Ultimaker Cura 3 | Beta

[SandervG 1,521]

In a little less than 2 weeks we will introduce Ultimaker Cura 3 to the world. Before we go live we would like to share this beta version with you to run it through its paces. Outside of new features you can expect, another important reason to move to the next generation of Cura is the (third party) plugin structure that will be emphasized. While most plugins will be added in the (near) future, you can already find the SOLIDWORKS plugin and Siemens NX macro plugin in the library.

Ultimaker Cura 3 offers a new UX and improved default / recommended settings that should save you both time and money.

I personally really like the print quality slider, with which you can intuitively slide between time and quality.

We made quite some improvements that should result in better print quality. Some of the other highlights:

- Skin removal width; removes thin strips of skin from a model to prevent head zig-zagging, and thus preventing vibrations.

- PVA gradual support is now enabled by default. Sometimes a print with PVA can take quite some time. With this setting PVA infill is heavily reduced in the support, and only increased towards the interface.

(Little side-tip: If you are eager to save more time, make sure to check out the options to use PVA only as an interface between support and the actual model.)

- Z seam options, you can have complete control over where to place the seam. Which means you can be smart about where to hide it!

Gotten curious? You can download Ultimaker Cura 3 here

We are curious to hear what you think!

Edited October 9, 2017 by Guest

[Javiduc 0]

Where is the NX pluging available for download? Thanks

[Msuurmond 28]

It is in the 'plugin browser', we forgot to put it there.

[ghostkeeper 105]

At Msuurmond's behest I've uploaded the Siemens NX plug-in to the directory for the plug-in browser, and published the source code repository: https://github.com/Ultimaker/cura-siemensnx-plugin

[drayson 75]

@nallath, short, but hopefully not too stupid questions:

- Where to put my custom machine definition & extruder json files so that they will be automatically ported?

- Same question for the postprocessor scripts...

(up to now I ported them manually by copy/paste...)

Cheers Chris :-)

[ghostkeeper 105]

If you put your definition files in Cura's configuration folder they will get copied along to the next version. You can see your configuration folder by going in Cura, then Help -> Show configuration folder... Unless you're on Linux because then that shows only 1 of the 3 configuration folders. Then you need to put it in ~/.local/share/cura/3.0/definitions.

For post-processing scripts this doesn't hold though. Those are only loaded from the plug-in folder itself which gets updated from every installation. You'll have to manually transfer them to the next installation.

Edited October 10, 2017 by Guest

[drayson 75]

Thanks!!

Is there any plan to make also the postprocessors migrateable?

Edited October 10, 2017 by Guest

[qwerty8224 16]

My printer began to print much better)))

Edited October 10, 2017 by Guest

[qwerty8224 16]

Cura 3 beta very very good.

Thanks to everyone who takes part in the development Сura .

I want to say a special thank you third-party developer  "smartavionics" for the function Optimize Wall Printing Order .... and his other achievements.

Sorry for my English (

Thank you again from version 2.1 to 3.0.0 done a great job that deserves praise.

Edited October 10, 2017 by Guest

[burtoogle 513]

I want to say a special thank you third-party developer "smartavionics" for the function Optimize Wall Printing Order .... and his other achievements.

Thank you. Please keep testing so we can squash as many bugs as possible before 3.0 is released. We have already found one problem with the optimization that causes a crash when optimization and infill first options are both used together. Not all models trigger the crash.

[qwerty8224 16]

The error appears when there is nothing to optimize)))

But there is a check mark for optimization.

I will not disable this feature .... no way

I will be a good tester))))))))

Edited October 10, 2017 by Guest

[drayson 75]

... also the new postprocessor for "Correction of hole sizes, cylinder diameters and curves" sounds really interesting - will give it a try later on...

[qwerty8224 16]

... also the new postprocessor for "Correction of hole sizes, cylinder diameters and curves" sounds really interesting - will give it a try later on...

Where can I see this ???

[amagro 3]

@qwerty8224

In Extensions - Post Processing - Modify G-Code

[qwerty8224 16]

Thank you...

[nilrog 103]

Just tried this beta and it still loads slow...10 times slower than Simplify3D. And the layer view makes my eyes hurt when I try to make some sense of what it is trying to show :(

This is on a computer using Intel Graphics it is unusable...hopefully it displays better on a gaming card.

[GrueMaster 1]

So far, it looks the same. A few minor features, same issues on Linux (not copying existing profiles mainly - very frustrating). Very slow load time (partly due to excessive debug logging maybe?). Would be nice to turn off debug logging, or turn it on with an option (command line or config setting).

Still seeing the following on startup:

Fontconfig error: "/etc/fonts/conf.d/10-scale-bitmap-fonts.conf", line 72: non-double matrix element

Fontconfig error: "/etc/fonts/conf.d/10-scale-bitmap-fonts.conf", line 72: non-double matrix element

Fontconfig warning: "/etc/fonts/conf.d/10-scale-bitmap-fonts.conf", line 80: saw unknown, expected number

This looks like you have an older embedded fontconfig. Need to verify with the source. See https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/fontconfig-bugs/2014-May/000859.html

I also see a lot of new items under Special Modes, like Support Mesh and Drop Down Support Mesh (which sounds a lot like custom support), but there is no indication that I can do anything with them. Are they enabled? And if so, how do they work? The info in the preferences indicate there is something selectable.

Anyway, this is just a quick first pass. Will work on it over the weekend to see what else I can find.

[darkdvd 975]

Infill Slider ?

Update : no "Infill Slider" in CURA beta 3.0.0 and beta 3.0.1

Edited October 12, 2017 by Guest

[Msuurmond 28]

We just uploaded Cura 3.0.1-BETA, could you try with the new version? Garbled fonts should be fixed and also the Optimize Wall Printing Order crash.

The speed is now being addressed, but it won't make it into the 3.0 release. But it will in the 3.1 beta due to arrive in 3-4 sprints.

Edited October 12, 2017 by Guest

[amagro 3]

Was the "Feature request : Infill "shift" #2412" implemented?

[darkdvd 975]

No.

But why ?

Edited October 12, 2017 by Guest

[burtoogle 513]

Hi, the infill offset feature is in the master branch but doesn't appear to be in 3.0. A Cura dev will need to answer the question as to why it isn't in 3.0.

[Msuurmond 28]

Infill Slider ?

Update : no "Infill Slider" in CURA beta 3.0.0 and beta 3.0.1

Can you post a screenshot please?

[darkdvd 975]

Can you post a screenshot please?

...a screenshot of what ?

[Msuurmond 28]

...a screenshot of what ?

Aha, I thought you didn't saw the Infill Slider, now I understand you meant something different.

Edited October 12, 2017 by Guest