Cura For Rep 2

[Wesley Tullos]

So I've been looking around the user group and the fallow Makerbot Operators group to see if there was any info on anyone using Cura with their Replicator 2/2x.  I use simplify3d as my main slicer, however I have a particular model from MMF that is a solid model, but S3D prints the interior of it hollow.  It does not add support because the model is actually solid.  Another user said he used cure with good results.  I have not been able to figure out how to make/import a Replicator profile for Cura on my Mac.  Any help would be great.  

PS: I have used Slic3r in the past on my RepRap machines, but i wanted to give Cura a try.

[Ryan Carlyle]

You'll need to set up GPX to convert Cura gcode to the x3g file for your Replicator. There are threads about that if you do a search.

[TobyCWood]

This is one of the things 3D-Coat is awesome for. Cura will not "cure" this.

You have a hollow which is manifold to the hollow, but you do not want it to be.

3D-Coats' "Close invisible hulls" is what you want. If you right click on the part in the browser view it shows up in the menu. It's the only way I know of beyond looking everywhere within the part to find openings which will fix something like this.

You could also use Simplify3D's "Merge All Outlines into a single solid model" in the Advanced tab of the process... But it then changes almost everything else in the object as well as seals off areas you may want to have opened.

[Mark Walker]

I've got both the old and the new Cura working with GPX.  For now, you have to do some stuff manually.  The kicker is getting the start/end gcode set.  In the old Cura, you just paste it in there.  The new Cura (>= 15.06), you have to build a profile and copy it into the file system: http://quillford.github.io/CuraProfileMaker/

When you get it generating the gcode you want, you can use GpxUi to translate it to x3g: https://markwal.github.io/GpxUi

Make sure you choose "RepRap" flavor gcode since that is all Cura doesn't know how to make MakerWare/RepG flavor gcode.

I plan on doing something to make it easier to set up with a plugin and profiles, but they're messing around in the storage handling code in the new Cura so I think I'll let that settle out before attempting an x3g plugin for it.  I have a development version working with 15.06.03 which makes it so you can save x3g directly from the Cura UI (x3g is one of the file format options in the save dialog).

On Monday, September 7, 2015 at 10:53:27 AM UTC-7, Wesley Tullos wrote:

[adam paul]

Don't know if you know about this, https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/flashforge/xD3mF7IUZR4

[Wesley Tullos]

I downloaded 3D Coat, but I can't find any information on how to upload a .stl file to it to modify.  Andy, do you guys have a 3DPT episode that talks about that?  I can't remember.

[TobyCWood]

I openly admit that feeling your way through 3D Coat is probably futile.

To upload an stl... theres a couple of ways... most typical way is when you start the app you get a dialog with a bunch of selections. I suggest selecting Surface Mode (at least to start with) which will bring up another dialog. Select the folder and browse to your stl or obj file. The thing then is shown as a PREVIEW it is not in the file yet. You can move it around with the gizmo before it is actually merged into the file. After you have the thing as you want it, you select the Apply button. The object is then actually in your file... but there is still a preview on top of it because you are still in Merge mode. Select any tool on the left and it will change the mode and you'll see your thing.

Note the browser on the right. Your thing is in the browser and it has to be selected before any of the tools will work on it. The same operation can be done by selecting the Merge tool on the left. To browse to your thing file select "Select mesh" in the Merge tool box.

To FIX a mesh (actually a complete remap) you need to go from surface mode to voxel. Note the "S" next to the name of your thing in the browser on the right. Click on it to switch to voxels. Make it a big number to get good resolution. Then Right click on the label of your thing in the browser and select Export.

We are currently doing a series of segments on 3d Coat... probably will go on and on... I keep learning so much about it! IMO 3D-Coat is the very best all around tool for us right now!