Jump to content
UltiMaker Community of 3D Printing Experts

Ultimaker printer support for built-in Cura features


matt_dt3d

Recommended Posts

Posted · Ultimaker printer support for built-in Cura features

Hello,

I have one UMs5, two UM3s, one Prusa MK3S, and one custom RepRap.

 

1. I'm trying to figure out how to capture time lapse videos of my prints on a UMs5 and UM3. Cura has a time lapse feature built-in under the Extensions -> Post-Processing menu, but it doesn't seem to work with the Ultimaker machines. It executes the gcode that moves the print head to the specified location and back, but it doesn't take a picture. Do I need to use a different gcode than the standard M240, or do the Ultimaker machines just not support time lapse capture?

 

2. The gcode for filament change (M600) doesn't seem to work on the Ultimakers. The one time I tried it on a UM3, it ruined my print because the printer crashed at the M600 command and wouldn't continue without being rebooted. Is there a better way to do a filament change mid-print that I don't know about? The only time I've ever successfully done a mid-print filament change, I had to wait for the print to reach the layer I needed (which I judged by eye, comparing to the Cura preview of the layers), then manually pause the print and feed in new filament. This is way too labor-intensive when Ultimaker has a built-in filament change feature that works perfectly. However, it only works when the machine isn't printing.

 

3.  When I connect via OctoPrint to the Prusa or RepRap and print a file, I get a control panel in Cura under the Monitoring tab that lets me set preheat and set temperatures, jog the printer in each axis by 0.1 / 1 / 10 / 100mm, home the axes, pause or abort the print, and even send arbitrary gcode. Are there any plans to backport/add some of that functionality to control Ultimaker-brand machines? It would be amazing to be able to run arbitrary gcode. In particular I'd like to tune the extrusion multiplier exactly by extruding 100mm of filament and seeing how much the machine physically moves the filament. The Ultimaker machines seem to over-extrude slightly, especially for CPE/PETG filament.

 

It's very strange to me that Cura has support for these features for third-party printers, but the Ultimaker machines don't support these gcode commands, even though they are built into Cura.

cura_filament_change.png

cura_time_lapse.png

cura_octoprint_connection.png

  • Link to post
    Share on other sites

    Posted · Ultimaker printer support for built-in Cura features

    Cura has been from the very start an open source project, used by many people with many different printers. People from the community can add features to it. When Cura was "young", most 3d printers had the same featureset. Since then the 3d printer landscape has developed, and featuresets have diverged. Not all features supported by Cura are applicable for all printers, but there are printers/workflows for all features.

     

    1. There is no built-in way to make timelapses with the UM3/UMS5. It could be developed, but so far it has not been a priority. The postprocessing script you found is meant for other printers.

    2. The change filament script does not work with the UM3/UMS5. But I think the pause at Z does, and when paused I think the filament can be changed from the menu system on the printer.

    3. The interface shown by the OctoPrint plugin is actually based on what the UM3 interface used to be, before it was replaced by Ultimaker Connect. Ultimaker Connect is considered by Ultimaker to be a superior user experience. I agree that it lacks some features.

     

  • Link to post
    Share on other sites

    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now
    • Our picks

      • UltiMaker Cura 5.3 stable released
        In this stable release, Cura 5.3 achieves yet another huge leap forward in 3D printing thanks to material interlocking! As well as introducing an expanded recommended print settings menu and lots of print quality improvements. Not to mention, a whole bunch of new printer profiles for non-UltiMaker printers!
          • Thanks
          • Like
        • 24 replies
      • Here it is. The new UltiMaker S7
        The UltiMaker S7 is built on the success of the UltiMaker S5 and its design decisions were heavily based on feedback from customers.
         
         
        So what’s new?
        The obvious change is the S7’s height. It now includes an integrated Air Manager. This filters the exhaust air of every print and also improves build temperature stability. To further enclose the build chamber the S7 only has one magnetically latched door.
         
        The build stack has also been completely redesigned. A PEI-coated flexible steel build plate makes a big difference to productivity. Not only do you not need tools to pop a printed part off. But we also don’t recommend using or adhesion structures for UltiMaker materials (except PC, because...it’s PC). Along with that, 4 pins and 25 magnets make it easy to replace the flex plate perfectly – even with one hand.
         
        The re-engineered print head has an inductive sensor which reduces noise when probing the build plate. This effectively makes it much harder to not achieve a perfect first layer, improving overall print success. We also reversed the front fan direction (fewer plastic hairs, less maintenance), made the print core door magnets stronger, and add a sensor that helps avoid flooding.
         

         
        The UltiMaker S7 also includes quality of life improvements:
        Reliable bed tilt compensation (no more thumbscrews) 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi A 1080p camera (mounted higher for a better view) Compatibility with 280+ Marketplace materials Compatibility with S5 project files (no reslicing needed) And a whole lot more  
        Curious to see the S7 in action?
        We’re hosting a free tech demo on February 7.
        It will be live and you can ask any questions to our CTO, Miguel Calvo.
        Register here for the Webinar
          • Like
        • 18 replies
      • UltiMaker Cura Alpha 🎄 Tree Support Spotlight 🎄
        Are you a fan of tree support, but dislike the removal process and the amount of filament it uses? Then we would like to invite you to try this special release of UltiMaker Cura. Brought to you by our special community contributor @thomasrahm
         
        We generated a special version of Cura 5.2 called 5.3.0 Alpha + Xmas. The only changes we introduced compared to UltiMaker Cura 5.2.1 are those which are needed for the new supports. So keep in mind, this is not a sneak peek for Cura 5.3 (there are some really cool new features coming up) but a spotlight release highlighting this new version of tree supports.  
          • Like
        • 22 replies
    ×
    ×
    • Create New...