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Just curious what software everyone is using... I've tried the latest version of Slicer (OS X) but it seems to have some bugs causing some meshes to be damaged during processing. With RepG I cannot seem to get dual-extrusion models to line up the way I want. Makerbot Desktop seems to work okay but just wondering if anything else is out there. I know of Simplify 3D but the price is a hard pill to swallow seeing the alternatives are all free... is it really that good?
Quite simply: Yes, it is.Quote:
is it really that good?
Bought a licence a year ago and never used anything else.
I use Cura. I have never used Simplify3d but I can't see it being better than Cura as Cura works perfectly for me.
cura doesn't do x3d.
And yep apart from dual extrusion which it really sucks at - produces much better prints than anything else.
New player in the field of slicers.. Still very beta though... https://craftunique.com/craftware
If it only works with Windo$e then it aint software.Quote:
Originally Posted by ServiceXp
I tried Craftware but could Never get it to load .stl files,Quote:
Originally Posted by ServiceXp
so gave-up trying . :(
Has the latest version changed that ??
We only use .stl files now, since thingiverse has made it the 'Standard' file format.
I have only loaded a few .stl files but did not have any problems.
Oh okay, I'll download the latest version and try it, Thanks!Quote:
Originally Posted by ServiceXp
Although it looked kind of complicated, with a lot of buttons to click on ;), it also seemed to be very versatile .
Just downloaded Craftware after some weird slicing from Slicr, very nice so far.
Well, I tried latest version and it Still would Not 'Load' .stl files,Quote:
Originally Posted by ServiceXp
but I found an 'Add' button that seemed to load it ! Very strange ??
( both 'load' buttons were expecting other type file and could not change that)
It would Not send sliced file to our CTC printer though.
It just sits there and blinks with no message, to know what the problem is ???
Other than it says there is an Unknown printer on Com-port. :(
Evidently Craftware software and the CTC printer are not compatible ??
I have not had a chance to actually print using it yet. Once I get a chance I'll see if it works with my 2015 FFCP
Thank you guys for the feedback. I'm trying CraftWare to see how it'll do. I'm using it on OS X so hopefully it'll work alright. Will post my feedback once I've printed something.
Update: So I tried it out but it didn't even try heating the bed or extruders before trying to print and it printed way off the build surface. Perhaps I got something set wrong but I can say that I liked the support building feature. The interface could use some work... but heck so far every slicer I've used could use some work... this is 2015 after all.
sounds like it's not outputting x3g files.
I'll give it a go - but I'm betting no x3g compatibility
I think you are correct CA.
Just run the generated gcode through a gcode-to-x3g converter: https://github.com/whpthomas/GPXQuote:
- but I'm betting no x3g compatibility
If you use windows, install the MinGW package first and compile the util from MinGW.
I've just tried Mattercontrol tethered via USB and must say that it's provided the best prints I've seen yet. Tried exporting gcode then used RepG but had issue... May have been my fault though because I had GPX still set to makerbot and Mattercontrol exports Gcode as Reprap.
I get awesome results with Makerware. I would like to get great results with Slic3r but am having problems calibrating it. Played around with a few others but wasn't impressed. Not spending money on S3D, mainly because it can't improve on the quality of the prints.
Slic3r looks great and has tons of really useful options but as I said, I can't seem to calibrate it...
Makerware-2.4 is Still the Only slicer that is completely compatible with our CTC printerQuote:
Originally Posted by Sebastian Finke
and I think I've tried them All !
Changing firmware may get some to work but I'm not going to chance-it.
Note: even latest versions of Makerware were Not completely compatible with present firmware
When you say "completely" compatible what do you mean? I've used Makerbot Desktop 3.8.1 a number of times now with great results on my new 2015 Flash Forge Creator Pro. I've not ran into any problems yet and I've used both SD Card printing and USB. I'm just wanting to make sure I'm not missing out on something really important by not using RepG.
lol hell no - rep g is the worst bit of software connected to 3d printing I've ever played with. It lasted approximately 4 hours for me - 3 hours and 50 minutes of that was getting halfway through slicing a lefab shop elephant.
Every other piece of software I've tried slices it in a couple minutes at worst. S3d does it in seconds.
Ignore it, don't use it and cary on with the makerware desktop - that's actually pretty decent once you get your head around the custom profiles and advanced settings text files.
You can pretty much just change speed of first layer and keep the rest as defaults.
I prefer simplify 3d - but for dual extrusion printing mwd is still the better piece of software.
To get info about that, go to this thread on this website:Quote:
Originally Posted by king3d
http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...g-Makerbot-3-7
I think it's not compatible with the version of Firmware in our CTC printer,
as are Most Other slicers Not compatible with that Firmware.
But as long as I have version 2.4 working, I'm Happy ! ;)
Note: That was mainly about version 3.7 but since then I tried version 3.8,
on a different computer, and it did the same thing
Thanks for clearing that up. I guess that "your mileage may vary" applies to slicing software. I've had vastly different experience using software on my Windows desktop vs. my MacBook Pro. For me MB 3.8.1 works very well.
My favorite slicing software is Slic3r.
I know the problem is Not with the Computers and their OS version,Quote:
Originally Posted by king3d
It's with an older Firmware version in printers, I think !
But that has not been Proven !
Lets put it this way. I purchased Simplify3D 1 year ago, on Christmas. I would consider it one of my top 3 purchases of the year, if not the top 1 spot. That's how great it really is, in usefulness, and time and material saved from so many various things that happen with 3D printing.
s3d is the mutts nuts.
Only thing missing is a working purge wall.
And dual extrusion support, apparently...Quote:
Originally Posted by curious aardvark
This weekend I hope to test Slic3r 1.2.9...
tl:dr -- Has anyone used MatterControl? Did the Z axis not set correctly? Did you find a fix?
Hi all,
After a hiatus from printing, I've been playing around a bit lately, and have been looking at how best to organize my workflow.
A bit of info: if you run Linux, as I do, you have to be a bit careful about versions of your OS: I run Ubuntu, and keep up with OS versions, which has broken both my replicatorG and Makerware desktop version. They start and then crash the moment I try to open an .stl file. It may be possible that Makerware will revise their linux version to run under the more recent Linux versions, but I'm not all that hopeful. ReplicatorG, well, I think that's not going to be updated before the heat death of the universe
So, I have been looking at options.
I have been successful at running slic3r, which seems to produce good results for me. However, I would prefer to connect to my printer and print out of the desktop app, and I now have to generate my .x3g file with gpx and load it onto an SD card.
I know, printing off an SD card is what most folks recommend, but I prefer to stay connected and print out of the desktop, and that's not likley to change. :)
So, since replicatorG is essentially a dinosaur and likely to be extinct to new OSen, and Makerware has their own problems and can't be counted on, I started looking for options.
One option I found is MatterControl, which has a linux version and which connects to the Flashforge Creator Pro (and PowerSpec clone), and prints directly from the application.
It does connect, I can set all my options, and though the slicer is rather slow and doesn't offer any kind of progress indicator that I can see, does complete and try to print.
However, it doesn't seem to set the Z axis. It moved the print head and then started to print the calibration object I selected, with the bed at full bottom position.
Has anyone in here tried MatterControl, and figured out how to work it? I'm thinking it might be something in the gcode, and will look there, but I thought I might ask the collective as well.
I'll follow up as I get any info on this.
Cheers,
John
I do a lot of dual extrusion (ABS/HIPS) so Makerware for me...