I can not really connect successfully to my printer via USB

Question

I have a Tronxy P802M (very similar to the Anet A8, but using a Melzi2.0V5 board) that seems to work fine (I just finished building, and axes movement and the integrated display work) but when I try to connect to the printer from my Simplify3D on Windows 10, I get the following:

[...]
  Connected to machine!
SENT: T0
READ: ok 0
READ: wait
SENT: M105
READ: ok 0
READ: T:24.44 /0 B:23.33 /0 B@:0 @:0
  Connection failed.

My other printers all connect fine.

Try doing this in Simplify3d and see if it works - Go to Tools --> Firmware Configuration and then click the Communication tab. Set the flow control to "Hardware flow control". — tjb1, Jan 26 '17 at 15:10
Nope, did not change much, except now the initial connect does not work. I also tried a different USB cable and using a direct USB port as well as suing a USB2 hub... — brandstaetter, Jan 27 '17 at 08:46
Okay have you set the Baud rate? I know thats an issue with slic3r. Can you see the printer under devices? — StarWind0, Jan 27 '17 at 17:22
Yes, Baud rate is set the same on both sides (otherwise there are different errors). The COM port shows up under devices. — brandstaetter, Jan 28 '17 at 20:42
This is more suited as a comment. Moreover, the fact that he's receiving something legible (like the "T:24.44" line), means the baud rate must be correct. — Tom van der Zanden, Jan 29 '17 at 08:49

brandstaetter · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-21T17:10:24.293

1

The Simplify3D support site mentions to disable the "wait for startup command" option in the firmware configuration for S3D.

This allows me to make a rudimentary connection to control the printer, however e.g. during the bed levelling wizard of S3D, the connection still breaks off.

It works reliably with Octoprint. I'll consider that good enough.

edited Apr 21 '17 at 17:10

answered Feb 01 '17 at 06:12

brandstaetter

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 01 '17 at 14:02

1

If you are using a USB 3 port to connect the printer to your PC, try connecting via a USB 2 hub.

My Vector 3 will not work on a USB 3 port, only on a USB 2 or lower. The device correctly mounts and presents but serial communication fails. One of my laptops only has USB 3 ports on it, so to work around the limitation I connect via a cheap USB 2 hub.

I have heard that many 3D printers use a similar USB to UART / serial connector chip and that they suffer from similar limitations as a result.

answered Feb 01 '17 at 14:02

TafT

121
5

already tried that, did not change anything :( – brandstaetter Feb 01 '17 at 15:23
The cheapest, and common, USB to Serial IC (i.e. an FTDI clone) in use, seems to be the CH340g – Greenonline Feb 01 '17 at 16:18
1

@Greenonline The CH340 is *not* an FTDI clone. Not every USB to Serial IC needs to be an FTDI clone. The CH340 happens to be an independent design. – Tom van der Zanden Mar 12 '17 at 13:00
@TomvanderZanden - OK, understood. :-) I guess I should have said _substitute_ rather than _clone_. – Greenonline Mar 12 '17 at 13:05

score -1 · Answer 3 · edited May 05 '17 at 22:12

-1

Try changing your port in the control menu. By default, mine is set to COM 1 and I have to change it to COM 3.

edited May 05 '17 at 22:12

Greenonline

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answered May 05 '17 at 04:48

3d noob

1

I get a response from the printer: READ: T:24.44 /0 B:23.33 /0 B@:0 @:0. It just aborts the connection due to some timeouts. Looks like S3D is very strict when it comes to bad connections or slow boards – brandstaetter May 05 '17 at 12:07

I can not really connect successfully to my printer via USB

3 Answers3

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