Static Electricity Warning

[Rick Pollack]

We have recently learned about a vulnerability to static electricity. This only applies to M2s shipped September 2013 or later. If you use a laptop to run your printer via USB, be sure the laptop is plugged in. A fix is in process and will be available ASAP. Additional information will be posted as it is available.

Thank you,
Rick

[david b]

are the M2s that havent shipped yet going to have this problem?

thank you 

[Rick Pollack]

no - ultimachine should have this quickly turned around. Shipments will be delayed by a few days.

Rick

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[Jamil F.]

Rick,

Can you give a little more info on this issue, as i think this is what happened to my printer last night, the RAMBo board quit.

Are you saying the board is vulnerable to static electricity?

I have no connectivity nor control of the board anymore, i cannot even upload the firmware to it.

[Rick Pollack]

Jamil - please contact support directly (sup...@makergear.com)

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[Jamil F.]

I have!

[Kevin Sevcik]

FYI, in case you need more data on the issue:

I don't know if this is related, but I actually have the opposite problem on my team's M2 we got through the FIRST Robotics competition.  If I power the M2 up, then plug it into my laptop while my laptop is plugged in, the RAMBo constantly reboots.  If I unplug my laptop, wait until the RAMBo is fully booted, THEN plug my laptop in, everything seems to work fine.

On Saturday, February 1, 2014 3:53:39 PM UTC-6, Rick wrote:

[Rick Pollack]

We will be sending out an easy-to-install patch very soon. Shipping of new machines will resume tomorrow.

--
Rick Pollack
MakerGear
23632 Mercantile Rd. Unit L
Beachwood, OH 44122

MakerGear 3D Printers are Designed & Built in Beachwood, Ohio, USA

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[Jamil F.]

Thanks guys for the quick fix and ship, i will install and update :)

[Kamil]

Ultimachine has some more info on the fix in their GitHub https://github.com/ultimachine/RAMBo/tree/master/docs/v1-2-ESD-patch Looks like this only affects the newer 1.2 version. 

[Rick Pollack]

We'll send out the patch as soon as we get it. it is just a jumper that connects to two pins. fixes a problem with the floating ground related to the coupler that electrically isolates the machine from the PC. the boards on the machines we are shipping now have already been fixed.

On Fri, Feb 7, 2014 at 10:28 PM, Kamil <kamil.st...@gmail.com> wrote:

Ultimachine has some more info on the fix in their GitHub https://github.com/ultimachine/RAMBo/tree/master/docs/v1-2-ESD-patch Looks like this only affects the newer 1.2 version. 

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[jimc]

oh boy i just realized this applies to me. i forgot i have the newer style rambo because mine was replaced not long ago.

[f358]

Is everyone who has purchased an M2 going to get it sent to them or do they have to ask? I have one from Dec 2013 so I guess I'm affected.

Chris

[Rick Pollack]

Please review the following link and let me know if it is clear. The jumpers will be going out this week.
http://www.makergear.com/pages/m2-sb1

Thank you,
Rick

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[Dave K]

Rick - Seems clear to me.

[Andy Thyssen]

Makes sense to me. 

Sent from my iPhone

[Bret Allen]

Rick,
Glad you found a fix for this so quickly. I believe I may have lost a board to this very issue in late December and suggested a possible vulnerability to static discharge via the USB cable to Josh. Never heard back from Josh, but I hope my input and returned fried Rambo helped lead to a fix! Either way, it makes me feel good that MakerGear takes customer issues seriously and you guys are on top of things. I doubt any of the big 3D printer companies would be so responsive. Keep up the good work!!

[Mark Gordon]

Rick-

I read through this as an experienced tech reader.  The power supply seems clear, exact, well described.  The Static electricity descriptions seems to need two more hand holding items: 1) Clearly describe how the user should get the jumper.  ( email a request to you? Should they expect to already have parts to make the jumper?),  and 2) If all x1.2x boards need this jumper, I would state that systems delivered after early Fed should expect to see this jumper already installed.

Nice to see these notes,  very professional configuration management.

Thanks

Mark

On Monday, February 10, 2014 2:22:09 PM UTC-5, Rick wrote:

[Bryan Boettcher]

Rick,

I have a franken-M2 because of various support requests over the years.  Should I install a jumper (I can make one, assuming it's just a straight jumper) on my RAMBO 1.2?  Would it hurt me to do so?  I print headless with Viki at this point.

[Rick Pollack]

Thank you Mark.

We are mailing out the jumpers and the instructions with the jumper direct people to the instructions page.  So they will have the jumper when they are on that page.

Noted the next item. just FYI, future factory boards have an addl chip and will not have a jumper. The jumper is a straight forward field repair.

[Rick Pollack]

Bryan - it is not just a jumper. I'll get the part number and post it here.

[Rick Pollack]

Bryan - there is the part used in the jumper
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=VA100026D580DLvirtualkey58110000virtualkey581-VA100026D580DL

[Bryan Boettcher]

@Rick: hope mine doesn't need one then :)

[Rick Pollack]

if it is v1.2 board then you probably need it unless you got the board with the last week or so...

--
Rick Pollack
MakerGear
23632 Mercantile Rd. Unit L
Beachwood, OH 44122

MakerGear 3D Printers are Designed & Built in Beachwood, Ohio, USA

[Bryan Boettcher]

Nope, it's a blue-fused RAMBO that I got maybe 9 months ago.  My original kit was the 1.0 RAMBO with the polyfuses, but that one is the one that the heated bed plug burnt up on.

I don't use it with a laptop anymore, but I imagine it's the same either way at this point.

I did place an order with Karen earlier for a replacement bed heater, maybe she can toss one in the box?

[Rick Pollack]

unless it is a 1.2 board it is not needed. an i-coupler was added with 1.2 and that is the chip that gets damaged by static (without the fix)

[jimc]

brian, 9mos ago would be the 1.1 board.

[Bryan Boettcher]

jimc, I'm guessing on the 9 months.  However, I seem to have a hybrid board.  The reprap wiki shows the 1.1 with a polyfuse, and the 1.2 with a blade fuse.  I dont' have U10 on my board, so I guess I'm in the clear.

On Thu, Feb 13, 2014 at 7:10 PM, jimc <xtremekr...@gmail.com> wrote:

brian, 9mos ago would be the 1.1 board.

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[jimc]

brian dont go by the pictures. i just checked that and it looks like they are just using the same photo for all the versions. i had a 1.1 which was 6mos ago then i had it replaced with a 1.2 beginning of dec. both boards have the blue fuse. i found on the reprap wiki where they confirmed that blue fuse started at 1.1 and prior versions were polyfuse.  you board will have the version printed on it. here are 2 pics i found. you can see the difference and where the version is printed.

[Bryan Boettcher]

Thanks for the research jimc.  However, like I said in my last post, I actually checked for the specific chip (U10) that has the problem, and my board does not have it.  I have the 1.1 board as they were transitioning to blade fuses :)

On Thu, Feb 13, 2014 at 5:54 PM, jimc <xtremekr...@gmail.com> wrote:

brian dont go by the pictures. i just checked that and it looks like they are just using the same photo for all the versions. i had a 1.1 which was 6mos ago then i had it replaced with a 1.2 beginning of dec. both boards have the blue fuse. i found on the reprap wiki where they confirmed that blue fuse started at 1.1 and prior versions were polyfuse.  you board will have the version printed on it. here are 2 pics i found. you can see the difference and where the version is printed.

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[quaverf]

What is the current status of this service issue?  Is hardware shipping?  I have not received hardware; have not received notification by email or post. 

Rick

[jimc]

did you email support? does the issue apply to you? do you have rambo v1.2? i emailed support and had my part within a few days. 

[Plastifier]

I recently (april) received an M2 equipped with a Rambo 1.2g (PCB marked as 1.2g), but not shipped with the fix to plug.
Do I need this fix for my 1.2g ?

According to github, the fix applies to all 1.2.
Ultimachine has now a new 1.2 gp (patched), but even latest 1.2g seems to need it.

[Rick Pollack]

This ESD warning only applies to machine shipped between Aug/Sept 2013 and early February 2014. If you have received a machine since mid-February the problem was corrected.

Thank you,
Rick

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