Custom material profiles for Ultimaker 2/2+ problems

[LePaul 312]

Well I have spent a few hours trying to follow the logic, perhaps others can help me out.

There's something not synching between the process listed on the https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/20982-custom-materials-ultimaker2-plus and using Cura 2.3

Let me tag @nallath so he can chime in from Cura

Here's what happened to me...

I wanted to have an Colorfabb nGen profile on my Ultimaker 2+. The process looks pretty easy. The one problem I noticed is in Notepad, it was a real mess to work with. I went and downloaded Notepad++. You can see from the screen shot that Notepad++ is way better to work with!

I created the profile using the settings I had seen work for others, from here, my forum and the Colorfabb site.

Basically: temp 230, bed 85, retraction length 4.5, retraction speed 45 mm/sec, fan 50, flow 100, etc.

I uploaded that in using the process in Method 2 and all was there.

Now for Cura....

I created a model and when I went to check on retraction settings, my only option was to Enable it, which i did. Curious, I went and hit the settings gear icon to see the settings...

The exclamation points won't let me change them, so I left well enough alone.

Well, come time to print, as soon as the print commences, the filament retracts a long way out of the print head completely. I paused the print and check the settings for Retraction and Retraction Speed. They are off the charts...way high. I correct them but realize I have to abort the print. I have to remove the Bowden tube, slowly move the material back down, trim off the strings and blobs, then re-insert the Bowden into the print head and load the filament in.

I try my print again and it happens again. I realize whatever I did previously did not save because the print was aborted.

The next time, while the printer is warming up the bed, I check and correct the values again!

My questions...

Why doesn't Cura adhere to the values of the MATERIAL.TXT file?

Do I need to create some profile in Cura to match the MATERIAL.TXT file to synch these up?

Please...tell me the proper process to save my sanity!

[nallath 1,104]

Cura doesn't know about the values in the materials.txt file. Cura has no way of being synced with it either. The UM2(+) decides on it's own what those values are, based on the used material.

[LePaul 312]

Well another issue I noticed is despite saving the values, if you power the machine off and on....the materials you added on not there.

I have followed the instructions and something seems to be missing. I had to re-upload the data again.

[LePaul 312]

Can someone from Ultimaker check into this? It's annoying to have to keep importing it from SD card. If I power the printer off, then on...my additions are not there.

@sandervg ?

[tinkergnome 924]

Can someone from Ultimaker check into this?  It's annoying to have to keep importing it from SD card.  If I power the printer off, then on...my additions are not there.

@sandervg ?

It seems to be an known bug?

[LePaul 312]

Well perhaps the online documentation should be updated to reflect it doesn't work as designed. And save others some frustration

https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/20982-custom-materials-ultimaker2-plus

[LePaul 312]

Any update on a fix for this?

@sandervg ?

It's annoying to keep Importing it over each time I power on the printer. Thanks!

[SandervG 1,518]

Any update on a fix for this?  

@sandervg ?

It's annoying to keep Importing it over each time I power on the printer.  Thanks!

 

Let me see what I can find about this..

[LePaul 312]

I really appreciate that. I know I could edit the existing ones but the option of adding is so convenient

[LePaul 312]

Hi @sandervg

Just checking up on the Material.Txt having to be uploaded every time, since it does not store these on the Ultimaker 2+ (Once you power down, it's gone...you have to manually upload it all over again)

Any fix in sight?

[SandervG 1,518]

I think @Nallath would do a better job in answering this?

[nallath 1,104]

Those material profiles are for firmware. I have little to no knowledge about it (as I mentioned in the first post). @Daid should know about this.

[neotko 1,417]

Hot potato time!

[LePaul 312]

Yeah nothing to do with Cura on this one.  @nallath is off the hook!

It has something to do with firmware, since that uploaded data is being lost once the machine is powered off.  

If you have many SD cards, it can be a hassle remembering which one has the materials.txt file on it!

Edited December 6, 2016 by Guest

[m42e 0]

I've updated recently to the 2.3 Version. And now the materials are not saved any more during a power cycle.

In the 2.1 Version it worked fine.

[gr5 2,004]

@tinkergnome - any insights? I haven't used the materials.txt feature. After you load them is there some save command somewhere you have to do to write to eeprom? Or could it be that some materials.txt files have something that won't write to the eeprom? Or they have too much information? (I know not that much memory is reserved for this).

@m42e and @LePaul please post the entire contents of your materials.txt file in case there is a character in there or length of string that is causing the problem (maybe materials have to be less than 10 characters long for example).

And note that when you upgrade your firmware - some firmware versions use different locations of the eeprom differently and sometimes your settings get clobbered until you resave or do a factory reset and then re-enter settings.

[LePaul 312]

 

@gr5. Thanks for inquiring! I'll post the contents of that file when I'm home this evening! I'd love to know why it won't save

[tinkergnome 924]

@tinkergnome - any insights?

 

AFAIK it's just a firmware bug - and exists since Ultimaker added the retraction settings per material. But i may be wrong...

Here is a reported issue: https://github.com/Ultimaker/Ultimaker2Marlin/issues/113

...and:

 

@ghostkeeper added the "bug" label on 5 Sep

I assume, he has the hot potato at the moment...

(or at least - some insides?)

[tinkergnome 924]

Edit: here is another one: https://github.com/Ultimaker/Ultimaker2Marlin/issues/121

It turns out that @daid now owns the hot potato - as always...

If he says "it's a bug" - then it's a bug

Edited December 31, 2016 by Guest

[LePaul 312]

Hi @gr5 and the gang

As the others pointed out...I don't think it's me.  

Here's my file I have to import everytime I power up to use Colorfabb nGen  (I find these settings work great, reducing the 'hairy' prints significantly)

I can't figure out a way to attach the txt file asides cutting/pasting it in here

[material]
name=PLA
temperature=210
temperature_0.40=210
retraction_length_0.40=6.50
retraction_speed_0.40=25.00
temperature_0.25=195
retraction_length_0.25=6.50
retraction_speed_0.25=25.00
temperature_0.60=230
retraction_length_0.60=6.50
retraction_speed_0.60=25.00
temperature_0.80=240
retraction_length_0.80=6.50
retraction_speed_0.80=25.00
temperature_1.00=240
retraction_length_1.00=6.50
retraction_speed_1.00=25.00
bed_temperature=60
fan_speed=100
flow=100
diameter=2.85
[material]
name=ABS
temperature=260
temperature_0.40=250
retraction_length_0.40=6.50
retraction_speed_0.40=25.00
temperature_0.25=245
retraction_length_0.25=6.50
retraction_speed_0.25=25.00
temperature_0.60=260
retraction_length_0.60=6.50
retraction_speed_0.60=25.00
temperature_0.80=260
retraction_length_0.80=6.50
retraction_speed_0.80=25.00
temperature_1.00=260
retraction_length_1.00=6.50
retraction_speed_1.00=25.00
bed_temperature=80
fan_speed=100
flow=107
diameter=2.85
[material]
name=CPE
temperature=250
temperature_0.40=250
retraction_length_0.40=6.50
retraction_speed_0.40=25.00
temperature_0.25=245
retraction_length_0.25=6.50
retraction_speed_0.25=25.00
temperature_0.60=260
retraction_length_0.60=6.50
retraction_speed_0.60=25.00
temperature_0.80=260
retraction_length_0.80=6.50
retraction_speed_0.80=25.00
temperature_1.00=260
retraction_length_1.00=6.50
retraction_speed_1.00=25.00
bed_temperature=70
fan_speed=100
flow=100
diameter=2.85
[material]
name=PC
temperature=260
temperature_0.40=260
retraction_length_0.40=6.50
retraction_speed_0.40=25.00
temperature_0.25=260
retraction_length_0.25=6.50
retraction_speed_0.25=25.00
temperature_0.60=260
retraction_length_0.60=6.50
retraction_speed_0.60=25.00
temperature_0.80=260
retraction_length_0.80=6.50
retraction_speed_0.80=25.00
temperature_1.00=260
retraction_length_1.00=6.50
retraction_speed_1.00=25.00
bed_temperature=110
fan_speed=100
flow=100
diameter=2.85
[material]
name=Nylon
temperature=250
temperature_0.40=250
retraction_length_0.40=6.50
retraction_speed_0.40=25.00
temperature_0.25=240
retraction_length_0.25=6.50
retraction_speed_0.25=25.00
temperature_0.60=255
retraction_length_0.60=6.50
retraction_speed_0.60=25.00
temperature_0.80=260
retraction_length_0.80=6.50
retraction_speed_0.80=25.00
temperature_1.00=260
retraction_length_1.00=6.50
retraction_speed_1.00=25.00
bed_temperature=60
fan_speed=100
flow=100
diameter=2.85
[material]
name=CPE+
temperature=260
temperature_0.40=260
retraction_length_0.40=6.50
retraction_speed_0.40=25.00
temperature_0.25=260
retraction_length_0.25=6.50
retraction_speed_0.25=25.00
temperature_0.60=260
retraction_length_0.60=6.50
retraction_speed_0.60=25.00
temperature_0.80=260
retraction_length_0.80=6.50
retraction_speed_0.80=25.00
temperature_1.00=260
retraction_length_1.00=6.50
retraction_speed_1.00=25.00
bed_temperature=110
fan_speed=100
flow=100
diameter=2.85
[material]
name=TPU 95A
temperature=235
temperature_0.40=235
retraction_length_0.40=10.00
retraction_speed_0.40=25.00
temperature_0.25=235
retraction_length_0.25=10.00
retraction_speed_0.25=25.00
temperature_0.60=235
retraction_length_0.60=10.00
retraction_speed_0.60=25.00
temperature_0.80=235
retraction_length_0.80=10.00
retraction_speed_0.80=25.00
temperature_1.00=235
retraction_length_1.00=10.00
retraction_speed_1.00=25.00
bed_temperature=70
fan_speed=100
flow=100
diameter=2.85
[material]
name=nGen
temperature=230
temperature_0.40=230
retraction_length_0.40=4.5
retraction_speed_0.40=45.00
temperature_0.25=195
retraction_length_0.25=6.50
retraction_speed_0.25=25.00
temperature_0.60=230
retraction_length_0.60=6.50
retraction_speed_0.60=25.00
temperature_0.80=240
retraction_length_0.80=6.50
retraction_speed_0.80=25.00
temperature_1.00=240
retraction_length_1.00=6.50
retraction_speed_1.00=25.00
bed_temperature=80
fan_speed=50
flow=100
diameter=2.85

Edited January 1, 2017 by Guest

[m42e 0]

Here's my file: http://filebin.ca/37Os6rMqEMMf/MATERIAL.TXT

[gr5 2,004]

 

@LePaul I think you should downgrade your marlin for now. I only upgrade marlin maybe once per year no matter how many versions come out in between. But that's mostly laziness (even though it only takes 5 minutes).

[LePaul 312]

 

@gr5 why would i want to rollback? I did the latest firmware upgrade for the Um2 to UM2+ extruder upgrade. The materials file has been identified as a bug by Ultimaker staff. I'm fine manually uploading the file on each power on for now. It will be really nice when it works as advertised

[gr5 2,004]

Oh right. Plus upgrade. Definitely have to upgrade firmware for that to work!

[jpnovmen 0]

I only want to say I am suffering the same problems with MATERIAL.TXT as lepaul and m42e

I have posted my case in Very long retraction problem with ApolloX (Formfutura) and What are the various parameters in the MATERIAL.TXT file? threads, as I didn't discovered this topic before.

As far as I can see, there are two bugs:

1.- Importing MATERIAL.TXT is not working well, as retraction parameters loaded are not correct (always stores 255mm and 60mm/s).

2.- Importing MATERIAL.TXT is not permanent, as when the machine powers off the new profiles disappear.