I’m running The BTT SB2240 PCB with SPI to a U2C then to BTT board through usb c. How would the Beacon set up using the usb port on the tool head? Can I use both usb and spi? Not much documentation that I could find.
VORON Design
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Anybody tried a Beacon probe
- Thread starter Mike Eitel
- Start date
Just curious - what made you go from Euclid to Klicky?
Most of the references I've come across have basically treated these two as peers / equivalents, the only real difference being philosophical - ie, whether you favor fully printed solutions over PCBs.
I had two Euclids that both died within about two weeks. I don't know if it was something I did or the product itself but I didn't want to spend the money again.
sgtcampbelld
New member
Team,
I have a Voron 2.4. Was wondering if the beacon probe would serve as the probe for quad gantry leveling once installed?
I have a Voron 2.4. Was wondering if the beacon probe would serve as the probe for quad gantry leveling once installed?
Mike Eitel
Well-known member
Yes. Very nicely
ChrisA
Well-known member
Doe anyone have insight into exactly how this Beacon probe works? What is the physic behind it? From the videos, it appears to be a flat single larger coil. Something like a magnetic phone charager coil. I wonder if these cannot be built for about $6. JLCPCB will make PCBs of this size of under $1.
Ideally you would not mount the prob to the head, but rather, the sensor coil would be built-in to the head. I'd like to use off-the-shelf coils
The other improvment I'd like to try working on is dumpping the CAN Bus and replacing it with USB-C. "C" is dramatically faster and can carry over 100W of power for the hot end heater inside a standard USB-C cable. You can combine USB using a usb hub. So the ideal is to run a single USB-C cable with beacon-like probing and all other signals and 24 volt DC power straight beck to the Raspberry Pi host. It could all go over a single off the shelf cable.
I'm going to build a tool changer or IDEX next. So with up to four toolheads, reducing the wiring matters.
I'm also looking at a linear motor with closed-loop control for X-axis as it would dramatically simplify IDEX. No bets at all on the X-axis beam. The printer could use just one belt total, for Y.
The firat step is to understand the physics of this style probe.
Ideally you would not mount the prob to the head, but rather, the sensor coil would be built-in to the head. I'd like to use off-the-shelf coils
The other improvment I'd like to try working on is dumpping the CAN Bus and replacing it with USB-C. "C" is dramatically faster and can carry over 100W of power for the hot end heater inside a standard USB-C cable. You can combine USB using a usb hub. So the ideal is to run a single USB-C cable with beacon-like probing and all other signals and 24 volt DC power straight beck to the Raspberry Pi host. It could all go over a single off the shelf cable.
I'm going to build a tool changer or IDEX next. So with up to four toolheads, reducing the wiring matters.
I'm also looking at a linear motor with closed-loop control for X-axis as it would dramatically simplify IDEX. No bets at all on the X-axis beam. The printer could use just one belt total, for Y.
The firat step is to understand the physics of this style probe.
Has anyone tried using Beacon for bed mesh _and_ calibrating Z-Offset?
I saw a post here noting that if we changed to different thickness build-plates, Z-Offset would have to be run again [using Beacon] to account for the new offset value. But if measuring Z-offset can be done with Beacon as quickly as it creates a bed-mesh, I personally don't have a problem with it doing both before each print!
I saw a post here noting that if we changed to different thickness build-plates, Z-Offset would have to be run again [using Beacon] to account for the new offset value. But if measuring Z-offset can be done with Beacon as quickly as it creates a bed-mesh, I personally don't have a problem with it doing both before each print!
If you change any height between the nozzle a and build plate you just have to do a Beacon_Calibrate and you can set the offset, save and done. It take about 1 minute and you don't have to do it again until you change that distance between nozzle and build plate again.
Maddog
Member
I have the Cartographer 3D installed instead of Beacon because Cartographer 3D uses the CAN bus. On my PI4 I have no spare USB ports so Beacon was not a real option anyway.
I think the hotend should never touch the bed and that includes all those solutions that use switches. Switches are not designed to touch 110C 3D beds.
Cartographer 3D is much more accurate and repeatable than all those other solutions with less weight and complications.
You can calibrate the Cartographer 3D for extreme accuracy as well.
My current print is
"Retries: 2/5 Probed points range: 0.000717 tolerance: 0.007500"
I think the hotend should never touch the bed and that includes all those solutions that use switches. Switches are not designed to touch 110C 3D beds.
Cartographer 3D is much more accurate and repeatable than all those other solutions with less weight and complications.
You can calibrate the Cartographer 3D for extreme accuracy as well.
My current print is
"Retries: 2/5 Probed points range: 0.000717 tolerance: 0.007500"
Laserbea4k43
Well-known member
I've used the Inductive probe, went to klicky, and to tap.
Poor duckie!!
- Inductive probe was really cool. My printer before it had a BL-Touch, but the Inductive Probe had lots of reliability issues. Maybe it was my probe brand. Can't remember.
- Went to klicky and auto-z calibrate, which was awesome when it was working but my magnets would always die and I'd have to replace the switches often.
- Tap is really nice, but I want to be fancy(and faster), so I've been looking at Beacon.
Is that an inductive probe?
OMFG THAT'S FAST!First tests with Beacon3D sensor, 15x15 mesh with 400 mm/s. Looks good so far
Needed to see that on a 350. Thanks! Works so good, you even do 2 sweeps!
Poor duckie!!I like the price. Do you mesh and QGL(if applicable) as fast as the videos in this thread?
m00dawg
Well-known member
I believe so. Whatever it is, it does seem to work much better than the OMRON solution I have found. Beacon, though, is incredible and I'm pretty sold on it based on how well it's been working on my Trident.
Laserbea4k43
Well-known member
Good to know! Now all I have to do, is figure out whether I want Beacon or Cartographer.
I don't know much about Cartographer so I can't comment on it but Beacon is releasing firmware in the next couple weeks that allows nozzle probing. They call it contact I think and have a video showing them throwing all sorts of different things on the bed and having it probe each one. This is a game changer for probes.
I think we all so wanted to see them probe off that piece of bacon, but it was just a tease.
Laserbea4k43
Well-known member
In my mind it sounds like overkill. I'm thinking the beacon is end-all be-all. does it have accuracy issues?
lord-carlos
Well-known member
The sensitive nozzle probe makes it possible to get good z offset on smooth pei buildplate without leaving marks.
It does not need the whatever kg of force like tap
I don't own a beacon, but I have not heard about any accuracy issues. Are you asking in general, the coil or the new unreleased nozzle probe?
m00dawg
Well-known member
Having used it now for several weeks, I can say in my use cases it's the most accurate probe I have and produces phenomenally consistent first layers. They are gorgeous! All for very little work (a few quick swaps across the bed). I love it! A game changer for my Trident.
On that note, anyone with a 2.4 that's still using chains that has suggestions on how to run the USB cable? Seeing how good my Trident is, I really want to upgrade my 2.4 to a Beacon but I can't sort out where to run the cabling. I was thinking I might modify the back panel to add a whole perhaps for a grommet and then out the back. But open to suggestions there! At some point I may switch both the Trident and 2.4 to an umbilical but am having an ok time with the chains.
Holding out hope for a combo Beacon/Nitehawk sort of solution that just requires a single cable (run through chains or in umbi) as that would be truly a glorious utopia of awesome.
On that note, anyone with a 2.4 that's still using chains that has suggestions on how to run the USB cable? Seeing how good my Trident is, I really want to upgrade my 2.4 to a Beacon but I can't sort out where to run the cabling. I was thinking I might modify the back panel to add a whole perhaps for a grommet and then out the back. But open to suggestions there! At some point I may switch both the Trident and 2.4 to an umbilical but am having an ok time with the chains.
Holding out hope for a combo Beacon/Nitehawk sort of solution that just requires a single cable (run through chains or in umbi) as that would be truly a glorious utopia of awesome.
