# Smoothieboard and ARM Microcontrollers in General
**URL:** https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572
**Category:** Hardware
**Created:** [April 24, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572 "2014-04-24T21:44:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Tweak](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/Tweak)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/1 "2014-04-24T21:44:04Z")
Hey all,
I posed the question to the Lulzbot team about the Smoothieboard and whether they would consider it for future or current upgrades to the Taz and future machines.
The argument is that it can provide higher resolution prints through processing power. The price isn’t significantly more expensive, and it does look like arduino style boards appear to be having a harder time keeping up with the speed and complexity of the prints.
For reference here is the smoothieboard website [http://smoothieware.org/smoothieboard](http://smoothieware.org/smoothieboard)
There is much talk about it over at the seemecnc boards where the delta platform guys tend to need the additional processing power to constantly actuate the printers. I have to admit, the prints look impressive, but being a classic 3 axis CNC fellow, you cant beat the reliability and precision of the lulzbot layout when everything is tight and right.
Here is the thread if anyone is interested: [http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=4928](http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=4928)
So what is your take on it? It’s still open source too, so it falls in line with the lulz motto.
Anyways, thanks
-Bob
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### Author:  [@gannon](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/gannon)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2014, 12:29pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/2 "2014-04-25T12:29:27Z")
The board layout on the smoothieboard leaves a bit to be desired, but it looks like they did their best to fit it in the constraints of the free version of eagle.
I’m currently working on replacing my laser cutter’s electronics with one. Just need to get the laser on/off working and the steps/mm configured.
The firmware design is pretty nice. It makes it really easy to configure the board or expand it.
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### Author:  [@Tweak](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/Tweak)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/3 "2014-04-25T12:41:03Z")
> [@gannon](#):
>
> The board layout on the smoothieboard leaves a bit to be desired, but it looks like they did their best to fit it in the constraints of the free version of eagle.
> I’m currently working on replacing my laser cutter’s electronics with one. Just need to get the laser on/off working and the steps/mm configured.
> The firmware design is pretty nice. It makes it really easy to configure the board or expand it.
I would love to know how it works out.
I viewed a video of them using smoothie on a laser cutter and it was pretty impressive.
I guess what I’m wondering, is that if all else is equal (price, size, features) I dont see how the ARM processors wouldn’t make the most sense as the next move forward.
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### Author:  [@jebba](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/jebba)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/4 "2014-04-25T15:12:17Z")
We considered the smoothieboard for the AO-100s. I’m glad we decided against it, because it took about another year+ before it was finally released. I don’t think it has good upstream management (e.g. they were part of the Trinity Labs disaster, I think). We are looking at other ARM systems though, perhaps in conjunction with RAMBo.
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### Author:  [@Tweak](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/Tweak)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2014, 1:05pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/5 "2014-04-28T13:05:51Z")
Jebba,
That’s fantastic news. I look forward to seeing what you guys come up with.
-Bob
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### Author:  [@jebba](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/jebba)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/6 "2014-04-28T13:54:09Z")
This is a bit different than the smoothieboard, because it still uses a RAMBo, but we’re looking at Olimex A13 or A20 boards (or similar) to drive an LCD display and control the RAMBo.
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### Author:  [@Tweak](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/Tweak)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2014, 11:44am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/7 "2014-04-29T11:44:04Z")
I haven’t heard of Olimex. I’ll have to look into it a bit and do some more research.
Are you concerned at all about the Rambo boards showing signs of their age or not being quite future proof enough?
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### Author:  [@jebba](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/jebba)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/8 "2014-05-02T15:22:55Z")
This is the board we are looking at:
[https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/A20/A20-OLinuXino-MICRO-4GB/open-source-hardware](https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/A20/A20-OLinuXino-MICRO-4GB/open-source-hardware)
The RAMBo has shown itself to be a very solid platform. There’s no surprises there.
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### Author:  [@Tweak](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/Tweak)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/9 "2014-05-02T17:05:33Z")
Sounds good.
Looks like a good board 🙂
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### Author:  [@ealltech](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/ealltech)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2017, 2:17am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/smoothieboard-and-arm-microcontrollers-in-general/572/10 "2017-01-14T02:17:52Z")
This is a bit different than the smoothieboard, because it still uses a RAMBo, but we’re looking at Graperain [system on moudle](https://www.graperain.com/ARM-Embedded-System-On-Module/) or Olimex A130 boards (or similar) to drive an LCD display and control the RAMBo.