Idexx printing two separate items

[wdenker]

So I have an idexx machine setup and wondering if anyone has successfully been able to set one up to have each head print something different at the same exact time. I want to take that one step further and combine them like the attached pics. 

[o_lampe]

@wdenker
RRF3.3 is far from that. @dc42 mentioned, he's working on a dual gcode-stream.
But there's still a possible issue with mesh leveling. IMHO it's essential to have independent mini z-axis on the second tool for nozzle height control.
Maybe other firmware on a Duet can do that already?

[wdenker]

@o_lampe I don't have a problem with z as my layer heights are big.

[dc42]

@wdenker I presume you mean you have a IDEXY machine? i.e. the heads are independent Y as well as independent X.

What we are planning is to allow a single GCode file to have two (or more) possible streams in it, executed in parallel. At certain points they would synchronise, e.g. at the end of each layer. So you would need to preprocess your two GCode files to create a single composite file.

It's possible that in SBC mode the merging of two GCode files could be done in real time by a plugin.

[wdenker]

@dc42 yes I do have it running and it's big enough that I can test with any size object almost but would be awesome to be able to print two different things at the same time and splitting the one object in half so that really I'm printing one thing and just doing half on each head.

[Phaedrux]

@wdenker said in Idexx printing two separate items:

like the attached pics. 

Can you try uploading your photos one more time? We've added the .webp file format now.

[wdenker]

@phaedrux

[o_lampe]

@wdenker said in Idexx printing two separate items:

splitting the one object in half so that really I'm printing one thing and just doing half on each head.

You'd need to define a collison zone or have a clever slicer to avoid 'headbanging'

[MaracMB]

@dc42 is there a rough timeline when this parallel printing ability will become a reality or ready for testing for us mortals?

[dc42]

@maracmb said in Idexx printing two separate items:

@dc42 is there a rough timeline when this parallel printing ability will become a reality or ready for testing for us mortals?

Possibly in firmware 3.4 but more likely in 3.5. It won't be supported on older Duets due to lack of RAM.

[wdenker]

@dc42 if you need someone to test and help I can.

[wdenker]

@dc42 how close are we on 3.5? Anything I can do to help that along?

[wdenker]

@dc42 Any update on the parallel printing? 3.4 possible or still more likely 3.5?

[o_lampe]

@wdenker I've posted a demo video of a hashPrinter doing two different things at once, but I wrote the script myself.
I noticed, there is a huge pile of problems to solve, before we can simply choose two gcode files and print them together.

[wdenker]

@o_lampe how hard is it to use your script? Would you share?

[o_lampe]

@wdenker There is no post processing script. I simply took two short gcode files (generated with sandify) with roughly the same amount of moves and cobbled them together.
TwoTools.gcode