my mk3 octopi. I'm doing it with a RPi3 connected by USB, but the concept is the same.

For me, the video is live (viewable in web interface) for monitoring. I'm not saving live video (that would be huge!).

The time-lapse snapshots (which can be in video format after assembly after the print) are stored on the microSD card of the PI itself. There is no path from the Pi-zero or Pi-3 to the SD card on the front controller.

You would use a web browser to the octopi web interface to download the resultant pictures and delete the files from the pi-zero microSD.

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Hi,

RC5 has worked 100% for me also, - done two 7 hour printswithout error

cheers.
Marteinn aka @3dpiceland

Re: OctoPrint issues and tips

Hi All, I have a question, With all the info from this post and from the printer manual, and user feedback, I'm kind of all over the place and I'm wondering are all of Octopi's functions working with this 3d printer? or place the pie in its static bag and wait? I still have a few more weeks till the unit gets shipped ( new to 3d printing).