Will Cura get *real vase mode* back?

[msageryd 1]

Vase mode (spiralize) does not seem to be a prioritized function i Cura. In fact, it seems to have been degraded during the years. I'm not sure about the latter, but based on some reading it seems that really old versions of Cura had better vase mode.

 

I have tried to go back in versions as fas as the dowload archives permit. None of these versions can make vases without a seam, so I suppose I'd need an even older version. It seems odd to even call it "spiralize" when there is in fact not an unbroken spiral. The nozzle makes funny jumps every 360 degrees which makes a very visible seam. I have tried all recipies and recommendations out there with no luck. I have even involved the support personel at the 3d-print shop where I bought the machine. No one succeeds in making a seamless vase with Cura.

 

 

I tried to slice the same model in Simplify3D. After comparing the G-code from Simplify3D vs Cura in a G-code viever it's very clear that Cura leaves a seam and Simplify3D gives seamless vases.

 

I had big problems getting the print from Simplify3D to my Ultimaker S5, which put me off (aside from the price of Simplify3D).

 

It would be soo awesome if Cura could spiralize without leaving seam.

[Smithy 1,144]

I don't use the spiralize feature often, but I have never seen a seem if I remember correctly. When I print a vase for example, there is no seam.

 

So it is strange, your picture looks like you are printing not in the spiralized mode, but I believe you do so.

[tinkergnome 927]

2 hours ago, msageryd said:

The nozzle makes funny jumps every 360 degrees which makes a very visible seam.

 

Take sure that any "z-hop" and "retract at layer change" is disabled in Cura

[nallath 1,120]

We didn't get any reports that it was broken. We've also not touched it for some time now.

I've just tried slicing a very simple model for the S5 with spiralize and the g-code it generated is "real" spiralize. I've just used default settings and only enabled the spiralize mode.

[GregValiant 1,245]

I have used it a lot for RC boat hulls with no seams.  The Z steps are gradual during the course of a layer.

[msageryd 1]

I have now tried to disable z-hops and disabled retractions. The G-code viewer still shows a seam.

 

Anyone care to give it a try?

 

I have attached the STL file as well as the g-code file with the seam.

vase_with_seam.gcode

 

The seam is visible in this g-code viever:

http://jherrm.com/gcode-viewer/

vase.stl

[msageryd 1]

Oh, wait..

Maybe disabling z-hop or retract did work. I started a print with these settings and the hickup that used to happen every 360 degree seems to be gone. I'll confirm here when the print is done.

 

[GregValiant 1,245]

This has come up before.  @Torgeir and I decided it's not a Z seam, but it is definitely an XY seam

This is from the "Vase With Seam.Gcode" file it's the last layer start:

G1 X195.161 Y139.018 Z164.87 E1103.0416
M204 S4000
M205 X25 Y25
G0 F9000 X195.05 Y139.184
G0 X194.9 Y138.862
;TIME_ELAPSED:28715.735777
;LAYER:823
M204 S500
M205 X5 Y5
;TYPE:WALL-OUTER
G1 F600 X193.737 Y140.59 Z164.872 E1103.1069

 

The two bold lines are travel moves at 150mm/sec.  Then the last line shows extrusion starting again at 10mm/sec.  Those two quick shuffle moves will create a seam in the same plane (no Z move there).  G0 lines like that occur at the end of every layer.  There will be a seam line because of them.

 

When I sliced the Vase.STL file I got this with Cura 4.8.  Slicing with Cura 4.6.1 yielded similar results.

You can see little jig-jogs all the way down to the bottom layers.  It is not a Z seam but it's likely noticeable.

 

The other discussion is HERE.

[msageryd 1]

The "seam" is still there 😒

 

Here is the vase printed in PC. There seems to be another "seam" as well. I haven't noticed the other seam in PLA, but it's very noticeable in PC.

 

@GregValiant, I remember seing that discussion before. But it didn't conclude anything. Is there a solution?

 

Is this a bug in Cura?

Simplify3D does not leave a seam.

Is there any way to get rid of these seams in Cura?

Alternatively, has anyone any tips on a good workflow for Simplify3D and Ultimaker S5?

 

[GregValiant 1,245]

I was running out of settings to change and then I changed "Special Modes / Surface Mode" from "Normal" to "Surface".  The preview now looks like I would expect from Spiralize.

The Gcode still shows this at the end of every layer...

G1 X112.316 Y102.217 Z3 E39.86493
G0 F7200 X112.309 Y102.178
;TIME_ELAPSED:92.943579
;LAYER:14

So it appears there is still a travel move. I would set Travel speed = Print Speed.  That might mitigate the Travel move.

[msageryd 1]

I already had "surface" as sprializing mode. Now doing a test print with travel speed = speed.

 

Will report back in 7 hours.. 

 

I still wonder why this travel exists. Is this a Cura bug?

[msageryd 1]

I cannot get the Cura preview to show me a real spiral. Should I be able to see that?

[GregValiant 1,245]

The travel move I mentioned is that back-and-forth shuffle you see in the preview.  I'm in compatibility mode so I can't show that.

 

It looks like a bug.  I'll put it up on GitHub and see what the Cura Team makes of it.  It's odd that the shuffle move is "in plane" with no related move in the Z.  I got the same results with 4.6.2 and 4.8.

Edited November 28, 2020 by GregValiant

[msageryd 1]

No luck with slower travel speed. I got the exact same seam this time.

 

Does anyone know how to print from Simplify3D to UM 5S? I tried to load a g-code file from USB, but the printer said that there where errors in the file. I thought g-code was the way to go for starting jobs manually from the printer, but there is probably something more to be done with the file first.

[A3000T 2]

Hello,

 

Did you enable the "Smooth Spiralized Contours" setting?
The Cura settings guide says it is this setting that removes the seam.

 

Kind regards,

Dennis

[msageryd 1]

Yes, I have tried with and without smoothing.

 

I just made a rough count. It turns out that I have done 35 attemtps on printing that particular vase. About 10 of those where aborted or bad. The client needs 8 vases (actually replacements for glass in an electric chandelier). I’ll probably have to deliver vases with seams. Other than the seam, the vases turned out better than expected.

 

I would like to give Simplify3D another shot, but I don’t know what kind of file I should generate. Stupid question to ask at a Cura forum, I know. But maybe someone here knows? I’ll try to with the support at S3D.

[Smithy 1,144]

Check out this thread:

 

[msageryd 1]

Thanks @Smithy

That was an interesting read, altough the thread went havoc at about half way. I might give S3D another shot, but I really thought it would be easier. I also realize that I’ll loose control over some features. I don’t think 3DS can control my Air Manager, for example.

 

I really whish Cura could manage this. Besides my vase problems, I really like Cura..

 

 

[Smithy 1,144]

Printing with an S5 and S3D is more than a workaround in my opinion, a complicated workflow and you loose a lot of features, like the Air Manager for example. I gave it up, too much work. But when you have a use case like now, then give it a try to get out the order of your client in a better quality.

 

Beside that and because you have tested a lot, it would be really great when you could open a bug report on Github for that. The link is in Cura in the help menu. Thanks!

[msageryd 1]

Greg already opened up a bug report. And I just noticed that someone has a fix in a fork. This seems promising.

 

I’m not that keen on building Cura. I’ll wait a bit and see if UM picks this fix up and puts it in the next UM Cura version.

https://github.com/smartavionics/Cura/releases/tag/20201121

 

[msageryd 1]

Here is some feedback on this problem:

 

Smartavionics has fixed this problem in a Cura fork. To get a seamless vase with this version (linked in the previous post), surface mode needs to be set to "normal".

 

I'm so happy. I can now print seamless vases for my client.

 

I also went back to UM Cura 4.8 and tried the exact same settings. It's now confirmed that UM Cura 4.8 leaves a seam whereas Smartavionics Cura 20201121 does not.

 

I really hope that UM will pick this fix up, or maybe Smartavionics will make a PR. The current behaviour of UM Cura is really quite bad. It is actually not a sprializing mode, since it has hickups every 360 degrees.

[Smithy 1,144]

Thanks for the feedback and that explains why I never have seen the issue, because I mostly use Smartavionics Cura.

[msageryd 1]

Interesting. I didn’t know there were other usable versions. Are there any UM specific functions that are not in Smartavionics version? Do you know what their goal is? Is it just to have a bug fixed Cura, or is their version different in other ways as well?

[Smithy 1,144]

The version from Smartavionics has everything as the UM version, and a few additional features and fixes. As far as I know Smartavionics contributes everything to the UM Cura, but sometimes his fixes or features will not be merged to the UM Cura for whatever reason.

[DivingDuck 104]

There is a description file of all differences between original and Smartavionics version. Pls. see file README.md