Ultimaker Cura 4.8 BETA is available

[SandervG 1,521]

We are happy to share Ultimaker 4.8 Beta with you. It marks a new step in the evolution of Ultimaker and perhaps the world’s most used slicer. You can help to make it even better for yourself and all its users by taking part in this Beta and report your findings back with us. 

So, what new features can we share with you today?

 

Arrange models has been improved.
Until now, the arrange models feature didn’t always utilise the available bed space to its fullest, which made a lot of users arranging their models by themselves. An improved arrange models feature should provide you with your assistance from now on. Parts are automatically more tightly packed, using the full available space on your build plate. 

 

 

And we shouldn’t neglect to mention that this feature was developed with the power of the open-source community. A big thank you to Prusa Research, who developed the open-source library used to creature the feature’s improvement. 

 

The cool side of the build plate.
Ultimaker Cura will now show your model, or part of your model in a different color when it reaches below your build plate. This should help in creating a more visual guide which part of a model will be cut off and therefore not printed. 

 

Loading project files. 
When you load a new project file, you can now select with which printer type you want to open this project. You can still choose to open it with the printer type it was originally sliced for, but you have the option to select a different printer type too. 

 

Bug fixes included in Ultimaker Cura Beta 4.8:

 

Measurement units correctly applied.

Previously, when changing percentages, the wrong axis would be scaled, resulting in a broken model. This has been fixed. 
 
Artifact removal in curves.

Fixed an issue that left tiny artifacts in certain curves, causing the print head to slow down. This results in smoother print surfaces when printing such curves. 
 
Curious to give Ultimaker Cura 4.8 Beta a try? You can download it here.
Please share your findings with us below. Together we can make things better! 

[Longtoke 25]

11 hours ago, SandervG said:

Artifact removal in curves.

Fixed an issue that left tiny artifacts in certain curves, causing the print head to slow down. This results in smoother print surfaces when printing such curves. 

 

From what  I understand of this issue, it's only manifesting on 8-bit boards, predominantly on ( but not limited to ) Creality brand printers like the original Ender-3.

 

If someone out there has a stock Ender-3 and could specifically test this fix ( use the benchy boat to test ), you would be doing a huge favor for your fellow Creality users and the Cura dev's.

 

I would do so on my own Ender-3 but I'm using an skr 32-bit board and my other Creality printer has Creality's 32-bit silent mainboard on it, both printers do not have this issue, yet a friends Ender-3 is seeing it intermittently. Sadly, great bloke as he is, he isn't very computer minded so having him test the updated version just isn't an option :(. 

 

11 hours ago, SandervG said:

Ultimaker Cura Beta 4.8

 

Not nit-picking or complaining, but I thought we we're going into V5.xx beta phase next ? has that been delayed or did I misread ( which is far more likely lol ). edit - yep, i misread lol, disregard. 

 

Either way, time to test !

Edited October 24, 2020 by Longtoke

[GregValiant 1,279]

I now have 4 versions installed and I do have a nit-picking complaint...

When I play around and different versions are running, they all have the same blue icon with a white "C" on the taskbar in Windows.  If the C was a different color (or if  the background was a different color) for each version I would be able to tell which is which at a glance.  I understand that blue & white might be the "Team Colors" of the Cura bowling team and as such are sacred.  It would be nice to have a little differentiation though.

[Slowboii 0]

I found an issue with BIQU B1 profile, it has a problem with  slicing anything that is round. I attached a screenshot of a sample model (there should not be a gap in that circle).

Edited October 24, 2020 by Slowboii

[Smithy 1,144]

@Slowboii Check if you have enabled coasting in the Cura settings. When you disable it, the gap should be gone.

[Slowboii 0]

No i do not have it enabled. When i switch to a custon modified Ender 3 profile that i made, everything is fine.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Slowboii

[ahoeben 1,955]

A beta version of the SidebarGUI plugin for Cura 4.8 (and older) can be found here:

This new version makes the sidebar collapsible! 🚀

[JavierC 0]

With this beta .3mf file take 21 minutes more than identical settings in version 4.6.2 so the process to print is more slowly with 4.8

 

Regards

[3SO 0]

I tried several prints and profiles. When selecting a custom printer somehow there is no option to install the build plate temperature.

 

First picture is from an Artillery Genius setup and the second one from a custom printer. I am having difficulties importing my previous profiles to the Artillery Genius setup.

 

[ahoeben 1,955]

35 minutes ago, 3SO said:

When selecting a custom printer somehow there is no option to install the build plate temperature.

 

In the Machine Settings (Preferences -> Printers -> Machine Settings), make sure the Heated bed option is checked.

[JavierC 0]

With 4.8 beta version the  Artifact in curves not was removed, with Artillery X1 and the some settings and profile, the 3dbenchy have artifact in curves  with a lot of grains.

 

Artifact removal in curves.

Fixed an issue that left tiny artifacts in certain curves, causing the print head to slow down. This results in smoother print surfaces when printing such curves. 

Regards

[fcosenti 0]

Hi guys, in 4.8 beta skirt does not go all around the model, it cuts through in some areas. It never happened in 4.7.1.

 

I printed this model and it happened: duck_hanger.obj

[ahoeben 1,955]

This happens (in all versions of Cura) because the bottom is not 100% flat. You can either fix the model, or move it down a fraction (into the buildplate): use the move tool and set the Z to -0.1.

[thanhtacles 1]

Looks good. The only feedback I've always wanted was the ability to hotpatch and update Cura directly in client, instead of having to uninstall, and redownload every single time.

[ahoeben 1,955]

2 hours ago, thanhtacles said:

I've always wanted was the ability to hotpatch and update Cura directly in client

Even if that would mean you can no longer run multiple versions of Cura side by side, or easily switch back to a previous version?

[dhudson15 0]

I noticed that the Z height is not set at the beginning of each layer.  I use a filament change plugin (M600) for OctoPrint, And it inserted the code correctly, but there used to be a move to the new layer height at each LAYER: marker, but I did not see it in my 4.6 sliced code.  I will try to re-vert to 4.7 and re-slice.

[sppotter 0]

There seems to still be some bugs with the Arrange Models feature.  I asked for 19 copies of the selected, center model.  As you can see, it gave me 19 and arrange them all nicely, except it didn't center them properly and so I ended up with two of them overlapping the first one.  I tried a couple of other tests, making 9 copies and then selecting one of them and asking for 10 copies, and got various places where they overlapped.

[Tolemak 0]

Version. 4.8.0 Beta. 

Printer Creality CR10 - Max.

Issue. Initial Fan Speed does not seem to work. 

 

I've tried various Initial Fan speed values. But seems like fan runs at full speed on initial layer no matter what it is set to. 

To get fan to stop I have to manually turn it off after I start the print. 

 

 

[ddcarter3 0]

WHere do you input the z-offset in this beta version? I have looked and searched for it with no luck.

[Longtoke 25]

1 hour ago, ddcarter3 said:

WHere do you input the z-offset in this beta version? I have looked and searched for it with no luck.

 

Z-offset is a plug in from the marketplace, provided by Ahoeben aka FieldOfView, it's not a part of the base Cura install. 

[ddcarter3 0]

Thanks!

[GregValiant 1,279]

On 10/30/2020 at 10:32 PM, dhudson15 said:

I noticed that the Z height is not set at the beginning of each layer. 

If you are using a "Z hop on retraction" and/or "Combing" then the Z height line in the Gcode moves around.  For example if you are using Combing, there might be a lot of non-extruding moves before the print head gets around to the layer start position.  The Z height will change BEFORE all those moves (I think so the head won't drag).  In that case the Z height might change several lines before ";layer:XX".

[drdolitle1 0]

When I resize the nozzle, all profiles in the right panel in the drop down list are lost. Also, I can't change the layer height that is typical for a given nozzle via the recommended button. It only helps to add a new printer, and then previously saved profiles will appear in the right panel. Sorry for my english.

[drdolitle1 0]

12 hours ago, drdolitle1 said:

When I resize the nozzle, all profiles in the right panel in the drop down list are lost. Also, I can't change the layer height that is typical for a given nozzle via the recommended button. It only helps to add a new printer, and then previously saved profiles will appear in the right panel. Sorry for my english.

I already know where is the problem. When I change field  "Material type" in "Manage materials ..." from  PETG to PLA, the "Recommended" button starts working and I can choose from the line height options. I can't judge if this is an error or a feature.

[nallath 1,123]

On 11/1/2020 at 1:13 AM, sppotter said:

There seems to still be some bugs with the Arrange Models feature.  I asked for 19 copies of the selected, center model.  As you can see, it gave me 19 and arrange them all nicely, except it didn't center them properly and so I ended up with two of them overlapping the first one.  I tried a couple of other tests, making 9 copies and then selecting one of them and asking for 10 copies, and got various places where they overlapped.

Please report this issue on github. The forum isn't really great to keep track of issues.