Duet2 CAN system
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Sorry if this has been covered before (I did search) but I thought it worth asking whether there is ever likely to be any update/add-on for Duet2 boards to allow them to work with the CAN ecosystem of tool boards and other future extensions or if that's even possible.
I have a Duet2 WiFi already and would love to make use of a tool board. I think the Duet3 looks fantastic but I just can't justify the cost of replacing my current board when the Duet2 is already very capable. I suspect I'm not the only one in this position or similar.
Perhaps a lower cost option will be made available? I understand the drivers are only part of the total cost but, with a tool board, a main board with just 4x 2A drivers would cover the vast majority of printers. I expect its far more complex than that but I just want to find a way to use tool boards.
P.S. I know it's a little ridiculous but I love the idea of a completely modular system with a main board that's basically just a brain and all the I/O on extension boards. -
@littlehobbyshop we are working on providing an option to allow for Duet 2 to work with a single-board computer and DSF however woring with the CAN ecosystem is not currently on the cards for Duet 2.
A lower cost Duet 3 mainboard with CAN is under consideration but no firm decisions have been made yet.
Edited to say: There is a balance between all functionality onboard and all functionality on expansion boards. Both extremes work out more expensive on average.
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@T3P3Tony thank you. I'd add my vote for the lower cost board for sure.
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your best option for a toolboard like attachment to the duet 2 is the smart effector, but a) you can have only one, b) it doesn't sport a stepper for a close-by extruder, c) unless you have a delta-like setup it's inconveniently shaped.
It's open source though, so you could try remixing it to a more convenient shape and since there's a lot of cables going from it to the duet2 already if you remix it you might be able to add a driver and a connector to connect that to the expansion port pins ....
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@T3P3Tony said in Duet2 CAN system:
A lower cost Duet 3 mainboard with CAN is under consideration but no firm decisions have been made yet.
I'd be fore e.g. very interested in a duet3 type board that
- have step/dir/enable headers for the on-board stepper drivers, but none of the drivers itself
- have link to SBC
- have CAN so I can use those 3 driver boards and single driver toolboards
- toolboard without a driver - so toolboard with everything as is only without a driver but just a header for external driver (but with all the inputs and outputs), ideally if it makes no difference in price have 3 headers like current 3driver can board
Now, "very interested" - I'd probbly want to buy 2, maybe 3 of those mainboards and up to ten toolboards, not like I'm reselling them / adding to devices I sell. I was already considering making this type of boards myself, after I'm out of the current projects (probbly january 2021)
