Is the Smart Box a dead project?
It's been quite some time since the enclosure was announced, and the smart box is still listed on the enclosure's project page. Is it still being developed?
Smart Box
Optional electronics that serve as an interface between the MK3S+ and various add-ons, mainly the advanced filtration system. The Smart Box will allow communication with various additional equipment, such as advanced thermal sensors, RGB LEDs, humidity meters, a microparticle sensor and also an electronic lock. All the devices can work together, so, for example, when the printer finishes a job, the RGB LEDs will signal the print is done. However, the door will remain locked and the advanced filtration system will increase the power to maximum RPM to clean the air in the chamber quickly. Once the sensors detect the conditions are optimal, the electronic lock is automatically released.
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
Might be a good question to ask during Prusa Live.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
Definitely looking to tune into Prusa Live this week, as this is one of my questions as well. I've got two enclosures: they're great, but the smart box definitely feels like something they've sidelined for whatever reason :/
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
Did you guys end up hearing anything on the smart box? Weighing whether to wait for this, buy the white LEDs, or just go for a cheaper lighting solution. Thanks!
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
Someone correct me if in wrong but I believe the white led strip has rgbs in already for the smart box
Did you guys end up hearing anything on the smart box? Weighing whether to wait for this, buy the white LEDs, or just go for a cheaper lighting solution. Thanks!
Please help me out by downloading a model it's free and easy but really helps me out https://www.printables.com/@Hello_474427/models
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
To respond to both:
@hello, correct, the white LED strip are actually RGBs that are not addressed; the default state for these are in a white mode. The Smart Box is supposed to allow for RGB controls, as well as dimming I believe. It also will allow for finer tuning with the filtration system.
If you're thinking of DIY yourself on the lights, Adafruit would be my source for anything light related, if you're feeling frisky with the programming end of it; MakeCode is awesome and easy to use. If you're in Europe there's loads of suppliers as well.
Alveo3D helped design the filtration system; so if you're in Europe you can easily get your hands on that since they ship everywhere there (just not the US). The replacement filters are available from several places in the US if you can get one inported, and they'll fit the prusa one.
Nevermore is another solution, if you're feeling DIY; I've not seen one yet built without connecting it to a RaspPi, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't. Go go voron design team ^_^
The tl;dr version; we've been told nothing thus far. My guess is they are trying to make it in house, and squeeze it in between boards; as the XL and MK4 back orders are filled this will probably get pushed forward more. Getting another PnP machine would be insanely irresponsible for Prusa, as it would go silent almost immediately as they receive it and turn it on; that's a lot of capital for little return at this point. Not giving them a reprieve, because we hate silence, but I also can see the issue being a manufacturing one at the moment.
Someone correct me if in wrong but I believe the white led strip has rgbs in already for the smart box
Did you guys end up hearing anything on the smart box? Weighing whether to wait for this, buy the white LEDs, or just go for a cheaper lighting solution. Thanks!
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
Thank you both! I ended up going with the white LEDs since yeah, turns out they’ll work with the smart board as RGBs.
I’m reasonably comfortable with arduino and Adafruit stuff but I didn’t know about MakeCode, that’s really cool. I might have to try it out on a project soon…
Really interesting theory on the manufacturing too. So do they the boards themselves out for fab and then populate and solder in house?
You already addressed my important question, just curious now. Cheers!
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
So up until 2020 they did a lot of their fabrication outside: Boards, components, extrusion, etc. I believe the only thing they actually did in house was cut the rods, maybe extrusion. This is why the MK3S and Mini can be sourced so easily; the parts were all off the shelf or produced in a way that was easily accessible.
Part of their 2019/2020 goal was to move as much in house and/or source from locations not in China; with the pandemic this means trying to get common components from European manufacturers who were suddenly VERY behind on orders, as well as trying to make capital expenses (the pick and place machines we've just mentioned). I believe at this point a massive amount of the XL and the MK4 are now produced in Europe. I'm unsure if they do their own sheet bending or not (I haven't asked); based on the enclosure and the XL, I'd want to say that the answer is a tentative "yes."
I know if you look back through their social media posts, they have videos of their pick and place working; I'm amused and impressed at the idea of using a PCIe standard for their XL boards, to make swapping/upgrading MUCH easier.
Thank you both! I ended up going with the white LEDs since yeah, turns out they’ll work with the smart board as RGBs.
I’m reasonably comfortable with arduino and Adafruit stuff but I didn’t know about MakeCode, that’s really cool. I might have to try it out on a project soon…Really interesting theory on the manufacturing too. So do they the boards themselves out for fab and then populate and solder in house?
You already addressed my important question, just curious now. Cheers!
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
To respond to both:
@hello, correct, the white LED strip are actually RGBs that are not addressed; the default state for these are in a white mode. The Smart Box is supposed to allow for RGB controls, as well as dimming I believe. It also will allow for finer tuning with the filtration system.
If you're thinking of DIY yourself on the lights, Adafruit would be my source for anything light related, if you're feeling frisky with the programming end of it; MakeCode is awesome and easy to use. If you're in Europe there's loads of suppliers as well.
Alveo3D helped design the filtration system; so if you're in Europe you can easily get your hands on that since they ship everywhere there (just not the US). The replacement filters are available from several places in the US if you can get one inported, and they'll fit the prusa one.
Nevermore is another solution, if you're feeling DIY; I've not seen one yet built without connecting it to a RaspPi, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't. Go go voron design team ^_^
The tl;dr version; we've been told nothing thus far. My guess is they are trying to make it in house, and squeeze it in between boards; as the XL and MK4 back orders are filled this will probably get pushed forward more. Getting another PnP machine would be insanely irresponsible for Prusa, as it would go silent almost immediately as they receive it and turn it on; that's a lot of capital for little return at this point. Not giving them a reprieve, because we hate silence, but I also can see the issue being a manufacturing one at the moment.
Someone correct me if in wrong but I believe the white led strip has rgbs in already for the smart box
Did you guys end up hearing anything on the smart box? Weighing whether to wait for this, buy the white LEDs, or just go for a cheaper lighting solution. Thanks!
Are they RGB LEDs, or RGBW LEDs? I passed on the white LED strip as $75 for a white LED strip seemed high. If RGB then maybe not. But I'd also be very disappointment to get a white LED strip that turned out to be RGB. This is because while RGB LEDs together look white, they cause terrible color rendition on objects they illuminate.
My plan for my own enclosure is RGBW LED strips. This way I can get cool color effects when I want them, but use the white LEDs when I just want the enclosure lit up so I can see the printer/print, which I suspect will be most of the time.
And yes, Adafruit is where I will buy the RGBW strips, and other components. I really like Adafruit.
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
To respond to both:
@hello, correct, the white LED strip are actually RGBs that are not addressed; the default state for these are in a white mode. The Smart Box is supposed to allow for RGB controls, as well as dimming I believe. It also will allow for finer tuning with the filtration system.
If you're thinking of DIY yourself on the lights, Adafruit would be my source for anything light related, if you're feeling frisky with the programming end of it; MakeCode is awesome and easy to use. If you're in Europe there's loads of suppliers as well.
Alveo3D helped design the filtration system; so if you're in Europe you can easily get your hands on that since they ship everywhere there (just not the US). The replacement filters are available from several places in the US if you can get one inported, and they'll fit the prusa one.
Nevermore is another solution, if you're feeling DIY; I've not seen one yet built without connecting it to a RaspPi, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't. Go go voron design team ^_^
The tl;dr version; we've been told nothing thus far. My guess is they are trying to make it in house, and squeeze it in between boards; as the XL and MK4 back orders are filled this will probably get pushed forward more. Getting another PnP machine would be insanely irresponsible for Prusa, as it would go silent almost immediately as they receive it and turn it on; that's a lot of capital for little return at this point. Not giving them a reprieve, because we hate silence, but I also can see the issue being a manufacturing one at the moment.
Someone correct me if in wrong but I believe the white led strip has rgbs in already for the smart box
Did you guys end up hearing anything on the smart box? Weighing whether to wait for this, buy the white LEDs, or just go for a cheaper lighting solution. Thanks!
Are they RGB LEDs, or RGBW LEDs? I passed on the white LED strip as $75 for a white LED strip seemed high. If RGB then maybe not. But I'd also be very disappointment to get a white LED strip that turned out to be RGB. This is because while RGB LEDs together look white, they cause terrible color rendition on objects they illuminate.
My plan for my own enclosure is RGBW LED strips. This way I can get cool color effects when I want them, but use the white LEDs when I just want the enclosure lit up so I can see the printer/print, which I suspect will be most of the time.
And yes, Adafruit is where I will buy the RGBW strips, and other components. I really like Adafruit.
Just installed the filtration and ledstrips, at a quick glanse they seem to be RGBW leds, at least looked through the diffuser.
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
Generally speaking, no project has been killed off, and the rest of the addons for the enclosure are still are still planned. The next Prusa Live is November 29th and can always ask on there as well.
Shane (AKA FromPrusa)
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
Thanks, Shane. I have had the same question.
Generally speaking, no project has been killed off, and the rest of the addons for the enclosure are still are still planned. The next Prusa Live is November 29th and can always ask on there as well.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
Is the interface for this available somewhere? Maybe others could create something.
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
As much as I want to believe Shane, the fact that they announced the Smart Box with the enclosure in May 2022 and stated it would come out later in the year (and that they were already beta testing it), they are way off the mark here for something that is nowhere near as complicated as a new printer (XL). I bought my enclosure with my printer in April of last year hoping that soon they'd say something, anything, about the Smart Box since it had been roughly nine months since release (almost a year from announcement). Ten months later from my purchase and crickets. In a few months it'll be two years since the announcement. Pretty disappointed on that end as I really was hoping for it to come out and possibly even tie in to Prusa Connect/Link as well. Will it still come out? Maybe. Do I expect it at this point? Nope.
RE: Is the Smart Box a dead project?
It too am very disappointed with the lack of the release of the "Smart Box". The MK4 and Enclosure is my first entry into 3D printing. I was thinking to build my own ventilation/filter system for the "Original Enclosure" but spent considerably more money to by the Prusa branded fan and lights so that they would be compatible with the "Smart Box". It's now nearly a year later after this purchase and still NO smart box. ;( Come On... really? What's just as bad? ... it's also still listed as a feature coming on the Original Enclosure website page. Honestly, if Prusa isn't going to make this Smart Box... at least take off any reference of it on the enclosure web page. That would be fair. Even more fair... release the Smart Box. It's obviously possible... as an interesting Un"Official" box a user created is a nice tease of what a Prusa version could look like https://forum.prusa3d.com/forum/user-and-hardware-mods/unofficial-prusa-enclosure-smart-box-project