New to 3D Printing and need some help.

[BLKKROW]

I would not go with Simplify 3D. Sometimes people can simplify things too much, and I feel in their case that's what they did.

http://www.simplify3d.com/support/faq/



Makerware and ReplicatorG are all I've relied on and have gotten me thus far, so that's all I can suggest really. Makerware has alot of features Repg misses, like the print preview so you can see what it will look like with supports etc.

You could try Cura, but not knowing your machine exactly I couldn't say if it would work, as far as I know they wont connect to replicators, only Ultimakers and a couple of others.

Thank you for replying! When you run repg do you use the skeinforge or slic3r profile when cutting gcode?

Also, can anyone help me with the calibration print I have included pictures as attachments.

I have printed this tube 4 times and the final print is my best so far and is the one included. I am trying to fix the top layer of the cube and fix the sag on the two cut outs.

To fix the sag I have set the retraction to 1.4mm and to try to fix the top layer I have set the infill to 20% with a line fill at 90*.

[Roxy]

I am trying to fix the top layer of the cube and fix the sag on the two cut outs.

To fix the sag I have set the retraction to 1.4mm and to try to fix the top layer I have set the infill to 20% with a line fill at 90*.

With Slicer, you can bump down the speed doing a bridge while at the same time reducing the amount extruded. That makes the line being done pull tighter.

[BLKKROW]

With Slicer, you can bump down the speed doing a bridge while at the same time reducing the amount extruded. That makes the line being done pull tighter.

I will have to locate that option, I have found that I cannot use slic3r outside of repg. When I do that and try to use the gcode that slic3r produced it does not work with my machine.

Is this the same for everyone? Also can you point me in a direction to find the bridge speed?

[Roxy]

I will have to locate that option, I have found that I cannot use slic3r outside of repg. When I do that and try to use the gcode that slic3r produced it does not work with my machine.

Is this the same for everyone? Also can you point me in a direction to find the bridge speed?

First, in the preferences, turn on Expert mode. File / Preferences / Expert_Mode

Then, in Print_Settings / Speed / Bridges set to 1/5 of your normal speed. And probably you want to set Bridge Acceleration (at the bottom of that same page) pretty low too.

Lastly, and most importantly, in Print_Settings / Advanced / Bridge_Flow_Rate down at 90% or maybe even less.

[BLKKROW]

First, in the preferences, turn on Expert mode. File / Preferences / Expert_Mode

Then, in Print_Settings / Speed / Bridges set to 1/5 of your normal speed. And probably you want to set Bridge Acceleration (at the bottom of that same page) pretty low too.

Lastly, and most importantly, in Print_Settings / Advanced / Bridge_Flow_Rate down at 90% or maybe even less.

Well that may be an issue as I cannot use the Slic3r program independent of repg. I can only go into repg and edit the slicing profile for slic3r. I am at work currently and cannot provide more details, I will try to use slic3r tonight and import the gcode with repg and see if my printer will work. Last time I tried that the extruder would not move and sit in one spot trying to print.

Roxy, may I ask what version of slic3r you are using? I tried using the latest 1.1.6 with repg and it did not work. Maybe I should try a different version?

[Roxy]

Roxy, may I ask what version of slic3r you are using? I tried using the latest 1.1.6 with repg and it did not work. Maybe I should try a different version?

I'm usually running the 'experimental' release. My printer is broke right now, but if it wasn't I would be at 1.1.6 I'm actually at 1.1.0 right now. But with that all said, you can run Slicer as a stand alone program. You can create a short cut icon on your desktop and just double click it. That is how I prefer to do things because I have more control. But you can also just let your printer program run it for you. One of the options on Slicer is what type of GCode it should produce. I don't know what Replicator-G's type is.... But you need to set it correctly in Slicer. You do that at:

Printer_Settings / General / Firmware / G-code_Flavor

[BLKKROW]

I'm usually running the 'experimental' release. My printer is broke right now, but if it wasn't I would be at 1.1.6 I'm actually at 1.1.0 right now. But with that all said, you can run Slicer as a stand alone program. You can create a short cut icon on your desktop and just double click it. That is how I prefer to do things because I have more control. But you can also just let your printer program run it for you. One of the options on Slicer is what type of GCode it should produce. I don't know what Replicator-G's type is.... But you need to set it correctly in Slicer. You do that at:

Printer_Settings / General / Firmware / G-code_Flavor

Thank you for responding.

I have successfully used Slic3r outside of Repg. I am also having the extruder being rattled on one side even after removing 15mm off the X axis on my Bed size. So I will keep removing some length off to see what happens.

I have included the pictures of the first print using Slic3r outside of repg. I am having an issue with the base layer which I was not having before even though I am using the same settings.

Any help with that?

[printbus]

Are you sure the issue with the base layers is new? On the print in the first post, I thought the base was showing some issues even though the bottom view wasn't included. I'd certainly agree they're worse in this later print. I'm not familiar with your printer, but it looks to me that the hot end is starting too high off the print bed.

[Roxy]

I have included the pictures of the first print using Slic3r outside of repg. I am having an issue with the base layer which I was not having before even though I am using the same settings.

Any help with that?

Are you sure the issue with the base layers is new? On the print in the first post, I thought the base was showing some issues even though the bottom view wasn't included. I'd certainly agree they're worse in this later print. I'm not familiar with your printer, but it looks to me that the hot end is starting too high off the print bed.

First, lets give credit where its due! Your top with the single cube looks VERY good. It looks better than what mine looks like. Mine usually ends up pretty rounded because of the heat.

Are you printing with a raft? It kind of looks like it. I suspect it might be worth while to try printing the first layer directly on the bed. And it might be interesting to stop the printer 90% of the way through the first layer and take a picture of that for us. PrintBus is probably right about the nozzle being too high to get good adhesion. That picture of the bottom of the print shows the filament pretty 'round'. What that means is it is not getting squished down into the bed and fusing one tube to the next. And that is probably helping cause other problems like the lower left corner in the first print. The filament doesnt have anything to stick to from the previous layer and the corner does not end up square. (Instead, the filament gets pulled and the corner gets rounded)

[BLKKROW]

Are you sure the issue with the base layers is new? On the print in the first post, I thought the base was showing some issues even though the bottom view wasn't included. I'd certainly agree they're worse in this later print. I'm not familiar with your printer, but it looks to me that the hot end is starting too high off the print bed.

First, lets give credit where its due! Your top with the single cube looks VERY good. It looks better than what mine looks like. Mine usually ends up pretty rounded because of the heat.

Are you printing with a raft? It kind of looks like it. I suspect it might be worth while to try printing the first layer directly on the bed. And it might be interesting to stop the printer 90% of the way through the first layer and take a picture of that for us. PrintBus is probably right about the nozzle being too high to get good adhesion. That picture of the bottom of the print shows the filament pretty 'round'. What that means is it is not getting squished down into the bed and fusing one tube to the next. And that is probably helping cause other problems like the lower left corner in the first print. The filament doesnt have anything to stick to from the previous layer and the corner does not end up square. (Instead, the filament gets pulled and the corner gets rounded)

Thank you for your replies!

My other prints had a little issue with the first layer as can be seen from my previous post. This one was just a lot worse. I am not using a raft just printing straight onto the printing bed. I am using a heated bed at 65*c with PLA. My first layer print temperature is 230*c, I have tried lowering both of these but the print was even worse then what I included above.

Would you raise the printing bed slightly? Or fix the Z-stop within Slic3r?