Using new 3.2 version of Cura on a marlin based home built printer with win7 64 bit os.
the material estimation is pretty damn accurate for duration of print which is not what i have read from other users ?
the problem im having is it estimates 0.6m of material when quite obviously the part requires 10x more just by looking at it, i have entered the PLA information into the cost estimator 1.75 at 1kg reel for £10.99 (OK i'm a cheapskate). but the print material estimate is always way out. if i want to use up short lengths and trusted the estimate i would have burnt out the hot end on every occasion.
another glitch in Cura is that the time estimate increases for multiple parts but the material usage does not.
for this your advice would be invaluable - i did try searching the forum but no luck.
On another note, why does my PC keep donging whilst printing, it does a boo bong windows sound several times whilst printing, sounds like a USB device being inserted, If this is the case then its down to one of three devices keyboard, mouse or 3D printer. ummm guess what happens when the printer is not installed. What is it doing - it does not loose communication so i don't think it is RF noise on the signal.
I have disabled the auto slice on import as it was annoying me and slowed down the whole import and setup process, I was zooming to check import before printing then slice would start and part disappeared. Now i instigate the slice when i'm ready.
The Cura software is otherwise brilliant and worked first time out of the box without having to make too many configuration changes (speed being the major one, both print and travel).
my print flow is set at 40%, but i'm sure that's because my extruder setting in firmware is total rubbish in the tune of 5mm = 5cm so i will probably try reducing the flow further.
A tool which is missing from Cura is the ability to extrude from the printer monitor to clean/test the extruder.
which reminds me i have disabled the reverse extrusion where it isn't needed as when i started a new print the extruder had emptied itself and wouldn't start printing again as what little filament was left in the extruder had burnt and clogged the nozzle. again directly linked to the wrong extruder calibration in Marlin firmware.
Let this be a lesson to you guys, when you get your printer working - don't forget what firmware you installed and from where and what machine changes you made in firmware, its so annoying years later when oldtimers has kicked in and you don't have a clue what you did. Oh its on a piece of paper somewhere in the garage, in the filing cabinet full of crap.
Did i mention i think its brilliant software, i held on to Pronterface and slicer until the bitter end - unfortunately it became the bitter end for it, ive downloaded every Version of Cura since its inception but never used it until now.