Welcome to Ultimaker Cura 3.0

SandervG · October 17, 2017

Welcome to Ultimaker Cura 3.0

Ultimaker Cura 3 offers new features, a new UI and introduces the start of a new era where even more functionality will be added to your 3D print experience by our open plugin structure.

Here are some of the new features we introduce:

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.

New UI:

Updated UI and color scheme

Due to the faster startup time for Ultimaker Cura 3.0 has practically been cut in half compared to previous versions.

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

Plugins:

The new Ultimaker Cura 3.0 will grow even faster and its users will be able to select new plugins from a range of offerings by Ultimaker and third parties. SolidWorks and Siemens NX are two plugins which are included during launch, and more will be added later. All can be installed with a single click.

We’re also putting together some documentation where we explain more about how plugins work, how you can share one if you’ve made one and what to expect as a user.

So more about this soon!

Did you get curious? Follow this link, download Ultimaker Cura 3.0 and as always, let us

know what you think

Or go here to our blog if you want to read more before jumping on board.

Edited October 17, 2017 by Guest

burtoogle · October 17, 2017

Great news! The Optimize Wall Printing Order feature is now available to all to try out. It's in the experimental settings section. Not that you would know that because the Cura devs failed to mention it in the 3.0 change log (or in the above blurb or the release notes).

Anyway, please give it a go and if you have any problems either start a thread on the forum or raise an issue on github.

SandervG · October 17, 2017

Thanks for bringing that out @smartavionics! I usually write my post based on the release notes and running the beta version and indeed, I was not aware of this specific experimental setting.

Is it something you also help with / made?

Care to elaborate on it a little bit? I will include it in my original post

Tomhe · October 17, 2017

Great news! The Optimize Wall Printing Order feature is now available to all to try out. It's in the experimental settings section. Not that you would know that because the Cura devs failed to mention it in the 3.0 change log (or in the above blurb or the release notes).

Anyway, please give it a go and if you have any problems either start a thread on the forum or raise an issue on github.

I've been playing with this feature already! It was a bit unstable in the beta, kept crashing my Cura. But I like the results now, especially for parts with many holes in the top or bottom surface.

burtoogle · October 17, 2017

Thanks for bringing that out @smartavionics! I usually write my post based on the release notes and running the beta version and indeed, I was not aware of this specific experimental setting.

Is it something you also help with / made?

Care to elaborate on it a little bit? I will include it in my original post

Hi, @SandervG. The feature tries to optimize the order in which walls are printed. The aim is to reduce travel time (and hence reduce ooze). It also has the secondary effect of aligning the z-seams of inner walls with the outer wall.

Yes, it's pretty much all my own work so I am claiming all the kudos if it is beneficial but I also get all the blame when it screws up. It has been very well tested but as we know, it's impossible for a developer (independent or Ultimaker) to test well enough to say something is completely bug free. That's why it is an experimental feature at the moment.

burtoogle · October 17, 2017

I've been playing with this feature already! It was a bit unstable in the beta, kept crashing my Cura. But I like the results now, especially for parts with many holes in the top or bottom surface.

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, the beta had a little problem with some models when printing infill first but that was quickly sorted.

mastory · October 18, 2017

Are there any issues with running this newest release along side of previous releases? Are there any particulars to be aware of upgrading from older versions? Will profiles be inherited? I currently have 2.5 and 2.7 installed, and running 2.5 primarily. I'm thinking I'l uninstall 2.7 so that my 2.5 settings may get pulled forward.

Thanks

ghostkeeper · October 18, 2017

Are there any issues with running this newest release along side of previous releases?

No, you can still run this alongside previous releases. The first time you start the new release it will port over all your settings, but not in subsequent runs. If you then change something in 2.7 it won't be ported over to the 3.0 release (and from 3.0 to 2.7 it will never port changes in the settings)

Are there any particulars to be aware of upgrading from older versions? Will profiles be inherited?

As far as we know, the version upgrade of this version is complete, as in, you won't lose any of your configuration. Profiles are inherited too. It should look exactly the same.

I'm thinking I'l uninstall 2.7 so that my 2.5 settings may get pulled forward.

Be sure to delete the 2.7 configuration folder then (you won't even need to uninstall Cura 2.7). You can find that in Cura by going to help -> Show configuration folder...

Dim3nsioneer · October 19, 2017

I would like to use this place to point the community to a feature request I just made on Github. It's about having a graphical item in the object view for placing a point and its x/y coordinates respectively for all those settings which work with placing a point and which only have the x/y coordinates right now:

https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/2636

If you think it's a good idea, please support it with at least something like "+1" or a remark as you know that feature requests with 12 weeks of inactivity go into that bucket where you will hardly get it out again.

If you think it's the worst idea of the century you can of course also leave a comment...

Edited October 19, 2017 by Guest

driedeedesign · October 20, 2017

Hi,

@SandervG Cura3.0 looks awsome and seems to work good. But is there a string on the Forum for forwarding problems with Cura3.0? Strange enough I seem to experience troubles on my iMac with the display of the buildplate grid. And on my MacBook it seems to work great and displays perfectly.

gr. Frank

ChrisRiddell · October 21, 2017

@smartavionics Great work on the Optimize Wall Printing Order.

Really liking Cura 3, Only one thing I would like to see fixed is the lines you get on the top and bottom from where the print head makes a fast move over them.

rharper954 · October 21, 2017

I've the Ultimaker 2+ and 3 printers and Cura is the best 3d software on the market. There is a feature I would like, or pay for the software and update, when you are printing a 3d object larger than the volume of Printer, the software help you spit the object into two parts or group to print separate prints. Object A make have a pin (.25 length) to plug into Object B (pin hole locator). Than is something to think about in the future.

burtoogle · October 21, 2017

@smartavionics Great work on the Optimize Wall Printing Order.

Really liking Cura 3, Only one thing I would like to see fixed is the lines you get on the top and bottom from where the print head makes a fast move over them.

Thanks, glad you like it. As to the line on the top/bottom, have you tried setting the combing mode to "no skin"? That's what I normally use and don't get nozzle marks on the top/bottom.

ChrisRiddell · October 21, 2017

@smartavionics Great work on the Optimize Wall Printing Order.

Really liking Cura 3, Only one thing I would like to see fixed is the lines you get on the top and bottom from where the print head makes a fast move over them.

Thanks, glad you like it. As to the line on the top/bottom, have you tried setting the combing mode to "no skin"? That's what I normally use and don't get nozzle marks on the top/bottom.

Did not even know about that setting will check it out. so many settings pretty easy to get lost in what things do.

zippi · October 22, 2017

Does anybody know why my heatbed is black in cura 3.0.3?

ahoeben · October 22, 2017

Yes, that is partly my fault. The shader that should draw the grid lines is broken on older GPUs. A fix was made, though it was not included in the 3.0 release.

You can fix this by replacing C:\Program Files\Cura 3.0\resources\shaders\grid.shader with this file:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Ultimaker/Cura/1313e01f04838ac0a2d83b332dc57b6f5db0b87c/resources/shaders/grid.shader

Drdave · October 22, 2017

Anyone else having install issues? I installed it and it loads and then after the entire splash screen loads etc, the program crashes. I have removed and re-installed and ended up having to reload 2.7 to get back to work

Thanks

Dr Dave

ahoeben · October 22, 2017

Dr Dave, could you also try the workaround one post above?

AbeFM · October 22, 2017

I've been an on-again-off-again CURA user for some time, trying out the new version, I have a couple insights:

Could the center of rotation of the main 3D viewport be *within* the print volume? If not some sensible place like at the first surface the center of the view-port comes into, or the geometric center of the currently active model, then even the center of the print volume (or center of print surface) would help.
When zoomed in (in this case trying to see if a defect in my print was in the slicing or the printing), it is very hard to inspect the surface up close. It's a non-trivial problem, but I think even a trivial solution would improve things.
Perhaps I'm more alone in this than I realize, but I change my nozzle regularly, editing the printing profile is awkward. Adding a pull down for it would work.
An alternative would be to link the printers as you do the materials - having a master printer profile, then several linked ones (for instance, one per nozzle diameter) would be a quick and easy way to deal with the problem. Right now I'm managing many parallel profiles and it's a bit cumbersome.
It would be nice if we could prune, or hide, filaments we don't use
plus-and-minus buttons on the layer sliders. I discovered that clicking on the number like you're going to type a new one, then using the arrow keys makes it easier to step one layer at a time, but it's less than obvious.
This may be overkill, but it would be nice to have a flow compensation as a percentage - I have filament that flows a few percent over/under, and I can compensate by tweaking the filament's "diameter", but you've got a squared function in there that can make tweaking it a pain... And sometimes it's not from "diameter" but rather feeding anyway (tpu's, etc), and it would be nice to put it in there right by filament diameter, just multiply the two together.[\li]
Thanks everyone!

Drdave · October 23, 2017

Dr Dave, could you also try the workaround one post above?

Been there done that, unfortunately. Removed the AppData file and then THANK goodness I copied the 2.7 file to a filed named temp so I could get it back after 3.0 refused to open

This also happened when I went from 2.5 to 2.6 and to 2.7b

One would think that this is fixed internally instead of after install workarounds if the company is depending on the software for future growth

ChrisRiddell · October 23, 2017

Is this a bug but when printing with CPE the reg fan speed is set to 80% but the whole print it stays at 40% on the printer.

ahoeben · October 23, 2017

Been there done that, unfortunately. Removed the AppData

If you had read the post I referenced, you would have seen that I did not, in any way, suggest you remove the configuration folder. Instead, I was trying to help you patch the bug by replacing a file in the program files. If you would rather complain than try a likely fix than that is of course up to you.

Note that the issue I was trying to figure out if it was indeed the one that's causing the crash in 3.0.3 for you was indeed fixed internally. It is just that the fix was mistakenly not included with the 3.0.3 release, so I was trying to help you fix it locally for you instead of saying "nope, sorry, you'll have to wait 2 months for a new release".

Note that I am not part of the company, and just try to help.

Edited October 23, 2017 by Guest

nallath · October 23, 2017

Could the center of rotation of the main 3D viewport be *within* the print volume? If not some sensible place like at the first surface the center of the view-port comes into, or the geometric center of the currently active model, then even the center of the print volume (or center of print surface) would help.

This is by default the case. If you don't want the camera moving if you select an object, there is an preference option for that.

Perhaps I'm more alone in this than I realize, but I change my nozzle regularly, editing the printing profile is awkward. Adding a pull down for it would work.

Do you mean like most UM printers already have? The um2+ for instance has a nozzle size dropdown menu.

An alternative would be to link the printers as you do the materials - having a master printer profile, then several linked ones (for instance, one per nozzle diameter) would be a quick and easy way to deal with the problem. Right now I'm managing many parallel profiles and it's a bit cumbersome.

You can already do this. It might be that i'm misunderstanding what you mean here.

It would be nice if we could prune, or hide, filaments we don't use

This is something that is pretty high on our to-do list.

plus-and-minus buttons on the layer sliders.

Good one.

[*]This may be overkill, but it would be nice to have a flow compensation as a percentage

Already there. The setting is called "flow"

Drdave · October 24, 2017

Been there done that, unfortunately. Removed the AppData

If you had read the post I referenced, you would have seen that I did not, in any way, suggest you remove the configuration folder. Instead, I was trying to help you patch the bug by replacing a file in the program files. If you would rather complain than try a likely fix than that is of course up to you.

Note that the issue I was trying to figure out if it was indeed the one that's causing the crash in 3.0.3 for you was indeed fixed internally. It is just that the fix was mistakenly not included with the 3.0.3 release, so I was trying to help you fix it locally for you instead of saying "nope, sorry, you'll have to wait 2 months for a new release".

Note that I am not part of the company, and just try to help.

Are you talking about the file that you wrote? I have NO idea how to insert a file or the like

I THOUGHT you were asking about the suggestion to delete the previous APPDATA file and reinstall

I am NOT a program type guy I am a surgeon who happens to own a 3D printing company that prints body parts so that surgeons can try surgeries before they step into the OR

The company uses S3D but I use Cura at home so the techs at the office can't help on this software

Open to a solution without the sarcasm and nasty replies I am used to software that you click install and it works but this has happened now to me at least EVERY version since 2.5***

Since none of us know each other no one assumed you worked for the company or was being ostracized for the suggestion the issue is with Ultimaker who is looking to build the next generation profits on the software side of the business not the hardware and I think that approach is brilliant but in CURAs case it needs to be done better

driedeedesign · October 24, 2017

Yes, that is partly my fault. The shader that should draw the grid lines is broken on older GPUs. A fix was made, though it was not included in the 3.0 release.

You can fix this by replacing C:\Program Files\Cura 3.0\resources\shaders\grid.shader with this file:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Ultimaker/Cura/1313e01f04838ac0a2d83b332dc57b6f5db0b87c/resources/shaders/grid.shader

thx your yhe greatest :-)

Welcome to Ultimaker Cura 3.0

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