I am testing Simplify3D v5.1.2 with my Flashforge Creator 3. First results are promising. However, I noticed that the displayed remaining time in the machine control panel is completely off.
The Creator 3 does a calculation itself, which is usually quite good and rather conservative. For the test print I am doing at the moment, the printer predicts a printing time of 59 minutes. The Simplify3D estimate is 110 min, which is way too much.
How can I adjust/correct estimation? I suspect the inaccuracy may have something to do with acceleration settings, etc. Has anyone run into a similar issue and was able to fix it?
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langweiler
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2025 4:13 am
Re: Remaining print time on Flashforge Creator 3 is incorrect
The estimate in the machine control panel uses the actual progress of the machine for the estimate. For example, if the print is 50% finished and it took 1 hour, the machine control panel will show 1hr remaining (2hrs total). Once the print is say 10% finished, the estimate should be very accurate.
Did you time how long the print actually ended up taking? What % was it at when is suggested 110 minutes?
Did you time how long the print actually ended up taking? What % was it at when is suggested 110 minutes?
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langweiler
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2025 4:13 am
Re: Remaining print time on Flashforge Creator 3 is incorrect
Thanks for the explanation, Jason. That makes sense. I have monitored estimates to completion for the before mentioned test print as a function of percentage completion. This is what I got:
| Percentage Completion | ETC Creator 3 | ETC Simplify 3D |
| 0% | 1:52h | 1:52h |
| 5% | 1:46h | 4:58h |
| 10% | 1:40h | 3:29h |
| 20% | 1:29h | 2:17h |
| 40% | 1:07h | 1:16h |
In the beginning (before the print), estimates where identical. They immediately diverged after the print had started and converged only after about 40% completion.
Specifically in the beginning, percentage completion increased only slowly and took more time than predicted. Accordingly, the ETC reported by the Creator 3 dropped only slowly. I assume this is the reason, why the ETC predicted by Simplify3D is so high initially as it does an extrapolation based on acquired data.
Unfortunately, I missed to record the actual total print time, but it was in the order of 2h.
| Percentage Completion | ETC Creator 3 | ETC Simplify 3D |
| 0% | 1:52h | 1:52h |
| 5% | 1:46h | 4:58h |
| 10% | 1:40h | 3:29h |
| 20% | 1:29h | 2:17h |
| 40% | 1:07h | 1:16h |
In the beginning (before the print), estimates where identical. They immediately diverged after the print had started and converged only after about 40% completion.
Specifically in the beginning, percentage completion increased only slowly and took more time than predicted. Accordingly, the ETC reported by the Creator 3 dropped only slowly. I assume this is the reason, why the ETC predicted by Simplify3D is so high initially as it does an extrapolation based on acquired data.
Unfortunately, I missed to record the actual total print time, but it was in the order of 2h.
