i appreciate the help! I'm just getting started with 3d printing, and this is the first one we got for the family. I've been watching some intro videos. Anything you'd recommend?
GregValiant 1,344
#2 is getting the first layer down. It's the base for the rest of the print. @gr5 is a moderator here and put together a nice video on bed adhesion. It's a tad long and you might want to make some popcorn, but it covers a lot of material.
CHEP videos (Filament Fridays) on YouTube are pretty good. He's kind of Creality centric, but a lot of the material crosses over to different machines very well.
#3 Print. The best way to get going is to make mistakes and learn to trouble-shoot. Most of the stuff people call upgrades are just bling for the printer BUT you're printing and learning.
#4 Practice disaster recovery. Emergency pauses can save a print, but you need a plan. If a print is looking bad, instead of simply aborting and starting over, use it for a bit of practice. Pause, do a hot pull of the filament, re-feed it and restart the print. It can't hurt - the print was junk anyway.
#5 The machine uses Firmware as an operating system. The slicing software resides on your computer. A GCODE file goes between the two. Spend some time going over the various gcode commands at Marlin or RepRap just to have some idea of what you are looking at in a gcode file.
#1 Put the machine together square where required and parallel where required. Put it on a nice solid surface. Calibrate the E-steps. Check everything on it. Tighten screws and nuts and belts. That gives the printer it's best chance to make good parts for you. Just because some (or all) of it came pre-assembled doesn't mean it's right.
- 5 months later...
i used an earlier version of Cura with my Ender 3 filament printer. I now have an Anycubic Photon plasma printer and would like to continue using Cura. I upgraded to version 4.10.0 and don't see my printer listed. What would be my next move?
23 minutes ago, Augydoggy said:I upgraded to version 4.10.0 and don't see my printer listed. What would be my next move?
Normally you have to ask the vendor of your printer if they have or can provide a printer profile for Cura.
But in your case this is not needed, because Cura doesn't support SLA printers as far as I know. So you have to use the software which comes with your printer or whatever is recommended.
- 2 months later...
previous version of cura had my printer profile listed (tenlog-dl3 idex) and worked great other than lots of user error.
i just downloaded the new version of cura and the profile isnt there. how do i add a second extruder to a printer profile if i cant import a profile
GregValiant 1,344
It is a bit of a chore to add a 2nd (3rd, 4th) extruder. This (allegedly) shows how and is from the Tenlog Blog site.
To add an extruder manually you need to alter the printer definition file ("extruder trains"), add an extruder file, and the nozzle variants for the extruder.
If your printer worked with 4.10 then maybe you have the necessary files. On a Windows computer the definition would be in "program files\Ultimaker Cura 4.10\resources\definitions. The extruder files are in "program files\Ultimaker Cura 4.10\resources\extruders". The nozzle files are in "program files\Ultimaker Cura 4.10\resources\variants". All the files will have similar names that generally start with the manufacturer.
For example -
My definition consists of two files: "creality_base.def.json" and "creality_ender3Pro.def.json"
Extruders:
"creality_base_extruder_0.def.json" and "creality_base_extruder_1.def.json" (which I created myself from the "0" file).
Nozzles are in the variants folder and there is one for each nozzle size:
"creality_ender3pro_0.4.inst.cfg".
Edited by GregValianthahaha yea.... so i moved from 4.4 to 4.11
not really sure how i missed the ones between
but ill look into that thank you
GregValiant 1,344
The Raise3D IDEX printer is compatible with Cura (although Cura does not directly support IDEX).
For the Raise3D IDEX the user must add 3 printers and name them something like "IDEX Regular", "IDEX Mirror", and "IDEX Duplicate". The only difference between them is one line inserted into the StartUp Gcode for the Mirror and Duplicate machines which are "M605 S2" for the Mirror machine and "M605 S1" for the Duplicate machine. When the printer sees those commands it knows which mode to go into and the printer handles the translation of the regular Cura gcode into the additional (U, W) axes.
The M605 command might be proprietary to Raise3D but there might be something similar with your Tenlog.
Heya, I'm a new member/3D Printer user, and I was given a used printer. It's a Monoprice 15711, and in it's manual it states that Cura is the preferred program to use with it and states a special version of Cura is available for download ,with info about that printer already set up, located in its support files. But, I discovered no such file is available (any longer) in it's support files, so I just d/l program from Ultimaker directly.
All seems great. However, when the program asks for my printer model, the Monoprice 15711 (Maker Select Plus) is not listed. The manual says to select the 13/Plus option. That's not listed either. So, 3 questions:
Is there a compatible model listed that I can use with this printer?
What does "special version with info about this printer already set up" actually mean?
And, can I use Cura at all with this model printer?
As I said, I'm totally new to all this, so (for now) I need the Kindergartener response here :)
Thanks.
GregValiant 1,344
Hello @Rudy21.
You are looking for a printer "definition" file. Those files explain to Cura things like build plate size, max speeds, max acceleration, what firmware flavor to use when the gcode is created, where the Origin 0,0,0 is - those sorts of things.
Monoprice has done some...not so regular things with their firmware. Since Cura is open source, some printer manufacturers (Monoprice, Creality, and more) will take it and make specific changes for just their printers. That's the "special version with info..." that you mentioned.
The short story here is that there are two ways to go about this. You can do "Add Printer" and use the "Monoprice Ultimate" as your base definition, or you can add a "Custom FFF" printer that is Cura's generic printer definition. You can change the name of the printer on the right side of the dialog box. The next dialog is the "Machine Settings" dialog that you need to fill in things like the build plate size, firmware flavor, if there is a heated bed, where the origin is. You need to know those things about your printer so you can fill in the blanks. If you don't know those things then maybe you can find someone over on Reddit that would be willing to help.
On the right side of the Machine Settings dialog are "Print Head Settings". Don't worry about them at this point. They come into play when there are multiple models on the build surface and you want to print them one-at-a-time.
At the bottom of the Machine Settings you will see "StartUp Gcode" and "Ending Gcode". Those are scripts that Cura will add to all your gcode files and they can be very helpful getting the print started correctly and then at the end, with shutting down the heaters, fan, etc. correctly. If the StartUp Gcode has commands that the printer doesn't understand, or is missing commands that the printer requires, then you will have trouble starting prints.
Check out that link to the Reddit site. It is actually a link for a quick search I did on the 15711.
Good Luck. This won't be the last time you ask for help and you'll get used to the research part of this thing called 3D printing.
- 2 months later...
Cura doesn't have my xvico x3s listed. On the specifications for the printer it says that Cura is the recommended slice software, and I don't know what to do. Please help!
Contact Xvico and ask them.
GregValiant 1,344
There are a few threads here on the Xvico printers if you search for them. THIS ONE might be worth a look.
- 2 weeks later...
When I'm in cura I can't find any longer printers labeled in the selectable printers but when I look at youtube I see people with the longer tab. I have a longer lk5 pro
GregValiant 1,344
2 minutes ago, GregValiant said:The Longer printers are listed in "Non-Networked Printers" in Cura 4.12 and going back to 4.10. What Cura version do you have there?
I have 4.8 for some reason
The "longer" printers were not added until version 4.10. You need to update to a newer version.
- 4 months later...
I have a Wanhao D12/230 - previously listed on the 4.6.1 but not on 14.13.1
How do I get it loaded please?
GregValiant 1,344
I don't see it listed in my Cura v 4.6 folder. Wanhao might have pushed out their own version of Cura and it had the definition.
You can try starting 4.6 and with your printer active and a benchy or calibration cube loaded use the "File | Save Project" command. The 3mf file will contain your settings and your printer. When you open it in the newer version of Cura the proper printer definition might come in.
An alternative is to manually copy the definition files from the Cura folders in 4.6 to the folders in 4.13.1. There may be a few files you will need to copy. All the file names start with "Wanhao_".
There will be a file in "definitions", in "extruders", and maybe a custom bed file in "meshes". It doesn't appear that the Wanhao printers use nozzle files but they would be in the "variants" folder.
- 5 months later...
I have a Mod-t printer that was given to me. I was told to use Cura as the software but I do not see my printer listed so I'm unable to connect it. I downloaded the latest version, 5.2.0. Please help! Thank you.
GregValiant 1,344
Here's a video. CHEP is usually pretty good (although I didn't watch this one).
Thank you, but unfortunately this company is no longer offering software on their website since they are no longer keeping it updated. I was told by the person who gave it to me to use Ultimaker Cura software instead. I downloaded that software but my printer is not listed.
I watched the video and he just goes through setting the printer up with the software it originally came with, which is no longer offered.
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GregValiant 1,344
If it's a brand new model then it's likely no one has submitted a definition file to the Ultimaker Cura Team. If you happen to know what other Anycubic printer it's close to then you can load that one, change the name, adjust the bed size, etc. If you get the Gcode flavor correct ("RepRap (Marlin/Sprinter)" is common among Anycubic printers) then the rest is just detail work. After looking at the Mega X on the Anycubic site I don't see another one quite similar to yours. It actually looks more like a Creality CR-10.
A second alternative is to open an Anycubic definition file (that is close to your printer - same problem as above) and using a text editor and making adjustments to the information in the file (it isn't terribly hard to read) and then do a Save-As and change the file name. Re-starting Cura should make your new definition file visible in the drop-down.
You can also add a CustomFFF printer and go through the machine settings and set them all to match your printer. Again, getting the Gcode flavor correct is the biggest single thing to get right. The build size is 300 x 300 x 305. The Center Origin is probably not the center, but rather the left front corner.
Therefore the answer to your question is a definite maybe.
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