Ender-3 KE Programmed Print Pause

[jarobinson1000]

I just purchased an Ender-3 KE. I am trying to print with 2 different colored filaments. I would like to program a "Pause at Layer" command but cannot find out how to do this using the Creality Printer software (their version of CURA slicer). When I search, there are many recommendations for using a CURA Extension that can do this but my printer is so new that it doesn't appear on the UltiMaker CURA list of printers. I can copy another printer profile (like an Ender-3 Pro) and hope that I can edit it for the particulars of the Ender-3 KE but that might be a little ambitious for a newby. Any suggestions?

[Bikeracer2020]

You could have a look at Prusaslicer, it has an Ender 3 profile.
You can insert a pause print G-code at any layer on a sliced model in Prusaslicer and probably others as well.

[jarobinson1000]

Thanks. I will take a look at Prusaslicer and I have looked at CURA. Both seem more capable than Creality Printer but neither have an Ender-3 KE profile. It would mean using an Ender-3 profile and modifying it to suit. Probably not a big deal but i was not planning on modifying G code in my first month owning a 3D Printer. Oh well, time to jump in I suppose.

[Bikeracer2020]

There is a configuration for your printer in Prusaslicer, it's in the configuration assistant.
Screen shots attached

[liquid_giles]

Hi - I'm equally completely new to 3D printing, the Ender 3 V3 KE is my first printer, but have figured this out successfully this morning! I used Cura and the "Filament Change" post processing script (rather than the "Pause at Layer" script which I could not get to work

First, you'll need to install the V3 KE Profile so that the printer comes up on the list for Cura. Directions here (I'm using Windows 11 and just installed the .4mm Nozzle variant)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cura/commen..._cura_profile/

Add Creality Ender 3 V3 KE definition and nozzles by vadim-danilchik · Pull Request #17519 · Ultimaker/Cura (github.com) Printer Definition (creality_ender3v3ke.def.json)
C:\Program Files\UltiMaker Cura 5.6.0\share\cura\resources\definitions

Nozzle variants go in:

C:\Program Files\UltiMaker Cura 5.6.0\share\cura\resources\variants\creality

--
Then, with UltiMaker Cura v 5.6.0 installed and the KE printer selected, under EXTENSIONS > POST PROCESSING > MODIFY G-CODE select ADD SCRIPT and select the "Filament Change" option.

I found I had to slice and re-slice my file with each Script I put in (and to figure out which Layer I wanted the "Change Filament" script to run at). But after the final slice I Saved to Disk, put the gcode file on my USB key and the Ender successfully paused (and automatically retracted) at each of the prescribed Layers. I extruded an extra 40mm of filament once changing the colour (to remove any excess of the old colour)

Here is the result!

IMG_0241.jpg

[jarobinson1000]

Thanks for the information. Another user suggested using PrusaSlicer and gave me the manual settings to configure an Ender KE. I didn't have great luck with that but was going to spend more time experimenting. I like CURA and the definition and variants files from Vadim. I have installed those and will try both "change filament" and "pause at layer". It would be great to be able to use both or either. Assuming these actually work the only other small issue is getting CURA to recognize that my Ender KE is connected to the same network wirelessly. Yes, I could transfer files on a USB but one of the nice things about Creality Print is that I can initiate a print from my computer or transfer a file to the printer from my computer. I guess that I could use Octoprint but it seems like a waste of time and money to buy a Raspberry Pi then install OctoPrint and get it running just to connect wirelessly to a printer that is already wireless.