Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
Has anyone tried Klipper on an OP i3 MK3S?
I ask this before I go and do this because I want some experiences in how difficult it is to set up, if it works good/better than the stock set up and if you can run the gcode faster than using the standard way.
What is Klipper? Klipper is a (sort of) software solution to make your printer run like a 32bit machine instead of the default 8bit, this should increase accuracy and speed. You use the CPU inside the Raspberry Pi instead of the Arduino/Einsy/Rambo or whatever it is called in the OP (sorry, I couldn't find any information on someone using it on a OPi3) It bypasses the CPU on the printer and thus uses the power of the Pi instead. It consists of a firmware that you flash into your OPi3 and software that you run on the Pi, but other than this I have no clue what it exactly entails.
edit: Oh and you use a "software firmware" on the Pi, this means you can change the firmware settings without having to flash them to the printer and you can do this while the printer is online. After changing the settings you only have to restart the Klipper service.
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
Gcode only runs as fast as the printer making the requested moves, it cannot run any "faster".
FWIW I looked at it previously out of interest and at the time my conclusion was that it seemed to be a lot of trouble to set up right, and there were reports that improvements were either negligible or minor for the effort involved, so I opted not to pursue things any further.
But it's quite possible things have changed in the months since I looked.
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
Since motion control will still be by the Triamic drivers and stock motors, it's hard to imagine any realizable physical print improvements. Numerical accuracy is already far better than hardware capability.
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
I haven't seen user experience with Klipper & MK2/MK3 so far. In theory you could print faster without loosing accuracy with it. But in real world it doesn't make sense to move the heavy head faster then it can already.
I think it's a fancy tool for developers where you can easily implement some algorithm and try them out. But for the end customer it's to complex and one more thing which might doesn't work as it should.
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RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
It looks like Chris is running it on a clone.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
The issue is not moving the head faster, it's about more precise kinematic calculations and that is where those for todays standards fairly underpowered Einsy boards hit a wall. Sticking to 8bit hardware and optimizing for that is a noble effort but with cheap 32 bit hardware with a lot more "oompf" for the buck and clockcycles to spare a dead end in the longterm. Klipper is fairly easy to set up if you have a printer with endstop switches. I've not followed the progress of the prusaowners branch of Klipper lately - when I last checked switchless homing was still an issue.
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
I'm intrigued by Klipper as well, but I don't want to disrupt my only printer (my Mk3) to try it out. I am considering a 2nd printer, but anything other than a Mk3 may be tough to settle for, at least for a lower price. As I understand it, all the computationally-intensive stuff is done by Klipper on the host computer, then simple moves are transmitted to the 8 bit controller in the printer. I've seen some impressive examples of finish, even on really low-end printers.
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RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
I've seen it in live in action on a CR10 of a co-worker. Improvements were indeed impressive. As my MK3s is also my only printer and I am woefully behind with my printing schedule (upgrade to BNBSX, 0.9° Steppers, and replacing failed original bearings and a scratched X-rod took their toll) it will be a while until I test it out.
Fortunately reverting back to original firmware is not the issue - if only one could somehow save all those stored EPROM values and reflash them with the firmware to save the dreaded recalibration time... And then there is the Duet...
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
Hello,
are there any news on the topic ?
I have seen several people that is recently revamping this project on YouTube, and this involve the use of a Raspberry Pi4 as Klipper computational unit and leaving the original Prusa board (more or less the same logic that was proposed on the Creality, but without the usage of the pad).
However, I have my new MMU3 and a Revo on the MK3S+, and for what I know, there are no Klipper customization able to use the MMU2/3.
- Is this still true ?
- May be a better option to remain in the PRUSA ecosystem and just upgrade to MK3.5 ? This will allow to continue to use the MMU3 unit.
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
I intend to upgrade to 3.5 and I suggest that is the better option.
Hello,
are there any news on the topic ?
I have seen several people that is recently revamping this project on YouTube, and this involve the use of a Raspberry Pi4 as Klipper computational unit and leaving the original Prusa board (more or less the same logic that was proposed on the Creality, but without the usage of the pad).
However, I have my new MMU3 and a Revo on the MK3S+, and for what I know, there are no Klipper customization able to use the MMU2/3.
- Is this still true ?
- May be a better option to remain in the PRUSA ecosystem and just upgrade to MK3.5 ? This will allow to continue to use the MMU3 unit.
--------------------
Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
Me too 👍 I will purchase it as soon as it becomes available again (currently unavailable).
But I've decided to change extruder system (with rapid change) with another one lighten and powerful.
I intend to upgrade to 3.5 and I suggest that is the better option.
Hello,
are there any news on the topic ?
I have seen several people that is recently revamping this project on YouTube, and this involve the use of a Raspberry Pi4 as Klipper computational unit and leaving the original Prusa board (more or less the same logic that was proposed on the Creality, but without the usage of the pad).
However, I have my new MMU3 and a Revo on the MK3S+, and for what I know, there are no Klipper customization able to use the MMU2/3.
- Is this still true ?
- May be a better option to remain in the PRUSA ecosystem and just upgrade to MK3.5 ? This will allow to continue to use the MMU3 unit.
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
Theoretically, you could make custom Klipper macros to send data to the MMIU3 motor pins, but that would require partially dissecting Prusa's firmware to find out how they control the MMU3.
RE: Klipper on a Original Prusa i3 (MK3S)
I don't think I will move to Klipper any more.
I just purchased the MK3.5 update kit, so I will move on the same electronics of the MK4 with PRUSA FW + Input Shaping.
Regards