Support reversing extruder direction and more

[KevinOConnor]

This PR adds a new SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE command. It supports specifying a "negative rotation distance" which will have the effect of reversing the extruder stepper direction. This may be useful for printers with a single extruder motor that can switch between two hotends via a servo.

I do not have a good way to test this PR. Feedback would be appreciated.

This PR is a continuation of PR #5143. This PR also deprecates the shared_heater config option, deprecates the SYNC_STEPPER_TO_EXTRUDER command, and deprecates the SET_EXTRUDER_STEP_DISTANCE command. There are new replacements for all of these features.

This PR was built on top of PR #5209.

@DrumClock , @Tircown - FYI.

-Kevin

[DrumClock]

Hi, @KevinOConnor
I will try to provide feedback as soon as possible.

[DrumClock]

Hi @KevinOConnor

TEST: SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION

1/ ACTIVATE_EXTRUDER EXTRUDER = extruder
2/ SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION EXTRUDER = extruder1 MOTION_QUEUE = extruder
3/ G1 E10 - both extruders work together

4/ ACTIVATE_EXTRUDER EXTRUDER = extruder1
5/ G1 E10 - no extruder works

6/ SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION EXTRUDER = extruder 1 MOTION_QUEUE = extruder1
7/ G1 E10 - extruder 1 works independently
8/ ACTIVATE_EXTRUDER EXTRUDER = extruder
9/ G1 E10 - extruder works independently

⚠️ ATTENTION ⚠️
if in SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION mode EXTRUDER=extruder1 MOTION_QUEUE=extruder
I use the command SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE I can change the direction of rotation or the step ratio but always only for the given extruder. So the result is that both extruders work together but each in a different direction and at a different speed (stepping)

⚠️ ATTENTION ⚠️
SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION EXTRUDER=extruder1 MOTION_QUEUE=
extruder1 is desynchronized but for ACTIVATE_EXTRUDER EXTRUDER = extruder1
does not respond to G1 E10 ------- It is a mistake ? or so it should be.... 😱

TEST: SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE

1 / SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE EXTRUDER = extruder DISTANCE = 33.500
... printer.configfile.settings ['extruder']. rotation_distance = 33.5
... printer.configfile.config ['extruder']. rotation_distance = 33.500

2 / SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE EXTRUDER = extruder DISTANCE = -33.500
... printer.configfile.settings ['extruder']. rotation_distance = 33.5
... printer.configfile.config ['extruder']. rotation_distance = 33.500

When I change the rotation_distance, the new value is not saved anywhere, so it is not possible to find out the currently set rotation_distance for the given extruder
This could be a problem when creating a custom [gcode_macro] without using variable_ to determine the current value.

Is there anything else I need to test?

[KevinOConnor]

Thanks.

if in SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION mode EXTRUDER=extruder1 MOTION_QUEUE=extruder
I use the command SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE I can change the direction of rotation or the step ratio but always only for the given extruder. So the result is that both extruders work together but each in a different direction and at a different speed (stepping)

This was the intended behavior. The SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE and SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION work on the extruder stepper motor specified in the command.

SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION EXTRUDER=extruder1 MOTION_QUEUE=
extruder1 is desynchronized but for ACTIVATE_EXTRUDER EXTRUDER = extruder1
does not respond to G1 E10 ------- It is a mistake ? or so it should be...

This was the intended behavior. Each extruder object has a "stepper motor" and a "motion queue". The SYNC_EXTRUDER_MOTION command alters the behavior of the stepper motor, while ACTIVATE_EXTRUDER command activates a particular motion queue. So, if you have a motion queue with no steppers associated with it, then no movement will be observed.

When I change the rotation_distance, the new value is not saved anywhere

This info can be exported if desired.

So far, I haven't figured out how to use the same stepper motor for extruder and extruder1

I'm not sure what your hardware is, so it's hard for me to say. If you've got a single extruder stepper motor controlling two filament drives, then I'd guess you would define only one [extruder] object. Then define T0 and T1 macros - on a toolhead switch alter the servo setting and issue a SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE to reverse the direction of motion.

-Kevin

[DrumClock]

Thanks,
I'm testing all the combinations that occurred to me, so I described the behavior. It's up to you to evaluate it
..... I'm just a beta tester :)

I'm not sure what your hardware is, so it's hard for me to say. If you've got a single extruder stepper motor controlling two filament drives, then I'd guess you would define only one [extruder] object. Then define T0 and T1 macros - on a toolhead switch alter the servo setting and issue a SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE to reverse the direction of motion.

Yes, now I use the definition [extruder] for HotEnd T0 and [heater_generic] for HotEnd T1 .... unfortunately it is not a full-fledged solution for T1 because for T1 it is not possible to use eg these parameters:
min_extrude_temp pressure_advance max_extrude_cross_section

the servo simultaneously switches the position of the HotEnd and the filament pressure arm on the stepper extruder

Video of how SWITCHING EXTRUDER works: https://youtu.be/BOaIMiyzaks

[KevinOConnor]

Yes, now I use the definition [extruder] for HotEnd T0 and [heater_generic] for HotEnd T1 .... unfortunately it is not a full-fledged solution for T1 because for T1 it is not possible to use eg these parameters:
min_extrude_temp pressure_advance max_extrude_cross_section

I don't understand the issue. There isn't a min_extrude_temp safety check for T1, but it should be okay if you're careful. For pressure_advance the T1 macro can call SET_PRESSURE_ADVANCE to specify what is needed when switching filament. The max_extrude_cross_section is just a safety check - set it to the maximum value that you need for both filaments.

That said, this PR just adds the ability to reverse the extruder stepper motor at runtime via SET_EXTRUDER_ROTATION_DISTANCE. It doesn't add any particular features beyond that.

-Kevin

[DrumClock]

Yes this PR is not about my configuration ..... Forget about my problem ...

[KevinOConnor]

Okay, thanks for testing and providing feedback.

I don't own one of these "multi-filament extruders", so I don't really know what is useful or not useful. I added support for reversing the direction of the extruder motor at runtime because I thought it may be useful. If it isn't useful though, I'll rethink that strategy.

Thanks again,
-Kevin

[DrumClock]

I'm very happy to help with testing.

Reversing the direction of the extruder motor at runtime is definitely a useful thing as well as synchronizing the extruder.

I can imagine the same for any stepper (X, Y, Z etc).
I'm already thinking of controls for dual_x and dual_y os when there will be only one extruder (or more) on each ..... but these are just my visions.

[KevinOConnor]

Okay, thanks. I committed this PR.

-Kevin