Method XL: Any plans to add software support for non-ABS Method-series materials, or at least allow custom materials in Cura?

[chmoran 0]

Hi,

 

The research group I'm in purchased an UltiMaker Method XL last year, and while we're quite happy with its performance in ABS, we have a diverse set of needs that ABS alone cannot meet.

 

Unfortunately, Cura doesn't seem to support non-ABS Method series materials for use with the Method XL: in fact, it doesn't seem like Cura even allows the use of custom, user-defined materials with the Method XL. I understand the reasoning for this, you guys want to provide the end user with a seamless, easy, and reliable experience through the provision of carefully-calibrated material profiles. Indeed, for most use cases, I could see this being perfectly fine: however, it's left us a bit in the lurch as we not only need to use materials that the previous Method Series, printers supported, but we also have the extensive 3D printing experience, expertise, and patience necessary to get these materials working and properly dialed in using custom profiles.

 

To that end, are there any plans to add Method XL software support for other UltiMaker/Makerbot 1.75 materials intended for use with the other Method printers? If not, are there at least any plans to allow users to create custom material profiles for the Method XL at their own risk, or is there some unofficial method that can be used to accomplish this? (We are more than prepared to accept any risks and take responsibility for this ourselves.)

 

Thank you for any help you can provide!

-Hicham

 

PS: Part of the problem is that our distributor assured us that non-ABS materials could be used with the Method XL in an "experimental capacity" with the LABS extruder, and so we purchased at least 40 spools of an assortment of different Makerbot/Ultimaker materials, but we've found that Cura and the printer don't even allow the sort of experimentation we were told would be possible. Lastly, CloudPrint is not an option for us as our institution's IT department has an extremely strict policy that bars 3D printers, or anything they consider an IOT device from being connected to the campus network. We've repeatedly argued with them over this for our S5 printer, to no avail.

 

 

[Dustin 160]

Additional support for Method XL is coming in the coming updates of UltiMaker Cura.
(More materials, more extruders, etc..)
Your reseller should have provided this information to you - sounds like they did not?
Can you please reach out to UltiMaker directly about this?
Here: https://support.ultimaker.com/s/contactsupport