Setting-up Modela for Fablab

The Modela has a DB25pin Female serial port connector so we need DB25 male connector for making connection. DB9 female connector is required for PC.

You need

1) DB25 ribbon cable male connector (Digikey Part# HMP25H-ND)

 

2) DB9 ribbon cable female connector (Digikey Part# HFP09H-ND)

 

3) Startech.com, Part# ICUSB232

 

4) Ribbon wire.

DB9 Pin connector pin details

1 - Data carrier detect (DCD)
2 - Receive data (RX)
3 - Transmit data (TX)
4 - Data terminal ready (DTR)
5 - Signal ground (GND)
6 - Data set ready (DSR)
7 - Request to send (RTS)
8 - Clear to send (CTS)
9 - Ring indicator (RI)

DB25 Pin connector

PIN                   Name
1 - Shield ground
2 - Transmit data (TX)
3 - Receive data (RX)
4 - Request to send (RTS)
5 - Clear to send (CTS)
6 - Data set ready (DSR)
7 - Signal ground (GND)
8 - Data Carrier detect (DCD)
20 - Data terminal ready (DTR)

RS232 DB9 to DB25 Null Modem Connection 

 

DB9                                        DB25

1(DCD),8(CTS)                      20(DTR)

2 (RX)                                     2 (TX)

3 (TX)                                     3 (RX)

4 (DTR)                                   5(CTS),8(DCD)

5 (GND)                                 7 (GND)

6 (DSR)                                  4 (RTS)

7 (RTS)                                   6 (DSR)

Installing Fab Modules

Install dependencies 

You can install all of the dependencies with the command:
sudo apt-get install python python-wxgtk2.8 python-dev python-pip gcc g++ libpng12-dev libgif-dev make bash okular libboost-thread-dev libboost-system-dev cmake

Install fab modules

cd ~/Desktop 

mkdir fabmodules 

cd fabmodules 

wget http://kokompe.cba.mit.edu/dist/fab_src.zip  

unzip fab.zip 

make fab 

It should compile all executables and copy scripts into bin 

sudo make install

will copy all executables and scripts to /usr/local/bin 

Using fabmodules and modela

sudo ls /dev/tty*

to get list of serial ports. Now connect usb t serial port converter and run same command again

sudo ls /dev/tty* 

You should see a new serial port appear which is ttyUSB0 

fabmodules by default uses this port. To run fab modules simply type 

fab

sometime you don't have permission to write to serial port and an error will occur while, in such cases simply type 

sudo fab 

Troubleshooting

- If after sending command, the LED near "View" button blinks slowly, it implies that the safety interlock is not active. Put cover to activate safety interlock. In fablab, we don't put safety cover so simply disable the interlock by putting something.