...
Post a message to the #3dprinting Slack Channel.
Safety Rules
| Do not leave your print unattended | Watch your print at all times. Things can go horribly wrong quickly. |
|---|---|
| Use care around heated beds and hot ends | 3D printers use heat had have HOT parts |
Watch your spool for jams | Jammed filament ain't no fun for nobody. |
When things go horribly wrong tell someone | If we know what happened we have a better chance to fix it...or prevent it next time. |
Use care around heated beds and hot ends | 3D printing uses heat. Heated beds can be up to 100°C and hot ends up to 250°C. If not careful you will get burned. |
Do not attempt to adjust the printers | If you don't know what you're doing you can cause more harm than good. There is a support contact for each printer, or post your issue to the #3dprinting Slack channel. |
Do not change the printer's EEPROM settings | Your changes may work for you but mess it up for others. |
Keep metal objects (spatulas, pliers) away from the nozzle | Metal tools can scratch or damage soft brass print nozzles and other parts. |
Cancel your job immediately in case of unusual noises or smells! | Use common sense...if it sounds like ball bearings in a washing machine then it's probably not working right. |
| When (not if) the printer breaks... |
|
Beginning 3D Printing
Before using the 3D printers, please attend a 3D Printing Basics class. If none is scheduled post a note to the #3dprinting Slack channel. The slides for the class can be viewed here.
...
- Cura does not support FlashForge or MakerBot printers
- Custom printer profiles cannot be exported
- Custom material profiles cannot be exported
| Skill Level | Novice to Advanced |
|---|---|
| Supported Printers | PrintrBot, Monoprice, Malyan |
| Unsupported Printers | Flashforge, Makerbot |
| Support formats | input: .stl, .obj, .3mf, .gcode, .g, .x3d, output: .stl, .gcode, .3mf, .ufp, .obj |
| Download | https://ultimaker.com/en/products/ultimaker-cura-software |
Slic3r
Slic3r is open source and can be difficult to use. For advanced users it has fine-grained control and can produce excellent prints.
...
- Lots of knobs to twiddle
- Can be overwhelming for novice users
- Lack of pre-defined, tested profiles
- Settings controls are a bit confusing and difficult to manage
| Skill Level | Intermediate to Advanced |
|---|---|
| Supported Printers | PrintrBot, Monoprice, Malyan |
| Unsupported Printers | Flashforge, Makerbot |
| Support formats | input: .stl, .obj, .amf, .3mf output: .stl, .gcode, .amf, .3mf, .obj |
| Download | http://slic3r.org/download |
FlashForge FlashPrint
Pros:
...
- Only supports FlashForge printers
| Skill Level | Novice+ |
|---|---|
| Supported Printers | FlashForge |
| Unsupported Printers | All others |
| Support formats |
| Download | http://www.flashforge.com/support-center/flashprint-support/ |
|---|
MakerBot Print
Pros:
- Very easy to use interface
...
- Only supports MakerBot and FlashForge
| Skill Level | Novice+ |
|---|---|
| Supported Printers | MakerBot, FlashForge |
| Unsupported Printers |
| Support formats |
|---|
| Download | https://www.makerbot.com/3d-printers/makerbot-print/download/ |
|---|
MatterControl
MatterControl is the most flexible of the software listed here. It's open source and easily extensible via custom printer profiles.
...
- UI can be a little confusing at first
- Canned profiles may need tweaking
| Skill Level | Novice+ |
|---|---|
| Supported Printers | PrintrBot, Monoprice, Malyan, FlashForge, MakerBot |
| Unsupported Printers | Customizable |
| Support formats | input: .stl, .amf, .zip, .gcode output: native printer format for supported printers |
| Download | https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/mattercontrol/sk/MKZGTDW6 |