These controllers are powered by firmware developed in the Arduino IDE. This is a very cool idea and OctoPrint is gaining a lot of popularity.Īs mentioned in Part 3: Electronics, the most common 3D printer controllers are Arduino based. This host is a web-based application that allows you to control your 3D printer over the network from a web browser. Cura also integrates with a slicer and provides a sophisticated host environment. This allows you to adjust printer settings without recompiling and uploading firmware. It also has an advanced feature when used with the mating Repetier firmware (see below) – configuration parameters that are saved in EEPROM. Repetier host is an interesting application in that it integrates a slicer (either Slicr3 or Skeinforge) so you can slice and print from a single application. Proterface is a simple but stable and configurable Python application. Host applications also are rapidly evolving and sometimes blur the lines between “host”, “slicer” and even “CAD”. This is called the “host” application and provides the user interface for the basic operations to upload g-code files, turn on and off the printer, and start and stop printing. Now that you have a 3D model (CAD) and sliced it into g-code (slicer) and have configured and uploaded your firmware to your Arduino based controller, you need one final software application to make a print. KISSlicer (plus the commercial Pro version).Some of the most common Open Source slicers include: Sophisticated anti-blobbing and stringing features are particularly useful. This software is evolving rapidly to add new features to control the printing process. Slicing is a complex process that needs to know details like nozzle diameter, plastic material melt temperature, rapid speeds, and extrusion speeds to list a few. Slicers also insert code to set the hot end and heated build platform temperatures and turn on and off fans. In this way, the 3D object is built up of 2D layers. Once a layer is complete, Z is raised to the next layer and the process repeats to stack a new layer on top of the previous layer. The tool path traces the perimeter of the layer and then infills it, in this case with a solid diagonal infill pattern. The diagram below shows how a model (described in an STL file) of a simple house is sliced into multiple layers (red lines) and a tool path is calculated for each layer. Extruder movements are also created along with the X-Y positioning of the nozzle. Then, a tool path for each layer is calculated based on extrusion diameter, fill pattern and other factors. Conceptually, the slicer slices the 3D model into 2D layers, each the height of the extruded filament. It’s job is to convert the 3D model – described in an STL file – into the g-code that is interpreted by the printer’s controller (more on this later). The software component known as a “slicer” in the 3D printing world takes the place of the CAM component in CNC machining. Not only are these objects ready to print, they are a great source for ideas or starting points for your own designs or modifications. If 3D design is not your forte, don’t despair, there are 10,000s of free, printable STL files available on. avoid large unsupported bridges, like those across holes or an unsupported top surface.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |