Hictop 3DP-11-ATL Mini Differential IR Sensor Mount

thingiverse

I'm looking to print on glass so the stock inductive sensor that comes with my Hictop-3DP-11-ATL printer won't work. After researching, I settled on the mini differential IR sensor (https://miscsolutions.wordpress.com/mini-height-sensor-board/). I designed a sensor mount for it that replaces the inductive sensor mount and allows for adjustability up and down. I'm also sharing my Marlin 1.1.5 Configuration.h file so you can see how to set up the sensor in the Marlin firmware. Setting up the sensor is a bit tricky as most of the documentation for the sensor is for delta printers. Here's some communication I received from the sensor creator that helped me figure out what to do to change the firmware: If you already had a different proximity sensor working, then you'd need to: 1. Connect the IR sensor in place of the previous proximity sensor - except that your old proximity sensor may have needed a 12V supply; whereas the IR sensor needs only 3.3V or 5V, which is available from the 3rd pin of the endstop connector on most controller electronics. 2. In the firmware for your controller electronics, make sure that the pullup resistor on the input that the sensor is connected to is enabled. Then the LED on the sensor should flash twice a few seconds after power up. If it flashes four times, then the pullup resistor is not enabled. 3. The IR sensor produces an active high output. If your previous proximity sensor had an active low output (e.g. NPN inductive sensor), then you'll need to invert the sense of the Z probe input, which is another firmware configuration setting. 4. Measure the trigger height and configure that value in your firmware. The sensor works great now and I can print on glass. ******* Update ******* I tried out the mini differential IR sensor with the sensor in the same location as the inductive sensor and after several prints, I wanted to get the sensor closer to the extruder so I had more accuracy and could use more of my print bed. I modified the IR Sensor Mount v1.stl and created a new mount that brings the IR sensor underneath the extruder motor and fairly close to the extruder. I haven't tried printing yet and hope the extruder doesn't get my mounting bracket/sensor too hot, but it looks like this will work better. ******* Update ******* After using the "IR Sensor Mount Under Extruder Motor v1.stl" part for a bit, it really started to warp. It was a touch too close to the extruder and I printed in PLA. I created "IR Sensor Mount Under Extruder Motor v2.stl" that stiffens the mount a bit, moves it a touch further away from the extruder, and is now printed in ABS. I am just getting ready to test it out, but from an installation standpoint, it's much better now.