RPi and camera support for Printrbot Simple Maker's Kit (1405)

thingiverse

Check out the second iteration of this venture. The Printrbot Simple Maker's Kit offers plenty of room for expansion, making it an exceptional compact 3D printer with loads of possibilities. Octoprint boasts a tailored edition for the Raspberry Pi known as OctoPi, enabling users to upload STL components, initiate prints, and capture time-lapse footage via local network while freeing up their computer from the constraint of being tethered to the printer during the printing process. To securely fasten parts onto the printer, custom supports were designed that can be attached directly to existing screws. Notably, these screws extend far enough to still reach the nuts while holding the supports firmly in place. It is essential to note that this support accommodates the Raspberry Pi Model B, as opposed to the more modern B+ version. In order to achieve an optimal print distance, a longer RPi camera cable was procured from DealExtreme, albeit requiring some modifications. Initially, the lens is preset to infinite focus; however, one must manually adjust this by dislodging a tiny glob of adhesive within the camera housing by carefully rotating the lens to correct its focal point as needed. If this step is omitted, it may result in significantly distorted video. In light of the close proximity between the Printrbot USB port and the RPi's USB connector, a short-length micro-USB cable was obtained to facilitate connectivity. Lastly, a compact USB Wi-Fi dongle was added to the Raspberry Pi, thereby granting the ability to remotely monitor and control it from anywhere within the residence using any device. One notable caveat is that the present arrangement of the camera mount results in suboptimal time-lapse videos due to part motion during capture. A more satisfactory solution can be achieved by attaching the camera to the print-bed, a feature implemented in this project's second version.