Quick Start - BEACON DOCUMENTATION (2024)

Warning: Do Not Hotplug

The connector at the sensor end is not rated for hot plugging, always power down your machine or connect and disconnect beacon at the USB plug end. Damage to your device may occur.

Low Profile USB Cable

With the introduction of the Low Profile assembly option, there are now two types of cable. They are NOT compatible, using the wrong type may damage your Beacon. Unless you ordered a kit, the included cable will always be compatible with your device. If you have any concerns, ordered a kit, or would like to double check, see the USB Cables section.

1. Mount Beacon¶

Mount Beacon to your 3D printer toolhead, nominally 2.6mm recessed from the nozzle in Z.

Custom Mounts

We are reaching out to printer design teams, but a custom mount may need to be designed and printed for your machine.

Metal Keepout

Beacon has a metal keep out area on the top side of the sensor, and requires special attention for mounting on a metal tool head or in close proximity to large metal surfaces such as extrusions. Please reach out on Discord for design assistance.

2. Route Cable¶

Route the USB cable along the filament path or umbilical and plug it in to your single board computer.

Cable Chains

The included cable is not recommended for routing in cable chains until its durabilty can be further evaluated under continuous flexing.

3. Install Beacon Klipper Module¶

Clone beacon_klipper from git and run the install script:

cd ~git clone https://github.com/beacon3d/beacon_klipper.git./beacon_klipper/install.sh

Install Time

If you have not already installed numpy for the input shaper tools, it may take 10 or more minutes depending on the speed of your single board computer.

You can advance to the next sections and edit your config files while you wait.

4. Configure Moonraker Update Manager (optional)¶

If your printer is running Moonraker, you can configure the update manager for Beacon. You will need to the add the following section to moonraker.conf:

[update_manager beacon]type: git_repochannel: devpath: ~/beacon_klipperorigin: https://github.com/beacon3d/beacon_klipper.gitenv: ~/klippy-env/bin/pythonrequirements: requirements.txtinstall_script: install.shis_system_service: Falsemanaged_services: klipperinfo_tags: desc=Beacon Surface Scanner

This will allow you to update the beacon module with 1-click via the web interface.

5. Configure Klipper for Beacon¶

Add the basic beacon configuration to your printer config:

[beacon]serial: /dev/serial/by-id/usb-Beacon_Beacon_RevD_<..addyourserial..>-if00x_offset: -20 # update with offset from nozzle on your machiney_offset: 0 # update with offset from nozzle on your machinemesh_main_direction: xmesh_runs: 2

Update Offset Values

Be sure to update the x_offset and y_offset of Beacon relative to your nozzle, to avoid missing your bed on first tests.

Set the safe x-y position for z homing (typically the bed center):

[safe_z_home]home_xy_position: 107.5, 90 # update for your machinez_hop: 3

Your Z configuration may need to be updated for beacon homing:

[stepper_z]endstop_pin: probe:z_virtual_endstop # use beacon as virtual endstophoming_retract_dist: 0 # beacon needs this to be set to 0

If your printer presently has a [probe] section, you will need to remove it, [beacon] replaces it.

Bed Mesh Config

Beacon requires a valid [bed_mesh] section in the config or you may experience errors during configuration loading.

Restart Klipper

At this point you are ready to start operating your machine. Restart klipper with systemctl restart klipper or via the GUI.

5.5. RevH Accelerometer¶

For RevH users, the accelerometer is automatically registered in the system.

To use it, the resonance tester just needs to be pointed to it as the data source.

[resonance_tester]accel_chip: beaconprobe_points: 90, 90, 20

After configuration, the typical commands such as TEST_RESONANCES and MEASURE_AXES_NOISE become available.

beacon_klipper Version

Be sure to update the beacon_klipper module to the latest version for access to the accel drivers.

Multiple Accelerometers

If your system contains multiple sensors, you can easily switch between them and beacon using the accel_chip setting.

6. Calibrate Beacon¶

Home the machine in X and Y:

G28 X Y

Position the nozzle in the center of the bed. You will need to adjust the coordinates for your machine, or feel free to use the web interface.

G0 X87.5 Y90

Start the calibration process:

BEACON_CALIBRATE

Proceed through a standard nozzle paper offset test, repeating

TESTZ Z=-0.01

or similar until the paper drags. Remove the paper and accept the position:

ACCEPT

The sensor response will be automatically measured and fit to a model. Save the results to your config file:

SAVE_CONFIG

Hot Calibration

For the first run it is perfectly fine to calibrate cold. For longer term use, and to get the best temperature performance out of your beacon, it is best to bring your bed up to temp, let it soak with beacon at the homing distance, and then calibrate with bed and beacon hot.

7. Basic First Tests¶

You can take a spot measurement with Beacon:

BEACON_QUERY

Your machine will home Z with Beacon:

G28 Z

You can test the accuracy:

PROBE_ACCURACY

You can measure the backlash of your Z axis:

BEACON_ESTIMATE_BACKLASH

8. Calibrate Bed Mesh¶

Run a scan mode mesh:

BED_MESH_CALIBRATE

9. Print¶

You’re now ready to print.

On the first print, you’ll want to use babystepping via the GUI to fine adjust the first layer offset.

After the print finishes, the offset can be automatically applied to the model with the Z_OFFSET_APPLY_PROBE command for future prints.