Starting a print job remotely using PLC & Pi - would this be feasible?
 
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Fredrik1ST
(@fredrik1st)
New Member
Starting a print job remotely using PLC & Pi - would this be feasible?

Hello. I have a Raspberry Pi running Octoprint connected to the MK3S. As part of a school project, I'm trying to start a print job from an Omron PLC running Sysmac Studio connected to the same LAN.

In my mind, the simplest way to do this would be sending a string over UDP containing some basic info to be parsed (à la "start printing" , "currently printing", "done printing").

The printer only needs to print one thing from the Pi or SD card, and I've already figured out how to handle simple sockets/ string parsing on the PLC.

Has anyone done something like this before? Maybe I'm out of my mind, and there's a simpler way to achieve the same result? Any and all ideas are welcome! Thanks!😀

Posted : 05/02/2020 9:49 am
bobstro
(@bobstro)
Illustrious Member
RE: Starting a print job remotely using PLC & Pi - would this be feasible?

You can do what you've described without the PLC using Octoprint, possibly with a bit of custom code in a plugin. Is the PLC and essential part of this exercise (for class perhaps)?

My notes and disclaimers on 3D printing

and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Posted : 05/02/2020 2:18 pm
Fredrik1ST
(@fredrik1st)
New Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Starting a print job remotely using PLC & Pi - would this be feasible?

Thanks for replying. The gist of it all is that we're making a proof-of-concept production line where a user selects some product to manufacture, then the PLC handles some logic and tells a bunch of different machines to do different things. If possible, I was hoping I could have a few files on the SD card and select which one to print by sending a string or something like that.

The challenge is essentially starting the printer without a human having to manually select what to print. Do you know if there are any plugins that could help us achieve something like that? It doesn't have to be a perfect solution, just something to show it's theoretically possible.

Posted : 05/02/2020 3:06 pm
weak
 weak
(@weak)
Eminent Member
RE: Starting a print job remotely using PLC & Pi - would this be feasible?

Can't you use Octoprint's REST API?

Posted : 06/02/2020 8:16 am
Fredrik1ST
(@fredrik1st)
New Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Starting a print job remotely using PLC & Pi - would this be feasible?

From the looks of it, that should be possible. I'll have to look further into it. Thank you for the help!

Posted : 06/02/2020 9:22 am
Radek
(@radek-2)
Active Member
RE: Starting a print job remotely using PLC & Pi - would this be feasible?

@bobstro

I also do 7x7 bed leveling and don't really see it very useful. If I didn't do my own offsets I wouldn't be able to get at least good results. Now I got the Pi, run bed leveling and see the bed is nearly 0.6mm off.. 

I am definitely doing the nylock mod.

Posted : 27/06/2020 12:00 pm
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