plasticdb - Simple tool for 3D printer filament calibration For the best 3D printing results the "steps per e" should be calibrated for each different filament. Plasticdb makes that an easier task. Works best with matterQ (http://matterq.org).

plasticdb.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import os
import sys
import subprocess
import tempfile
import shutil


# The file that stores all the data
DB = "plastics.txt"

# Set to False to write gcode to file instead of LPR
LPR = True

BODY = """M110
G90
G21
G92 X0 Y0 Z0 E0
M112
M110
G90
G21
G92 X0 Y0 Z0 E0
M105
M302
G1 E100 F100
"""


def db_read(name=None):
    parts = None

    for line in open(DB):
        parts = line.strip().split("\t")
        assert len(parts) == 3

        if parts[0] == name:
            return float(parts[1]), float(parts[2])

    if name is not None:
        raise KeyError

    if parts is None:
        return 0.0, 0.0
    else:
        return float(parts[1]), float(parts[2])


def db_write(name, steps_per_mm, diameter, delete=False):
    tmp = tempfile.mktemp()
    out = open(tmp, "w")

    for line in open(DB):
        parts = line.strip().split("\t")
        assert len(parts) == 3

        if parts[0] == name:
            if not delete:
                out.write("%s\t%f\t%f\n" % (name, steps_per_mm, diameter))
        else:
            out.write(line)

    out.close()

    shutil.move(tmp, DB)


def db_list():
    titles = ("name", "steps per E", "diameter")
    lens = [len(t) for t in titles]

    for line in open(DB):
        parts = line.strip().split("\t")
        assert len(parts) == 3

        for i in range(len(lens)):
            lens[i] = max(lens[i], len(parts[i]))

    for line in ["\t".join(titles)] + open(DB).readlines():
        parts = line.strip().split("\t")
        assert len(parts) == 3

        for i in range(len(lens)):
            sys.stdout.write(parts[i].rjust(lens[i] + 2))

        sys.stdout.write("\n")


def db_add():
    default_e, default_d = db_read()

    name = raw_input("name: ")

    steps_per_mm = raw_input("steps per mm [%f]: " % default_e)
    if len(steps_per_mm) == 0:
        steps_per_mm = default_e
    else:
        steps_per_mm = float(steps_per_mm)

    diameter = raw_input("diameter [%f]: " % default_d)
    if len(diameter) == 0:
        diameter = default_d
    else:
        diameter = float(diameter)

    open(DB, "a").write("%s\t%f\t%f\n" % (name, steps_per_mm, diameter))


def db_delete():
    name = raw_input("name: ")

    if len(name):
        db_write(name, 0.0, 0.0, delete=True)


def calibrate():
    name = raw_input("name: ")
    assert len(name)

    initial_e, initial_d = db_read(name)

    raw_input("mark filament and press enter to start move")

    if LPR:
        p = subprocess.Popen(["/usr/bin/lpr"], stdin=subprocess.PIPE)
        stream = p.stdin
    else:
        tmp = tempfile.mktemp()
        stream = open(tmp, "w")

    stream.write("M92 E%.3f\n" % initial_e)
    stream.write(BODY)
    stream.close()

    if LPR:
        p.wait()
    else:
        print "send this gcode to your printer: %s" % tmp
        print

    print "now mark again, remove and measure length"

    length = raw_input("length: ")

    new_e = 100.0 / float(length) * initial_e
    db_write(name, new_e, initial_d)

    print "old: E%f" % initial_e
    print "new: E%d" % new_e


def help():
    print "Command action"
    print "   l   list plastics"
    print "   a   add plastic"
    print "   d   delete plastic"
    print "   c   calibrate plastic"
    print "   q   quit"


if __name__ == "__main__":
    if not os.path.exists(DB):
        open(DB, "w")

    while True:
        input = raw_input("Command (m for help): ")

        if input == "m":
            help()
        elif input == "l":
            db_list()
        elif input == "a":
            db_add()
        elif input == "d":
            db_delete()
        elif input == "c":
            calibrate()
        elif input == "q":
            break