Marlin (firmware)
Marlin is an open source firmware primarily designed for RepRap project based FDM 3D-printers using the Arduino platform.
The firmware runs coded commands and instruction sets as a robot software on the 3D printer's control board which manages all of the machine's real-time activities including sending movement coordinates to stepper motors through the stepper drivers, controlling heater elements, sensors, lights, tracking bed levelling, LC displays and buttons. Marlin supports many different boards and many designs of 3D printer robot platforms, including Cartesian, Delta and SCARA printers, as well as some other less conventional designs like Hangprinter.
Other than for 3D printing, Marlin is also used for many other kinds of machine including SLA and SLS 3D printers, CNC mills and egg painting robots.
History
Marlin was first created in 2011 for the RepRap and Ultimaker printers; it claims to be the most widely used 3D printing firmware in the world.Marlin 2.0 was released on the 2nd of December 2019 as the first official version or the Marlin firmware to support 32-bit based controller boards.
Development
The firmware is created by a community of contributors, with Scott Laheine as the main developer.License
Marlin uses a GPL license which requires that organisations and individuals share their source code when modifying or expanding the code, some users have not been compliant with the license which has led to distributors removing their products.Usage and license compliance
Marlin firmware is used by many different manufacturers, most of which comply with its open source license, but some do not.| Company | GPL compliance |
| Aleph Objects' Lulzbot printers | Yes |
| Anet | |
| Artillery 3D | Yes |
| AnyCubic | Yes |
| Alphawise | Yes |
| Bibo | |
| BQ | |
| BCN3D | Yes |
| Creality | No: CR-X Yes: CR-10S and Ender3 |
| FLSun | Yes |
| FolgerTech | |
| Geeetech | Yes |
| JGAurora | No: A8, A7, Z-603S Yes: A1, A5S, A3S, A5 |
| LMYSTAR | No |
| Makerbase | Ye s |
| Printrbot | Yes |
| Prusa Research | Yes and have developed their own heavily modified version of Marlin |
| Tevo | No |
| TronXY | No |
| Ultimaker | Yes |
| Wanhao | Yes |
| Zonestar | Yes |