Software change request / new features

Hi Sintratec team,

I would like to list here a couple of changes i would like to see implemented in the current software (1.0.27):

1- the coil target temperature and IR lamps target temperature should be saved when closing the software so we don't have to re-enter them next time
2- same for laser scanning speed. I forgot to change it from default 250 and my print was melting. YOu should maybe change the default from 250 to 400 if you cannot save our last parameter.
3- can you add an APPLY Powder button to the screen where we monitor temperatures ? this way we don't have to change screen when applying the first 5 layers before a print session
4- is there an easy way for you to add the possibility of changing lamp power factors WHILE printing ? at present we can only change them in config file and have to re-start printer each time. Would be great to do this on the fly when calibrating the printer.
5- i don't see any STOP Printing button , is there one ? How can we stop the printer before the end of the printing job ?
6- would be nice to have a PAUSE printing button also.
7- YOu should display the number of the current layer being printed. The % is not enough
8- Is it a big work to compile your software for 32 bits windows ? At present i have only one 64 bit computer so it's difficult to have it tied up when printing. I have 2 other older laptops but all 32 bits.
9- Possibility to display how much powder there is left in the powder chamber


thanks for your feed-back,

Thanks for your great suggestions!

1- the coil target temperature and IR lamps target temperature should be saved when closing the software so we don't have to re-enter them next time

Good Idea, put it on feature requirements of 1.0.28

2- same for laser scanning speed. I forgot to change it from default 250 and my print was melting. YOu should maybe change the default from 250 to 400 if you cannot save our last parameter.

Already implemented for 1.0.28 - both now with saving and default set to 350 (your previously entered speed value gets automatically communicated to the printer each time a print is started, if you forgot to set the speed manually by pushing the button).

3- can you add an APPLY Powder button to the screen where we monitor temperatures ? this way we don't have to change screen when applying the first 5 layers before a print session

Already implemented for 1.0.28: There's a new paramter, number of empty layers before print (so that the applying of the first 5 layers gets done automatically).
Still a good idea to add the button to the "4. print" pane, I put it on the feature requirements list.

4- is there an easy way for you to add the possibility of changing lamp power factors WHILE printing ? at present we can only change them in config file and have to re-start printer each time. Would be great to do this on the fly when calibrating the printer.

That is a good input but out of scope for now since it involves deeper changes to the printer firmware (put it on the feature request list).

5- i don't see any STOP Printing button , is there one ? How can we stop the printer before the end of the printing job ?

There actually is a STOP button in 1.0.27, on the print pane, left of the progress bar. I took note that it's not visible enough. But in 1.0.28 the STOP button will temporarily be removed since there's a firmware bug resulting in being unable to start a new print after pressing STOP (defeating the STOP button's purpose).

6- would be nice to have a PAUSE printing button also.

The PAUSE button is right besides the STOP button. Fix in 1.0.28: Pressing PAUSE again will resume the print

7- YOu should display the number of the current layer being printed. The % is not enough

Already implemented for 1.0.28.

8- Is it a big work to compile your software for 32 bits windows ? At present i have only one 64 bit computer so it's difficult to have it tied up when printing. I have 2 other older laptops but all 32 bits.

There will be a 32 bit support soon, but for now we focus on the 64 bit version. Arguably we could have gone 32 bit only, but the 3D stuff and slicing benefit tremendously from 64 bit. I could post here once we have an early 32 bit version...

9- Possibility to display how much powder there is left in the powder chamber

We know about the necessity of that one, but that's something that would require work on the firmware and is not possible immediately.
Now about the printer firmware, we have a huge rework coming up. We've taken all feedback we've got so far (if someone reads this and has more, please post :D) and tons of improvements from our side (much more sophisticated temperature control, better motor motions, complete new low-level and reliable USB communication and so one). It'll be done in about 4 weeks (We've got less frequent firmware updates compared to desktop software since deployment is an hassle).

1.0.28 update will be pushed by the end of the week btw.

Thanks again for your input. Cheers!

Dominik form Sintratec

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dominik

T...

5- i don't see any STOP Printing button , is there one ? How can we stop the printer before the end of the printing job ?

There actually is a STOP button in 1.0.27, on the print pane, left of the progress bar. I took note that it's not visible enough. But in 1.0.28 the STOP button will temporarily be removed since there's a firmware bug resulting in being unable to start a new print after pressing STOP (defeating the STOP button's purpose).

6- would be nice to have a PAUSE printing button also.

The PAUSE button is right besides the STOP button. Fix in 1.0.28: Pressing PAUSE again will resume the print
...

Dominik form Sintratec

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Thanks for the quick feed-back Dominik,

About the STOP and PAUSE button, maybe it's my old age, but i don't see them. WHen you got a minute, can you upload a printscreen and show where it is ?

thanks a lot again, and looking forward to installing 1.0.28.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hugues

Thanks for the quick feed-back Dominik,

About the STOP and PAUSE button, maybe it's my old age, but i don't see them. WHen you got a minute, can you upload a printscreen and show where it is ?

thanks a lot again, and looking forward to installing 1.0.28.

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There you go:

Attachment 7579

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dominik

There you go:

Attachment 7579

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Oh ! Silly me. A few weeks ago i was trying these buttons, i thought they were used to switch on/off the coil for the heater and the IR lamps.

Now i see the Pause and Stop buttons, sorry.

You might want to write Pause and Stop on them, or show a tool tip. Might help newbies, like me :-)

thanks a lot, i'll try them next time i print.

I can't seem to get the software to install. I keep getting an error and the install quits without completing. Any suggestions?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dsans1

I can't seem to get the software to install. I keep getting an error and the install quits without completing. Any suggestions?

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your operating system is 64 bits ? this can only install on 64 bits windows, no 32 bits.

which error message do you get ?

did you check your disk space ?

you have an internet connection on ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hugues

your operating system is 64 bits ? this can only install on 64 bits windows, no 32 bits.


which error message do you get ?

did you check your disk space ?

you have an internet connection on ?

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Yes 64bit Windows 10 on an Intel i3 dual core. 6GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive. Brand new machine. Connected to the internet via WiFi.

Error reads, "The Sintratec Central Setup Wizard ended. Sintratec Central setup ended prematurely because of an error. Your system has not been modified. To install this program at a later time, please run the installation again. Click the 'Finish' button to exit the Setup Wizard."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dsans1

Yes 64bit Windows 10 on an Intel i3 dual core. 6GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive. Brand new machine. Connected to the internet via WiFi.

Error reads, "The Sintratec Central Setup Wizard ended. Sintratec Central setup ended prematurely because of an error. Your system has not been modified. To install this program at a later time, please run the installation again. Click the 'Finish' button to exit the Setup Wizard."

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Better contact Sintratec on this, they have a support ticket system.

Yes, already submitted. The website isn't very clear, but maybe the software is only running on Windows 7? Unfortunate considering that software is six years old and Windows 10 has been available since July. I have no access to Windows 7 computers and had to buy this one, which is my first Windows computer since Win95 on a Sony Vaio.

Thanks for trying.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dsans1

Yes, already submitted. The website isn't very clear, but maybe the software is only running on Windows 7? ...

Thanks for trying.

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possible.
i'm running it on windows 8 installed on Macbook pro and Bootcamp.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hugues

possible.
i'm running it on windows 8 installed on Macbook pro and Bootcamp.

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Then it is something else, because I tried it on a Windows 8 machine and ran into the same error. I'll just have to wait for them to respond.

Dominik is working on the problem. Looks like an update to Windows broke the installer and I'm just the lucky one to have run into it first.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dsans1

Dominik is working on the problem. Looks like an update to Windows broke the installer and I'm just the lucky one to have run into it first.

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It was a problem with windows driver signing breaking the installer - fixed it! Thanks for quickly reporting it and already trying out different options, helped solving it faster.
Cheers, Dominik

Hi guys,
I just bought the Sintratec kit from a company that was not using it as much as they hoped. It came in, I tried a couple of prints, and I must admit that I am quite disappointed with the software.

It would really help, if the "powder setup" tool calculated at least a rough height of the powder required. There is certain amount of powder used during the preparation proces, and some powder used during the cooldown + there is some powder required for the print itself.
The tool does not display any of these values, which has led me couple of times to completely deplete the powder and then the blade starts pushing against the insulation fabric, untill it blocks the movement entirely.

I understand that there is no height sensor in the powder tank, but it would be quite easy to put in just a little help - display the height the right side has lowered - you can even require it to be reseted first. Then showing the minimal recommended powder stack height should be pretty easy - powder for preparing the bed + powder required for the cooldown + height of the print + some reserve.

Also, the system failed to print and/or preheat multiple times on me, without any indication of error. It says preheating ... 1:30 minutes, the whole time it looks ok, but then I come back to the printer, and it says idle.
All this time I thought that there are no errors, but looking more closely today, I relized, the strange text regarding errors and warnings is a button, that displays a popup window. It would be great, if the system realised that THERE ARE errors and warnings to display, and at least made the button in a different color, if not displaying the number and a list of the errors itself.

Lastly, I just came to a failed print, tried to display the errors and warnings, but all it gave me was this :

Warning 80 - description not available
Warning 81 - description not available
Warning 82 - description not available
Warning 87 - description not available

I've been trying to google these, but with no luck.

It would be great if there was some kind of description, as this does not help me much..

Thanks for any feedback on these..