The Simplify3d Tips and Information Thread

[Dargonfly]

bed is fine
to is the right head
t1 is the left head

Hmm, looks like t0 is also the bed.
So sensibly I ought to alter the code to use t2 as heated bed.
I'll try that - thanks :-)

****

Got an evening to play with the printer !
Just refitted the right nozzle and currently doing the head calibrate thing.
Going to try some dual colour printing - wish me luck :-)

For me it's the same: T0 right head, T1 left head T0 heated bed (different T0 because of the radio button below it that says HBP)
Works perfectly (is default setting btw)

Good luck with the dual color prints! Looking forward to the results.

[curious aardvark]

right soprted the bed just changed gcode to use t2. That way each element has it's own code.

Now dual colour.
You need a nozzle wiper.
Currently just making abasic business card. To keep it thin and quickish to print.

First effort (well 3rd or 4th - had to work out how to seperate files for different head printing) with s3d did work but looks crap. Lots of bits of filament stuck to the edges.
I've got the 'wipe nozzle' boxes ticked - and can't find anything else that references cleaning nozzles during a dual extruder print.

Currently printing the card with makerware to see what it should look like.

But somewhere there must be a way to clean nozzles.
Any ideas ?

[Stigern]

I see theres a FAN option on the Cooling tab in Simplify, is it so that the Flashforge supports a extra fan connected somewhere? I think I've read it somewhere but can't remember.

[Serena]

right soprted the bed just changed gcode to use t2. That way each element has it's own code.

Now dual colour.
You need a nozzle wiper.
Currently just making abasic business card. To keep it thin and quickish to print.

First effort (well 3rd or 4th - had to work out how to seperate files for different head printing) with s3d did work but looks crap. Lots of bits of filament stuck to the edges.
I've got the 'wipe nozzle' boxes ticked - and can't find anything else that references cleaning nozzles during a dual extruder print.

Currently printing the card with makerware to see what it should look like.

But somewhere there must be a way to clean nozzles.
Any ideas ?

I had had this bookmarked for when I tried dual colors. There's some good info in this thread that may help:
http://www.forum.simplify3d.com/view...php?f=8&t=1266

[Dargonfly]

right soprted the bed just changed gcode to use t2. That way each element has it's own code.

Now dual colour.
You need a nozzle wiper.
Currently just making abasic business card. To keep it thin and quickish to print.

First effort (well 3rd or 4th - had to work out how to seperate files for different head printing) with s3d did work but looks crap. Lots of bits of filament stuck to the edges.
I've got the 'wipe nozzle' boxes ticked - and can't find anything else that references cleaning nozzles during a dual extruder print.

Currently printing the card with makerware to see what it should look like.

But somewhere there must be a way to clean nozzles.
Any ideas ?

If the second color only starts at a certain layer and completely replaces the first color then you can pause the print at that moment, swap filament, use only one extruder.
If the second color only starts 50% in, but the first color is also used, then you can pause the print at that moment and then load the specific filament.
If both colors are used the first 50%, but afterwards only one color, then you can pause the print at that moment and then unload the specific filament.

Those are just some ideas that cost less then purge walls. If you upgrade your firmware to sailfish there is an option to 'Z pause' (pause at certain height in mm) to do just that.
(just a little heads up: I wasn't happy with some other things sailfish did and I didn't understand all of it, so it's for advanced users, decide for yourself if you're ready for that.)

I see theres a FAN option on the Cooling tab in Simplify, is it so that the Flashforge supports a extra fan connected somewhere? I think I've read it somewhere but can't remember.

The Fan options refer to the extruder fans and allow you to set a speed (in percentages) per layer.
Currently there are some bugs with it and some printers only accept a 'ON' of 'OFF' state. Have to test and see what my Flashforge does.
Apparently you can create G-code commands for control of these fans, so perhaps you can hook up another fan and use those commands to control them? I cannot say this for sure, but within the standard settings there is no option for an additional fan control.

I had had this bookmarked for when I tried dual colors. There's some good info in this thread that may help:
http://www.forum.simplify3d.com/view...php?f=8&t=1266

Thanks for the link, very helpful for dual printing on the Flashforge!

[curious aardvark]

so basically for 2 colour prints i need to currently use makerware.
pretty much the conclusion i came to last night, to be fair the purge walls don't use much plastic. just adds a lot more time per print.
Once i'd set the model up properly it did work really well for the business card.
i don't fancy the idea of slicing the dual colour chainmail bracelet with makerware. but can't see it printing properly with s3d either.
c'est la vie :-)

I've also noticed that the text is offset slightly from the voids. I think I'm going to ignore the calibration grid and just set both axis to 7 (currently both on 12 as that was the best match up)
And then adjust from there.

[jimc]

For now stick with mw or cura for 2 colors. The next s3d update will be highly focused on dual extrusion so you will see alot of s3d advancements when that comes out probably in a couple months.

[Dargonfly]

For now stick with mw or cura for 2 colors. The next s3d update will be highly focused on dual extrusion so you will see alot of s3d advancements when that comes out probably in a couple months.

That sounds cool! Are you part of the S3D team? Or where are you getting this inside knowledge?

If the next update focuses on dual extrusion then I really hope that you can set different shells to different extruders! This will allow me to print the outer shell (or outer 2 shells) with expensive bronze material and the inside shells with some cheap material. But then the top most surface and bottom most surface should also be bronze..

[curious aardvark]

Also how do you get cura to talk to a flashforge ? Is there a gpx plugin like s3d uses ?
Have to admit I haven't looked ta it for a while - as there was no point I couldn't use it.
But could I import a file sliced with cura into s3d and use that ?

Oh yes my right head is now lower than the left - aarrgghhh !
Both nozzles are screwed in to the same degree so it's got to be something else.
Gonna have to deassemble the bloody thing to see if I can work out how to put the bloody thing back where it should be.
Sigh, and things were going so well lol

[jimc]

sorry man i have no info for you on cura. i have never used it myself as well as a ff, mb or any of the clones. i just know that currently most people i know doing dual are using one of those 2 slicers. no i am not part of s3d. i have been using it for a long time though and i hook up with clayton and his team once a year at makerfair. we had a nice chat a few weeks ago about future improvements, ideas, etc. you will find s3d doesnt usually jump right in and be first to release a feature. they are usually a little late to the party. when another slicer comes out with something or there is a big feature request they like to sit back, get feed back from users then figure out a way to improve upon current slicers and how to implement the feature requests in a way that really works or is better than whats currently available.