PancakeBot 1.0 Firmware Update

Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of PancakeBot 1.0, the original Kickstarter variant, which comes with 5 bottles!

In order to get the most out of your PancakeBot 1.0, we strongly recommend that you upgrade the firmware, which will increase the print speed. Please watch the YouTube video below to guide you through the firmware upgrade process.

Important: At the current time, you must have a Windows PC (Windows 10 preferred) to update the firmware on your PancakeBot. Updating the firmware is NOT supported from a Mac or from Linux.

Step 1:  Download the Firmware Package

Click to download firmware update for PancakeBot 1.0 (pbfw.zip)

The .zip file contains the following:
1. XLoader Program Folder (XLoader is used to update the firmware)
2. PBFirmwareUpdate2.0.hex firmware (the firmware itself)
3. PL-2302 Driver Installer.exe (the driver that allows your PC to speak to PancakeBot, which is based on the Prolific PL2303 chip)
4. ReadMe.txt file

Step 2: Watch the Installation Video

Step 3: Run the install!

We’ve outlined each of the steps from the video for you to follow. You got this.

1. Unzip the contents of the pbfw.zip file onto a convenient place on your PC, such as the desktop. Please note that when unzipping the folder, you might get a security error from programs such as Norton regarding the XLoader program. Make sure to allow for the unzipping to occur.
2. Install the PL-2302 Driver by double-clicking on “PL-2302 Driver Installer.exe”. Wait 30 seconds for the installation to complete, then restart your computer.
3. Connect a USB cable between your computer and PancakeBot.
4. Turn on the PancakeBot by pressing the power button on the unit. Wait for your computer to detect the PancakeBot.
5. Once the PancakeBot is detected, turn off the PancakeBot by pressing the power button on the unit.
6. Open the folder that contains the pbfw.zip file, then open the XLoader folder and double-click on "xloader.exe". Xloader is now running on your computer.
7. For Hex file, select the box to the right with the 3 dots on it to navigate to the "PBFirmwareUpdate2.0.hex" file.
8. For Device, choose Mega(ATMEGA2560) from the drop-down menu. 
9. For COM Port, choose the only COM port that is displayed from the drow-down menu, usually either COM3 or COM4.
10. For Baud rate, enter 115200
11. While continuously pressing the power button on the PancakeBot, click the Upload button (and continue to press the power button on the PancakeBot) until you see a message that displays how many bytes were uploaded to the PancakeBot.
12. Release the power button on the PancakeBot, and your firmware update should be complete.

Once the firmware is updated, you will enjoy the benefits of a faster-running machine.