Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted (edited) · Several minutes to connect printer, Linux

My Cura (V5.7.2) takes several minutes to load my Prusa MK3S+ printer. During that period if I attempt to load an object it fails to appear on the 'Prepare' printer bed. When the printer is eventually detected the missing object suddenly also appears on the printer bed.

Observations:

1) On physical USB connection PC to printer, PC confirms 'dev/ttyACM0' is present.

2) Adruino IDE can also communicate with the printer, no issues, no delays.

3) Earlier Cura Version, 2.7.4-1.2 (latest provided by my Linux repository) loads printer with NO such issues. (So I am guessing the problem relates specifically to Cura or an associated file?)

4) Printer displays immediately in PrusaSlicer.

5) As per the Linux set up requirement, I am a member of the 'Dialout' group for USB communication.

 

I also note that this problem occurs if using any recent version of Cura (V5 upwards) but is not an issue if I use older version 4.13.0

 

My PC is running openSUSE (Tumbleweed).

 

Any suggestions, please?

Edited by BlightyExPat
  • Link to post
    Share on other sites

    Posted · Several minutes to connect printer, Linux

    Printing over USB is deprecated and no longer supported. It's a relic from the days when printers were too stupid to even read a memory card and had to be hand fed instructions constantly.

     

    Not only that, but there is a bug some people have experienced where loading a model takes aaaaaages after they first start up Cura - could this be what you're experiencing? It would only connect to the printer once you actually start printing. For these people disabling the USB printing plugin has fixed this (click Marketplace at the top right, click the cog icon at the right side of the top bar, scroll down until you see a built-in plugin called "USB Printing" and click Disable).

     

    11 hours ago, BlightyExPat said:

    3) Earlier Cura Version, 2.7.4-1.2 (latest provided by my Linux repository) loads printer with NO such issues. (So I am guessing the problem relates specifically to Cura or an associated file?)

    The latest version in the Tumbleweed repos is 4.13.1. Regardless, only the AppImage downloads provided by UltiMaker are supported.

  • Link to post
    Share on other sites

    Posted · Several minutes to connect printer, Linux

    Now you mention it, I do recall USB not being recommended quite a while ago. 

    I'm surprised (and disappointed) that this method of printing isn't the preferred one.

    Until recently I've always used the USB option with NO issues whatsoever, with the convenience of simply sending the Cura file to the printer and being able to pre-heat build plate/extruder, jog position the extruder and cancel a print job if required. Much easier than using the printer's own display menu. 
    So am I correct in understanding that an stl file has to be loaded into a slicer, converted to a Gcode file and then copied to the printers SD card, then use the printer's own menu to print the model? (Or am I missing something?)

     

    Incidentally, even with a printer connected I still find I cannot see the model on the build plate for several minutes (with the USB printing plugin removed, V5.0.0 upwards).

  • Link to post
    Share on other sites

    Posted · Several minutes to connect printer, Linux
    7 hours ago, BlightyExPat said:

    Until recently I've always used the USB option with NO issues whatsoever, with the convenience of simply sending the Cura file to the printer and being able to pre-heat build plate/extruder, jog position the extruder and cancel a print job if required. Much easier than using the printer's own display menu. 
    So am I correct in understanding that an stl file has to be loaded into a slicer, converted to a Gcode file and then copied to the printers SD card, then use the printer's own menu to print the model? (Or am I missing something?)

    No argument here that doing it through the printer's menu sucks, especially if your printer has a crappy menu system (not mentioning any names except Creality). But that is the idea.

     

    Some of the main reasons it's not recommended is that if you're doing it from your main PC, if something hits the CPU hard it could cause delays in instructions being sent to the printer, which will cause defects (the print head will likely stay in place for a bit and ooze a bit of filament causing a blob), as well as if something crashes it hard, then your print is gone. With so many drivers and background programs you can't guarantee a lack of interference either.

     

    But you could set up a system like OctoPi on dedicated hardware - a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W will work and costs like AU$30, plus a cheap MicroSD card - that does connect to the printer over USB but since it's a system designed and dedicated solely for running the printer it does that job quite well and you don't have to worry about other programs interfering with it or driver issues. It provides a web interface you can use to load gcode and control prints and there's a Cura plugin you can use to integrate it with that to make it about as easy.

     

    8 hours ago, BlightyExPat said:

    Incidentally, even with a printer connected I still find I cannot see the model on the build plate for several minutes (with the USB printing plugin removed, V5.0.0 upwards).

    Next troubleshooting question: is the model file particularly big (like >50MB)? Cura can take a while to load those.

  • Link to post
    Share on other sites

    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now
    • Our picks

      • UltiMaker Cura 5.9 stable released!
        Here comes Cura 5.9 and in this stable release we have lots of material and printer profiles for UltiMaker printers, including the newly released Sketch Sprint. Additionally, scarf seams have been introduced alongside even more print settings and improvements.  Check out the rest of this article to find out the details on all of that and more
          • Like
        • 5 replies
      • Introducing the UltiMaker Factor 4
        We are happy to announce the next evolution in the UltiMaker 3D printer lineup: the UltiMaker Factor 4 industrial-grade 3D printer, designed to take manufacturing to new levels of efficiency and reliability. Factor 4 is an end-to-end 3D printing solution for light industrial applications
          • Heart
          • Thanks
          • Like
        • 7 replies
    ×
    ×
    • Create New...