Q96 Mini Firmware

[Florio Bessinger]

1Had to make sure the USB is FAT32 format. The USB that came from the printer didn't work. I found an old USB that happened to work. Also note that not all USBs can be formatted to be FAT32. FAT32 can only be used to format drives between 2GB and 32GB (on Windows).

When you go from 4.3.4 to 4.4.0, as long as your USB is actually formatted correctly and can be recognised by the printer then you should have no problem. If this doesn't work then it's probably an issue with the printer not being able to recognise the USB. I think you could use an SD card with a USB converter as well.

I did notice that the print quality dropped after I updated the firmware. It dropped SIGNIFICANTLY without input shaper, and with input shaper it's still not as nice as before but definitely a whole lot faster. I'm sure these are issues that will be resolved.

When I went to upgrade I got an error stating that I was attempting to update to a firmware version not supported by this buddy board version (this is paraphrased, I don't remember the exact message.)

For anyone else following this upgrade path I was able to go straight from 4.4.1 to 5.1.2. I haven't looked into it very deeply but I'm guessing there were some significant changes to the bootloader and firmware in versions 4.4.0 and 4.4.1 which were preventing the newer versions from being recognized as compatible.

1) Make sure the USB is FAT32 format. The USB that came from the printer didn't work. I found an old USB that happened to work. Also note that not all USBs can be formatted to be FAT32. FAT32 can only be used to format drives between 2GB and 32GB (on Windows).

- Little cog icon next to the "Printers:" in the right hand panel -> Add/Remove presets -> scroll down to MINI Family and selecting the "Original Prusa MINI & MINI + Input Shaper" with your nozzle size (0.4mm nozzle is default)

Thanks for that. There was absolutely nothing on the firmware page nor in the github to tell you what was required. There is also no inclination of which language version to load for English, perhaps doesn't matter but very poor form really. I was also on 4.3.4 and it wasn't that long ago I updated. This will catch many people out, especially as the new slicer by default now uses a new binary format that doesn't work properly with 4.3.4.

Thank you, this was incredibly helpful! Was able to update from 4.3.4 to 5.1.2 by copying all the intermediary update files onto the drive that came with the printer. At one point I got a corrupted message but just removed the files that had already installed on the printer from the drive, tried again, and it worked fine.

If an MCU overheat occurs, the printer will first warn you and allow you to continue. If the MCU temperatures do not improve, the printer will display an error. The MCU overheat can be caused by higher ambient temperatures. See the 3D Printing Handbook for more information.

The developers have thoroughly reviewed the part of the firmware responsible for unexpected USB disconnects, which lead to print interruptions that cannot be resumed. As a quick hotfix, we have added the option to continue printing after this interruption.

However, we will continue to seek a definitive solution to this problem.

This is a stable firmware release 6.0.2 with Original Prusa XL Enclosure and its additional functions. It also fixes issues discovered during testing, as well as those reported by the Prusa community.

The XL Enclosure is designed to be seamlessly integrated with the rest of the printer. Not just the physical parts, but also the software, a new menu becomes available on the LCD touchscreen called Enclosure. Because the Enclosure is directly connected to the mainboard of the printer, you can configure a number of useful features. You can set up the filtration performance and even post-print filtration duration (e.g. when you print from materials such as ASA or PCCF) so that the system runs for additional time to filter out all particles produced during the print job. For more information, read this article.

Enabling the XL Enclosure in the menu

You can enable the XL Enclosure by going to Control -> Enclosure (Enable) on the printer. Then, run a fan connection test to verify that everything works. After that, you will see the Enclosure menu.

Filtration When you have enabled Enclosure and Print Filtration, the fan will operate at 80% of RPM. You can adjust the filtration performance in the menu (from 50% to 100%) during a running print job.

Post Print Filtration You can also enable Post Print Filtration in Control -> Enclosure -> Manual Settings -> Post Print Filtration. When certain filaments (ASA, ABS, PC, FLEX, HIPS, PP) are detected in the G-code, the filtration will run for an additional 10 minutes to filter out all particles produced during printing. You can adjust the Post Print Filtration setting from 1 to 10 minutes..

Note: PLA/PETG prints do not require post-print filtration.

MCU Cooling The MCU checks the temperatures of the electronic boards on the Original Prusa XL.

MCU Cooling has the highest priority and activates automatically (fan at 100%) when the enclosure is powered on. MCU cooling is activated when temperatures of any electronic board exceed 80C and stops cooling at 75C, regardless of whether printing is in progress. This is to protect internal electronics from overheating and to extend their lifespan.

Filter Expiration Tracking The enclosure tracks the active filtration time (not print time). After 500 hours, a dialog alerts the user that the filter will expire in 100 hours (the estimated lifespan is 600 hours of runtime). The dialog will let you choose from [IGNORE] - which will remind you before every print to change the HEPA filter, [POSTPONE] - which will postpone the dialog for 5 days, and [DONE] - which means that the HEPA filter has been changed and will restart the filter counter. After 600 hours, a dialog suggests changing the filter with a link to prusa.io/xl-filter.

Together with our team in Japan, we have translated the entire Buddy firmware into Japanese. The firmware will be utilizing Katakana. While implementing all the characters we encountered some interesting challenges. For example, Latin characters are typically more rectangular (taller than wider), whereas Katakana characters are closer to square in shape. This required some adjustments in the firmware.

The Japanese language is currently available for most of our printers on the Buddy platform, the only exception is MINI/MINI+ which requires further optimizations. We expect support for the MINI in the upcoming firmware release.

The developers have thoroughly reviewed the part of the firmware responsible for phase stepping and identified some edge cases occurring during operations such as homing, layer changes, filament changes, and tool changes on the XL.

In the early stages of development, we selected the Trinamic 2130 drivers to have the options to further improve the stepping of motors in the XL. As a result of this development, we see improvements in print quality and a reduction in printer noise. Due to the natural variance in stepper motor manufacturing, each motor responds uniquely to driver signals, causing visible fine artifacts (VFAs) and noise. Phase Stepping customizes the drive signal for each motor, addressing these discrepancies by reducing VFAs and audible noise, thereby enhancing the printing experience.

The printer will move the print head (in the case of the Multi-Tool it will select the first print head) to the middle of the bed and start to move the tool diagonally for the X and Y axes at different speeds - while collecting data from the accelerometer located on the Dwarf board inside the Nextruder. The goal is to measure the characteristics of the motors and store these settings

After updating the Firmware navigate to Menu - Control - Calibrations & Tests - Phase Stepping Calibration. The calibration shouldn't run on multiple printers side by side simultaneously. The neighboring printer performing similar motions may affect the measurement.

With the touch enabled you'll be able to control the majority of items on the screen. You can swipe your finger up and down to scroll through the menu. Swiping left or right (depending on your preference) takes you one step back in the menu hierarchy.

Starting from this release, the loadcell sensor in the Nextruder will not only be used for the mesh bed leveling but also for detecting whether the filament is stuck and not moving (e.g. when the nozzle is clogged).

When certain conditions are met, the print will be paused, filament unloaded and the system will notify you that the filament was most likely stuck. Once you check the filament, reload it back to the Nextruder, and then you can resume the print job.

It is important to note that detecting stuck filament is possible only inside the Nextruder, as pressure builds up from the nozzle to the upper part of the Nextruder. However, if your filament is tangled on the spool, there will be no internal pressure, just outside tension, which the loadcell won't be able to recognize.

Similar to the MK3 family, we are introducing Stealth mode, which will make your printer even quieter. This can be useful for example for overnight prints. You can switch between Normal and Stealth mode even during the print. Keep in mind that the mode will be activated once several G-code commands in the buffer (printer memory) are processed.

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