Coming from a Cura world, printing multiple objects sequentially comes as second-nature to me. In Cura, included in the printer parameters are static items defining the size of the print head and clearance. Strangely enough these don't tend to change from job-to-job very often. The default setting is to print sequentially unless the height limits are breached - otherwise this sequential object "just works" in Cura - as soon as you add multiple objects to a print job it defaults to sequential printing which is really nice. Sometimes it's the little things that make you smile - how Cura will add new objects arranged to print sequentially automatically.
However I am baffled by how you configure a sequential objects print job in Simplify3D ... it seems anything but simple. Multiple objects get dumped one on top of the other (which is pretty useless - why not "Center and Arrange" every time new objects are added? Does anybody want to actually have all objects piled up on top of each other?)
Then to actually configure Simplify3D to print sequentially, even when all objects have the same process, it seems I have to create one process for each item that I want to print sequentially? What if I have a dozen objects, I have to create separate processes for each one? Why? Even after that, I'm prompted to specifically enable sequential printing every time I go to print - and even then I have to manually enter the print head clearance every time - and it starts from 0.0, rather than being a static configurable parameter for my printer (seriously? who needs to change this for every print job?).
Even then, the configurable parameters for clearance in Simplify3D are ... one. Only one - height. Because it doesn't have parameters for X / Y clearance, there is not even a possibility of automatic placement of items to provide adequate clearance for sequential printing like there is in Cura.
This seems like a massive deficiency in the UI design and functionality within Simplify3D, and it's going to continue to annoy me, when Cura's free and open source implementation of sequential object printing is so much more advanced.
Please do a full implementation of sequential object printing!
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kutterkoeter
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:17 am
Re: Sequential printing for multiple objects
+1
especially the one process per part thing!
especially the one process per part thing!
Re: Sequential printing for multiple objects
+1 It's a big oversight not to have easy sequential (object by object) printing with a menu command or a setting.
Image you have 9 identical objects. Not only is the arrangement not automatic, but you also need to create 9 separate identical processes and assign an object to each process. Completely unnecessary if the object are identical and a huge waste of time.
This is how it looks in Cura and how it should be in Simplify3D, too.
Image you have 9 identical objects. Not only is the arrangement not automatic, but you also need to create 9 separate identical processes and assign an object to each process. Completely unnecessary if the object are identical and a huge waste of time.
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denalibenner
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:38 pm
Re: Sequential printing for multiple objects
+1
Especially for small parts, sequential printing is an essential feature.
I tried to print 24 tiny pegs using the standard "Center and Arrange" feature, and because of all the retractions, my filament kept grinding down. Now, if I try to do sequential printing manually, I have to place each peg on the build tray, tweak my settings, then re-copy the settings and apply them for each model.
It's extremely tedious. Automatic sequential printing should be built-in.
Especially for small parts, sequential printing is an essential feature.
I tried to print 24 tiny pegs using the standard "Center and Arrange" feature, and because of all the retractions, my filament kept grinding down. Now, if I try to do sequential printing manually, I have to place each peg on the build tray, tweak my settings, then re-copy the settings and apply them for each model.
It's extremely tedious. Automatic sequential printing should be built-in.
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Cutterpillar
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:26 pm
Re: Sequential printing for multiple objects
I use 3DP1000 machine which has a very big platform capable of printing hundreds of parts. Unfortunately, I am experiencing an issue with standard copy part function. After I get 100x copies placed and centred on the platform I found out that extruder head after printing the first part will not necessarily print next one to it, and sometimes travels few levels back and forth wasting a lot of time on large numbered prints.
Is there a function that will help to sort all the copied parts in sequential order?
Is there a function that will help to sort all the copied parts in sequential order?
Re: Sequential printing for multiple objects
Posting here because I would like an update when this issue is fixed...
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mangtronix
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:39 am
Re: Sequential printing for multiple objects
+1. I use this type of sequential printing all the time (same process, multiple different models) and adding all the processes and selecting the models is quite a lot of work.
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Fallen Munk
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 5:33 pm
Re: Sequential printing for multiple objects
Praying for a fix to this issue! Setting up for massive number of small parts is killing me.
Re: Sequential printing for multiple objects
+1 for me too.
Even worse, it appears that if you have multiple processes per object, it's not even possible to print sequentially across the process change. It appears it will order the processes by z-height before applying the sequential printing clearance height, ie if I have:
Object 1: Process 1 from z=0 to z=1, Process 2 from z=1 to z=2.
Object 2: Process 3 from z=0 to z=1, Process 4 from z=1 to z=2.
If you attempt to print this sequentially, it appears it will ALWAYS print the processes in order 1324, even if the clearance height is >2. Arguably, the order should be to go down the process list until the clearance height is hit, not order by z-start and then process list.
Even worse, it appears that if you have multiple processes per object, it's not even possible to print sequentially across the process change. It appears it will order the processes by z-height before applying the sequential printing clearance height, ie if I have:
Object 1: Process 1 from z=0 to z=1, Process 2 from z=1 to z=2.
Object 2: Process 3 from z=0 to z=1, Process 4 from z=1 to z=2.
If you attempt to print this sequentially, it appears it will ALWAYS print the processes in order 1324, even if the clearance height is >2. Arguably, the order should be to go down the process list until the clearance height is hit, not order by z-start and then process list.
