Cura Grayed out area with dual extrusion

[NAK3D 0]

Hello,

I have a highly modified Da Vinci 2.0 that has been loaded with Repetier and has an E3D Chimera Extruder.  I liked the striped down version of Cura that comes with Repetier so I decided to download your full version 2.6.2.  Let me just say I had no idea how much better the full version was..  It has made a 200% improvement in my printing results, especially with my dual extrusion.

I have just one problem I can't seem to correct.

When I set up the dual extruders in my custom printer I set Extruder 2's X-offset to -18 (distance Chimera extruders are separated).  Unfortunately when I do this it blocks of 18mm on each side of my print area on the X axis as unprintable space..

My print area setting are as follows

X (width) = 210

Y (depth) = 210

Z (height) = 200

X min = 0

Y min = 0

X max = 240

Y max = 210

I have more than enough X-axis travel to print the full 210mm and am able to using Cura through Repetier but would most definitely prefer to do so with the full version.

Is there any way to keep Cura from blocking off that space?

Thank you for any assistance you can provide

Edited August 5, 2017 by Guest

[NAK3D 0]

Still looking for a solution.

[ahoeben 1,948]

The reason that these areas are grayed out is that not both extruders can reach those areas. Sure, the left extruder can reach all the way to the left, and the right extruder can reach all the way to the right. But if you print a 2 material print, both extruders need to be able to reach the same areas.

[NAK3D 0]

The reason that these areas are grayed out is that not both extruders can reach those areas. Sure, the left extruder can reach all the way to the left, and the right extruder can reach all the way to the right. But if you print a 2 material print, both extruders need to be able to reach the same areas.

I understand the purpose of the grayed out areas but my problem is I have travel beyond the sides of the print bed so both nozzels are able to reachthe outer edges at any time.

I'm still unable to get Cura to see that I have travel beyond the print bed and not blocking off usable space.

[ahoeben 1,948]

When your head moves to (0,0), does it move to outside the bed? In that case what you could do is tell Cura you have a wider bed than you do.

The next step would be to tell Cura not to use the extra available width. Then the grey areas will fall within the extra width, and effectively you will have the full available width of your buildplate. But that all depends on where the (0,0) of your buildplate is.

[NAK3D 0]

When your head moves to (0,0), does it move to outside the bed? In that case what you could do is tell Cura you have a wider bed than you do.

The next step would be to tell Cura not to use the extra available width. Then the grey areas will fall within the extra width, and effectively you will have the full available width of your buildplate. But that all depends on where the (0,0) of your buildplate is.

Yes, My (0,0) is outside of the build area. I've figured out how to set the print area larger so I can use the entire print bed but how do I set Cura to not use the extra space? It would be nice to get it set so I don't accidentally print off the edge of the bed.

Thanks

[ahoeben 1,948]

There is no way to edit the non-accessible areas of your bed in the UI, but you can do it by manually editing your configuration files.

Go to Help -> Show configuration folder. In the folder that pops up, go to the folder named "definition_changes". In that folder there will be multiple *_settings.inst.cfg files, one named after your printer. Open that in a text editor (notepad will do, don't use word(pad)!).

At the end of that file, add a line like this:

machine_disallowed_areas = [
           [[-120, -105], [-105, -105], [-105, 105], [-120, 105]],
           [[105, -105], [120, -105], [120, 105], [105, 105]]
       ]

This adds two polygons, one to the left of the bed, one to the right of the bed. In my example, I am assuming your "virtual" bed is 240 x 210 mm, and you want to cut off 15 mm on both sides.

Update: values needed adjusting

Edited November 30, 2017 by Guest
Adjusted values

[NAK3D 0]

On ‎11‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 5:07 PM, ahoeben said:

There is no way to edit the non-accessible areas of your bed in the UI, but you can do it by manually editing your configuration files.

Go to Help -> Show configuration folder. In the folder that pops up, go to the folder named "definition_changes". In that folder there will be multiple *_settings.inst.cfg files, one named after your printer. Open that in a text editor (notepad will do, don't use word(pad)!).

At the end of that file, add a line like this:

 

machine_disallowed_areas = [
           [[-120, -105], [-105, -105], [-105, 105], [-120, 105]],
           [[105, -105], [120, -105], [120, 105], [105, 105]]
       ]

 

 

This adds two polygons, one to the left of the bed, one to the right of the bed. In my example, I am assuming your "virtual" bed is 240 x 210 mm, and you want to cut off 15 mm on both sides.

Update: values needed adjusting

Sorry  it took so long to get back to post back (I've been having other issues with 3.1.0 and had to go back to 2.7.0).  Just had a chance to set this up and it appears to work.  I still want to try a few larger prints to be sure I'm centered good but at first glance it seems to be good.

 

thanks for the help.

[NAK3D 0]

On ‎11‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 5:07 PM, ahoeben said:

There is no way to edit the non-accessible areas of your bed in the UI, but you can do it by manually editing your configuration files.

Go to Help -> Show configuration folder. In the folder that pops up, go to the folder named "definition_changes". In that folder there will be multiple *_settings.inst.cfg files, one named after your printer. Open that in a text editor (notepad will do, don't use word(pad)!).

At the end of that file, add a line like this:

 

machine_disallowed_areas = [
           [[-120, -105], [-105, -105], [-105, 105], [-120, 105]],
           [[105, -105], [120, -105], [120, 105], [105, 105]]
       ]

 

 

This adds two polygons, one to the left of the bed, one to the right of the bed. In my example, I am assuming your "virtual" bed is 240 x 210 mm, and you want to cut off 15 mm on both sides.

Update: values needed adjusting

ok, so after further testing it appears that I still have the same problem.  As this does block off unused space on each side, Cura still blocks off an additional 18mm for the distance between my two extruders.

 

Also for future reference the polygons on each side are not equal size.  The left side would need to be just 4mm and the right side would be 26mm.

 

In Repetier you have the ability to set the print bed size as well and X min/max and Y min/max and somehow those setting transfer to the version of Cura used in Repetier.  Anyone know how Repetier does this and if so can we make it work with Cura 2.7.0 or 3.1.0?

 

Any other ideas?  

[guirnab 0]

Hi,

 

I found this variable: nozzle_offsetting_for_disallowed_areas in printer definitions - so If you want to print in grayed out areas, you have to add this line to printer definition file (C:\Program Files\Ultimaker Cura 3.3\resources\definitions\) under "metadata" section:

"nozzle_offsetting_for_disallowed_areas" : false

 

example:

"metadata": {
        "author": "Ultimaker",
        "manufacturer": "Ultimaker B.V.",
        "quality_definition": "ultimaker2",
        "weight": 3,
        "file_formats": "text/x-gcode",
        "icon": "icon_ultimaker2.png",
        "platform": "ultimaker2go_platform.obj",
        "platform_texture": "Ultimaker2Gobackplate.png",
        "platform_offset": [0, 0, 0],
        "first_start_actions": [],
        "supported_actions":["UpgradeFirmware"],
        "has_materials": true,
        "has_machine_quality": true,
        "has_variants": true,
        "nozzle_offsetting_for_disallowed_areas" : false,
        "machine_extruder_trains":
        {
            "0": "ultimaker_2_go_dual_1",
            "1": "ultimaker_2_go_dual_2"
        }

[NAK3D 0]

Thanks, I'll give this a try..

[NAK3D 0]

Can't get any of these command lines to work as I'm running a Custom Printer.  which apparently works much different from the default models.

[mad_science 0]

FOUND IT!

 

I had the exact same problem you did here. Using a Qidi X Pro dual extruder setup, where either head can reach 100% of the print surface (i.e. the non-printing head is allowed to overhang the edge).

 

If you go into 

Program Files\Ultimaker Cura 5.1.0\share\cura\resources\definitions

 

Then find the "custom.def" file and copy in the code above as so:

 

{
    "version": 2,
    "name": "Custom FFF printer",
    "inherits": "fdmprinter",
    "metadata": {
        "visible": true,
        "author": "Ultimaker",
        "manufacturer": "Custom",
        "file_formats": "text/x-gcode",
        "has_materials": true,
"nozzle_offsetting_for_disallowed_areas" : false,
        "machine_extruder_trains":

...etc

 

Then the next time I opened cura the infernal grey-out was gone, despite extruder 2 being offset by -18mm.

 

Haven't printed yet, but what I see in Cura matches what I see in the semi-custom Qidi slicer.

 

I have no idea if/when/how this could be overwritten by updates or whatever, so best to store your own copy of that file (or the path back to it). I suspect one could create a whole printer profile in that directory and it'd skip the generic "custom" setup.