Do i need a raspberry pi for voron 2.4?

[Andidas]

I am going to build a Voron 2.4.
It's my first really self build printer.

I purchased the Fysetc 2.4 R2 Kit and it needs some time to arrive from china. Meanwhile I am printing and buying some parts.

I have already 2 printers (Ender 3 S1 Pro and Ender 5) with Klipper. My Klipper is on my Server with some other stuff. I have more than enough headroom for another printer.

Everywhere I am reading that a raspberry pi is needed, but I am reading that it's only needed for klipper.

 

[vinnycordeiro]

You need a computer running Linux in order to install the server part of Klipper and run your printer. Typically that is done with a SBC such as the Raspberry Pi, but you can use whatever solution you want that works. I've heard of people running Klipper on a Docker container on their home servers.

 

[scharkalvin]

My first project with Klipper will be to run it on my Ender 3 Pro. I have an HP520 thin client PC that has a dual core AMD processor @ 1.2ghz, 4gb ram, and a 128gb SSD. It's now running Debian 13 (testing) and has klipper installed on it. I still have to compile an image for the Ender 3 firmware, and then to set up the needed config files. The HP520 has 4 USB2.0, and 2 USB3.0 ports. One of the USB3.0 ports has a WiFi dongle, the other one has an SD card reader. I will plug the Ender 3 MB into one of the USB2.0 ports, and a RPi Pico into another one. The Pico will be a second MCU connected to two AXL345's, one on the bed, and the other on the tool head. Once I get Klipper running, I'll think about a Switchwire conversion. I don't see why this thin client wouldn't work on a 2.4 other than it might not fit into the printer, and have to be external.

 

[Andidas]

You need a computer running Linux in order to install the server part of Klipper and run your printer. Typically that is done with a SBC such as the Raspberry Pi, but you can use whatever solution you want that works. I've heard of people running Klipper on a Docker container on their home servers.

I am already running Klipper in a Docker container on my server.

So I just need to connect the controller board to my server and flash it like my other printers?

 

[vinnycordeiro]

I am already running Klipper in a Docker container on my server.

So I just need to connect the controller board to my server and flash it like my other printers?

You'll need a new Klipper instance, but it should work.

 

[Rusty105]

Any reason to not have a separate RasPi? Other than cost?

 

[lord-carlos]

Any reason to not have a separate RasPi? Other than cost?

One less thing to wire up and take up space.
I suspect if his server is always on the boot time for the printer might also be a tat faster.
Backup might also be simpler.

 

[Nurgelrot]

Just pointing out that you CAN build a voron with out a PI. You just have to use a diffrent firmware than Klipper. RepRapFirmware will drive A Voron just fine. No PI needed.

 

[ChrisA]

I am going to build a Voron 2.4.
It's my first really self build printer.

I purchased the Fysetc 2.4 R2 Kit and it needs some time to arrive from china. Meanwhile I am printing and buying some parts.

I have already 2 printers (Ender 3 S1 Pro and Ender 5) with Klipper. My Klipper is on my Server with some other stuff. I have more than enough headroom for another printer.

Everywhere I am reading that a raspberry pi is needed, but I am reading that it's only needed for klipper.

While I was waiting for printer parts to ship, I thought I'd start working on the electronics and configuration. So I installed Klipper (and mainsail) on a virtual Linux machine that was running on an Apple M2-Pro Mac. My Mac has 12 CPU cores and could spare two of them to run printer software. Now the system is moved to a Pi3. So I got to compare the performance.

The VM on the Mac had dramatically better performance than the Pi3 (ut the Mac costs $1,200 and the Pi3 cost me $28) People use the Pi because it is small and cheap and uses only a little bit of power, not because it is the best solution. It is "Good Enough"

For normal printing the Pi3 uses only 4 to 6 percent of the CPU. I've seen brief jumps to 80% but low single digits is the norm. There is no reason for a faster computer than the Pi3.

As a test, I installed a 144 neopixel LED strip and I'm using LED_Effects to do animations in Klipper. The strip is thumbtacked to the wall with a cable running into the printer. When I like the result, I will cut the strip down to a reasonable length and mount the LEDs inside the printer. But for now all 144 are wired up. Complex animations at high frame rates look cool but COMPLETELY kill the Pi3. I can push it to 100% CPU if I want. If you want the "bling" of 100+ moving colored lights all changing color and brightness at once, A Pi3 is not going to cut it.

I am programming the printer to do the complex light stuff when idle and just steady illumination while printing. The flashy lights will mean "print is ready" or "error". This is 100% doable with the Pi3.

Another use case for a not-Pi on the Voron V2 printer is if youwant a realy huge control screen, rather then thar 5 screen. Then run the software on an old notebook PC with (say) a 14" screen

BTW, I just got hold of an old Android phone. There is a good chance it could be made to work with Klipper. Android is after all, Linux.

So,.... MANY otions other then a Pi3. But few that cost less.
I

 

[Dave32]

To me, the compartmentalization of loads is worth the cost of the Pi.

It's nice to be able to start a print, then not be tied to the printer for the duration of the print. Sure a server was mentioned, so constant uptime is presumed.. but there are still times when updates need to be applied, or other workloads could potentially interfere. If you have something you want to do with the other computer, but can't because of concern for interrupting the print, it's just not worth any savings. (My two cents.)

 

[Just_brad]

The cost of the hardware is small - I have been using OctoPrint on other printers and went with one printer one raspberry PI.

I thought the Raspberry PI drove the LCD display and provided remote management? I am just picking up upgrades to the LDO kit for when it arrives, and the raspberry pi was the first.
I did find out that the Raspberry PI 5 is not recommended with the current Klipper+mainsail + due to hardware changes for camera support that have not been fully worked around.

 

[shiftingtech]

I thought the Raspberry PI drove the LCD display and provided remote management?

Nope. Klipper isn't marlin. Most of klipper's "smarts" run on the pi