Setting specific start point broken in 4.0.1
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 7:59 pm
by djtopper
I'm running both 4.0.1 and 3.1.1. Using the exact same models and factory files, the "Choose start point closest to specific location" feature is not working in 4.0.1.
Anyone know of a workaround. I can't find any online and surely this must be an issue facing several S3D users. This feature is extremely important to me.
Re: Setting specific start point broken in 4.0.1
Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 12:41 pm
by SierraQ
I ran into this myself and I think I figured it out. The starting point depends on several factors. One of those is the optimization logic and I think that may have changed between 3.x and 4.x because the same factory file can print in a different sequence depending on the version of Simplify3D. However, the start point setting is not broken, it is just being overridden by the optimizer. Whether this is a bug or not is another debate but you can easily work around it. I am using 4.1.1.
Single Object vs. Multiple
With a single object setting the XY starting location will result in the head consistently starting there for each layer. With multiple objects (islands) each one is dealt with independently so the starting point is relative to the island, not the entire work surface. In other words if you have 3 islands (let's call them 1,2, and 3) and have set the start point to x=0 y=0 then each one will begin closest to the origin. But islands may still print layers in seemingly random sequences like 1-2-3-3-2-1-2-2-3-3-2-1 AND seemingly random starting points that disobey your setting. To gain consistency...
Disable Island Optimization
Check the "Print islands sequentially without optimization" on the layer tab. Now the islands will individually start each layer in the same place (near x=0 y=0 if that is what you set). The sequence will also be consistent but perhaps not in the order you expect. It may be like 3-1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2. To order the sequence...
Change Island Position
For me the islands printed in precedence defined by the farthest Y-axis location. So if I wanted an island to start first at each layer I had to move it so its greatest Y coordinate was greater than that of the other islands. In the example above to change 3-1-2 to 1-2-3 I would move 3 closer to the Y origin thus decreasing its precedence. X location did not seem to matter. i do not know if this is truly farthest Y or "farthest away in Home view" since your coordinate system may differ. Just move them around and see how the preview changes.