The Beacon probe is a bed plate surface scanner that can create a thousand point bed mesh with sub-micron accuracy at 500mm/sec. It also acts as a Z end-stop switch which can be used for Z homing and bed leveling.

Did someone say Bacon?

The Beacon probe is a bed plate surface scanner that can create a thousand point bed mesh with sub-micron accuracy at 500mm/sec. It also acts as a Z end-stop switch which can be used for Z homing and bed leveling.

Mount specifications

Bolt hole centerline : 31.6mm
Bolt Hole Mounting center line to pcb tip:  12mm
Distance of pcb tip (of the board) to sensor CL:  8.5mm

Distance of board to hotend: 
-----   3mm is the absolute closest
-----   5mm would be recommended minimum
-----   8mm would be recommended
-----   more is up to you

Gap of board to nozzle tip:
-----  2mm is the smallest realistic gap due to fasteners
-----  2.5-3mm ideal design gap?
-----  4mm is the largest recommended gap
-----  more loses resolution, but still works

Klipper setup and config

Documentation – Beacon

Quick Start - Beacon Docs

Install beacon software

ssh pi@mainsail.local
pi@mainsail:~ $ git clone https://github.com/beacon3d/beacon_klipper
pi@mainsail:~ $ ./beacon_klipper/install.sh

Power off the RaspberryPi and connect the probe to a USB port, power up the RaspberryPi. Beacon probe is not ‘hot pluggable’ and connecting while RaspberryPi is powered on may fry the board.

Get the serial ID of the Beacon

ssh pi@mainsail.local
pi@mainsail:~ $ ls /dev/serial/by-id/*
/dev/serial/by-id/usb-Beacon_Beacon_RevD_452CB565515137474C202020FF0C3628-if00

Update printer.cfg

If your printer presently has a [probe] section, you will need to remove it, [beacon] replaces it.

• Also look in the klipper managed configuration area - I had to remove BLTOUCH section containing dynamic probe offset

[beacon]  
serial: /dev/serial/by-id/usb-Beacon_Beacon_RevD_452CB565515137474C202020FF0C3628-if00 
x_offset: 0 # update for machine specific mount position  
y_offset: 27  
mesh_main_direction: x  
mesh_runs: 2
backlash_comp: 0.005
cal_nozzle_z: 0.2 # <--- This value is dependent on what you use to determine Z Offset, I use a 0.2mm feeler guage - paper will be smaller than 0.2

[safe_z_home]  
home_xy_position: 120,120
speed: 50
z_hop: 3
z_hop_speed: 5

[stepper_z] 
endstop_pin: probe:z_virtual_endstop # use beacon as virtual endstop 
homing_retract_dist: 0               # beacon needs this to be set to 0

Hardware installation and testing

1. After mounting probe verify that it’s got appropriate bed clearance - I had to switch from cap head screws to flush mount screws to avoid bed collision
2. Ensure back of probe isn’t protruding so that it impedes X homing / end-stop switch
3. Update printer.cfg with Beacon config
4. Make sure Klipper can see the probe

    BEACON_QUERY
    Last reading: 3046029.45Hz, 20.30C, 3.03470mm
   

5. Home XY: G28 XY
6. Move the nozzle to the center of the bed
7. Calibrate Z-Offset by running BEACON_CALIBRATE - ACCETP and SAVE_CONFIG
8. Home Z (with a hand over the power off button!): G28 Z

Evaluate Probe accuracy

PROBE_ACCURACY results: maximum 1.995843, minimum 1.994951, range 0.000892, average 1.995549, median 1.995626, standard deviation 0.000111

Evaluate Backlash

From the Mainsail console:

BEACON_ESTIMATE_BACKLASH
Median distance moving up 1.99644, down 2.00293, delta 0.00649 over 20 samples

Record this value in your printer.cfg

Calibrate Bed Mesh BED_MESH_CALIBRATE

• May need to update mesh_min and mesh_max values to account for new probe offset location (different from BLTouch location)

[!Update Z_Tilt config] I had to update my [z_tilt] points to account for new probe offset

Old BLTouch Mesh Beacon 20x20 Mesh

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