Klipper3d/klipper
Klipper
Klipper is a distributed motion control system and 3D printer firmware that splits high-level motion planning on a host computer from low-level timing execution on microcontrollers. It utilizes a host-based motion planner to calculate optimized trajectories and a real-time step generator on the microcontroller to produce precise motor pulses.
The system functions as a configurable kinematics engine, allowing hardware settings and movement kinematics to be tuned via configuration files without the need to recompile or flash the firmware. This architecture supports multi-controller hardware coordination to manage several microcontrollers across a single printer.
The project covers high-precision motion control and trajectory planning to improve printing speeds and surface finishes. It manages hardware coordination through timestamp-based command scheduling and distributed hardware clock synchronization between the host and controllers.
Features
- Host-Controller Split Architectures - Splits high-level motion planning on a host computer from low-level timing execution on microcontrollers.
- 3D Printer Motion Control - Implements a host-based motion planner that calculates optimized trajectories and coordinates multi-axis movement for 3D printers.
- Dynamic Configuration - Provides the capability to update hardware settings and kinematic parameters without requiring firmware recompilation or service restarts.
- Distributed Clock Synchronizers - Implements distributed hardware clock synchronization between the host and microcontrollers for precise movement timing.
- Configurable - Provides a configurable engine for tuning printer hardware settings and movement kinematics via configuration files.
- Motion Planning Toolkits - Calculates and optimizes movement trajectories in advance to maintain maximum printing speed without losing steps.
- S-Curve Trajectory Optimization - Computes movement curves in advance to optimize acceleration and velocity while preventing stepper motor stalls.
- 3D Printer Firmware - Provides a comprehensive firmware system splitting high-level planning from low-level timing execution.
- Kinematic Configurations - Allows tuning of hardware settings and kinematics without the need to recompile or flash firmware.
- Real-Time Step Generators - Generates precise pulse timing on the microcontroller to execute pre-computed motion commands.
- Timestamped Command Schedulers - Sends movement packets with precise execution times to ensure synchronized motion across multiple hardware controllers.
- Dynamic Configuration Systems - Updates printer hardware settings and kinematics at runtime via configuration files without process restarts.
- USB Serial Interfaces - Uses USB-to-serial bridging to transmit time-stamped movement packets from the host to the microcontroller.
- Multi-Controller Coordination - Manages multiple micro-controllers across a single printer to handle more motors and sensors simultaneously.
- Hardware Command Pipelines - Transmits pre-computed motion instructions from the host to controllers over USB or serial links.
- Additive Manufacturing Precision - Implements advanced motion control and pressure compensation to achieve higher printing speeds and smoother surface finishes.
- Printer Firmware - High-performance firmware offloading processing to a host computer.
