Anyone else dissapointed with S3D?

[Chadd]

I use it and somethings it does nice but for the $$ spent on it and the total lack of support from them I would never buy it again, too many free options that do things better.

So my advice is if you haven't bought it, don't waste your money on it.

[dunginhawk]

I use it and somethings it does nice but for the $$ spent on it and the total lack of support from them I would never buy it again, too many free options that do things better.

So my advice is if you haven't bought it, don't waste your money on it.

im in the completely opposite boat... I bought it a while back (about 8 months) and love it... i think its a TON better than any other slicer out there. the quality of my prints changed in a major way once i started using it. but hey, thats just my opinion

[ex-egll]

So far I haven't spent too much time with S3D, I have been using CURA. I have tried matching the S3D settings with the ones used in CURA, but the S3D prints are way inferior to the CURA ones. In fact they are so poor, I believe I must have made a very basic error in setting up S3D. As the novelty of playing with the printer wears off I'll spend more time trying to tame the beast.

[dunginhawk]

So far I haven't spent too much time with S3D, I have been using CURA. I have tried matching the S3D settings with the ones used in CURA, but the S3D prints are way inferior to the CURA ones. In fact they are so poor, I believe I must have made a very basic error in setting up S3D. As the novelty of playing with the printer wears off I'll spend more time trying to tame the beast.

thats really surprising.. i find most of the defaults are good.. the only things i ever modify is layer height, and speed most times.

very rarely ill adjust the extrusion multiplier etc.

[ex-egll]

thats really surprising.. i find most of the defaults are good.. the only things i ever modify is layer height, and speed most times.

very rarely ill adjust the extrusion multiplier etc.

Ummmmm, I've being wondering how to phrase this entry without looking completely stupid, but haven't managed to find a way, so here goes.

When using 3mm filament, it is best to tell Simplify3d this little fact, otherwise it thinks you are using 1.75mm filament. Now, with that I have finally found out where the setting is (quick start didn't address it) that little problem has gone away. I'll spend more time playing with it.

[printbus]

Ummmmm, I've being wondering how to phrase this entry without looking completely stupid, but haven't managed to find a way, so here goes.

When using 3mm filament, it is best to tell Simplify3d this little fact, otherwise it thinks you are using 1.75mm filament. Now, with that I have finally found out where the setting is (quick start didn't address it) that little problem has gone away. I'll spend more time playing with it.

At least you figured it out! We've had the opposite problem with Slic3r a few times - people posting "what's wrong with my print" pictures only to figure out they had forgot to set Slic3r to 1.75mm instead of 3mm.

[Chadd]

I have been using S3D for a while now and just find that it has several shortcomings that free slicers don't.

I print mainly functional prototypes of mechanical parts so maybe if I were just printing figurines and things like that I wouldn't have issues with S3D.

Here are just a few issues off the top of my head.

1. Infill is horrible making for weak parts and poor intermediate and top layers.

2. There are issues between layers of say a flat surface with any type of a boss that comes off the surface "see link below for examples"

http://forum.simplify3d.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=1809

3. It won't wipe and retract at the same time, also the retract settings are needlessly confusing.

4. Total lack of support from a company that I paid $150 to for software.

[TopJimmyCooks]

here's my beef list i'm getting ready to float on their forum:


-streamline profiles v/s processes - get to something similar to slicer but still able to save factory files. Too freaking confusing what's a profile v/s process.
-be able to switch preview window from speed colors to material colors for dual extruder
- in machine control panel - be able to change active tool label - 0 and 1 are backwards on my machine and any printer with reprap/smart lcd
-force terminal commands to capital letters, FFS come on guys. Idiotic.
-When you bring one window to the front in windows, bring all simplify windows to the front or option to do the same.
-some level of undo - perhaps for scaling or moves on the build plate
-prompt to save factory AS instead of save over old .factory filename once models are deleted and added. Too easy to step on your old factory when you wanted to keep the old version.

Bottom, line, the results are better than Slic3r and cura although it's not as easy as it should be to get there. The default infill is anemic but beefing up the infill is trivial

I give them a pass on support because the forum gets decent replies and I haven't needed a whole lot. haven't tried to contact them directly. Have you Chadd?

[printbus]

I'm generally happy with spending money on S3D, but if we're finding things to complain about, here's my input -

• Give me a numerical reading and maybe a click up/click down option on the print fan speed. While on Marlin & RAMPs, my blower approach to a print cooler was very sensitive to the difference between say 3% speed and 5% speed, and I couldn't use the crude slider in S3D for basically anything but turning the fan all the off or all the way on
• Resize or rearrange the setting panes so that I don't HAVE to scroll to get to the one with print speeds on it. Why is that pane sequenced after the one for scripts that I rarely look at? And you couldn't come up with better label for the print speed pane than "Other"?

[jimc]

I personally love s3d. Ive been using it since almost the beginning. For the rest of you guys keep your pants on. You should be seeing an update real soon. I should be a major one so will probably be 3.0. Inwould expect to see quite a few major improvements. I get the feeling you will see something happen with infill. I dont have any solid info though but you will see something real soon