Pause print, retract, then resume

[chorob]

Hello,

I just got the software last week and am loving it with my PrintrBot Simple Metal.

I have a part that I need to pause the print to insert a magnet and then resume the print so it can enclose the magnet in the print. Problem is my magnet won't fit unless the extruder is retracted. I tried manually doing this but it didn't work. I am using octoprint as my print server.

Any tips?

chorob

[KeyboardWarrior]

Hello,

I just got the software last week and am loving it with my PrintrBot Simple Metal.

I have a part that I need to pause the print to insert a magnet and then resume the print so it can enclose the magnet in the print. Problem is my magnet won't fit unless the extruder is retracted. I tried manually doing this but it didn't work. I am using octoprint as my print server.

Any tips?

chorob

You can do this,you just need to know what layer you want to pause at. Using the G-Code previewer set to preview by layer, it gives a good visual representation of the layers and helps figure out what layer you'd like to pause at. After this save Toolpaths to disk, open the Gcode file with a text-editor and then add a new line with "M0" (No quotes) after the layer you'd like to pause at. Now save the revised G-Code file. Then go back to Simplify3D, open the Machine Control Panel and click the Print button which will open a file browser and you can use that to browse to the revised G-Code file. When the M0 is read, the software will pause and you can use the Jogging functions to retract/extrude/move around/change filaments. You can decide when you will restart the print by hitting the resume button.

My advice is to home the printer though in the X and Y-axis if you move the extruder at all, otherwise there will be a shift in your print.

[Peter Stoneham]

I am presently using Cura and love the Pause at Z height Plugin feature.
I am on the verge of buying Simplify but it would need to include this feature.

Pause at height in millimeters or at layer x
Ability to input desired retraction length in millimeters
Move and park at XYZ location
Keep stepper motors locked so that any fiddling will not accidentally move an axis.
Resume printing where it left off.

This is handy if you want to insert something at a particular layer or change filament etc.
The ability to do this at multiple heights would be great!

[JoeJ]

You can pause wherever you want in the gcode and it can be told to pause multiple times. For example, pause at the beginning of layer 10 AND once I reach 50mm of printing.

While unrelated to this topic, your other requests are all possible too. I resume prints all the time and have setup several nice macros that do things like run by print head to a certain position, or preheat and purge the nozzles - all kinds of useful routines that are only one click away. And obviously you can change retract length (and a LOT more settings compared to Cura )

[Joymaker]

I tried taking this advice: export the G code, edit, then print from the Machine Control Panel. Unfortunately, my machine uses X3G, and I got the reply, "Printing to this printer in raw gcode is not supported."

Am I stuck? Or can I get Simplify3D to perform the service of translating my G code into X3G? Or is there another utility recommended for the job?

[dkightley]

Never tried this myself....but you might be able to load your modified GCode by using the Preview GCode file option on the File menu....and then once in the preview screen, save the toolpath to disk, which if you have a profile loaded that generates a .x3g file, you'll get the file you need.

Sounds logical.....give it a try!

[CompoundCarl]

x3g printers don't support the M0 commands. You have to use the M322 command.

So just add the following command to the bottom of your starting script
M322 Z5.0

That would pause the print at a height of 5mm

[mwhatch]

Or you can use 2 profiles. The first proifle will print up to the desgnated layer, then parks the extruder and stops. The next profile will start the layer you tell it to and finish the print. look at tutorial "Different Settings for Different Regions of a Model". Just don't print both profiles as one print job. Pretty much automates it for you. You may need to modify your start and end code for each profile as required.

[tony woollacott]

Hi, I have been pointed toward this thread by the support team.
I am trying to get a separation in the program so that I can insert nuts, but I cannot have the machine go through the homing routine, because this causes a crash with the part already printed.
I am printing on a Replicator 2, so cannot go the route of editing gcode.
I would be very grateful for any help.

[wirlybird]

I am jumping in here also! I would like to be able to pause the print, insert an item then pick back up and continue the print. If I need to just push the extruder out of the way that is fine.
This would be with S3D and a FFCP.