Can't get netfabb to do anything useful

[thereza 0]

So it seems as if netfab should be able to nativly print, but I can't find any ultimaker specific documentation on how to make it actually print. When i click on the print button after my toolpath has been generated, it doesn't do anything. The temperature (preheat) is already correct.

When I tried to save the gcode and open in replicatorg, it seemed to work, but the build button just made it hang.

Additionally, I couldn't find any information on what the best firmware to be running in order to best work with netfabb would be.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. (I've gone through the howto wiki and it is much lacking)

Thanks,

Reza

[wombl1 10]

Hi Thereza,

with the current version of Netfabb ( 4.8 ) it is not recommended to print with.

For that you will have to wait a bit for version 4.9 ( which will be out very soon ).

The current work flow, if you'd like to use Netfabb, should be to slice it with Netfabb and print it with

some other program ( ReplicatorG, Printrun etc. ).

Currently i am working with the Marlin Firmware from the BuildMeMarlin from Daid, just changed the Baudrate from 250000 Baud to 115200 Baud to be able to run with ReplicatorG without any change and it works really good

[thereza 0]

Thanks for the reply. I'm still having issues with the print - this time, it went to the home position, started extruding, but the head did not move resulting in a giant blob.

I'm trying to do the calibration as per (

http://wiki.ultimaker.com/NetFabb_Setup ... d_versions

) but I'm confused about some of steps..

1. Select material style I want to calibrate

2. Load calibration STL onto the print bead

3. Change build style to calibration

Is this the "print quality" setting? I'm not sure where to set this

4. Go to build styles and select the only defined region under the region tab

I don't see a build styles, just a build settings. I have no idea where the region tab is or what they want me to do

5. Select the 'outer' tab

no idea again where this is

6. Change layer type, width and speed to match that which you are trying to calibrate

what am i trying to calibrate?

7. Press OK

Thanks,

Reza

[Daid 306]

If the head doesn't move during print, and you upgraded to Marlin, it's most likely a problem caused by the "software endstops". I'm not sure if NetFabb uses 100,100 or 0,0 as center of the machine, but if it uses 0,0 then this option needs to be disabled.

[owen 19]

If the head doesn't move during print, and you upgraded to Marlin, it's most likely a problem caused by the "software endstops". I'm not sure if NetFabb uses 100,100 or 0,0 as center of the machine, but if it uses 0,0 then this option needs to be disabled.

Netfabb uses 100,100

[wombl1 10]

Hi Thereza,

another indication for me that you are using Marlin is the giant Blob at the beginning ... With netfabb and marlin you have to use another

GCode header, you have to put 'M92 E14' at the beginning of your GCode ...

look here viewtopic.php?f=15&t=301 for more explanations

[thereza 0]

I tried it again last night, and it behaved much better. It went to the front left corner to home, then to the back left to preheat, did a bit of extrusion to prime the tip, then it began in the area it was supposed to, so that works.

I'm still lost on how to calibrate though :/

Thnx,

Reza

[approx 0]

Hi Thereza,

The current work flow, if you'd like to use Netfabb, should be to slice it with Netfabb and print it with

some other program ( ReplicatorG, Printrun etc. ).

 

A newbie question: In Netfabb, how do I export the slice as g-code so that I can open it in another program? When I right click on the slices area - I dont get any option to save as. It shows "open slice file" and a few other menu items..thats about it...(Please see sceenshot attached). In the ultimaker tree on the right side, I do see the option to "Calculate ToolPath" - which then allows me to save g-code. But I cannot figure out what to do with "Slices" ....

[floush 0]

@approx

You're using the wrong tab on the right hand side! The "Slicing" tab isn't used at all. It's just for troubleshooting in different areas of Netfabb usage I think.

Do you see the "Ultimaker" tab right below it? Drag a model onto this one and then you can do proper slicing! If you don't see it, you a) have the free basic version or b) aren't properly activated (demo mode).

Let me know how this goes for you.

Florian

[approx 0]

Thanks Florian. Got it. I managed to do slicing using the Ultimaker tab - using toolpath. So the 'slices' tab is of not much use in the basic version.

 

@approx

You're using the wrong tab on the right hand side! The "Slicing" tab isn't used at all. It's just for troubleshooting in different areas of Netfabb usage I think.

Do you see the "Ultimaker" tab right below it? Drag a model onto this one and then you can do proper slicing! If you don't see it, you a) have the free basic version or b) aren't properly activated (demo mode).

Let me know how this goes for you.

Florian