Hey Everyone-
We are opening up a little 3d community print workshop in NYC and we have 4 printers... Does anyone know if the Creator software will work with these 4 models?
1) MakerGear M2 (I guess this one is an obvious yes)
2) RepRap Prusa (we have the AirWolf 3D XL)
3) MakerBot Replicator 2
4) MakerBot Replicator 2X
This software sounds like it's pretty pleasant to use...
Thanks a lot.
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Simplify3D
- Site Admin
- Posts: 310
- Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:28 pm
Re: 4 printers
Ron,
We should be able to support all 4 of those printers. The M2 and Prusa are the easiest and there is already included profiles to get you started. We can also support both Sailfish or the MakerBot firmware, so you should also be able to print with your Replicator 2 or 2X. If they are running Sailfish, you can use Creator's Machine Control Panel to manually control the machine and upload G-Code files natively. If it's running the stock MakerBot firmware, you can still use Creator, you just have to copy the .x3g files to your printer's SD card and start the print the same as you do now.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
We should be able to support all 4 of those printers. The M2 and Prusa are the easiest and there is already included profiles to get you started. We can also support both Sailfish or the MakerBot firmware, so you should also be able to print with your Replicator 2 or 2X. If they are running Sailfish, you can use Creator's Machine Control Panel to manually control the machine and upload G-Code files natively. If it's running the stock MakerBot firmware, you can still use Creator, you just have to copy the .x3g files to your printer's SD card and start the print the same as you do now.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Re: 4 printers
Great! Thanks so much!
If you don't mind answering a few more questions...here is the background:
We're starting a little place in NYC where people can come and print on our machines or send us their designs and we'll print and ship. We've ordered (and paid for) 4 machines (makergear m2, airwolf reprap prusa, makerbot replicator 2, makerbot replicator 2x). At the moment, we have the rep 2 and we are halfway through building the airwolf. The other two machines are due to be delivered any day now.
We already have 4 computers (a bit older but in perfect condition, all running various versions of windows), each one is dedicated to a particular machine.
My partner and I are fairly capable technically, but not excessively so.
Here are some questions that come to mind:
- if we would like to have all 4 machines operating simultaneously, do we need to buy 4 separate versions of the creator software?
- it seems there is no easy way to network all the machines so that any of the computers can print to any of the machines (direct connection via usb seems to be the only clear way) - do you have any ideas about how we could network them - would using Creator exclusively on all the machines (with the upgrades to Sailfish when necessary) enable us to print across a windows (or windows/mac) network?
- Creator obviously works better with the Sailfish firmware than the Maker Bot firmware, so we'd probably like to try it. But if it turns out that there are unforeseen consequences to switching to the Sailfish firmware, is the process reversible? If we wanted to reverse the process (and go back to the Maker bot firmware), it seems like all we would have to do is "re-overwrite" the Sailfish firmware with the Maker bot firmware. Do you agree?
I understand that you can't take any responsibility for me screwing up my machines. I'm just asking for informal advice and you guys have no responsibility for anything we do.
Any info is really appreciated!
Thanks!
Ron
If you don't mind answering a few more questions...here is the background:
We're starting a little place in NYC where people can come and print on our machines or send us their designs and we'll print and ship. We've ordered (and paid for) 4 machines (makergear m2, airwolf reprap prusa, makerbot replicator 2, makerbot replicator 2x). At the moment, we have the rep 2 and we are halfway through building the airwolf. The other two machines are due to be delivered any day now.
We already have 4 computers (a bit older but in perfect condition, all running various versions of windows), each one is dedicated to a particular machine.
My partner and I are fairly capable technically, but not excessively so.
Here are some questions that come to mind:
- if we would like to have all 4 machines operating simultaneously, do we need to buy 4 separate versions of the creator software?
- it seems there is no easy way to network all the machines so that any of the computers can print to any of the machines (direct connection via usb seems to be the only clear way) - do you have any ideas about how we could network them - would using Creator exclusively on all the machines (with the upgrades to Sailfish when necessary) enable us to print across a windows (or windows/mac) network?
- Creator obviously works better with the Sailfish firmware than the Maker Bot firmware, so we'd probably like to try it. But if it turns out that there are unforeseen consequences to switching to the Sailfish firmware, is the process reversible? If we wanted to reverse the process (and go back to the Maker bot firmware), it seems like all we would have to do is "re-overwrite" the Sailfish firmware with the Maker bot firmware. Do you agree?
I understand that you can't take any responsibility for me screwing up my machines. I'm just asking for informal advice and you guys have no responsibility for anything we do.
Any info is really appreciated!
Thanks!
Ron
-
Simplify3D
- Site Admin
- Posts: 310
- Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:28 pm
Re: 4 printers
If you have 4 computers already, you could easily install Creator on all 4 of them and have a dedicated machine for each one. We allow installations on up to 2 personal computers, so you would have to buy 2 separate licenses (maybe one for you and one for your partner). You also have the option of simply printing from the SD card on each machine. That way you could use 1 computer to create the G-Code for all 4 of them, and then just run the prints using the LCD (for the Replicators) or by using Creator to initialize the SD card print.
Most MakerBot users I've talked to had better print quality after upgrading to Sailfish, so it's up to you. Creator can actually create both .gcode (for Sailfish) and .x3g files (for native MBI firmware). You could use either. And yes, you can use RepG to revert back to the stock firmware. They actually compile everything as a .hex file so there's no configuration required.
Hope that helps!
Most MakerBot users I've talked to had better print quality after upgrading to Sailfish, so it's up to you. Creator can actually create both .gcode (for Sailfish) and .x3g files (for native MBI firmware). You could use either. And yes, you can use RepG to revert back to the stock firmware. They actually compile everything as a .hex file so there's no configuration required.
Hope that helps!
Re: 4 printers
much appreciated!
