ArduCam B0176 Motorized Focus Camera on OctoPi User Guide
- June 6, 2024
- ArduCam
Table of Contents
ArduCam B0176 Motorized Focus Camera on OctoPi
INTRODUCTION
Most 3D models take more than a few hours to print, so you may wish to leave
the 3D printer at some point in the printing process. Using an Arducam camera
to monitor 3D printing can make you pay close attention to your creation.
Since most cameras are not made specifically for the use of 3D printing
software, it is impossible to obtain proper support from the manufacturer.
Fortunately, Arducam can help you solve all installation and setup problems. In this manual, we will introduce the method to use Arducam motorized focus camera modules to monitor 3D printers, which can see much closer than the fixed focus lens. Getting started here!
SOFTWARE SETUP
To facilitate copying, please refer to doc page:
https://www.arducam.com/docs/cameras-for-raspberry-pi/native-raspberry-pi-
cameras/how-to-use-arducam-motorized-focus-camera-with-octopi-to-monitor-3d-
printers/
We will keep online up-to-date continuously.
1. Download and install OctoPi
If you have been accomplished OctoPi installation and WiFi setup, please go to
the chapter on How to use the motorized focus camera.
Download link:https://octoprint.org/download/
The page also includes basic installation directions as well as a video describing the installation process.
Configure WiFi
After you have successfully downloaded the OctoPi image and “burned” it onto
your SD card, you can start to set up WiFi. More about WiFi setup and
troubleshooting refer to this link: https://community.octoprint.org/t/wifi-
setup-and-troubleshooting/184
How to use the motorized focus cam-era
Connect to the camera and reboot it.
Download and Install Arducam camera focus control plugin
Arducam camera focus control plugin. This plugin is to control an Arducam
motorized focus camera using the OctoPrint Control tab.
It utilizes these custom commands from your slicer to adjust focus while
printing: @ARDUCAMFOCUSSET
Example : @ARDUCAMFOCUSSET 100 will move the focus to 100.
The entire range is 0~1023. Setting 0 corresponds to infinity, and setting
1023 corresponds to a close focal length of about 5CM.
Enable I2C Interface
The plugin uses I2C to communicate with the camera. Howev-er, I2C is not
enabled by default. The Arducam Focus plugin will not function until you
enable I2C.
Please ssh to your Octopi and enter these commands (This only needs to be done once):
Step 1. Enable I2C Interface
Step 2. Install the Smbus
Step 3. Download the Plugin
After you reboot, the camera should become operational in OctoPrint.
Open up the Octopi login page: http://[IP]/ #control, please note that the
[IP] should be replaced with address shown in the figure below.
Now you can view the Arducam Focus Control interface and use the tab to adjust focus.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Failed to run camera with raspstill
The raspistill requires full access to the camera device when it runs, which is being locked by the webcamd service. You would have to stop the webcamd service in order to use the raspistill. Otherwise, you will not be able to open the camera.
References
- Simplifying embedded vision for all. - Arducam
- OctoPrint.org - Download & Setup OctoPrint
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