Texas Instruments TIDA-00293 User Manual

TIDA-00293 DLP®3D Printer User's Guide

User's Guide

Literature Number: DLPU025

September 2014

Contents

Preface ........................................................................................................................................ 6

1 Introduction to the DLP

1.1 ................................................................................................................................. 7

1.2 Stereolithography ............................................................................................................ 7

1.3 How the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Works ..................................................................... 7

1.3.1 DLP Structured Light SDK......................................................................................... 7

1.3.2 Photo-resins ........................................................................................................ 7

1.3.3 DLP LightCrafter™ 4500 Evaluation Module.................................................................... 7

1.3.4 Velmex XSlide™ Translation Stage.............................................................................. 7

1.3.5 Mechanical Structure............................................................................................... 8

1.3.6 DLP 3D Printer Microcontroller.................................................................................... 8

1.3.7 Front Panel User Interface ........................................................................................ 8

1.3.8 DLP 3D Printer Graphical User Interface........................................................................ 8

1.3.9 Object Layer Images ............................................................................................... 8

2 Installing the DLP

2.1 ................................................................................................................................. 9

2.2 Future Technology Devices International D2XX Driver Installation ................................................... 9

2.3 Downloading the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design .................................................................. 13

2.4 Installing the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design ....................................................................... 13

3 Using the DLP

3.1 ................................................................................................................................ 17

3.2 Programming The MSTP Cape........................................................................................... 17

3.3 Preparing The Hardware For Printing ................................................................................... 21

3.4 Printing An Object.......................................................................................................... 27

4 Building the DLP

4.1 ................................................................................................................................ 34

4.2 Qt Creator Installation ..................................................................................................... 34

4.3 OpenCV Build and Installation............................................................................................ 41

4.4 DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Project File Setup................................................................. 52

5 DLP

3D Printer Design Considerations ................................................................................ 56

5.1 ................................................................................................................................ 56

5.2 Hardware Design........................................................................................................... 56

5.2.1 Illumination Source................................................................................................ 56

5.2.2 Build Orientation................................................................................................... 56

5.2.3 Build Envelope And Voxel Resolution.......................................................................... 58

5.2.4 Build Platform...................................................................................................... 59

5.2.5 Mechanical Structure ............................................................................................. 59

5.3 Microcontroller Firmware Design......................................................................................... 59

5.3.1 State Machine ..................................................................................................... 59

5.3.2 Communications With The PC .................................................................................. 60

5.3.3 Motor Drive Functionality......................................................................................... 60

5.3.4 LCD Interface ...................................................................................................... 60

5.4 DLP 3D Printer GUI Design............................................................................................... 60

5.4.1 DLP Structured Light SDK ....................................................................................... 60

3D Printer Reference Design......................................................................... 17

3D Printer Reference Design ............................................................. 7

3D Printer Reference Design...................................................................... 9

3D Printer Reference Design from Source .................................................. 34

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5.4.2 Multithreading...................................................................................................... 60

5.4.3 Qt Design Environment........................................................................................... 61

6 Troubleshooting................................................................................................................. 62

6.1 General Troubleshooting Steps .......................................................................................... 62

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List of Figures

2-1. FTDI D2XX Download....................................................................................................... 9

2-2. Extracted FTDI Driver Files................................................................................................. 9

2-3. Devices and Printers In The Windows Start Bar....................................................................... 10

2-4. TTL-232R-3V3 Properties Menu ......................................................................................... 10

2-5. Hardware Properties Button .............................................................................................. 11

2-6. Change Settings Button For Hardware Properties..................................................................... 11

2-7. Update Driver Option ...................................................................................................... 12

2-8. Browse Computer For Driver Files....................................................................................... 12

2-9. Select Driver File Folder................................................................................................... 13

2-10. Begin The Update Of Drivers............................................................................................. 13

2-11. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Installation Executable ........................................................... 14

2-12. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Setup Wizard Screen............................................................. 14

2-13. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design License Agreement Screen...................................................... 15

2-14. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Installation Path Selection ....................................................... 15

2-15. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Installation Confirmation ......................................................... 16

2-16. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design File Installation Progress......................................................... 16

2-17. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Installation Completion........................................................... 16

3-1. Importing The DLP 3D Printer Firmware Project....................................................................... 18

3-2. CCS Project Import Source Selection ................................................................................... 19

3-3. CCS Project Importation Search ......................................................................................... 19

3-4. DLP 3D Printer Firmware Project Path Selection ...................................................................... 20

3-5. DLP 3D Printer Project Importation And Discovery.................................................................... 20

3-6. Uploading the DLP 3D Printer Firmware To The MSTP Cape....................................................... 21

3-7. DLP 3D Printer Built Hardware........................................................................................... 22

3-8. Resin Vat Placement ...................................................................................................... 23

3-9. Resin Vat Locked In Position............................................................................................. 23

3-10. TTL-232R-3V3 Connected To DLP 3D Printer......................................................................... 24

3-11. LightCrafter 4500 USB Connection ...................................................................................... 24

3-12. LightCrafter 4500 And TTL-232R-3V3 Cable Connected To PC .................................................... 25

3-13. Connecting 12 V Power To The Printer ................................................................................. 25

3-14. DLP 3D Printer Initialization Message................................................................................... 26

3-15. DLP 3D Printer Initialized And Waiting.................................................................................. 26

3-16. Perforated Aluminum Build Plate In Place.............................................................................. 27

3-17. Executing The DLP 3D Printer Program ................................................................................ 28

3-18. Setting The Image Folder ................................................................................................. 29

3-19. Layer Image Folder Selection ............................................................................................ 30

3-20. Printer Settings Check Before Sending Images To The Printer...................................................... 31

3-21. Starting The Print Sequence.............................................................................................. 32

3-22. Object Layer Image Sequence Upload Completed.................................................................... 33

3-23. Beginning Of Object Printing.............................................................................................. 33

4-1. Qt Creator IDE Installation................................................................................................ 34

4-2. Qt Creator IDE Installation Path Selection.............................................................................. 35

4-3. Qt Creator IDE Installation Component Selection ..................................................................... 35

4-4. Qt Creator IDE End User License Agreement.......................................................................... 36

4-5. Qt Creator IDE Ready To Install ......................................................................................... 36

4-6. Qt Creator IDE Installing .................................................................................................. 37

4-7. Qt IDE Installation Completed............................................................................................ 37

List of Figures DLPU025–September 2014

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4-8. Finding the MinGW Installation Path .................................................................................... 38

4-9. System Environment Variables Editing.................................................................................. 39

4-10. System Properties Window ............................................................................................... 39

4-11. Editing the PATH Variable ................................................................................................ 40

4-12. MinGW Directory Added to the PATH Variable ........................................................................ 40

4-13. OpenCV Source Extraction Path......................................................................................... 41

4-14. OpenCV Source Extraction ............................................................................................... 41

4-15. Cmake Installation Entry .................................................................................................. 41

4-16. Cmake User License Agreement......................................................................................... 42

4-17. Cmake Installation Options ............................................................................................... 42

4-18. Cmake Installation Path ................................................................................................... 42

4-19. Cmake Installation Completed............................................................................................ 43

4-20. Cmake GUI Execution From Windows Start Button................................................................... 43

4-21. Cmake GUI Source Selection ............................................................................................ 44

4-22. OpenCV Source Selection In Cmake.................................................................................... 45

4-23. Cmake GUI Build Selection............................................................................................... 46

4-24. Cmake GUI Configure Build .............................................................................................. 46

4-25. Cmake Compiler Configuration........................................................................................... 47

4-26. Cmake Install Option Configuration...................................................................................... 48

4-27. Cmake Build Options Input ............................................................................................... 49

4-28. Cmake Make File Generation............................................................................................. 49

4-29. Opening a Command Line Window...................................................................................... 50

4-30. Starting the OpenCV Build Process ..................................................................................... 51

4-31. Long OpenCV Build Process ............................................................................................. 51

4-32. Installing the OpenCV Libraries .......................................................................................... 51

4-33. Opening the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Project In Qt Creator.............................................. 52

4-34. QT .pro File Location ...................................................................................................... 53

4-35. Configuring the QT .pro for Building..................................................................................... 53

4-36. Opening the QT .pro for Editing.......................................................................................... 54

4-37. Editing The Include Paths For OpenCV and FTDI Libraries.......................................................... 54

4-38. Running The DLP 3D Printer Reference Design GUI ................................................................. 55

5-1. Top-Down Build Method................................................................................................... 57

5-2. Bottom-Up Build Method .................................................................................................. 58

DLPU025–September 2014 List of Figures

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About This Guide

The DLP™ 3D Printer Reference Design enables faster development of 3D printing applications utilizing DLP platforms. This guide walks the user through the installation, operation, and recommended use settings of the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design, as well as building the GUI and microcontroller firmware from source code.

Related Documentation from Texas Instruments

DLPC350 Datasheet: DLP Digital Controller for the DLP4500 DMD, DLPS029 DLP4500 Datasheet: DLP®0.45 WXGA DMD, DLPS028 User's Guide: DLP®LightCrafter 4500™ Evaluation Module, DLPU011 User's Guide: MSP430x2xx Family, SLAU144 DRV8825 Datasheet: Stepper Motor Controller IC, DRV8825

If You Need Assistance

Refer to the DLP and MEMS TI E2E Community support forums

Preface

DLPU025–September 2014

Read This First

Minimum System Requirements

• PC with 1GHz, or faster, 32-bit (x86) processor

• 2 GB RAM

• 10 GB of free hard-disk space

• Microsoft®Windows®7 SP 1

• Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable

• Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable

• 2x USB 2.0 port

• Qt Creator 5.3.0 Integrated Design Environment (IDE)

• OpenCV v2.4.9 Libraries

• DLP®LightCrafter 4500™ Evaluation Module

• Code Composer Studio™ v6

• Future Technology Devices International Ltd. D2XX Drivers 2.10.00

• Freesteel Z-level Slicer Note: The DLP 3D Printer Reference Design installation and setup is written for users that are familiar

with navigating through Windows command line prompts and building executable binaries from source code.

Note: The DLP 3D Printer Reference Design was created with the above listed versions of each software tool. Using newer versions of the software tools may render the code inoperable, and it shall be up to the user to make appropriate changes to the source code for compatibility.

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Chapter 1

DLPU025–September 2014

Introduction to the DLP®3D Printer Reference Design

1.1 The DLP 3D Printer Reference Design is a full hardware design enabling 3-dimensional printing of objects

from cross-sectional images from meshed models. The reference design includes a lightweight GUI, electrical schematics, cable assembly drawings, and mechanical drawings to create the printer.

1.2 Stereolithography

Stereolithography is an additive manufacturing method that employs a photo-curable resin. Exposing the photo-resin to successive 2-dimensional object cross sections create the 3-dimensional objects a single layer at a time. The resin, composed of monomers, cross-links when exposed to light of a sufficient energy level. The cross-linking of the monomers generates a polymer chain, creating a solid material where the resin was exposed. Stereolithography was traditionally achieved by outlining the object layer with a laser; DLP technology allows an entire layer to be exposed at once by dynamically masking a broad light source.

1.3 How the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Works

The DLP 3D Printer Reference Design consists of a LightCrafter 4500 evaluation module, a translation stage driven by a stepper motor, and a microcontroller at its core. The DLP 3D Printer Reference Design utilizes the DLP Structured Light SDK to perform the printed image creation and layer sequence for printed objects.

1.3.1 DLP Structured Light SDK

A GUI on a host PC allows the user to upload the sliced object images to the DLP 3D Printer for storage and exposure. The sliced layers are combined into composite images and uploaded to the LightCrafter 4500 along with their exposure sequence. The DLP Structured Light SDK prepares the layer images and contains development modules for preparing image sequences. The SDK source code is made available along with the GUI source code in the TIDA-00293 DLP 3D Printer design files package.

1.3.2 Photo-resins

A host of photo-resins are available in the SLA market, offered by a handful of commercial manufacturers. Each resin has different physical properties lending themselves to specific applications. The DLP 3D Printer is built with a 420 nm light source, which allows the use of any resin that is curable at this wavelength or above. The resin used during the development of the DLP 3D Printer was sourced from

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1.3.3 DLP LightCrafter™ 4500 Evaluation Module

The DLP 3D Printer Reference Design uses a modified LightCrafter 4500 projector to expose the photoresin. The LightCrafter 4500 is modified with a 420 nm Philips Lumileds Luxeon®UV LED. The projection optics are also modified to allow the projector to focus at shorter distances, enabling higher resolution printed objects.

1.3.4 Velmex XSlide™ Translation Stage

The printed objects form on a platform that translates on one axis only. The translation stage lowers the build platform a precise and accurate distance for each printed layer. This reference design uses the Velmex XSlide, which accepts NEMA 17 or 23 sized stepper motors and has integrated limit switches. The stage is highly rigid for it's small size to ensure repeatable positioning of the build platform.

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How the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Works

1.3.5 Mechanical Structure

The DLP 3D Printer mechanical assembly is constructed from 0.25" thick aluminum plates to make the structure as rigid as possible. The structure's role is to hold the orientation of the build platform/translation stage, photo-resin vat, and projector tightly, in relation to each other, to reduce dimensional errors in the printed objects. The mechanical assembly features an easily removable photo-resin vat.

1.3.6 DLP 3D Printer Microcontroller

The DLP 3D Printer has to synchronize motor control along with exposure of the object layers, as well as supply an interface with a front panel LCD screen and user buttons. An MSP430F2410 controls the operation of the DLP 3D Printer onboard a stand-alone capable BeagleBone Black MSTP Cape. The MSTP cape contains the microcontroller and a DRV8825 stepper motor control IC. The MSP430/DRV8825 combination is capable of driving bipolar and unipolar stepper motors with phase voltages between 8.2 V to 45 V. The DRV8825 can output up to 2.5 A of current at 24 V. The MSTP cape must be modified by the addition of connections between the microcontroller and header pins. The connections that must be added are highlighted in red in the cape schematic in the TIDA-00293 design file package.

1.3.7 Front Panel User Interface

Users can interface with the DLP 3D Printer through a front panel once the print has been started. A 4-line LCD screen with 20 characters per line displays information to the user such as the number of print layers and the current layer in the print sequence. The LCD screen is controlled by the MSP430 through an HD44780 controller. The front panel also has two buttons allowing users to interact with the printer, either by responding to LCD prompts or pausing -- and even cancelling -- the print sequence.

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1.3.8 DLP 3D Printer Graphical User Interface

Object layer images are uploaded to the DLP 3D Printer hardware utilizing a GUI. Object layer images must be 912 × 1140 resolution due to the native resolution of the LightCrafter 4500. The images are processed by the DLP Structured Light SDK into a firmware file containing the sequence of layer images. The GUI takes a basic set of parameters from the user including: LED current setting, layer exposure time, z-layer step resolution, resin settling time, and the directory where object layer images are kept.

1.3.9 Object Layer Images

Object layer images can be made by hand using a drawing utility, or created by slicing STL file models. STL files are the de facto standard input file for 3D printers, and are readily available in multiple online libraries. STL files can be sliced using the Freesteel slicer utility found here:

http://www.freesteel.co.uk/wpblog/slicer/. The output image file format recommended is BMP. The output

images should have a 16:10 aspect ratio as output from the slicer, but be resized to 912 × 1140. Resizing the images will change the aspect ratio, but the diamond array of the DLP4500 DMD will return the image to the proper 16:10 aspect ratio once projected. Object features should be colored white and the background should be black. Any white pixels in the object layer images will be printed in the resin.

The object layer images must be isolated in a file directory and stored in alpha-numeric order. Freesteel slicer will handle this for the user if a static output file name is supplied. No other files should be kept in the directory with the layer images.

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Chapter 2

DLPU025–September 2014

Installing the DLP®3D Printer Reference Design

2.1 Before using the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design GUI, a few software dependencies and the reference

design software itself, must be installed. The host PC communicates with the DLP 3D Printer controller through a USB to Serial adaptor by FTDI. The FTDI drivers must be installed before the GUI will run properly. Please read the following sections for more detailed instructions.

2.2 Future Technology Devices International D2XX Driver Installation

The TTL-232R-3V3 device by FTDI allows a USB port on a Windows computer to communicate with TTL devices. The drivers are not automatically installed by Windows. Follow the procedure below to install the proper drivers.

1. Go to the FTDI D2XX driver download site, located at http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm and download the 32-bit Windows, as shown in Figure 2-1.

2. Extract the downloaded .zip file into a convenient folder, as shown in Figure 2-2.

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Figure 2-1. FTDI D2XX Download

Figure 2-2. Extracted FTDI Driver Files

Future Technology Devices International D2XX Driver Installation

3. After extraction of the driver files, click the Windows button and open Devices and Printers, as shown in Figure 2-3.

Figure 2-3. Devices and Printers In The Windows Start Bar

4. Find the device labeled TTL232R-3V3 in the list of devices attached to the computer. Right click the device, and select Properties, as shown in Figure 2-4.

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Figure 2-4. TTL-232R-3V3 Properties Menu

5. Enter the Hardware tab and click the Properties button, shown in Figure 2-5.

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6. Click the Change Settings button, highlighted in Figure 2-6. Click Yes on the prompt for administrator

Future Technology Devices International D2XX Driver Installation

Figure 2-5. Hardware Properties Button

privileges.

Figure 2-6. Change Settings Button For Hardware Properties

7. Enter the Driver tab, and click the Update Driver button, as shown in Figure 2-7.

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Future Technology Devices International D2XX Driver Installation

Figure 2-7. Update Driver Option

8. Click the Browse my computer option, shown in Figure 2-8.

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Figure 2-8. Browse Computer For Driver Files

9. Click the Browse button that is highlighted in Figure 2-9. Select the folder containing the extracted driver files from step 2, then click the OK button, as shown in Figure 2-9.

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Downloading the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design

Figure 2-9. Select Driver File Folder

10. Click the Next button, shown in Figure 2-10.

Figure 2-10. Begin The Update Of Drivers

11. Windows will select the proper drivers from the extracted files and install them. The FTDI D2XX driver installation is complete. Close all associated windows.

2.3 Downloading the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design

Compiled binaries for the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design are offered for convenience if the user does not want to build them from source. The binaries are distributed along with the source code in a single executable file which can be downloaded from the Texas Instruments Reference Design site. The source code and pre-built program are distributed with the TI Design files in a .zip package.

2.4 Installing the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design

1. Decompress the "tidc***.zip" file in a convenient location.

2. Install the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design by executing the file "TIDA00293-***-windowsinstaller.exe," as shown in Figure 2-11.

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Installing the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design

Figure 2-11. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Installation Executable

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3. Click the Next button on the install wizard setup screen, as shown in Figure 2-12.

Figure 2-12. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Setup Wizard Screen

4. Read and review the license agreement for the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design, as shown in

Figure 2-13. Click the I accept the agreement radio button and then click the Next button to continue

installing the software.

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5. Select an installation path where the reference design software will be located. Click the Next button,

Installing the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design

Figure 2-13. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design License Agreement Screen

as shown in Figure 2-14. Click the Next button to continue installing the software. Warning: Do not include any spaces in the installation path for the reference design. Spaces will cause errors if the software is built from source as described in Chapter 4!

Figure 2-14. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Installation Path Selection

6. The installer is ready to install, click the Next button to start the process, as shown in Figure 2-15.

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Installing the DLP 3D Printer Reference Design

Figure 2-15. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Installation Confirmation

7. Wait for the files to install in the location specified, as shown in Figure 2-16.

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Figure 2-16. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design File Installation Progress

8. Once the files have been extracted and installed, click the Finish button to close the installer, as shown in Figure 2-17.

Figure 2-17. DLP 3D Printer Reference Design Installation Completion

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Chapter 3

DLPU025–September 2014

Using the DLP®3D Printer Reference Design

3.1 The DLP 3D Printer Reference Design application allows users to upload images that represent the cross-

sectional layers of a 3-dimensional object. The layers can be generated in a few methods including by hand, automatically through a CAD utility, or a specific slicing tool designed for cutting a 3-dimensional model into layers. Freesteel Slicer was used and can be found here:

http://www.freesteel.co.uk/wpblog/slicer/.

3.2 Programming The MSTP Cape

This section demonstrates how the DLP 3D Printer firmware is uploaded to the MSP430 on the MSTP Cape. This method requires an MSP-FET430UIF JTAG debugging tool and Code Composer Studio v4 or later.

1. Connect the MSP-FET430UIF ribbon cable to J5 of the BeagleBone MSTP cape.

2. Connect the MSP-FET430UIF USB connector to the PC loaded with Code Composer Studio v4 or later.

3. Run Code Composer Studio.

4. Click the File tab in the menu bar, then click Import... as shown in Figure 3-1.

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Programming The MSTP Cape

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Figure 3-1. Importing The DLP 3D Printer Firmware Project

5. Expand the Code Composer Studio folder then click the CCS Projects item, as shown in Figure 3-2.

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Programming The MSTP Cape

Figure 3-2. CCS Project Import Source Selection

6. Click the Browse... button next to the search directory box, as shown in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3. CCS Project Importation Search

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Texas Instruments TIDA-00293 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

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User Manual