(Currently) Unanswered Questions
OK so hopefully Founders Edition Kits will soon be making their way to some of us, so I thought it might be useful to start a thread where people can ask questions about what the kit will and won't include...so feel free to chime in with any more questions and ideally some answers.
OK so I'll get the ball rolling with a few questions:
Filament sensors: pretty sure there'll be a filament sensor in the toolhead itself, but will there be additional individual runout sensors for each filament?
Accelerometer, I've seen mentioned that this could also be built into the INDX toolhead, but no definitive answer. If its not integgrated will there be a way of using the current C1 accelerometer?
Wiring Harness: Will the kit re-use the existing wiring harness from the Loveboard to the Buddy Board, or is this being replaced?
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
I'm wondering if the kit will come with: print heads, nozzles, tubes and mounting equipment. Or is it just going to be a t-shirt and a plaque?
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
They have not even asked us about the T-shirt size yet, so maybe just the plaque?
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
So going by stills from that latest update video:
It looks like the INDX Toolhead will use the same main cable, which should makes installation a bit simpler.
The accelerometer chip 'seems' to be present on the INDX PCB which is a nice addition, still not sure why this wasn't done from the start on the LoveBoard.
I'd still like to know about individual filament sensors though.
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
The accelerometer chip 'seems' to be present on the INDX PCB which is a nice addition, still not sure why this wasn't done from the start on the LoveBoard.
I was looking for the accelerometer but could not make it out in the video. Where did you spot it?
If it's indeed on board (fingers crossed!) and the existing main cable gets re-used, that would mean that a couple of extra wires need to be added to the harness. Should be easy enough to insert them into the sleeve. Hopefully the extra cable would be included in the upgrade package as well!
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
The accelerometer chip 'seems' to be present on the INDX PCB which is a nice addition, still not sure why this wasn't done from the start on the LoveBoard.
I was looking for the accelerometer but could not make it out in the video. Where did you spot it?
If it's indeed on board (fingers crossed!) and the existing main cable gets re-used, that would mean that a couple of extra wires need to be added to the harness. Should be easy enough to insert them into the sleeve. Hopefully the extra cable would be included in the upgrade package as well!
It's this little fella unless I'm mistaken, a same size chip with the same pcb marking is on the current C1 Accelerometer board:
Regarding the wiring:
Is that what. they've done with the C1L?
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Yep, the XY coordinate system in the silkscreen is a pretty strong hint. Thank you!
I believe that there is an extra connector (and even an extra PCB, smaller than the regular accelerometer) for the Core One L. So, probably a separate cable in the harness which goes to the same connector in the back as before.
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Yep, the XY coordinate system in the silkscreen is a pretty strong hint. Thank you!
I believe that there is an extra connector (and even an extra PCB, smaller than the regular accelerometer) for the Core One L. So, probably a separate cable in the harness which goes to the same connector in the back as before.
Regarding the wiring:
Is that what they did on the C1L?
My (admittedly limited) understanding is that the Loadcell already uses I2C for comms, why wouldn't they just parallel the Accelerometer on the existing I2C bus already present in the main cable? Would save the hassle of extra cables? IIRC the current C1 Accelerometer board uses I2c for comms also.
If anyone else knows more about why they would/wouldnt do this please chime in.
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While the HX711 amplifier (for the load cell sensor) uses serial digital data transmission, it's not I²C but a simpler proprietary protocol which does not use device addresses. So it can't share the connection with I²C devices.
Edit -- Datasheet of the HX711, with more details than you ever wanted to know: 😉
https://cdn.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/ForceFlex/hx711_english.pdf
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
While the HX711 amplifier (for the load cell sensor) uses serial digital data transmission, it's not I²C but a simpler proprietary protocol which does not use device addresses. So it can't share the connection with I²C devices.
Edit -- Datasheet of the HX711, with more details than you ever wanted to know: 😉
https://cdn.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/ForceFlex/hx711_english.pdf
Smart Arse 😂
Seriously though cheers, so anyway, do you know if that's what they did (add extra cables in the sleeving) for the C1L ?
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
Hang on -- the Loveboard uses the HX717, not the 711. Same proprietary serial interface though.
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
do you know if that's what they did (add extra cables in the sleeving) for the C1L ?
I am pretty sure the C1L has a dedicated cable there. As mentioned above, the accelerometer is a small extra PCB on the print head with its own connector. And the cable must be bundled with the others in the main cable harness; how else would they route it?
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
do you know if that's what they did (add extra cables in the sleeving) for the C1L ?
I am pretty sure the C1L has a dedicated cable there. As mentioned above, the accelerometer is a small extra PCB on the print head with its own connector. And the cable must be bundled with the others in the main cable harness; how else would they route it?
I wasn't sure if the C1L used a new main cable with more conductors? (which would obviously need an updated Buddy Board) I've had a quick look at the spares for C1L and there's no main cable available...I was going to see if I could count the wires.
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
I wasn't sure if the C1L used a new main cable with more conductors? (which would obviously need an updated Buddy Board)
I don't think the xBuddy board would need to be changed. If I remember correctly, there already is a connector for the accelerometer right on the xBuddy board. In the Core One it gets routed to an external connector in the WiFi cover via a short cable. If you omit that, you can connect a plug from the main cable harness straight to the main board, inside its enclosure.
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
Ahh right, so if they did integrate it into a new cable with more conductors, the LoveBoard end would be just a larger connector, the buddy board end would split to 2 connectors (main connector + accelerometer connector)?
TBH it doesnt really matter to me, Id be happy if we get to have the acceleromter integrated and connected permanently.
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Ahh right, so if they did integrate it into a new cable with more conductors, the LoveBoard end would be just a larger connector, the buddy board end would split to 2 connectors (main connector + accelerometer connector)?
For the Core One INDX, I expect the accelerometer would use a separate connector on the "INDX Loveboard" too (like it is a separate connector on the Core One L). Makes it easier to upgrade the existing harness by just adding a new cable with plugs on both ends.
On the xBuddy board side, just have another cable with the small 6-pin (?) connector coming out of the harness. I assume that's how it's done in the Core One L, and how it would be done in the Core One INDX.
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
Does anyone know if Prusa will be offering the INDX as a direct add-on when ordering the Core One + as a kit/assembled? Or is it going to be more like the MMU3, a separate add on purchase with no provision to be ordered directly with the printer? I can't seem to find a clear answer to this.
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
As of yet, nobody (outside of Prusa and Bondtech) knows, I'm afraid.
There is a lot of guessing, and the common assumption is that "sooner or later they must offer INDX preinstalled". But we don't know whether and when that will be the case.
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
From memory, I recall from watching some interviews/streams from Formnext that this has come up. The answers were vague on timing (similar to the Core One L upgrade) but that it would be available "eventually" but focus was on founders edition EO Q1 and roll-out of Prusa sold upgrade kits late Q2/3. All that said there hasn't been an official position on it and it doesn't look like they want to make everything available in one go. If I was to guess the reason they haven't gone with the Core One L upgrade at the same time as the smaller version is to ensure there is a reason for customers to focus on buying one over the other.
This is pure guesswork but throwing the following timeline out there;
- Q2 Shipments of INDX founders upgrade for Core one, and troubleshooting by early adopters
- Q3 Roll out of Prusa sold upgrade kits after they've ironed out some of the problems (likely not all)
- Q4 Will show the INDX in the Core One L at Formnext and potentially start pre-ordering in time for the holidays
- Sometime next year, they'll give options for Core Ones with the INDX integrated at purchase.
RE: (Currently) Unanswered Questions
As of yet, nobody (outside of Prusa and Bondtech) knows, I'm afraid.
There is a lot of guessing, and the common assumption is that "sooner or later they must offer INDX preinstalled". But we don't know whether and when that will be the case.
For all we know this could well be out of Prusa's control... currently this may well be all that Bondtech are willing to offer Prusa.