I think a lot of people would disagree. In fact, Cura is used by a lot of people that don't even have a UM made printer.
I suggest you be more constructive and upload the model to a site like youmagine, detail your settings and ask if something can be done to fix the issues you see.
There are a lot of people that know Cura and it's slicer inside and out and will probably be able to address your problem(s).
All my models are watertight, otherwise Rhino would not even produce a good mesh from which I can produce gcode with Cura (or any other slicer). And all my models print fine without flaws from Shapeways and iMaterialize, the only two service bureaus I have used.
I like Cura because of its easy of use, but it does not produce good prints.
I have tried other slicers, but they produce other issues, the worst of which has been that the nozzle jams into the metal clamp that holds the glass plate of the build platform in place (Slic3r).
This is the bracelet test I was talking about. A very simple smooth walled bracelet. Nothing special. Just a test for size for a client. The images show the print on the outside and inside at the same spot.
I'm not sure it's fair to compare the quality between shapeways or imaterialize, which is a full service printing solution with professional printers, to Cura, an open source slicer for FDM. They are two different worlds completely.
There are many more inherent limitations with FDM technology compared to what they are using. Regardless we can help you get better results with pictures. But I wouldn't expect shapeways quality prints from ANY fdm printer/slicer combo.
Valcrow,
I am not expecting the same quality from my U2 FDM printer as I would from Shapeways or iMaterialize. I use my U2 for prototyping, and the resolution this printer can produce is very different from what I can get from those two service bureaus. That is a given. That is not even a point of argument.
Having said that, I was not talking about the printer. I was talking about Cura. I do NOT expect my slicer to introduce geometry that does not exist in my model. That has nothing to do with my printer or the printer settings.
And since I am now talking about printer setting. Changing the print speed via "Tune" while a print is active, does NOT change the print speed.
And that is just scratching the surface of what seems to be wrong with this. I have been fiddling with underextrusion for months now. I don't even bring it up here anymore, because I have given up on that front. Sometimes prints are OK, and sometimes (without having changed any settings), prints are terrible.
This is frustrating, because I now cannot offer my printer for use for printing other people's models, because I cannot produce a decent print.
OK so this is what I'm talking about.... I'm really not an expert so keep that in mind. That isn't "introduce(d) geometry". It's a vertical seam and possibly another issue that makes it worse such as an (over) extrusion issue that makes it worse.
Wait until some others have a look at it. I think that the latest version of Cura has a new method if changing the starting position of the next layer so the seam is less noticeable.
But don't quote me on that...
Are you using 14.09?
Also, is spiralize appropriate for this? (I'm not really sure what that does). See the advanced settings.
Sorry see the expert settings on the expert menu. Based on the tip that pops up, spiralize might work for you.
My experience with Cura 14.09 is pretty awful. It indeed makes bad slicing with various artifacts on the surface, even in Spiralize mode.
Zews - try to use Cura 14.07. You will get much better results with it.
Worth looking at user error before the software!
That is what often happens when the z stage moves - look at changing several parameters (always worth doing this one at a time)
Print at the lowest temp possible
Print as slow as possible
Check your flow and filament are dialled in
Adjust your z change speed to be higher
you should be able to eradicate most of this artefact.
That's a z-scar. It is not geometry that is added by cura but rather something that happens as the printer changes layers. You can read a bit more about it here:
http://support.3dverkstan.se/article/30-getting-better-prints#z-scar
There are some tricks that the slicer can do to minimize this effect like leaving a gap where the z-change happens or "drawing" the line inwards just before it happens. It's also possible to try and hide it along an edge in the print or randomize the starting point of each layer. But getting rid of it completely, well, that's very very difficult.
Could you share the model? Without it, everything is mere speculation. It could be that cura messes up in very specific cases. If so, we want to have the model so we can fix it.
It may be more then just Z-scar, looks like what I had here;
http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/7488-trick-cura-to-change-print-path/?p=70060
Anyhow, I like CURA a lot, even though it may not be 100% perfect ... but what software is?
The Z-scar is now randomized with the latest version of Cura or am i wrong?
http://software.ultimaker.com/Cura_closed_beta/
Anyway with the same model sliced in 14.07 and 14.09 the z-scar dissapeared for me
just tried to update to 14.09 but cura tells me 14.07 is the latest version .... seems they took down 14.09 .... so I can't test the same model in 14.09.
Daid released the RC2 this morning if i'm not wrong you should be able to install it no?
just checked the UM download page, there it is... so I just installed 14.09 and checked the same model again, the unneccesary move to the inside is still there ....
when I clicked "check for update" in cura 14.07 It told me I had thre latest version...
The check for update does not always check for the latest version. Especially not for RC editions (release candidates)
think 14.09 is not an RC, and it's on the main cura downloadpage of the UM site ..
just installed 14.09.1RC2 and also here the strange move to the inside http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/7488-trick-cura-to-change-print-path/?p=70060%20)%20on%20a%200%25%20infill%20part%20is%20still%20there.
on a 0% infill part is still there.
Could you share the model? Without it, everything is mere speculation. It could be that cura messes up in very specific cases. If so, we want to have the model so we can fix it.
Nallath,
I would be happy to share the model with you. Where do I send it? I can send you the original Rhino model, as well as the stl file.
@Zews, you can also try with different settings and different filament type to see the difference. I'm pretty sure that's a z scar.
@UltiArjan, the problem you shown is really a bug with 0% infill introduced by an additional movement of the head inward because the model is closed. Did you log it?
post models here youmagine.com
Or you can send them to j.vankessel@ultimaker.com. But I think that more people here are interested in the models, so you might want to upload them somewhere for everyone to see.
@pm_dude i dont know how to log it .. i assume you mean on github?
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illuminarti 18
You need to make sure that the model is completely watertight and properly formed.
But failing that, why not look at using a different slicer? Kisslicer, Slic3r, Simplify3D etc.
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