Sanismart 3018 Pro working with Estlcam, but not Candle or the offline controller

Projects Interfacing w/ Software on the Computer
1

Hiya. Hope I put this post in the right place.

I'm having an issue where I clicked things I shouldn't have in Estlcam and I think it replaced the firmware on the board (?).

What's now happening is that I can control it with specific versions in Estlcam, but when I try to use Candle or the shipped controller, it doesn't respond at all.

I don't want to use Estlcam as I want to follow the tutorials as is until I understand what terms people use interchangeably.

Anyidea how to get the firmware and settings back to the to factory settings?

Update: It's worth noting that I tried the restore option in Estlcam but it did not work, most likely to clicking around a lot, and installing/reinstalling a lot of things.

It may be worth trying the other approach mentioned below, before trying the more complicated, accepted solution that solved my particular issue

2

In the Arduino IDE, in Board info the BN value is 'unkown' if that means anything.

And if I got to the firmware updater, I see 'no supported boards connected', but I can confirm that Estlcam lets me control it still.

3

Okay! I fixed it. I'm going to add the steps I took to the thread to help anyone else who may stumble across the same issues, from a beginners mind set.

4

How to Install GRBL and Flash It to the 3018 Pro Controller

Step 1: Download the Correct GRBL Library

  1. Visit the official GRBL repository:
    https://github.com/gnea/grbl.
  2. Click the green Code button and select Download ZIP.
    • Save the ZIP file to your computer (e.g., in your Downloads folder).

Step 2: Prepare the GRBL Library for Arduino IDE

  1. Extract the downloaded ZIP file.
    • You’ll get a folder named grbl-master.
  2. Open the grbl-master folder and locate the grbl subfolder.
    • This subfolder contains files like config.h, cpu_map.h, grbl.h, etc.
  3. ZIP the grbl folder into a new ZIP file:
    • Right-click on the grbl folder and choose Compress or Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.
    • Name the new ZIP file something like grbl.zip.

Step 3: Install the GRBL Library in Arduino IDE

  1. Open Arduino IDE.
  2. Go to Sketch > Include Library > Add .ZIP Library....
  3. Select the newly created grbl.zip file.
    • If successful, you’ll see a confirmation message.
    • If you still encounter issues, double-check that the ZIP file contains the correct structure:
      grbl.zip
├── config.h
├── cpu_map.h
├── defaults.h
├── grbl.h
├── ...

Step 4: Open the GRBL Upload Sketch

  1. After installing the library, go to File > Examples > grbl.
  2. Open the grblUpload example sketch.

Step 5: Flash GRBL Firmware to the Controller

  1. Connect your SainSmart 3018 Pro controller to your computer via USB.
  2. In Arduino IDE, go to Tools and ensure the following:
    • Board: Select Atmel atmega328p (this seemed to be the correct board type for my controller).
    • Port: Select the COM port assigned to the CNC controller
  3. Click OK
  4. Click the Upload button (right-arrow icon) to flash the firmware.

Step 6: Verify the Installation

  1. Use a G-code sender like Candle or Universal G-Code Sender (UGS) to connect to the controller.
  2. Test the connection:
    • Send the $$ command to display the GRBL settings.
    • If GRBL is working, you’ll see a list of configuration settings.

Troubleshooting

  • "Library Not Valid" Error: Double-check the folder structure inside your ZIP file as shown above.
  • No COM Port Detected: Ensure the USB cable is connected securely and that your computer has the necessary drivers installed for the controller.
  • GRBL Doesn't Respond: Recheck the upload process and confirm you’ve selected the correct board and port.
5

Hello,

Estlcam always creates a backup of the previously installed firmware before uploading its own. You can simply click the "Restore Controller" button and everything will be back to normal:

restore
restore1221×716 52.7 KB

Christian

1 Like
6

Does this cover the session or last program action only, or can it restore to the default indefinitely? I tried this a couple of time with no success.

In my green-state, there is a good chance I clicked all the things multiple times.

7

The backup is created before the first time an Arduino based controller is programmed by Estlcam. It is a 1:1 memory dump and restores everything exactly as it was before.

Unless Estlcam is uninstalled this backup is kept indefinitely.
The only issue where it will not work is if there has been another Arduino based controller before - then the old backup of this device will be used as it cannot distinguish between different devices.

8

Yeah - I think it's highly likely I did something that triggered this state to occur :joy: