How can I print directly from cura to my 3d printer using usb?

[chumlee 1]

I would like to be able to print directly from my pc to my 3d printer

[DidierKlein 729]

Hi,

You can do that directly with Cura normally, what is your problem? (Not sure if Cura 2.1 supports USB printing already?)

Cura 15.04 supports it for sure

[nallath 1,117]

Yeah 2.1 supports it. I don't recommend doing it though (in either version). You introduce a ton of points of failure.

If you want some form of remote control, get octoprint (it's not like the 30$ for a pi is that much money and it will earn itself back by having a higher success rate)

[xeno 108]

Yeah 2.1 supports it. I don't recommend doing it though (in either version). You introduce a ton of points of failure.

If you want some form of remote control, get octoprint (it's not like the 30$ for a pi is that much money and it will earn itself back by having a higher success rate)

 

Why are you telling this every time ?

I have been printing nothing else then with USB, and never have trouble, I even print huge files, never ...have..any ..trouble !

When you removed the option in Cura, you always said there was no interest in USB printing.

I know you removed the option from all UM2 and later printers, and that's the only reason why it won't work !

[nallath 1,117]

 

Yeah 2.1 supports it. I don't recommend doing it though (in either version). You introduce a ton of points of failure.

If you want some form of remote control, get octoprint (it's not like the 30$ for a pi is that much money and it will earn itself back by having a higher success rate)

 

Why are you telling this every time ?

I have been printing nothing else then with USB, and never have trouble, I even print huge files, never ...have..any ..trouble !

When you removed the option in Cura, you always said there was no interest in USB printing.

I know you removed the option from all UM2 and later printers, and that's the only reason  why it won't work !

 

Because just because you (as an expert user) can get it to work, doesn't mean it works flawlessly for everyone.

As I already wrote in my post, the USB printing is not removed at all. It has been there from the beginning. We don't support it, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't work or is removed. It means we think we've got better things to fix / implement.

[xeno 108]

From one version to the next, you changed the printer interface to an unusable Pronterface interface, the we were told could be adjusted as long as you would know how to code.

I NEVER got it to work properly or have the same kind of settings like the older version.

and I now still use the older version just to print the G-code files.

you decided it was too much effort to make it fully workable again in the newer versions because you were too "busy" building Cura from the ground up,

you gave us a totally unusable "new" Cura that took years to get back to any sort of equal function from the old style Cura.

I now still you say you are to "busy" to even bother to make a usable USB printing interface, because not many users would use it (why would that be ?)

and if any body has complaints about the usability of Cura you just say, how dare you to complain about free software !

While I still find (old) Cura the best and easy to use slicing software, I hate the arrogant attitude of the developers.

[nallath 1,117]

From one version to the next, you changed the printer interface to an unusable Pronterface interface, the we were told could be adjusted as long as you would know how to code.

I NEVER got it to work properly or have the same kind of settings like the older version.

and I now still use the older version just to print the G-code files.

 

Pronterface? I think Daid changed that 3-4 years ago. I was still an intern back then, so it's rather unfair to blame me for that don't you think?

 

you decided it was too much effort to make it fully workable again in the newer versions because you were too "busy" building Cura from the ground up,

you gave us a totally unusable "new" Cura that took years to get back to any sort of equal function from the old style Cura.

 

I'm guessing that you are referring to 15.06? If you read my posts from that time you can see that I was strongly opposed to releasing that.

 

I now still you say you are to "busy" to even bother to make a usable USB printing interface, because not many users would use it (why would that be ?)

 

We already saw a very strong decline in USB printing when it was supported, so yeah it kinda makes sense to not support it.

 

and if any body has complaints about the usability of Cura you just say, how dare you to complain about free software !

 

All I have to say about this is wait for 2.2. We have made 20+ changes based on user feedback. It's true that I don't always agree with people, but I find this a bit of an overstatement.

[xeno 108]

 

From one version to the next, you changed the printer interface to an unusable Pronterface interface, the we were told could be adjusted as long as you would know how to code.

I NEVER got it to work properly or have the same kind of settings like the older version.

and I now still use the older version just to print the G-code files.

 

Pronterface? I think Daid changed that 3-4 years ago. I was still an intern back then, so it's rather unfair to blame me for that don't you think?

 

you decided it was too much effort to make it fully workable again in the newer versions because you were too "busy" building Cura from the ground up,

you gave us a totally unusable "new" Cura that took years to get back to any sort of equal function from the old style Cura.

 

I'm guessing that you are referring to 15.06? If you read my posts from that time you can see that I was strongly opposed to releasing that.

 

I now still you say you are to "busy" to even bother to make a usable USB printing interface, because not many users would use it (why would that be ?)

 

We already saw a very strong decline in USB printing when it was supported, so yeah it kinda makes sense to not support it.

 

and if any body has complaints about the usability of Cura you just say, how dare you to complain about free software !

 

All I have to say about this is wait for 2.2. We have made 20+ changes based on user feedback. It's true that I don't always agree with people, but I find this a bit of an overstatement.

 

It is not a response to you as a person, but as Team Ultimaker and Ultimaker in general,

who else am I supposed to complain to

[dreadedhill 0]

First, I just arrived at this discussion. Also, I know a bit about software.

The USB connection to the printer has value in allowing Cura to introspect the attached 3D printer. Cura could in principle do exact auto-configure to match the attached printer, without user intervention. Also that same introspection could - in principle - tell us the exact state of the printer, and the progress of any print job (however started).

If the printer has mass storage (a memory card in the usual case), that storage could be introspected. The data for a print job could be transferred to the printer storage (again, in principle). Prints would then occur through a single code path (off the memory card). Once a print job was started, the computer could go to sleep, or be detached, and the job would complete normally.

At least this is what I expect, as a software guy. Whether the printer firmware and Cura support this, I do not (yet) know.

[martureo 0]

Hi I just bought a CR-10S and the SD Card does not work - files are corrupted - so i cannot install drivers for my windows 10 - can anyone help me with the following:

 

1. i installed Cura 15.x but it does not see the printer - what am i doing wrong? 

 

2. also it would appear that the CD Card reader on the control box can only see GCODE, isnt the CR-10S supposed to support STL files also?

 

many thanks in advance - Martureo

[gr5 2,072]

Plug usb cable into windows machine.  It should make the same "ba bump" musical sound that it makes if you plut in a mouse into the windows machine.  If not I think you have hardware problems (with the printer).

 

If it makes the sound then go to device manager, un plug and replug and watch what appears - in the first second it should show up in the usb section then if you have the right arduino windows driver installed it will dissappear from here and appear in the list of COMM ports aka serial ports.  If it does then everything is working - not which com port e.g. COM3 or COM7 or even COM20 or whatever.  Now try to connect from cura - if it won't work it is probably a non-standard baud rate so don't use cura - use pronterface - which is better than cura and is also free here:

http://koti.kapsi.fi/~kliment/printrun/

[ahoeben 1,852]

As a rule of thumb, printers can only natively print gcode. An STL is a model that still needs to be sliced into gcode (using Cura or another slicer) before if can be printed.

Edited March 13, 2018 by ahoeben

[martureo 0]

Thanks Everyone now i get it

[dreadedhill 0]

As I eventually discovered, if you are using MacOS, connecting a printer via USB is a bit not obvious. Some(?) printers use a USB chip that MacOS does not support. Unlike Windows, MacOS does not(!) tell you when there is an unrecognized USB device. You have to dig up the correct drivers to install (bit tricky) ... then (for me) Cura worked, pretty much automatically.

Then I (finally) got around to setting up OctoPi (OctoPrint on a Raspberry Pi). Much, much better than using USB. Very highly recommended.

You do not want to be printing via directly connected USB. 

 

[treereaver 2]

Dreadedhill.

 

If you are trying to connect to something as complex as a printer using a Mac I suggest you get a Windows PC. 

 

But,  kidding aside,  Why do you say :- "You do not want to be printing via directly connected USB."

Why would you want to fritter around with a Micro SD card?  Good heavens it takes about 5 minutes to swap from PC (even a MAC) to Printer.  Whereas a reliable USB system takes one button push.

 

Or are you suggesting that USB is not as safe and reliable as SD?

 

I am a newbie to 3d printing but my wife is threatening to make herself a widow if I don't spend less time with this horribly addictive gadget!

[gr5 2,072]

There are many reasons not to print directly through USB.  If your operating system decides to shut down or go into sleep mode or update itself or update one of 100 products then your print is ruined.

 

Or you might want to play a video game but be afraid that it might use up too much cpu, slow down cura, and ruin your print.  Or you might crash the computer.  So now you have a computer that's dedicated to printing.  And what if you have 5 active printers like myself?

 

USB is less reliable.  Amazingly bad gcodes end up making it to the arduino.  I blame the arduino usb hardware because for other devices, usb is very reliable.  But for 3d printing not so much.

 

SD card is so easy.  It does not take 5 minutes to insert and remove a USB card twice.  It takes maybe 6 seconds. 

 

The best way to "print through usb" is to spend the $35 and get a rasberry pi and install octoprint.  Now you can print through the network.

 

[ahoeben 1,852]

While I generally agree with your argument against using USB, this is not quite true:

13 hours ago, gr5 said:

USB is less reliable.  Amazingly bad gcodes end up making it to the arduino.  I blame the arduino usb hardware because for other devices, usb is very reliable.  But for 3d printing not so much. 

 

It is true that "bits can go lost" in the communication between the host and the arduino (especially with cheap, long cables), and this *would* lead to "Amazingly bad gcodes", if the printer firmware didn't detect these faulty bits and didn't ask for the faulty gcode lines to be resent. If a lot of gcode lines end up being resent, this slows down communication, leading to stuttering prints.

 

I do wholeheartedly agree with the advice to get a Raspberry Pi to run OctoPrint, though you also need to invest in a good power supply for it.

[treereaver 2]

Hi Guys,

 

  Like I said I'm new to this 3D printing.  My printer has a USB port built in!  The SD slot is buried in amongst the cables for all the motors and end stop sensors etc.  It is a micro SD port and is therefor fiddly my (Windows) PC has a standard SD socket so I need an adapter and I suggest it takes more than 6 seconds to change.  BUT what has all this got to do with Raspberry pi's and Arduinos?  If my machine (Windows) PC decides to update itself, or I want to play a game or anything, other than a complete shutdown, the USB is unaffected.  At 115200 baud the Gcode is dumped in seconds, and the printer effectively becomes autonomous.  Mind you I have no experience with Mac hardware so they may be different.

 

  I have a Prusa i3 clone from Geetech using Cura 15.04.3.

 

  When all is said and done I turned on my 3D printer imported an obj file from 3DS max into Cura hit the "print with USB" button and away it went.  Not the world's best print but my Grandson was delighted with the disembodied head that resulted.  (Which is what my head will be if I don't help my wife with the housework!)

 

 Thanks for the help.

[tinkergnome 926]

1 hour ago, treereaver said:

At 115200 baud the Gcode is dumped in seconds, and the printer effectively becomes autonomous.  Mind you I have no experience with Mac hardware so they may be different.

 

  I have a Prusa i3 clone from Geetech using Cura 15.04.3.

 

Unfortunatly that's not the way how USB printing on those printers work. Those printers are driven by an 8 bit microcontroller that stores only a few lines of gcode at a time in a small buffer. Printing via USB depends on a continuously supply of gcode lines (one by one) until the print finishes.
Stand-alone operation is only possible with the sd-card.

What you probably have in mind is transferring a complete file at once to a device (using the serial connection). That's a completely different thing and definitely not a task that is done by Cura 15.04

 

 

Edited January 30, 2019 by tinkergnome

[treereaver 2]

We learn all the time.  You're right I got used to the arduino and its interface and downloading the whole file to the device.  When I used CNC and GRBL code, I never realised that it was only downloading one line of Gcode at a time!  However, I am using the internet to answer this email, 3DS max 2014 to work on my next model, playing an audio book from Amazon,  printing a model with Cura and keeping an ear open for my wife. None of this has, so far, affected any of my prints.  So the convenience of using USB is still important.  I will probably remember this conversation when I do a LONG print.  I will also see what happens on Sunday night when my PC automatically back itself up!

 

So far I have not done anything of sufficient importance to warrant using the SD slot I will however use it if I cannot afford to waste the print.    

 

Thank you for explaining to me.  

 

Regards

[budgie14 0]

I agree with dreadedhill.Im new to this and first thought that you picked an object  via pc using repetier etc,then sliced it,then sent it to the printer via usb cable,where it went to the sd card on the printer,once it loaded all those files,the printer started and the pc becomes a, redundant or  b   if you want you can moniter the print. Thats the way I envisioned it. Not taking microsd card in and out. Tho I have bought an microsd card extension cable,for when the slot is hard to access ,like on my first 3d printer the Tronxy xy100

[treereaver 2]

Sorry if you get 2 replies from me to this post but I fouled up the first one!

 

Yes that's what I thought too. But I can't find a way to communicate with the SD card via the Comm port involved with the printer.  I had got used to sending files to my various Arduino devices and letting them go their own sweet way. I have an extension SD cable to bring the port to the top of the printer for accessibility purposes. But faffing about with fiddly little cards is counter productive at my age!  (Life's too short to safely remove USB devices!)

 

Regards

Trevor

[dreadedhill 0]

Still getting notifications on this topic, so adding a bit... 🙂

For context, I write software for a living. Mostly developing for Windows and Unix (since the 1980s). Found that I - as a developer - much prefer Unix as my day-to-day working environment, so bought a fully loaded MacBook Pro in 2013 to get a laptop with a Unix command line. (Do Windows development in virtual machines.) So well-acquainted with Windows and Unix (or Linux).

Printing via shuffling SD cards is a tedious, though reliable.

Printing via USB connected to your PC seems like a good idea. USB certainly works well with common paper printers. Plug in a USB paper printer and your PC can introspect the newly connected device, and (in many cases) load appropriate drivers automatically. From your PC, you have great control over the printer.

Problem is, most of the current low-end 3D printers on the market are dumb as a rock. The USB support on the printer side is ... not really USB (cheap/dumb/unreliable/barebones). This means there are lots of problems you do not have with common paper printers on USB. The end result is less reliable.

(I have not used an Ultimaker printer. I suspect they are better sorted .. but still using primitive controllers, last I checked.)

The better alternative is to setup OctoPrint, using a Raspberry Pi. In effect, you get a $35 Linux supercomputer dedicated to the singular task of making your printer smarter. It works. The Raspberry Pi uses that half-assed USB to the printer. That means OctoPrint bends over backwards to allow for cranky/dumb printers ... and does a very good job.

Yes, it takes some work to setup OctoPrint (or OctoPi). I was several months into my 3D printing misadventures, before I got around to setting up OctoPrint. 

Oh boy. Was it ever worth it. OctoPrint is so much nicer. 

I have zero interest in debugging PC-to-printer USB issues. Get started with OctoPrint. You can thank me later. 🙂

[treereaver 2]

Hi,

  I am not into Raspberry Pi.  I personally prefer Arduino kit (It's cheaper, and my wife limits my pocket money, she spends most of it.  I do have a Linux device call a Pcduino which runs a form of Linux.  If and it's a very big "if" I download and can install Octoprint what am I gaining? Are we not in the same position with respect to the reliability of the wifi connection?  I understand that an SD card in the printer is as reliable as it gets; but what are the advantages of using a Pi and Octoprint? 

 

By the way my computer backed itself up last night (Sunday) and had no effect on the latest print. ("Squid attack" from Thingiverse). 

 

Thanks for all your efforts.

 

Regards

 

Trevor

[ahoeben 1,852]

The gcode file is first transferred over the network in its entirety before the print is started. Once the print is started, the computer running Cura can be turned off and the reliability of the network is irrelevant.