Warning Message pops up for Mandatory Safety

[Michael_Ward]

I am running OctoPi latest version on the RaspberryPi imager.

What is the problem?

I get the message

OctoPrint tells me that my printer's firmware lacks mandatory safety features, what does this mean?

If OctoPrint 1.3.7 or later is showing you this message in your sidebar [image] it means that it detected a firmware running on your printer that is known to lack or have broken implementations of mandatory safety features such as thermal runaway protection. It currently does this for the following firmwares: Anet A8 stock firmware (identified through firmware name ANET_A8_*) Anycubic MEGA stock firmware, hardware versions 1 and 2 (prior to January 2018) (identified through Author: (Jolly,…

Given this is fairly old thread now, I wondered if the error for my printer is correct and if so, what can I do about it.

I had a look at the Marlin code which is now at Ver 2.1.2 and checked against a dump of the firmware from my printer, which is a Spark 3D SP1
Here is the dump

Recv: FIRMWARE_NAME:Marlin 1.0.0 (Jan 3 2023 16:36:48) SOURCE_CODE_URL:GitHub - MarlinFirmware/Marlin: Marlin is an optimized firmware for RepRap 3D printers based on the Arduino platform. | Many commercial 3D printers come with Marlin installed. Check with your vendor if you need source code for your specific machine. PROTOCOL_VERSION:1.0 MACHINE_TYPE:Voxlab-1 V1 EXTRUDER_COUNT:1 UUID:cede2a2f-41a2-4748-9b12-c55c62f367ff
Recv: Cap:SERIAL_XON_XOFF:0
Recv: Cap:BINARY_FILE_TRANSFER:0
Recv: Cap:EEPROM:1
Recv: Cap:VOLUMETRIC:1
Recv: Cap:AUTOREPORT_TEMP:1
Recv: Cap:PROGRESS:0
Recv: Cap:PRINT_JOB:1
Recv: Cap:AUTOLEVEL:1
Recv: Cap:RUNOUT:0
Recv: Cap:Z_PROBE:1
Recv: Cap:LEVELING_DATA:1
Recv: Cap:BUILD_PERCENT:0
Recv: Cap:SOFTWARE_POWER:0
Recv: Cap:TOGGLE_LIGHTS:0
Recv: Cap:CASE_LIGHT_BRIGHTNESS:0
Recv: Cap:EMERGENCY_PARSER:0
Recv: Cap:PROMPT_SUPPORT:0
Recv: Cap:SDCARD:1
Recv: Cap:AUTOREPORT_SD_STATUS:0
Recv: Cap:LONG_FILENAME:0
Recv: Cap:THERMAL_PROTECTION:1
Recv: Cap:MOTION_MODES:0
Recv: Cap:ARCS:1
Recv: Cap:BABYSTEPPING:1
Recv: Cap:CHAMBER_TEMPERATURE:0
Recv: ok
Send: M155 S2
Recv: ok

I have contacted the vendor but as yet have received no reply.

If you note, it says thermal protection is on, but in the Marlin V2.1.2 the #define THERMAL_PROTECTION does not exist and is more specific.
Reading up on the differences it does state that Marlin 2.1.2 is vastly different to Marlin 1
In fact the definitions in V2.1.2 are:
#define THERMAL_PROTECTION_HOTENDS // Enable thermal protection for all extruders
#define THERMAL_PROTECTION_BED // Enable thermal protection for the heated bed
#define THERMAL_PROTECTION_CHAMBER // Enable thermal protection for the heated chamber
#define THERMAL_PROTECTION_COOLER // Enable thermal protection for the laser cooling

Given I have not found a version 1 Marlin file, could you tell me if the dump file is correct and Thermal Protection is actually on?

[Charlie_Powell]

@Michael_Ward

MACHINE_TYPE:Voxlab-1 V1

This is what the warning is created by. In this case, firmware identifying itself like this was shown to have no thermal protection so the warning was added. Voxelab may have updated their firmware to add it, but if you scroll to the bottom of the linked thread about the warning they never confirmed.

You can test it yourself - unplug the heater, and tell the printer to heat up. Nothing should happen, and it should error and shutdown because of the heating failure.

[Michael_Ward]

Thanks for the reply
I shall give that a go. When I find out how to without infringing the warranty.

So what I see you saying is that this is a rip-off machine given it shows itself being a Voxlab but sold under a different name?

Voxelab Aquila X3 Higher Speed FDM 3D Printer - Voxelab3dp, which has exactly the same stated specs

[Michael_Ward]

Since posting this I received some more information and also bit the bullet and opened the machine to do the test you mentioned, and as a result can see the make and model of the board, together with the dated firmware and altered hardware.
Yes protection is there, so your help was invaluable.

Basically this is a modified Aquila X2 where all sensors are in place along with the addition of a BLsensor and magnetic base, with a very modified Marlin V1.0.1 firmware modified and sold by Flashforge under the name Spark 3D. I think the reason for the modified Marlin is that version 2 series of Marlin firmware has grown in size and would need more memory to operate in its totality. Larger memory would reduce the profit margin, when you are talking about a large number of sales. I worked as a design engineer where we were asked to shave as little as 1 resistor to reduce costs, an increase in memory size would be a cost too far.

If you care to note the Ender 3 also modifies the Marlin V1, probably for the same reason.

[b-morgan]

You have done your homework and if you are satisfied that the printer is protected, you can disable the check (you can disable the check even if the printer isn't protected).

[Michael_Ward]

Thanks, without Octoprint I would never have realised there was such an issue in the first place being completely new to 3D printing.

Its quite amazing that both merchandisers and manufacturers don't use this as part of there ploy to sell these printers.
Unless they have no idea what is in the firmware themselves.

Thanks again for pointing out this possible weakness with any printer.