Simplify3D
Site Admin
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:28 pm

Creator 1.1.3 Update

We finally put the finishing touches on version 1.1.3 of the Creator software! This one was a long time in the works and includes several big improvements. As you might have heard earlier this week, we overhauled the jog controls on the Machine Control Panel to be much easier to use compared to the old spin dial. We also made some big improvements to our 3D rendering engine which should provide much better performance and lower memory usage for those big G-Code previews (we saw FPS improvements as high as 4x on some of our machines!). We are also proud to announce integrated support for Makerbot-style printers using the great GPX plugin by whpthomas (source code available here: https://github.com/whpthomas/GPX). We're including a bundled profile for the Replicator 2 which we have been tweaking and calibrating for the last 2 weeks in our lab. It should provide a great starting point for other MBI printers so they can start using the powerful Creator software. From this point forward, the software will also check for updates automatically so you will be alerted as we keep adding new features.

The full feature list for version 1.1.3 is below:
  • Complete overhaul of MCP jog controls with addition of new interactive jog panel
  • Major improvements to preview rendering routines to optimize graphics performance even in High Detail mode
  • Added simple checkbox option to create x3g files for use with Makerbot printers (using GPX plugin)
  • Added option to automatically check for software updates with server
  • Skirt offset of zero now corresponds to a brim which can be used for better bed adhesion
  • Updated temperature parsing for serial communication to work with older version of Marlin firmware
  • Detection of potential surface bumps and model artifacts to try to actively remove them and smooth surface
  • Added previewer colorbar to illustrate printing speed changes
  • Updated previewer color scheme to take better advantage of full RGB spectrum for typical printing speeds
  • General improvements to bridging routines
  • Added [install_dir] placeholder variable for post-processing G-Code scripts
  • Continued improvements to internal slicing engine
  • Added ability to adjust mouse/keyboard shortcuts for view and model positioning
  • Added Shift + Left Button zooming shortcut (for those without a scroll wheel)
  • Moved progress bar and time estimates to bottom of screen for better visibility
  • Improved Options panel with better groupings for various settings
  • Added additional warnings for experimental baud rates on some platforms
  • Fixed bug that was affecting some instances of FFF process combining
  • Fixed lighting bug with preview rendering on Mac OS X systems
  • Fixed rare bug where temperature monitoring could potentially become unresponsive
  • Fixed retraction bug with radial arc compensation under certain G-Code settings
  • Fixed bug when opening multiple .factory files into the same workspace
  • New integrated MakerBot Replicator 2 profile
  • Added firmware configuration for CubeX printers
  • Updated M2 profile with better nozzle cleaning and wiping routine
Have a great weekend everyone!
arnoldpro
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:16 am

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

If I drop certain models on table, they lay above Z 0 and dropping them reapeatedly they change the height but never reach Z 0. I returned to 1.1.2!
chuck12
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:18 pm

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

I saw the same thing happen with one model but just pushed the arrange button and bang it landed just fine.
Simplify3D
Site Admin
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:28 pm

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

I think you can force some weird things to happen if you try to move or arrange a model while it is still in the process of dropping. I'll see if we can get a hotfix together to prevent this.

[EDIT] Hot fix has been applied so this shouldn't be an issue anymore. If you downloaded v1.1.3 in the last day, you can return to the downloads page to install the updated version. Thanks for the catch!
Karl_Williams
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 1:26 pm
Contact: Website

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

I'm seeing the same problem with some of my models. Double clicking on the model and setting the Z offset to 0 fixes it. Dropping the model is setting it a different heights, sometimes with the z offset below zero.
Simplify3D
Site Admin
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:28 pm

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

Karl - Have you tried re-downloading version 1.1.3 based on the comment above? We made a fix today that should solve this, but it requires downloading v1.1.3 again and reinstalling.
Karl_Williams
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 1:26 pm
Contact: Website

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

I downloaded V1.1.3 again and I still get the same results with the stl file I was using. When I load the stl into netfab studio it says that the bottom of the part on the z-axis is -3.69. The model is a spring I created with solidworks and I wasn't too concerned where zero for the z axis was.
I tried 2 things:
1) Import the model and the original z offset is 3.69 above the platform. If I click the drop button it looks like it drops it into the same position with the z offset still being 3.69. At this point if I type -3.69, it ends up on the bed and slices properly.
2) Import the model with the original z offset 3.69 above the platform. Don't click drop but just double click the part and make the z offset = 0. It drops it onto the bed and slices properly.

I tried using the same model with V1.1.2 and that version is able to figure out that the bottom of the model is a negative value and drop the bottom onto the platform.

Here's the part I was testing with if you'd like to try it:

http://www.thinkbotics.com/3d/spring.STL

Karl.
Simplify3D
Site Admin
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:28 pm

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

Karl - Thanks for the test file. Can you do me a favor and give this another try? Re-download and reinstall and let me know if we have this resolved. It works on my end using your sample file so hopefully it's the same over there.
davew_tx
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:39 pm

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

So, using the new 1.1.3, and the M2 FFF, the spring dropped correctly, but the support is not under this end of the spring.

Any advice? I've changed several settings and can't seem to find the right combination.

Dave
Attachments
overhang.jpg
overhang.jpg (172.3 KiB) Viewed 7700 times
davew_tx
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:39 pm

Re: Creator 1.1.3 Update

horizontal offset reduced to .5mm worked out, but the brim is not attached when using zero offset.
could be the near zero area that the spring is touching the base plate.
Attachments
brim off.jpg
brim off.jpg (174.69 KiB) Viewed 7698 times

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