Greetings and beginner questions

[James Pelt]

Hello all. I wanted to introduce myself and ask a few questions to help me get started. I apologize if this has been covered but the Google Groups search capability is surprisingly lame. If you want to simply point me to another thread that will be fine.

I am fairly new to 3d printing. I think it will suit me well once I get past the learning curves--I have a fairly technical mind and good spacial acuity.  I have a Da Vinci 1.0 printer, using stock Da Vinci filament (ABS 1.75.) Obviously I am not happy with the XYZware slicer, I tried Slic3r, but with mixed results. It seems that anyone serious about printing quality is using KISslicer... so here I am.

I have just downloaded and printed the new user manual, it looks like it will be a big help although it is specific to another printer. 

To the point, can anyone give me suggestions on getting started? Even though KS is "simple" there are still an overwhelming number of settings. Which are to be considered critical, and which are for tweaking the results? Should I be using the beta or the stable release? Can any one share there experience and/or offer guidance using KS with a Da Vinci printer? 

I have quite a few questions about the printer as well, but there are other forums more suited to those.

Thanks!

[funBart]

Welcome James!

We are in the middle of a discussion to go to another forum, and indeed, the search possibilities here are terrible.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/kisslicer-refugee-camp/-mW8RzwpXAg

For your start: I think the Beta is stable enough to start with... 

You have to have insight how your settings are with your current slicer, as firmware type, start and end Gcode and filament type and diameter.

The manual of Davide is great, maybe you have discovered the tooltips as well, when hoovering above fields in Kisslicer.

The essential part is first to go to the printer tab:

• @ hardware tab: set the measurements of the buildplate and height and set it for now on 1 extruder (assuming you have more). The loop and infill overlap to 50%
• @ firmware tab: choose the appropriate firmware type.: normally 5D absolute reset, but check your normal Gcode output
• @ the speed tab: set it to known good speeds used. maybe start with perimeter 20 and the rest 50mm/s
• @extruder hardware tab: leave gain at 1 and the axis to E values (as that's indeed normally used by your firmware)
• @ extruder material: set it to a tweaked one you have set on the material tab.

The @ Gcode tab is actually belonging to each printerprofile you make:

• copy your normal start/prefix and end/postfix Gcode from your other slicer to these fields. Later you can tweak them with <tokens> that are fields filled in by Kisslicer from the used values at the material used. (as <BED> temperature.

@ material tab:

• MEASURE YOUR DIAMETER OF THE USED FILAMENT! And use reasonable values for temperature etc. Leave flow tweak to 1, and the min flow to 0.1 and the max flow to 10 or so.
• The destring values are printer specific. Maybe you can use values you know from your allready used slicer. I use Prime and suck 0.5, but others with a bowden extruder are using much larger values. Maybe it's best for a first testprint to switch suck and prime off (on the Style tab).
• be sure this material is actually used at the Printer//extruder material tab

The Style Tab is straight forward:

• maybe start with 0.2mm layer height, infill 25%, extrusion width=nozzle size, 3 loops, choose if you want to use destring yet, or after the testprint. Important is to set the Skin Thickness: as first rule: the number of loops times the layer thickness (so 3x0.2=0.6mm).

The support Tab is somewhat complex to tweak, but maybe first try to print test-stl's without the need for support. You can always ask some follow-up questions later.

Tweak the settings at the Misc tab according your PC

Leave the oversampling (when PRO) to 0.1 or so and the crowning to 1mm at the PRO tab.

Maybe you can read the shortguide I made for a Makerbot replicator as well, to get some insight, only leave out the specific Makerbot/GPX stuff.

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/kisslicer-refugee-camp/Qp4GkDmtJL4/91s5x0IxW1QJ

Short Guide:

• Open Kisslicer, click settings and set the settings level to expert

• Click 'open' to load a stl (or drag and drop). You can scale and rotate objects. Multi-objects with the Pro version.Multicolored objects can now be sliced as well. With the preferences set correct (Load multiple stl's into a single model checked) , you can select multi stl’s when clicking the „open” button. They keep the original position to each other as exported from the Modeller. When clicking the picture of the imported stl’s a new window opens and you can assign the extruders (colors) to all found Meshes.  
In the menu on top you can define the color scheme and disable auto rotating as well. 

• With the slider under 'show settings' you can define the print speed , defined in the settings of each printer (see the "printer" speed tab of the settings). There are sliders as well which let you define the position of the object as well. With copy and delete profile you can add or delete the various settings of the following tabs:

• On the style tab set the settings to use as  layer height, infill percentage. I have set different profiles: always check the Infill% and infill style (I mostly use the fast „straight” infill style). Check the destring box when not already. I had different results with „wipe”. I disable it mostly. The inset surface let you adjust the size of the object little in XY direction (0.1mm makes it a little smaller, -0.1mm a little bigger. Only small numbers advised). The seam hiding box has influence on the startpoint of each layer.

• On the support tab: if wanted: set the settings to generate the external support structure as well Raft structure. Support can be limited to a height entered. Sheath is an extra shell around the support structure to make it more stable. The prime Pillar is handy when printing dual, as the inactive extruder is oozing.

The material tab is a library of settings for each material you own. These settings (as well the belonging Matl Gcode tab) are the only ones of all tabs not applied for slicing directly. Under the tab "printer" subtab "extruder" you set the material to be used for slicing.
• Measure you filament and adjust the diameter. A GOOD TWEAKED FILAMENT DIAMETER IS THE BASE OF A GOOD PRINT. Use working values for the temperature settings. To prefent Oozing set it as low as possible in relation to the print speed. The "keep warm value" is only used for printing with dual extruders. Adjust the Bed temperature.
• The destring settings: Before a travel: retraction is Suck; After a travel, before starting the actual print extruding a little is Prime. Before travel going back a little on the already extruded path is Wipe. Minimum jump is used for the Wipe function. Trigger is used for the Prime and suck function. Set them both to 5mm. I find 0.5mm suck and prime good starting settings, ( as well 5mm wipe path when actually using wipe).
Minimum layer time can force to slow down (for PLA) preventing the object is getting to hot and soft.
Z-lift is going up when also a destring is triggered when traveling
• Flow tweak is a more advanced feature. Set it to 1, as measuring the filament diameter is the first step to do. It only need to be adjusted for very specific prints / materials maybe and in a range of 0.9 to 1.1. About the Max flow: Normally I have set it to 10, but when printing dual, and wanting to print a color slower than the other, you can tweak it to 2.5 or so. Check the generated Gcode for the resulting speeds.

• The Tab "Matl Gcode" is actually a subtab for each material being used. This specific Gcode you entered here (example: an extra suck when printing dual)  <MATL> can be inserted (nested) in the Gcodes belonging to each Printer setting.

The tab Printer defines the specific setting for each printer type. The tab "Ptr Gcode' is belonging to each printer setting, and is actually a subtab of each printer setting.
• the subtab Hardware under printers is describing bed size and offset. As gadget you can load a stl of your printer to be shown in the 3D window. The Bed Roughness / Z offset fields can be used to make a fatter first layer.
the Firmware tab let choose the flavor your printer takes. Absolute E for Sailfish (generating G92 E0 commands with each layer change and extruder change) and the Makerbot flavor to use with MB firmware. The "mark path start/stop" will generate M101/3 commands in the Gcode, usable with Sailfish retraction and prime. When using the Sailfish retraction and Prime, unmark the destring option at the Style tab. When using Kisslicer Destring set it to "none"
The Speed tab let you define the minimum and maximum speed to be used. The final speed of slicing has to be set with the slider next to the setting box. Watch the extra features as first layer, travel and Z speed. The acceleration value is only for calculating print time. 
• The Extruder Hardware tab is define the letter to be used for extrusion (normally „E”, but Makerware style „A” and „B”)
• under Extruders Materials  you define the materials to be used for slicing and has to correspond with the actually used filament in the extruder. (Again: the settings of these  materials are set in the „library” under the Material tab)
The PRO version has to be used to let it generate support extruded by the Second extruder. Ext1=T0. Ext2=T1. 

• The  G-code tab is actually a subtab of each printer setting. In this tabs you set the prefix (start) Gcode as Postfix (end) Gcode. The Select and deselect tabs are used for printing dual to define the Extruder change. For example, they can be used to lower the temp of the inactive extruder to reduce oozing. (the keep-warm value on the material tab and inserted by the token <TEMP>.

• Under Misc (Pro version)  you can define the resolution of slicing (0.05 for detailed objects, 0.1 for normal and 0.15 for simple objects). The value crowning threshold tries to squeeze in additional extrusion paths, to avoid voids in especially thin walled objects. For a lot of settings of Kisslicer you can use the value -1 to disable it. Set the RAM warning / threads to mach your machine, as when set to high it’s possible to freeze your complete computer.

• When ready with the settings press the slice button. First it generates the 3D Gcode to be 3D examined on the model+path option above the 3D window, or 2D with the "path" option. When everything is OK, press the save button for the final Gcode.

Bart

[James Pelt]

Thank you! That will keep me busy for a bit! :)