Spoiled by download

[Durango 0]

For years, I've used an ultimaker file to transfer stl files to a card (which I then load into my 3d printer) and print off my items. Yesterday, foolishly, after continuous pop-ups telling me to download the most recent version of Ultimaker, everything went wrong. 

I finshed my drawing, exported as an STL file to my S.D. card, took the card out of my laptop, put it into my 3d printer ( a cheap Balco which has worked perfectly for years), and pressed 'Print'.  All my previous files showed up, but not the most recent one. I just can not find it on my card. What has happened. If nothing else, I've learned from this escapade to leave well alone. The 'old' Ultimaker convertor worked fine.

[Smithy 1,144]

1 hour ago, Durango said:

I finshed my drawing, exported as an STL file to my S.D. card, took the card out of my laptop, put it into my 3d printer

 

I guess you just forgot to mention that you load the STL file in Cura and slice it there.

But according to your description it can't work like this, the printer can't print STL directly. And that's why the file isn't displayed to you.

[Durango 0]

Thank you for your reply. Yes, sorry, I forgot to mention it was sliced. In essence, I did everything that I've done with every other version of Ultimaker, but even when it says file has been down loaded (to the S.D. card), when I load it on to the printer it is not showing on the 'Print ' list.  All my previous files (jobs) are there, but not the one downloaded with the latest version of Ultimaker.

[Durango 0]

Just went through the whole process again, sliced it, downloaded it to S.D. card, put the S.D. card into the 3d printer, and again it is not showing on the screen of the printer.

 

[Smithy 1,144]

Are there any differences when you check the files on the SD card when the SD is mounted on your PC?

I mean is there a difference in the file extension, naming? Maybe you have some special chars in the filename?

[Durango 0]

Hello Smithy once again. I've solved one problem and found another. In the new Ultimaker I have to click on gcode, whereas in the old version, when I clicked on S.T.L. and then opened Cura it automatically changed it to a gcode.

So, that problem is solved, but, the new problem is that when I put the S.D. card into the 3D printer, It is not showing and heating of the bed. The nozzle is heating, but not the bed. Also, it is not printing in the centre of the bed. I'm going back to file to see if I have to re-set all my settings. Once again, thank you for all your feedback so far. I really am a novice, but I have managed to print of a heck of a lot in the last few years.. Cheers.

[Durango 0]

Nope, I'm getting nowhere. The printer (after I've inserted the S.D. card) is not heating the bed, only the nozzle. Also, it is wanting to start printing in the far right-hand corner as I look at it. Any ideas?

[johnse 31]

@Durango I think some of us are confused by your method of using Cura to convert your file.

 

My normal process is to load the STL file into Cura’s GUI. From there, I set parameters such as material type, bed temp, speeds, support, etc. I also position the model on the build plate.

 

Then I tell it to slice, inspect the preview, and then either print to the printer via Network, or save to file.

 

It almost sounds like you skip all of that and use some sort of command line invocation of Cura.

 

Perhaps it would help if you tell us exactly what your process is.

[Durango 0]

Hi Johnse. Thank you for responding. I do my drawing on 123D. Once it is finished, I click on the drop-down arrow and from the menu shown, I choose 'Export as 3D' then click on STL, then on the Mesh Tessalation Setting, I click on O.K. Then on the 'Export as STL' I would give drawing a name, let's say 'Box' and save it as an STL file on desktop.

I would then go to my Desktop, click on the icon and open up the file, then, from the options shown, I would click on Cura and create a Cura file.

In the past I would then click on 'Slice' and then download to my S.D card, and print from the card. I believe that on the old version of Ultimaker, the S.T.L file was automatically converted to a Gcode, because when I loaded the S.D into my printer, it always came up as a Gcode file. I now realise I have to do a few more things with the new version of Ultimaker.

However, a new fault has occurred. When I click on print, the bed does not heat up, and the the nozzle shoots over to the far right and starts printing (hammering away in one spot) even before the bed has started to heat, but the nozzle is only just starting to heat up. How do I check all my settings. Thanks a lot for listening (reading).

[johnse 31]

6 hours ago, Durango said:

In the past I would then click on 'Slice'

So right at this point, where your model is shown on the Cura screen, click on the file menu and choose Save (not Export). This will make a .3mf file that has all the settings.

 

Then post the file to this thread and someone with a lot more knowledge than me will likely be able to make sense of your problem.

 

[Durango 0]

Cheers, I appreciate your help.

 

[Smithy 1,144]

I guess the problem with your heated bed and that the print don't start in the middle, is that you have a wrong machine definition in Cura. Check if the setup of the printer in Cura matches your printer specifications.