Stage 08: Klipper - Flashing

The Proforge 4 is powered by Klipper Firmware which is an open source 3D printer firmware developed by the very talented Kevin O'Connor.

The BTT Pi v2 board is an SoC (System On a Chip) board - essentially a mini-computer. It is what runs Klipper and can be considered the "brain" of the 3D printer.

The SKR 3 EZ board is a controller board. It takes instruction from the Pi board and controls the various components on the printer. It can be considered as the "nervous system" of the printer.

The SO3 Tool Board is a controller board similar to the SKR board but designed for the print head.

The Eddy Probe also needs firmware flashing to it.

Each board has its own firmware. In this stage we will flash these four firmware's - starting with the Pi board.

To Flash the SD card you will need an image writing tool. We recommend using Balena Etcher.

To edit text files you will need a text editor, we recommend:

Windows: Notepad++

Mac: Sublime Text

Take the included 32GB SanDisk SD card and flash onto it the Klipper firmware image that you downloaded in the previous step.

Use Balena Etcher to do this.

The process will take roughly 10min.

After flashing it, keep the SD card plugged in for the next step.

The Flashed SD card should now show up named BOOT, open it.

If you can't open it it, restart your PC. MAC's can sometimes struggle to open this type of storage format. If you are struggling to open this type of file and have the touch screen installed, you can skip this step and setup your wifi and timezone settings through the display.

Go the system.cfg file.

Set the host name to ProForge300 (should already be set).

Set your timezone. Use the list here.

Input your WiFi networks name and password.

Make sure the # at the front of the line is removed to activate.

Save the file when done.

Open the armbianEnv.txt file to check the touch screen display is enabled via dsi.

overlays=dsi

Carefully lay the printer down on its back. Let the base of the printer hang off the tables edge to allow access for the power cable.

The printer should stay on its back like this until we have completed the firmware flashing stage.

Insert the flashed SD card into the BTT Pi board as shown.

Check your wiring, in particular the mains wiring from the power port to the two power supplies and the wiring from the power supplies to the control boards.

Check that none of the cables are loose from their terminals.

Check the power supplies have their voltage input switches set to your mains voltage, 230V for Europe and 110V for North America.

When happy plug the cable into the back of the printer and flip the switch at the front to power up.

Be careful when powering up, the electronics will be exposed in this stage - do not touch terminals when powered up!

On first boot the printer may cycle through boot ups. If you have the touch screen installed, you will notice this on the screen.

When the printer has successfully connected to your network you will also be able to access it through a web browser that's on the same network.

You can do this by going to proforge300.local

It is normal to see an error here that the printer cannot connect, this is because we still need to flash firmware to the other boards.

Check that the electronics fan on the base is spinning.

Do not update components of the firmware - doing so may break certain aspects of the configuration.

This is normal, it is a component we have added for print head nozzle calibration.

Download the printers config files here.

Upload them to the printer.

Firmware for the SKR board is created using Klipper on the Pi.

In order to access the Pi we will use a software called Termius. Download it here.

The free version of the software is enough for what we need to do.

Install Termius and run through the set up wizard until you reach this dashboard.

In the text bar at the top type in the following:

ssh makertech@proforge300.local

The username and password is makertech

Make sure the printer is powered up and the Pi is connected to your local network.

After logging in send the following commands to the terminal:

cd ~/klipper/

followed by:

make menuconfig

You should now see a config menu, use the arrow keys on your keyboard to match the options selected in the image.

When done, press Q and then Y to save.

Send a make command to create the firmware file.

At the end of the process, you should have a klipper.bin file as shown.

Go to the SFTP tab and press Select Host to open up the file browser for the Pi.

Navigate to the klipper.bin file by going to:

home -> makertech -> klipper -> out

Drag and drop the klipper.bin file to a folder on your computer.

Rename the klipper.bin file to firmware.bin

Take the 128mb micro SD card and copy onto it the firmware.bin file.

With the printer powered off:

Insert the SD card into the SKR Board.

Disconnect the USB cable that goes to the control board from the Pi.

Power on to flash the board

Wait a minute and then plug the USB cable back into the board.

Use Termius to SSH back into the printer in order to retrieve the boards serial id.

Ensure that the SKR board is connected to the Pi via USB.

Find your unique id by sending:

ls /dev/serial/by-id/*

The serial id for the SKR board should have stm32h723xx in its name - the other id's are for the eddy probe and print heads.

It should be written in the format shown. If you see the word MARLIN or FS_MODE in the id then the board has not flashed correctly - repeat the previous steps. You can also plug the board directly into your pc to copy the firmware.bin file across, bypassing the SD card if it is causing issues.

In mainsail open the printer.cfg file that you previously uploaded.

Paste the line that you previously copied here.

Ensure to match the format as shown in the image.

Click Save & Restart when done.

The firmware file for the Eddy is created in much the same as the firmware file for the SKR.

Connect to the printer using Termius and enter:

cd ~/klipper/

Followed by:

make menuconfig

After opening the config menu, use the arrow keys on your keyboard to match the options selected in the image.

When done, press Q and then Y to save.

Before being able to flash the Eddy probe we need to put it in Boot Mode.

To do this we will need to unmount the Servo and the Eddy probe.

Put Eddy into Boot Mode by:

Unplugging Eddy from the Pi.

Plug Eddy back into the Pi whilst holding down the boot button.

In Termius send the following command:

lsusb

It should return with the Eddy in Boot Mode.

Note the device ID, in our case 2e8a:0003

Send the following command:

cd ~/klipper

Followed by:

make clean

make flash FLASH_DEVICE=2e8a:0003

Where 2e8a:0003 is your device ID from the previous step.

Makertech password is makertech

It should take a minute to flash. You may get a failed to reboot error - ignore this. Manually reboot Eddy by unplugging and plugging it back into the Pi.

Send the following to find Eddy's Serial ID:

ls /dev/serial/by-id/*

Copy the Eddy's Serial ID to your clipboard - this will be unique for you. It will be the one with rp2040 in its name.

Insert the Serial ID into the Eddy.cfg file.

Make sure it is in the same format as shown.

Save and restart when done.

The firmware file for the Print Head Tool Board is created in the same way as the previous boards.

In Termius enter:

cd ~/klipper/

Followed by:

make menuconfig

Learn more about the Orbiter Tool Board here.

After opening the config menu, use the arrow keys on your keyboard to match the options selected in the image.

When done, press Q and then Y to save.

Connect via USB just the print head tool board you are flashing - starting with print head 0, the one nearest the front of the printer.

As with the Eddy, we also need to prepare the Tool Board for flashing.

Do this by holding down both the boot and reset buttons.

Boot

Reset

Then release the reset button.

Followed by the boot button - the board will now be in DFU mode.

The buttons might be a little tricky to access. Hint, use a ceramic screwdriver or simple toothpicks to push the buttons and avoid creating any short over the board with metal tools

When in DFU mode the white extruder LED near the nozzle should shine.

Verify DFU mode by sending this command again:

lsusb

You should see the board in DFU mode.

If the board is not showing in DFU mode unplug and replug the USB Hub from the Pi. Check again by re-sending lsusb command.

Note the ID, in our case 0483:df11

Send the following command:

cd ~/klipper

Followed by:

make clean

make flash FLASH_DEVICE=0483:df11

Where 0483:df11 is your device ID from the previous step.

Makertech password is makertech

It should take a minute to flash. You may get an error - ignore this. As long as you have a File downloaded successfully response the board has been flashed

Send the following to find Print Head's Serial ID:

ls /dev/serial/by-id/*

Copy the Tool Boards Serial ID to your clipboard - this will be unique for you. It will be the one with f042 in its name.

Insert the Serial ID into the corresponding so3_x.cfg file.

Where x is 0 for the first print head

Make sure it is in the same format as shown.

Save and restart when done.

If you're running less than all 3 print heads comment out (add a # at the front of the line) the print heads that are not installed in the printer.cfg file.

Save the config file when done.

In the Variables.cfg file set the number of active print heads.

If you have just one print head installed set the value to 1, and so on...

Print heads should be installed in order from the front of the printer. If you are installing two print heads, install them in the first and second position.

Save when done.

Check the cameras device ID in the Crowsnest log file.

Open the Crowsnest.cfg file.

Set device ID to what you found in the Log file: /dev/video9

Save and restart when done.

After restarting and given you have your board, Eddy Probe and Print Heads flashed correctly they should all be connecting to Klipper as shown.

If you're getting an error you may need to re-flash the indicated component.

If you're still stuck you can get support via the Facebook group, discord or emailing us at info@makertech3d.com

For klipper related issues google can also be a good resource as klipper is an opensource firmware with many other users.

Go to setting and add a webcam.

Name it P300 or anything else you would like.

Set the streamer service to UV4L-MJPEG

Save when done.

Ready to move onto the next stage? Click here.