nanoDLP

Stevo

Member

Registered: 2020-01-07

Posts: 2

Sprintray conversion

Good morning all Im new to the Forum and look forward to learning and sharing.

I am looking to convert my Sprintray Moonray S resin DLP printer to use NANODLP I have peered into the printer and it has a Raspberry pi3 and a dedicated control board for the inbuilt projector.

I am wondering if this would be a viable option as frankly the software for the printer is very poor but I am restricted what I can do with it as the output g code has a dedicated output prefix.

That no other software I am aware of will generate.

Hence the question can I convert which I guess anything is possible but my question I guess is how difficult would it be?

Would appreciate any help on this please.

Thank you

Shahin

Administrator

Registered: 2016-02-17

Posts: 3,541

Re: Sprintray conversion

If it is Pi3, you only need to change firmware on RAMPS and installing nanodlp on pi + correct settings (probably more time consuming item). It depends on your expertise on Linux but it is not difficult.

Stevo

Member

Registered: 2020-01-07

Posts: 2

Re: Sprintray conversion

Hi Shahin,

Thanks for the reply unfortunately programming is not something I have done before in any operating system.

can I buy a ramps board that would be ready to go from anywhere ?

Shahin

Administrator

Registered: 2016-02-17

Posts: 3,541

Re: Sprintray conversion

Rewiring will be more difficult than merely loading firmware.

Arne

Member

Registered: 2020-04-30

Posts: 5

Re: Sprintray conversion

Hello,

I am also looking for an option to convert a SprintRay MoonRay S printer. I already changed the sd card for one with NanoDLP. The MoonRay controller board is only responding with P1 in the console. It would be great to leave the original controller board in the printer. The board is based on an ARM STM32F103.

Sint

Member

Registered: 2018-06-06

Posts: 25

Re: Sprintray conversion

You need to figure out what software is on the RAMPS/controlboard of the Moonray. So NanoDLP can talk to it. But it might be easier to get RAMPS board and put Marlin software on it.

Can you make NanoDLP talk to the Projector directly? Or is the projector connected to the Moonray controlboard?

Upload some pictures.

Arne

Member

Registered: 2020-04-30

Posts: 5

Re: Sprintray conversion

Here some images

The projector is connected by HDMI to the Raspberry and is controlled by the MoonRay controlboard (Looks like an custom USB connection, 5+ TX RX ground).
The projector is custom projector from SprintRay, so there are no specs on how to communicate with it. just like the board. It is really a good printer only the support and software is not that good. I want to convert it because i want more control over the resin and the printer wont always boot because of the software on the Pi.

Putting a RAMPS board in is no problem for me but i worry about the control over the projector. I wil look if i can find out how the components are connected to the ARM chip and reverse engineer the system, but than stil talking to the projector is a problem i think.

Arne

Member

Registered: 2020-04-30

Posts: 5

Re: Sprintray conversion

I did some testing and i can communicate with the system and projector. The commands are custom commands and not in the G code range.
So what i found out is when i start the printer i get P1 in console and the beamer is on. When i send P0 the beamer go off, and P1 it go on. So P = Projector and 1 = On, 0 = Off.
I was able to project the test grid with the projector.
p11 the Z and Y motors get initialized and p10 motors go off. Z motor is the lift and Y is Tank tilt motor.
command "&" initialize the system and return:

V1 1 1
WSNSD
A1
I1000
J1
K2000
M22000
R1
S-100
Y700
Z0
D1280
E800
H100
S100
Tank0

command N1 the Y Motor moves the Tank and come back to its normal position. And return

Z-100
P0
S0
Tank1
Z1
S100
Tank0
F

When chancing the number after the N the return code only chance the number after the Z

When i push the power button i get BP (Button Pushed) and when release BR (Button Released).
The there is also the code BTL50 (Button Light Blink (T=Time)) and BLC1 (Button Light Continuous)

I didn't find out yet how to move the Z lift.

I am looking for a program that i can use on the original Raspberry setup to log the communication between the Raspberry and the MoonRay controller, maybe someone here now how to do it.

Shahin

Administrator

Registered: 2016-02-17

Posts: 3,541

Re: Sprintray conversion

Using socat you can sniff communication
eg.
socat -v -x /dev/ttyUSB0,raw,echo=0,crnl PTY,link=/dev/ttyUSB1,raw,echo=0,crnl

Arne

Member

Registered: 2020-04-30

Posts: 5

Re: Sprintray conversion

Using socat you can sniff communication
eg.
socat -v -x /dev/ttyUSB0,raw,echo=0,crnl PTY,link=/dev/ttyUSB1,raw,echo=0,crnl

Ok great, I will try it tomorrow. Thanks.

Catalin

Member

Registered: 2021-06-10

Posts: 6

Re: Sprintray conversion

Hello, have you had any success, since your last post on this subject?
I have started a similar project myself, only I changed the main-board to a SKR Mini V1.1. So far I've managed to control the kinematics about right, using Marlin, but I've now hit an obstacle with the Projector Comm wire, the one with four pins marked GND, RX, TX ,5V. Do you have any idea what this cable does and how I might control the projector via this cable?
For the moment, just connecting the projector to a 12V source won't turn it on, it has to receive some signal on the Projector Comm wire.
I would be grateful for an update on your project.

Arne

Member

Registered: 2020-04-30

Posts: 5

Re: Sprintray conversion

Hello Catalin,
No, because restricted time that i can spend on it i dint go further with it. It should be possible to get a console output of the original hardware on that projcomm port. Its a normal industrial projector from a big name company so it should follow some industrial standard. Maybe if i have time this summer i will try to breath some life in the project. But i you find a solution, please share.

Catalin

Member

Registered: 2021-06-10

Posts: 6

Re: Sprintray conversion

Hello again,

Here's what I think I'm going to do:
- Keep the original main-board on the USB port 1, just to control the projector using the P0/P1 commands. Thank you very much for sharing that info with us.
- Use my SKR board with Marlin on the USB port 2, to control the steppers.

There is enough space inside the printer, Sprintray haven't made any effort to make the machine very compact.

I'll keep you posted.

Catalin

Member

Registered: 2021-06-10

Posts: 6

Re: Sprintray conversion

Hello,

Here’s my update on my “how to turn your 4000$ professional 3D printer into a DIY project”: It’s aaaalive!!!

I’ve managed to make it work, as I said, by keeping the original board to control the projector using the P0/P1 commands on USB1, and another SKR board with Marlin, to control the Z and tilt motors.
If anyone wants my marlin code or my nano dlp codes, I can post them.

I’ve encountered a few problems along the way, but the most persistent seems to be that the exposure times seem to be astronomical. For a normal Anycubic Grey resin, I need 70s burn-in time and 35s normal exposure type for 50µ. Anything less and it will fail.
When I see the reviews for the new monochrome LCD printers, with 2s layer exposure, it makes me cry inside. I don’t know if I’m getting the full brightness from the projector. Or the projector is just very weak compared to a full UV LED array. Is it possible that there is another command to set the projector brightness/intensity, besides the P0/P1 on/off commands?

Any suggestions?

Anyways, that’s my progress for the time being.

Mauricio

Member

Registered: 2022-09-07

Posts: 1

Re: Sprintray conversion

Hi everybody!

The information shared here is fascinating about Moonray sprinter. I have a Moonray s; but there was a power surge at home and it burned out the DLP projector and some other printer components. I was able to change some electronics and recover the projector, but it seems that the program on the Raspberry sd card was corrupted.

Can any of you share the SD image that runs on Raspberry PI so I can revive my machine?

Thanks a lot!!!

Mcennis

Member

Registered: 2024-02-22

Posts: 1

Re: Sprintray conversion

Rewiring will be more difficult than merely loading firmware.

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