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3D Chameleon, Klipper, Ender 5, SKR E3 Mini

Good afternoon everyone! Received my mk3 earlier this week. I have an Ender 5 with klipper, with an SKR E3 mini, v2. This is be important in a moment. I have removed the direct drive I had on the system, in favour of using the mk3 in direct mode to drive the printer. I have written the macros for T0 through T3. Set the mk3 into direct mode (hold button for 10 pulses, then release). I am getting a single pulse returned, so mode 1. I have the drive motor connected to my SKR board so it can act as the extruder. I can extrude filament up to the y adapter and then it seems to not have enough power to go any further. The macros seem to work but again, the motor seems to lack power to move the filament.

The SKR board is using the TMC 2209 driver. I force it into spreadCycle mode, which apparently provides more torque to it. I've also updated the run current pretty high to 1.75 and it still struggles - it can move the filament with a 'nudge' but I would expect it to be much stronger? I also moved the tube for T0 to another connection on the Y adapter to see if it was an issue within there but it made no difference.

Any thoughts on how I can make this work better? My goal is to built the macros in Klipper to change the filaments so the code is not needed in the slicer. Turning on multiple extruders should be all that is needed.

I have a lot of experience with 3d printing, klipper etc., so I'm a bit baffled why the issue.

16 answers0 replies

16 Comments

norm

Aug 14, 2023

Check out my DD adapter for my Ender5. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6169501

norm

Aug 10, 2023

Update: SUCCESS!!!

I now have it working in Klipper, on an Ender 5 with direct drive. I will eventually upload the entire config with pictures to a Github for others to see.

A couple of notes. I still have a bit of work to do on the tip forming. I still get strings on the filament sometimes, which don't seem to cause a problem but twice got bigger blobs which plugged my all metal Dragonfly hotend.

I am not happy with how PrusaSlicer does the purge tower. It tends to blob out a bunch of filament and then run a few lines but its messy and leaves the extruder tip unclean - I get some mixing of the colors as a result I believe.

All of the code is in Klipper as macros. The only thing I added to the Slicer under Tool Change G-code was to prevent oozing affecting the print and to give the extruders the best angles to draw the filament out - G0 X10 Y10 Z5. Not required, but it really helps for me.

The klipper macros are as follows:

Unload_Extruder - extracts the filament from the extruder - mostly used by other macros.

Load_Extruder - feeds the filament through the machine extruder to the tip - mostly used by other macros.

Unload_and_Home - extracts the filament from the tip and retracts the filament into the 3d Chameleon, then homes the 3d Chameleon.

Load_and_Home - Homes the 3d chameleon and feeds filament 0 to the machine extruder, then loads to the tip.

T0 to T3 - checks which filament is loaded, and if not that filament, it unloads then loads the correct filament (Please note, below I only have T0 and T1 but T2 and T3 are exactly the same only changing the pulse time.

I saw somewhere else someone talking about G4 Sss doesn't or you have to add time, etc., well Klipper doesn't support G4 Sxx it only supports G4 Pxxx! P should be multiples of 500 for each half second.

I hope it helps someone!

[gcode_macro Unload_Extruder]
gcode:
  ; Unload the extruder
  ;begin switch from extruder {previous_extruder} to extruder #{next_extruder}
  M117 Unloading Tool current extruder
  M118 Unloading Tool current extruder
  G91
  M82 ; turn absolute distances for the extruder
  ; unload extruder {previous_extruder}
  G0 E-20 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E-10 F600; slowly allow it to cool
  G0 E28 F2000 ; blob elimination
  ; back to tip size
  G0 E-20 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E-10 F600; slowly allow it to cool
  G0 E28 F4000 ; blob elimination
  G0 E-10 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E1 F4000 ; quickly ram the filament to shape it
  G0 E-10 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E28 F4000 ; quickly ram the filament to shape it
  ; back to 1.8 constriction
  G0 E-20 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E-20 F100; slowly allow it to cool
  M118 Finishing up
  G92 E0
  G0 E-80 F2000
  G92 E0
  G4 P5000
  M400
  M118 Done!
  G90
  M83

[gcode_macro Load_Extruder]
gcode:
  M83 ; but make sure the extruder stays in relative
  G92 E0
  G0 E100 F2000 ; <<<<<-----------  EDIT THIS DISTANCE TO FINE TUNE THE FILAMENT LOADING TO STOP BLOBBING OR UNDEREXTRUSION
  M83 ; turn relative distances for the extruder
  G4 P1500 ;     This is just a half second extra reloading time... just to make sure
  M400
  G90
  M83
  G92 E0

[gcode_macro Unload_and_Home]
gcode:
  {% set svv = printer.save_variables.variables %}
  {% if svv.currentool == -1 %}
      M117 Already Extracted
      M118 Already Extracted
  {% else %}
    Unload_extruder
    M82
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=1
    G4 P2750 ; dwell for .5 seconds - adjust this to match your machines single pulse time
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=0
    ;G4 P15000; wait for it to happen ; adjust this time to match t
  {% endif %}
  SAVE_VARIABLE VARIABLE=currentool VALUE='-1'
  M400
  G90
  M83

[gcode_macro Load_and_Home]
gcode:
  {% set svv = printer.save_variables.variables %}
  {% if svv.currentool > -1 %}  
    Unload_and_home
    G4 P10000
    M117 Loading...
    M118 Loading...
    M83
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=1
    G4 P2250 ; dwell for .5 seconds - adjust this to match your machines single pulse time
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=0
    G4 P10000; wait for it to happen ; adjust this time to match t
    M400
    Load_extruder
    SAVE_VARIABLE VARIABLE=currentool VALUE='0'
    G90
    M83
    G92 E0
  {% else %}
    M117 Loading...
    M118 Loading...
    M83
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=1
    G4 P2250 ; dwell for .5 seconds - adjust this to match your machines single pulse time
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=0
    G4 P10000; wait for it to happen ; adjust this time to match t
    M400
    Load_extruder
    SAVE_VARIABLE VARIABLE=currentool VALUE='0'
    G90
    M83
    G92 E0
  {% endif %}

[gcode_macro T0]
gcode:
  {% set svv = printer.save_variables.variables %}
  {% if svv.currentool == 0 %}
      M117 Already T0
      M118 Already T0
  {% else %}
    Unload_Extruder
    M83
    M400
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=1
    G4 P500 ; dwell for .5 seconds - adjust this to match your machines single pulse time
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=0
    G4 P15000; wait for it to happen ; adjust this time to match the actual tool change time - subtract the time it takes to load for the last 1" into the extruder  
    ;G4 S30
    M400
    Load_Extruder
    M400
    SAVE_VARIABLE VARIABLE=currentool VALUE='0'
  {% endif %}
  M117 Tool T0
  M118 Tool T0
  G90
  M83
  G92 E0

[gcode_macro T1]
gcode:
  {% set svv = printer.save_variables.variables %}
  {% if svv.currentool == 1 %}
      M117 Already T1
      M118 Already T1
  {% else %}
    Unload_Extruder
    M83
    M400
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=1
    G4 P1000 ; dwell for 1 seconds - adjust this to match your machines single pulse time
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=0
    G4 P15000; wait for it to happen ; adjust this time to match the actual tool change time - subtract the time it takes to load for the last 1" into the extruder
    ;G4 S30
    M400
    Load_Extruder
    M400
    SAVE_VARIABLE VARIABLE=currentool VALUE='1'
  {% endif %}
  M117 Tool T1
  M118 Tool T1
  G90
  M83
  G92 E0

wjsteele

Aug 10, 2023

Replying to

Awesome work!

Bill

Mike Venturini Jr.

Aug 11, 2023

Replying to

Norm,

I have a Voron 2.4r2 350mm Build BTT Ocotopus pro. Stealthburner Have Signal wire and ground connected to PG10 on the board. I tried your code with some settings changes to bed button location which I have set on 350mm on Y axis. I was not able to get it to work. Any suggestions ?

norm

Aug 11, 2023

Replying to

Sorry this setup is for using a relay (or direct connect) to trigger the 3d Chameleon. I would suggest you modify

SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=1
    G4 P500 ; dwell for .5 seconds - adjust this to match your machines single pulse time
    SET_PIN PIN=3dchameleon VALUE=0

to what comes from the automated gcode generator.

If you have a direct connection or a relay to PG10 to act as your switch, see below but you don't need both. I use a relay because, well, I had one, and I don't have to worry about different grounding on the boards and voltage differences. YMMV

If you have the PG10 connected to act as the button, then you need this in your printer.cfg:

[output_pin 3dchameleon]   ;  <------ this is the name you give the pin, and use in the macros
pin: PC15   ;<------------------change this to your pin!
#   The pin to configure as an output. This parameter must be
#   provided.
#pwm: False
#   Set if the output pin should be capable of pulse-width-modulation.
#   If this is true, the value fields should be between 0 and 1; if it
#   is false the value fields should be either 0 or 1. The default is
#   False.
#static_value:
#   If this is set, then the pin is assigned to this value at startup
#   and the pin can not be changed during runtime. A static pin uses
#   slightly less ram in the micro-controller. The default is to use
#   runtime configuration of pins.
value: 0
#   The value to initially set the pin to during MCU configuration.
#   The default is 0 (for low voltage).
#shutdown_value:
#   The value to set the pin to on an MCU shutdown event. The default
#   is 0 (for low voltage).
#maximum_mcu_duration:
#   The maximum duration a non-shutdown value may be driven by the MCU
#   without an acknowledge from the host.
#   If host can not keep up with an update, the MCU will shutdown
#   and set all pins to their respective shutdown values.
#   Default: 0 (disabled)
#   Usual values are around 5 seconds.
#cycle_time: 0.100
#   The amount of time (in seconds) per PWM cycle. It is recommended
#   this be 10 milliseconds or greater when using software based PWM.
#   The default is 0.100 seconds for pwm pins.
#hardware_pwm: False
#   Enable this to use hardware PWM instead of software PWM. When
#   using hardware PWM the actual cycle time is constrained by the
#   implementation and may be significantly different than the
#   requested cycle_time. The default is False.
#scale:
#   This parameter can be used to alter how the 'value' and
#   'shutdown_value' parameters are interpreted for pwm pins. If
#   provided, then the 'value' parameter should be between 0.0 and
#   'scale'. This may be useful when configuring a PWM pin that
#   controls a stepper voltage reference. The 'scale' can be set to
#   the equivalent stepper amperage if the PWM were fully enabled, and
#   then the 'value' parameter can be specified using the desired
#   amperage for the stepper. The default is to not scale the 'value'
#   parameter.

Did that answer your question?

norm

Aug 05, 2023

Update:

I could not get it to work in mode 1 (direct drive). There just wasn't enough power in the stepper to make it happen.

So, I went back to mode 2. But before I could start testing again I had to install direct drive on the printer again, calibrate and make sure I was printing well.

Specifics - From the point the filament enters the extruder and to the hot end it is 118mm. This machine is running Klipper so the macros are being moved into Klipper.

Below are my macros at the moment. The only difference between t0, t1, t2 and t3 are the time it spends with the button pushed.

This is first draft but I want to add some variables in this so that Klipper knows which tool it is on at any given time. I also want to add a homing to the 3d Chameleon, to the homing code.

So I'm making progress. Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Should I move this someplace else cause I guess I'm not really 'getting started' anymore :)

[gcode_macro T0]
gcode:
  ;ACTIVATE_EXTRUDER EXTRUDER=extruder
  ; - 3D Chameleon Mk3 Tool T{next_extruder} -
  ;begin switch from extruder {previous_extruder} to extruder #{next_extruder}
  M117 Unloading Tool current extruder
  M118 Unloading Tool current extruder
  M82 ; turn absolute distances for the extruder
  ; unload extruder {previous_extruder}
  G92 E0
  ; go to holding position to unload the stock extruder
  G0 X100 Y9 F2000 ; <<----- EDIT THIS LINE TO SET THE INITIAL LOCATION OF THE BUTTON
  ; if this is the first load, then don't unload
  G91 ; move to relative mode
  M82
  ; cool (and size) in 1.8mm tube
  G0 E-20 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E-10 F600; slowly allow it to cool
  G0 E1 F2000 ; blob elimination
  ; back to tip size
  G0 E-20 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E-10 F600; slowly allow it to cool
  G0 E1 F4000 ; blob elimination
  G0 E-10 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E1 F4000 ; quickly ram the filament to shape it
  G0 E-10 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E1 F4000 ; quickly ram the filament to shape it
  ; back to 1.8 constriction
  G0 E-20 F4000 ; quickly retract the filament to shape it
  G0 E-18 F100; slowly allow it to cool
  ; turn the fan off
  M107 ; this printer has the fan in the way, so turn it off
  ; retract it back out of the extruder
  G92 E0
  ;G0 E-0 F2000
  G92 E0
  ;G0 E-30 F2000
  ;G92 E0
  ; ok - out of extruder - press button to remove it all the way
  G91 ; move to relative mode
  M82
  ; we skipped to here if it was extruder -1
  ; load extruder #{next_extruder}
  ; M117 Loading Tool T{next_extruder}
  ; press the button to select the new extruder
  G0 X0 Y-3 F2000 ; press the button
  G4 P500 ; dwell for .5 seconds - adjust this to match your machines single pulse time
  G0 X0 Y3 ; back off the button
  G4 S15; wait for it to happen ; adjust this time to match the actual tool change time - subtract the time it takes to load for the last 1" into the extruder
  G0 E118 F3000 ; << -------  ADJUST THE E50 VALUE TO STOP IT RIGHT AFTER IT LOADS INTO THE STOCK EXTRUDER (50mm is the default)
  ;        ADJUST THE F1500 TO MATCH THE SPEED OF THE FILAMENT FROM THE 3D CHAMELEON
  ;        NOTE: This defaults should work, but you can always tune them to be perfect.
  G4 P1500 ;     This is just a half second extra reloading time... just to make sure
  G92 E0
  G90 ; move back to absolute mode
  M83 ; but make sure the extruder stays in relative
  ; reload filament all the way into extruder
  G92 E0
  ;G0 E0 F2000 ; <<<<<-----------  EDIT THIS DISTANCE TO FINE TUNE THE FILAMENT LOADING TO STOP BLOBBING OR UNDEREXTRUSION
  ;G92 E0
  M83 ; turn relative distances for the extruder
  M117 Tool T0
  M118 Tool T0
  G0 X110 Y110 F3000

norm

Aug 01, 2023

Update: It's a fail! The extruder is just not strong enough to feed through to the hot end. I have installed a brand-new Dragonfly hotend, installed a BMG extruder with the default motor and was printing with this easily. Hook up the 3d Chameleon, and the extruder just makes a clicking sound with no feeding of the filament. I changed it to filament 2 to free it up, and can easily push it through with my hand to have a nice extrusion so its not like there is too much drag or something. I have printed the tension modifiers - 2.25 in fact and still not strong enough for a simple extrusion. I can't even get to programming the macros for Klipper if it can't even extrude/extract or move it. I will keep trying but looking for suggestions on next steps.

Bill

Aug 01, 2023

Replying to

Is the motor stalling? Can you check to see that the motor current is set correctly? In the electronics, both of the stepper motor drivers have a small rotating potentiometer on them... they should be rotated to about the 1 o'clock position, from the stock 12 o'clock position. That increases the motor's torque.

Bill

norm

Jul 28, 2023

Update: Thanks Dave for the info! It helped a lot. Installed the 2.0 tension spring sliders. Much better performance but not quite there. It slips, it fails to pull the filament out of the hotend, and when successful, it skips and doesn't retract enough. I will print out a set of 2.25 and see if that makes a difference. I will also try and up the amp to the motor.

woodwaker_dave

Jul 28, 2023

Replying to

Good luck. I got sidelined on my install and never got back. It is a good product, but would benefit from documentation and getting some contributors really involved.

I think the 3D clippy needs to be on every system, it is just figuring out how to do it and finding the time to design and test.

norm

Jul 27, 2023

Thanks - printing now - where does it go?

woodwaker_dave

Jul 27, 2023

Replying to

These are used to replace the ones in the unit.

This file is my notes on the tension spring sliders.

A word of CAUTION. There are very small springs that apply tension to these. They want to be free, and will try to escape. Spares are on Amazon for less than $10 for 50. The actual replacement parts are on printables. I printed a few extra sets to use for testing. Bill has two versions one that uses the ferules and one that uses slots cut into the PTFE tube. My notes on that are also attached. I never spent enough time to finish getting this working on my Rat Rig, I have a Bambu X1 with AMS and a 5 head Prusa XL on order and too many other projects. I have tried to get a couple of my friends - Chris Riley and Greg's Makers corner to work on this with me, but we all have too many other projects. Hope this helps

norm

Jul 27, 2023

Solved my issue I think. It's always a stupid cable. I used the cable that came with the package to connect to the motherboard. WRONG. I grabbed a new spare and its working now. I have extrusion. Now I need to go through the macros and fix the distances being retracted because it's going to far out, and not back in far enough :) Easy to fix I think. But I may to an extrusion test to make sure I have my rotation_distance set correctly since I had a BMG extruder before, which is geared, the 3D Chameleon is not. The nice part about doing it this way is you shouldn't have to play around too much with the slicer.

Dave what rotation_distance are you using? I'm also going to look for the tension tuning sliders. The link you provided is not found.

Thanks

Norm

woodwaker_dave

Jul 27, 2023

Replying to

Good to hear you found the problem. Here is the correct link. ( I had sent my copy_ ) My rotation distance will be wrong, the extruder I had was also geared.

Probably use a stock ender extruder value.

3D design 3DChameleon Mk3 Tension Tuning Sliders | Tinkercad

woodwaker_dave

Jul 27, 2023

Would be intereseted to see how this turns out. I had the same setup except I had an OmniaDrop direct drive on mine. Here is my printer.cfg

[tmc2209 extruder]

uart_pin: PC11

tx_pin: PC10

uart_address: 3

run_current: 0.650

hold_current: 0.500

stealthchop_threshold: 5

How does it run without the Y adapter? How about with the old motor -?

I no longer have any Creality printers, but have worked a little with my Rat Rigs running on an Octopus mainboard with an APUS extruder.

Here is the link to the tension sliders that Bill referenced

https://www.tinkercad.com/things/8oN2sybev8Z-copy-of-3dchameleon-mk3-tension-tuning-sliders/edit

wjsteele

Jul 27, 2023

For Mode 1, you need to print our Tension Sliders to increase the tension applied to the drive.

I'm not at a place where I can post a link, but you can search our Tinkercad site for it or search this forum for links.

Bill