GPX Integration With New Slicer

[Simplify3D]

Hey Henry,

Awesome stuff here!  The proprietary nature of the x3g files has been a long-time struggle for ToM and Replicator owners since it adds an extra obstacle whenever they try to use a different software package.  Sounds like this makes things really easy!  

I'm actually one of the lead developers for a new 3D printing software package, and I'd love to investigate implementing GPX as a back-end plugin.  We just added support for sailfish and are working on native MakerWare-style G-Code as well.  But the extra step to convert to x3g via MakerWare or RepG is a huge pain.  Let me know what you think.  

You can shoot me an email here if that works better: http://www.simplify3d.com/contact-us/

Keep up the good work!

[Wingcommander (whpthomas)]

That's exactly the reason why I developed GPX. Its open source, so you can download it form github here http://github.com/whpthomas/GPX

I would have preferred to release it under a BSD licence to make it super flexible, but its derived from code from ReplicatorG, so its under GPL 2.

That being said, it can be called as a pipe or executed with command line arguments so its pretty flexible.

I added a simple macro language to allow filament scaling and temperature overrides as well as pause on zPos instructions in sailfish, these are all things that could be handled by the gcode generator, but are not widely available at present.

It would also be possible for me to strip it down to a library static library potentially as well.

This is great new, thanks for the interest.

[Dan Newman]

On 25 Apr 2013 , at 10:12 AM, Simplify3D wrote:

> Hey Henry,
>
> Awesome stuff here! The proprietary nature of the x3g files has been a
> long-time struggle for ToM and Replicator owners since it adds an extra
> obstacle whenever they try to use a different software package.

What exactly was proprietary about them? The specifications and source
code to generate them have been open source since their inception. Mind
you, the specifications aren't as rigorous as they might be and RepG
(and likely Conveyor as well) do some non-obvious things, but it's all been
out there for anyone so inclined.

Dan

[Dan Newman]

BTW, I'm not trying to argue: I'm simply curious if there is a general
perception that s3g/x3g is proprietary. FWIW, in the past, MBI has even
been open to people extending it. For example, when Jetty and I added the
new accelerated move command and then also sought better versioning
commands.

Dan

[Simplify3D]

Perhaps "proprietary" isn't the best word.  3D printers, CNC machines, and a wealth of other equipment all share a common standard already; G-Code.  The x3g format is only used by MBI printers and basically creates this extra step for anyone who is using the G-Code format.  And for awhile, the only converters were RepG and MakerWare (both MBI owned).  So maybe there's a better word for it, but either way, having another program in the wild that can export to it is a definite step in the right direction!  

[Simplify3D]

Henry - Any chance you have an email address I could send you a few questions at?  I don't want to tie up the forum with everything if it's only specific to our interface.  

[Dan Newman]

On 25 Apr 2013 , at 11:56 AM, Simplify3D wrote:

> Perhaps "proprietary" isn't the best word. 3D printers, CNC machines, and
> a wealth of other equipment all share a common standard already; G-Code.
> The x3g format is only used by MBI printers and basically creates this
> extra step for anyone who is using the G-Code format.

FWIW, it was also used for a while in the RepRap world. However, being
an extra step and barrier, it was abandoned. Then things caught up and
now its again provides benefit. For example, Marlin's acceleration planner
is cpu bound now on 8bit, 16 MHz AVRs and the slicers are having to
compensate for that to prevent blobbing/zits in regions with lots of
small fine detail. There's actual benefit to not having to do some
of the parsing and computations required of gcode (parse, convert to
steps, compute distances -- squares and square roots -- needed by
the accel planner, do feed rate limiting, etc.). 'tis one of the
reasons the accel planner in Sailfish is 5 - 10x times faster than
Marlin and doesn't have the same issues being CPU bound.

OTOH, if Erik or other Marlin maintainers were to add s3g support to
Marlin, I'd consider them crazy: they should instead spend their time
on supporting faster, better uProcessors. (Bernhard has had a version
of Marlin on an ARM for a while, for instance.) Which is to say, that
s3g/x3g still has benefit -- as a stop gap measure. I for one would
like to see it disappear. I even started on a Sailfish which consumed
straight gcode but then realized that there were better uses of my time.
If/when there's better electronics hardware to put Sailfish on, then
(1) first get Sailfish on it, and then (2) go back to gcode. BUT, it
would also be real tempting to use NIST standard gcode and not the
almost standard gcode which is being used on DIY 3D printers.

Dan

[Dan Newman]

BTW, off topic question of sorts: being an M2 owner, I'm aware of something
called "Creator" which Makergear is (re)selling. Now, when I googled
Simplify3D LLC, I see what appears to also be software of the same name
and look and feel. Am I woefully ignorant as usual: is your product the
one being (re)sold by Makergear?

Dan

[Dan Newman]

Yes, I was ignorant. Just a couple more clicks would have answered my
question: they are one and the same.

Dan

[Aubrey Dunham]

Ok, did some research on it. Color me impressed. If you can make this work for Makerbots, you've got my $125.00.

[Simplify3D]

Dan - Yup, you got it!  They're one in the same.  MakerGear is the first manufacturer selling the software, but it works with Marlin, Sprinter and Sailfish firmware which covers a huge portion of the available printers.  We've got people running Mendels, Rostocks, Solidoodles, MakerBots, Lulzbots, M2s, Printrbots, Ultimakers, and plenty more.

And in case anyone is interested in an update or some additional test data for GPX, version 1.1.2 of our software will include everything necessary to work seamlessly with GPX.  You essentially have all the same great features of Creator, but the final file is a .x3g instead of a .gcode file.  Then just copy it to the SD card and start printing.  We've already got a few users doing this successfully and we're going to keep testing over the next week or two.  Personally, I think it is a huge upgrade over ReplicatorG and we're looking forward to adding more support for these printers.  

In short, great work Henry!  You've made things easy for the rest of us!

[Dan Newman]

On 29 Apr 2013 , at 2:24 PM, Simplify3D wrote:

> Dan - Yup, you got it! They're one in the same. MakerGear is the first
> manufacturer selling the software, but it works with Marlin, Sprinter and
> Sailfish firmware which covers a huge portion of the available printers.
> We've got people running Mendels, Rostocks, Solidoodles, MakerBots,
> Lulzbots, M2s, Printrbots, Ultimakers, and plenty more.
>
> And in case anyone is interested in an update or some additional test data
> for GPX, version 1.1.2 of our software will include everything necessary to
> work seamlessly with GPX. You essentially have all the same great features
> of Creator, but the final file is a .x3g instead of a .gcode file. Then
> just copy it to the SD card and start printing. We've already got a few
> users doing this successfully and we're going to keep testing over the next
> week or two. Personally, I think it is a huge upgrade over ReplicatorG

You mean I can stop supporting a bastard version of RepG? Actually,
I'd love to do that. There's two essential things other than slicing
which RepG provides: a means of upgrading firmware, and a means of
talking s3g over USB to get/set EEPROM parameters. Either or both
of those could be put into a different program. (And it's easier to
keep known working RepG around for that then to write a new app/utility.)

Dan

[Adam Nerva]

This sounds great. The purchase page reads: "Creator is currently only available for existing MakerGear 3D printer owners and MakerGear community VIPs (you know who you are)."

Does this mean that I am not eligible to buy Creator at this time? I'm excited to start using this with my replicator 2.

Thanks,

-Adam

[Adam Nerva]

I think I answered my own question. I bought it and nothing happened. I got emailed a receipt, but no download links. $125.00 down the drain?

On Thursday, April 25, 2013 10:12:41 AM UTC-7, Simplify3D wrote:

[Simplify3D]

Adam,

You can still purchase it even if you aren't a MakerGear customer.  While that is obviously the primary market MakerGear wants to sell to, they have also been allowing other individuals to purchase licenses.  Once we get your order information from MakerGear we usually send you your download information within the hour.  I expect they will send us your information later today.

[Adam Nerva]

Hmmm... Still nothing. Maybe makergear is overloaded right now? I'll wait one more day before I send an email to Karen...

[Adam Nerva]

Got it! Downloaded and installed! Thanks!

[Wingcommander (whpthomas)]

These profiles for S3D will get you started printing. I still haven't figured out the flow rate tweaks for 100 micron layers.

[Adam Nerva]

Thanks for sharing, wingcommander.

[Simplify3D]

We released version 1.1.2 of our software this morning which has all the extra features required for GPX integration.  You can add post-processing commands such as: 

/path/to/gpx -p -m r2 "[output_filepath]"

This will run GPX whenever Creator produce G-Code files.  You can then easily transfer that .x3g file to your MakerBot machine and start printing!  

Looking forward to spreading the word about this great piece of software!

[Darrell jan]

This sounds so exciting that I am actually salivating. Which hasn't happened since I last read about a Fortran compiler upgrade.

Have to move soon, though, so this will have to wait.

[Andynb]

OK... anybody bite yet??/ Wingcommander???

On Thursday, April 25, 2013 10:12:41 AM UTC-7, Simplify3D wrote:

[Wingcommander (whpthomas)]

OK... anybody bite yet??/ Wingcommander???

S3D sent me a license to try out Creator. So far the Medium resolution is printing well, and the GPX integration is seamless. The slicer is fast and I have a few models that I know had problems that it has sliced without a hitch. The visualisation tools are really cool too, and having all of that build in is a much better approach.

I just need to spend a bit more time tweaking finer detail settings - been too busy working on other things for my bike project.

[Andynb]

Well... I'll hold off on it for a little while until after the carriage and extruder upgrade to aluminum. Gotta control those variables ya know.
1 thing at a time... take it slow... so much is happening so fast.

I'm a bit surprised though that you have not tried to fix your t/c yourself.  Isn't it simply two wires of different metal wound together tight? Take it apart. 

[infinityplusplus]

Control the variables, i hear that. I have early adopted enough stuff for the moment, but I will be watching this because I think right now one of the weak links is software. There just hasn't been anything in software that gives me the control I want over supports, or that generates them well enough that I dont need to control them. It also never hurts to go faster, I hate waiting on a slicer.

 

I am not opposed to paying for software if it gets me what I want.