[Cura support for Silhouette Alta 3D printer]

Just to give some context, I began with the prusa slicer only because my wife had a training at her workplace that used that tool and since we are both new to 3D printing, I began working on settings for that application.

After running the start gcode routine (move to a small purge area and purge a tiny amount of pla), my alta prints an arc near the border of the plate of around 30 degress. This is standard practice for this printer, but the issue is the amount of time it waits sitting there before actually printing my object. I wanted to check if this is unavoidable or if there is something to change in the gcode I got here or in my stack.

[Cura support for Silhouette Alta 3D printer]

On 1/31/2021 at 10:11 AM, ahoeben said:

Or better yet, create a pull request to have the files included in Cura so users like you don't have to keep manually installing the files when a new version of Cura is available.

That is very reasonable, but so far I am using PrusaSlicer (with Octoprint) with success. As soon as I derive the Cura settings I might as well do that, great suggestion.

[Cura support for Silhouette Alta 3D printer]

On 6/16/2020 at 12:22 PM, tdpspt said:

Hello Everyone. 

 

       I just signed up but I am not new here by any stretch of the imagination. 

 

I finally feel like I have something worth while to contribute to this ongoing discussion concerning the silhouette Alta / Alta +

 I have both an Alta and an Alta +_

I have spent hours well weeks even working out everything there is to know about this machine.  (that Silhouette wont tell you and neither will the actual maker of this machine..)

 

First.   this is a repackaged Colido d1315 from Print-Rite. 

 

They are the only retail outlet on the web (that I am aware of) Beside silhouette who is always sold out.  (by the way the filament is Colido filament as well )where you can get parts for the Silhouette Alta /Alta +  Such as a new print head, circuit board.  etc.

 

Also the silhouette alta + was released amazingly at the same exact time as the D1315 + 

 

I have rewritten the Calibration Code for the Alta So that you do not have to use the Silhouette 3D Software.

And the borrowed the Colido code for filament change  so that you can use any slicer that lets you send gcode or uses scripts

(I may write a couple of Cura Scripts but I haven't decided yet)

 

I have also re-written the Start Code for the Alta So that you don't Fall Asleep just waiting for it to finish the prime tower and the the smudge/smear prior to print.   Also for anyone else who has experience that cracking/grinding/ popping sound just after the prime tower I have gotten rid of that.\

 

and for anyone curious as to whether or not i am pushing the alta outside of its design specs.

Here is MY hard coded print-rite written and embedded settings

 

echo:Stored settings retrieved
echo:Steps per unit:
echo:  M92 X100.00 Y100.00 Z100.00 E97.90
echo:Maximum feedrates (mm/s):
echo:  M203 X200.00 Y200.00 Z200.00 E43.00
echo:Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):
echo:  M201 X9000 Y9000 Z9000 E9000
echo:Acceleration: S=acceleration, T=retract acceleration
echo:  M204 S3000.00 T3000.00
echo:Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time (ms), X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s),  Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s),  E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)
echo:  M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X20.00 Z20.00 E20.00
echo:Home offset (mm):
echo:  M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
echo:PID settings:
echo:   M301 P24.00 I0.40 D20.00

 

FYI this printer is capable of producing high quality dimensionally accurate prints at more than twice the speed that silhouette eludes to in the limited literature that they provide.

 

 

A couple of hints:

 

UNLESS YOU KNOW ATMEGA2560 /ARDUINO/ FTDI  in system programming DO NOT Flash you Marlin Firmware.  At least until I or someone else figures out a work around I REALLY want auto bed leveling....      Print Rite took marlin OPENSOURCE changed/complicated the flashing procedure removed some commands and didn't add a bootloader to their system and called it their "in house developed specialized os.  its just dumbed down marlin 1.0

 

if using their filament

THESE FIRST TWO THEY NEVER TELL YOU ANYWHERE BUT IF YOU WERE TO FRESH LOAD THEIR 3D SOFTWARE YOU MIGHT NOTICE

 

 

210 C temp

115% extrusion Rate

it has a .4mm nozzle   but you should be laying down .45mm to .6mm lines and .35 for things like supports 

and I usually run .08 to .16mm layer height

Speed regular prints 45-60

Detail prints 35-45

Travel 70-80

jerk 20

acceleration   3000 to 8000mm  sq/s

 

maximum dimensional extrusion 12

 

YES because of the enclosed frame YOU CAN USE A BIG OLE 120mm PC Cooling fan straight off of the main board Labeled fan connection and the software will control it. Cura included (honestly it works better than the alta + built on rinky dink filament fan which blows but not in the way it should,

 

And it is configured to use an sd card in fact the firmware still searches for it at load (i think that's how they flash firmware)

 

That's for starters

 

I am attaching

all the g-code files I referenced

 

Index of uploaded Files.

Start an End G-Code  -- Revised for speed and accuracy put these in your cura settings

Complete Calibration routine --  each tower individually,  or all towers plus center

load/unload filament Captured from the Colido Software  matches silhouettes exactly.

Complete Capture of Silhouette Alta Reset routine  

 

if this is received well and people are interested, i Have Cura Print profiles , Slic3r config, Repetier Host config and a few others as well for the Silhouette Alta/Alta+

 

 

Later all

MD

 

Silhouette AltaGcode Files REVISED.zip 3.29 kB · 30 downloads

 

Thank you for all the hard work you put into this. I want to keep a copy of these files in a private github repository as a backup of mine, but you allow me, I would very much enjoy making the repo public giving credits however you like. Would you allow me to make it public?