Ultimaker Cura 5.1

[ArunC 4]

The latest release of Ultimaker Cura is here and Ultimaker owners who download version 5.1 will now be able to enjoy simple and affordable metal FFF printing, new and improved support structures, and better surface quality.

 

A new streamlined workflow for metal FFF printing

 

The following new features have been added which are specific to metal FFF printing:

• Automatic shrinkage plate feature. A shrinkage plate will now automatically be created when using a compatible Ultrafuse® metal material profile that prevents your part from deforming during the debinding and sintering process
• DD print core support*. The new DD 0.4 print core is now supported which has been especially designed for use with the new Ultrafuse® Support Layer material
• Automatic support interface feature. When using the new Ultrafuse® Support Layer material and a compatible Ultrafuse® metal material, an interface layer will automatically be created between the model and the metal supports as well as between the model and the automatic shrinkage plate. This layer makes it easier to remove supports after sintering

 

These features are enabled by the newly announced Metal Expansion Kit which contains the new DD 0.4 print core and Ultrafuse® Support Layer materials. Currently the only metal print profiles compatible with these new features are the Ultrafuse® 17-4 PH, Ultrafuse® 316L, and Ultrafuse® Support Layer* materials by BASF Forward AM.

 

*Currently only available in Europe. The Ultimaker Metal Expansion Kit is sold without the BASF Forward AM Ultrafuse® Support Layer and Ultimaker Print Core DD 0.4 at a lower MSRP in other territories (including North America).

These new metal FFF features mean that a simple and affordable new metal FFF workflow is now available which not only includes the printing of parts, but also the debinding and sintering process that is made possible through BASF’s network of debinding and sintering services.

 

However, the foundation for this workflow was started in Ultimaker Cura version 5.0 with the following changes to the Ultrafuse® 17-4 PH and Ultrafuse® 316L print profiles:

 

• Automatic scaling. Metal parts are automatically scaled to compensate for shrinkage that takes place during the debinding and sintering process
• Alternate wall directions. The direction of walls is alternated to prevent distortions during the debinding and sintering process
• New slicing engine. The new slicing engine reduces internal gaps in your part that can lead to line delamination and cracks during debinding and sintering, as well as allowing for the printing of thinner walls and finer details than was previously possible when printing with metal materials

 

Higher segment resolution results in a improved surface quality

 

In our never-ending quest to help you get the best-looking prints possible, we have massively increased the segment resolution of your prints when using Ultimaker S-line printers with the latest firmware. Models with smooth curves like spheres, cones, and cylinders, well as more complex models made up of many organic shapes, will display improved surface quality as they will print with up to twice as many individual segments.

 

This was achieved by implementing a new resolution algorithm, as well as the removal of unnecessary jerk and acceleration from travel commands within gcode. The removal of these redundant commands resulted in reduced printer vibrations, as well as gcode files that are up to 20% smaller.

 

 

The biggest differences in surface quality will be seen when comparing against Ultimaker Cura 4.13. This is because the foundation of these improvements was made in both Ultimaker Cura 5.0 and S-line firmware version 7.0.3. The previous Cura update contained various print profile tweaks and the firmware release included changes that reduced buffer underrun.

 

Note: This feature requires you to be using firmware version 7.0.3 or above on your Ultimaker printer. Download the latest firmware version to make sure your printer is fully compatible.

 

Faster and more reliable supports when printing with support materials

 

When printing supports using either Ultimaker PVA or Ultimaker Breakaway support materials, you can now expect faster print times and more reliable support structures. As well as improves surface quality on the part of your print that is being supported.

 

These improvements have come from a variety of tweaks but the most significant are that when printing supports with these materials, a new zig-zag pattern will be used, instead of the previous triangle pattern. The outer wall around the supports has also been removed and the density of supports has been increased.

 

Print times can be as much as 20% faster and as an added bonus, PVA supports will now dissolve much faster, allowing for much speedier removal of supports, especially when using the PVA Removal Station.

 

 

A more intuitive slicing process

 

After extensive user testing, we have tweaked the slicing process to make it more intuitive when printing with materials that use intent profiles. The result is that we have separated the decision of which intent profile and layer height you want to use into two distinct and easy-to-understand choices.

 

We have also updated the tooltip which notifies you when settings have been changes from the default intent profile settings. You can then identify which settings have been changed by going into custom mode where each modified setting will be in italics and will be accompanied by an arrow symbol which will revert any changes when clicked.

 

 

 

Easier collaboration when using 3MF project files

 

Collaborating while using any of the 250+ materials available in the Ultimaker Marketplace is now easier than ever. When loading up a 3MF project file that uses a material profile that you do not currently have installed, you will now be prompted to download and install any missing profiles.

 

 

 

Additional improvements

 

The following improvements have also been implemented in the Ultimaker Cura 5.1 beta:

• Material profiles for new upcoming Tough PLA colors (blue, yellow, and gray)
• Numerous bugfixes including security fixes and an issue with monotonic ordering that prevented it applying to the topmost surface layer of prints. A full list of bugfixes can be found here

 

Give us your feedback

 

Download this latest release to start using all of these fun new features today. And please,

comment below with your feedback!

[msundman 4]

What's the new linux-modern version? How does it differ from the linux version?

[Slav 0]

Today I got the info that the official version is 5.1

So far I have used 5.00 and beta interchangeably before 5.1.

 

Immediately after the installation, the system flew into space with a blue screen ... (win 10).
Later, after rebooting the system, it happened while slicing the model - blue screen replay.

 

I'm going back to beta and older with the exact same model, and I'm having no issues. I tried this process couple of times.
I think you released the official version a bit too quickly. As you can see, something is happening inside and it's not time to publish the new official version.

Edited July 19 by Slav
Just editing...

[msundman 4]

3 hours ago, Slav said:

Immediately after the installation, the system flew into space with a blue screen ... (win 10).
Later, after rebooting the system, it happened while slicing the model - blue screen replay.

 

To be fair, nothing a user-space program does should be able to bluescreen windows, and if that happens then it's a bug in windows. It sounds like you have either faulty hardware or buggy drivers (e.g., graphics card drivers).

[WWW_cura 2]

i would also like to know what the difference is ? normal linux and modern linux version ? Pretty strange, or they wanted to write 64/32bit ?? ;-)

[dsp 5]

No inventor plug in? You can say smoother finish(update notes) but converting to STL is causing rounds to not be round not Cura when using Inventor native files a cylinder is round and not angled.

See attached pictures same Cura settings. the left one in the picture is loaded in Cura as IPT the right as STL.

 

Don't look at the top finish it was a fast print to test something 

[DivingDuck 79]

@dsp Isn't this a wrong setting in resolution?

 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Circles-are-converted-to-polygons-when-exporting-an-STL-file-from-Inventor.html

[dsp 5]

@DivingDuck You are absolutly right, I have been tinkering with the settings yesterday and already getting a lot better results. 

[3dprntz 3]

How do we setup for metal printing? I did the Academy course and it just mentions the applications more.

[dsp 5]

@3dprntz see 

there is a lot more information on there

@SandervG Can also help you out with info 

[ahoeben 1,654]

1 hour ago, dsp said:

@SandervG Can also help you out with info 

Not today though.

 

Congratulations Sander!

[NotAce 0]

CURA just gets better and better. Now, the greatest improvement you could make (IMHO) is to improve start time for the program, which, sadly, is abysmal. On my i5 laptop, it takes over TWO MINUTES to load CURA to the point where the UI is displayed and ready to go. Surely the clever people at Ultimaker can improve on this.

 

Having said that, thanks for a great program.

 

Ron Ventura

[msundman 4]

7 hours ago, NotAce said:

On my i5 laptop, it takes over TWO MINUTES to load CURA to the point where the UI is displayed and ready to go.

 

On my 12 year old laptop it takes about 30 seconds, and on my 1 year old laptop it takes 11 seconds. Two minutes sounds...not right. How about if you nuke your config and plugins and everything, and then start it again? (You might want to shut it down and then start it again, just in case it has to do something extra the first time you start it.)

[sam0 0]

Hello. Can you please explain my problem wit hcura 5.1. The view, rotation and scaling of the model with the mouse does not work. Win 10 64 R5 5600 16gb RAM 1070. In 4.4 version all working correct.

[SpaceDawg 2]

Using an Ultimaker 2+ with standard settings for PLA Cura version 4.13 out performs version 5.1.  Version 5 and 5.1 have been a big step backwards for me so I'm still using 4.13 at the moment.  I have attached an example.  The terrible print is 5.1.

 

I'm getting elephants feet, the lettering does not work on the print, probably the Z hop setting and on other print fill issues.

 

The material used here is Matt PLA, its quite grainy, but I am having the same issues with any PLA and Cura 5.1

 

 

[GregValiant 786]

Use the "File | Save Project" command and post the 3mf file here.  I haven't seen that in my own prints.

[SpaceDawg 2]

43 minutes ago, GregValiant said:

Use the "File | Save Project" command and post the 3mf file here.  I haven't seen that in my own prints.

I will when I get 5 mins,  Are you using an Ultimaker 2+?

 

[GregValiant 786]

I have a lot of printers installed in Cura and one of them is a UM 2+.  A project file will over-write the definition I have, but I don't actually own a 2+.