Is printer speed really held back by CPU?

[sprior]

I just came across this Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/11 ... ter-faster which seems to claim that a major limiting factor on 3D printing speed is the CPU speed in the RAMPS/RAMBo controller boards. They claim 4X improvement with their board. I'm quite surprised to hear a claim like this, I was under the impression that if you ran things faster you'd have all sorts of ringing issues with the XY motion and the plastic would have trouble keeping up with faster extrusion. It just seems that if the CPU speed had been the limiting factor that would have been easy to address before now.

What do you think?

[jimc]

absolutely. m2 or any other printer or hardware aside, the current controller boards are just not fast enough.

[insta]

For deltas, it is a limiting factor.

Additionally, more CPU will allow for better acceleration, which will impact ringing. Marlin uses an easy acceleration profile (trapezoidal) because it's less demanding of the little CPU.

At the same time, projects like TinyG are using linear pop acceleration (!!) with a Due and getting great results...this board seems unnecessary.

I wish I could get hold of a TinyG v9 to try on my M2. I think all ringing will be gone immediately.

[jsc]

Let us know if you do, I think that would be a great upgrade. Unfortunately, most of the next generation of boards and software still seems (to me) to be in "for experienced tinkerers only" stage, and it's not something I have the time for. I'm currently aware of TinyG (targeted for CNC use, 3D printer support barely begun last I checked) and LinuxCNC/MachineKit. Someone would have to source a board, work out all the electrical connections, and work up the firmware for the M2. I don't want to take my printer out of commission for the weeks/months it would take to figure all that out.

[insta]

I've considered starting an IndieGogo flex-funding campaign for "upgrades you'd like to see to an M2 but are only $20 curious about", since I have the harem of M2s at my disposal to play with.

It's iffy advertising it here because several of the parts would be in direct competition with Rick's parts, although I'm sure MG's components would stand on their own

[jsc]

You can't upgrade an M2 until you've actually bought an M2....

[insta]

Eh Rick was (somewhat understandably) upset when I recommended one person get the Micron dual-extruder upgrade vs. the dual V4. I like MG and they treat me well so I'd like to stay on their good side, and somehow I don't think hosting a "what products compete with MakerGear's" on their own forums is quite the venue for that

[sprior]

Since MakerGear doesn't make the RAMBo board and is always looking for improvements to the machine, I'd think that someone doing the research on a new part which may improve the machine would be appreciated and maybe lead to MakerGear sourcing a different part in the future. I don't really see this discussion as competition.

[insta]

Since MakerGear doesn't make the RAMBo board and is always looking for improvements to the machine, I'd think that someone doing the research on a new part which may improve the machine would be appreciated and maybe lead to MakerGear sourcing a different part in the future. I don't really see this discussion as competition.

For the board specifically, no it's not competition. I wasn't going to limit it to just the board though in my IGG idea, and other facets would compete with MG.

[lem]

Well. This is interesting. If Rick want's somebody to convert an M2 (a loaner, of course) and test this, I've got some time

Larry