Combine Factory files

[ttn]

I would like to be able to combine factory files to create a platter of parts to print. 3Dlabprint.come planes have up to 26 parts. Each part is in its own factory file. All the files require complex settings.. so if I can just add it to the existing factory, that would be great. That way I can print full platters of parts rather than each individual 2 hour print here, 3 hour print there, 26 times. That way I can just run 6 platters or so and be done with printing.

It would save a lot of time if I could just add factory files to the currently loaded files.

Thanks

[ttn]

Try to combine factory files, its actually surprisingly inconvenient to save every profile, import every model, apply every process to every model, keep track of which one was for which file for 26 parts

[S3D-Jake]

Thanks for your interest in improving Simplify3D software!

Would you need this feature for any other purpose than having had purchased factory files from 3DLabPrint? I don't mean that in a negative way. I just couldn't think of many other situations where this would be helpful to a majority of users. If you can think of others please add them here. I'll keep an eye out and update the feature request for our development team to see.

[wirlybird]

This really seems like it would create more problems that it would solve.
The first thing is you would have to know for sure that every settings is identical in every FF.

Why not load each FF and save the model out as an STL file then pick the FF with the settings you want and import the additional STL files onto the bed?

[dkightley]

I also feel that this idea would cause more issues....and I struggle to be able to think of a good reason for having it.

I suppose the ability to pick a model, complete with any manual supports that have been set up, out of another family file might be useful once in a while.


On the balance of effort required and the usefulness, I think I'd prefer effort put into more useful additions. I do hope the OP doesn't mind my comments....what gets picked for any upgrade always has to be a compromise of resources available and new features added.

[ttn]

Would you need this feature for any other purpose than having had purchased factory files from 3DLabPrint? I don't mean that in a negative way. I just couldn't think of many other situations where this would be helpful to a majority of users.

I don't mind comments at all, and S3D-jake says, it is a very valid concern, it may not be worth the effort (I appreciate software development, testing etc.. its a very time consuming process). Really, the 3Dlabprint guys should have put the parts into batches to save the hassle.. (in an ideal world etc.)

Why not load each FF and save the model out as an STL file then pick the FF with the settings you want and import the additional STL files onto the bed?

Yep its what I ended up doing. That worked.
It would seem that dragging factory files into S3D seemed like a simple solution that would be useful. Imagine people post factory files for their models on places like thingiverse etc, and you just drag them onto the platter and all the presets are set. Much like the 3MF file format.

I think its still worth having. What do you think?

[spudsjimbo]

I would say this would be helpful. I have a large format 3d printer and there is generally extra space on the print bed and I would love to be able to add another project and not have to go through all the settings to make sure that they are all correctly associated from the other factory file. It would be cool to have 2 simplify 3d windows open and be able to drag a part from one window to another. And the processes would be moved over and apply to the part that they applied to still.

I am currently considering getting a second small 3d printer for this but putting more on the large build sheet would be handy.