MakerBot Industries

Overview

The MakerBot Gen4 Interface board is a DIY addition to your MakerBot that will allow you to interact directly with the machine. It has multiple buttons, multiple LEDs, and a 16×4 character LCD screen to provide feedback directly to you. Using this board, it is possible to run your MakerBot completely independently with no computer attached. You can set and read the temperature, view the progress of a build, and even start a new build from a file stored on the SD card. Of course you can also hack the firmware to make it anything else you might want as well.
This kit is DIY, and soldering is required. All the components are through-hole so it is a great kit for beginners.

Features

16×4 Character LCD

The main output method for the Gen4 Interface board is the LCD. This screen can display 4 lines of text, with 16 characters per line. That gives us a grand total of 64 characters to work with, although scrolling to display more text is very simple to do.

Pro Tip: If your interface just shows strange characters at startup, hit the reset button on your motherboard — a reset will usually clear it right up.

Buttons, We Need Buttons

There are 9 buttons on the interface board, and they can be programmed to do whatever you want. Typically they will be programmed to move your bot around, navigate menus, and alter settings. We chose a nice, beefy button with a satisfying click.

LEDs, Lots of LEDs

There are 4 LEDs on the interface board: Power, Debug, Foo, and Bar. Power tells you the interface board is on, Debug is connected to the Arduino MEGA debug pin (D13). Foo and Bar are extra LEDs that are user definable and can be programmed to do whatever you’d like.

Note: the Debug LED will blink steadily to indicate normal operation.  We know a lot of people just leave these sorts of things off for normal operation, but we like blinking lights.

Contrast

Setting the contrast on the LCD screen is accomplished using a screwdriver on the blue potentiometer on the board. You can adjust the contrast by rotating the dial on the trimpot.

Interface Connector

This 20 pin IDC header contains all the LCD, button, and LED signals as well as 5V and GND. Using this header is how you control the LCD screen and read data from the buttons. It is a simple 2×10 header with standard 0.100″ pitch between pins. This makes interfacing it with your own custom stuff a simple, straightforward task.

Note: if your LCD panel isn’t lighting up, then you’ve plugged this in the wrong way.  Turn it 180 degrees!

Identify Your Parts!

It is a good idea to get to know your parts before you build the interface kit. You’ll be able to tell if you’re missing any parts, and you’ll be able to quickly find the part you need when you need it. It is recommended to spread them out on a clean, level table that has nothing else on it.

PCB

LCD Screen

Components

IDC Cable Kit

Hardware

Lasercut Parts

Build It

1K Ohm Resistors

These resistors have a color code of Brown – Black – Red – Gold. Orientation is not important, solder in any direction.

10K Ohm Resistors

These resistors have a color code of Brown – Black – Orange – Gold. Orientation is not important, solder in any direction.

Trimpot

This component will only fit one way. Insert it and solder away!

Red and Green LEDs

The bottom circle of the LED is flattened on one side. This side should match the silkscreen and face towards the 1K resistor next to it. Make sure you insert it in the correct orientation.

Put caps on Buttons

Just clip the cap on each of your buttons!  They should press on with a nice click.

Buttons

The buttons will only fit with the metal leads on either side and they snap into place. Make sure the pegs on the bottom of the buttons line up with the holes in the PCB. Also make sure that the number 1-4 on each corner match up with the numbers screened on the board. Be careful not to smash the legs as you insert it into the PCB.

IDC Header

Keeping the board flipped over, insert the IDC header as shown. The notch in the connector should face the inside of the board.
This is another place to try putting the headers on the board, then propping up the opposite side with a scrap part.

Prepare/Strip LCD Connector Wires

First carefully remove one conductor from the 15-pin wire.  Don’t remove the one with the red stripe.

First, score the end of the ribbon cable in a straight line.
Score both sides of both ends as shown.
Next, clip the cable between each of the wires.

Now use a pair of needle-nose pliers to pull off the scored, cut tabs.

Attach Ribbon Cable to LCD

Now slot the ribbon cable directly into the LCD unit.  
Solder directly to the board.

Attach Ribbon Cable to Controller Board

Insert the ribbon cable into the outermost holes.  There will be two extra holes near the blue connector; that’s OK.
Solder this in place normally.

Tape T-slots (Optional)

If you want to make your life easier during final assembly, tape the top side of the t-slots now.
Next, insert nuts into the opposite side and then tape over them again. This will hold everything in place while you build the rest of the enclosure.

Insert M2 Bolts

Insert the M2 x 16 mm and M3 x 22 mm bolts facing upwards as shown.

Add Spacers

Drop 4 of the tall spacers over each of the bolts as shown.

Fold LCD Cable

Fold your LCD cable so that the boards are as close together as possible. Make sure to give your cable a good, solid crease.

Add Interface Board Assembly

Now drop your boards into place; fit the bolts through all the holes.

Add Nuts for LCD Board

Add the nuts here to hold the LCD in place.

Add Thin Spacers

Add the remaining thin spacers.

Attach Acrylic Top

Finally top it off with the clear acrylic cover plate. Before you bolt it down, plug in the LCD connector to the interface board. It should line up nicely. If not, adjust the crease until it is just right.
Don’t forget to gently tighten down the M3 nuts on top.

Attach Sides

Attach the sides to the assembly you just built. If you didn’t tape the M3 nuts in place, you’ll need to add them first.

Now add a M3 x 16 mm bolt and tighten.  Note that if your central assembly is overtightened, you may need to loosen bolts to get the sides to slide on. Once they’ve attached, tighten them down with the remaining M3 bolts. When its finished, give everything a final tightening. Don’t overdo it though, you can crack the acrylic or splinter the wood.

Create IDC Cable

You will need a vise or crimping tool in order to make the IDC cable properly. TheGen4 electronics page has a great set of instructions for how to make IDC cables. The technique is exactly the same, but you’re using a wider ribbon cable.

Attach IDC Cable

Flip the interface board over and attach the IDC cable to the bottom as shown.

Connect To Gen4 Electronics

Open up your Thingomatic and insert the motherboard where there is a corresponding 20-pin IDC header labeled ‘Interface’. You’ll want the ribbon cable to exit the front of your bot so that you can move the interface controller around freely.
The orientation of this cable is important. Make sure the triangle on the connector lines up with the triangle on the IDC header on both the motherboard and the interface board.

If the LCD ever shows strange or garbled text at start-up, just hit the reset button on the motherboard.  This should clear things right up.

Use It

Load the Firmware

You will need to upgrade your Motherboard firmware to version 2.8 or higher in order to use the Gen4 Interface kit.