New and enhanced features I would like to see.
1. More control over rafts. Current rafts are functional but not ideal. Repg raft control allows custom rafts. And the new makerware rafts just work really well. (big place for improvement here) in repg I make 3 interface layers at a fast speed and "lightly" layered all in the same direction. Since these layers are not smushed they release easily but still stick well since his plastic on plastic. makerware does it differently and makes a flat platform which works surprisingly well.
2. the ability to move the objects and to rotate them dynamically (ie with mouse not manually by x,y,z). Auto arrange his nice but not always ideal.
3. Some repair tools like flip surface orientation have a dialogue be you must hit "OK" between every action. This is a workflow problem if you have many services to flip.
4. Some feedback on the repair tools whether or not it found problems to fix.
5. Serial support for makerbot platforms. . . repg is open source that that should help with protocol problems. (this is direct control is quite useful for setup, leveling and other tasks even if not used for printing)
6. Temperature control for makerbot heated build platform has problems (the temperature tab sometimes allows a new temperature identifier or gives the warning - often the warning can be bypassed that same settings - drop down box index off?). Also x3g prefers the use of m140 to m109 for the HBP this may need to be changed in the fw for makerbot.
7. More infill controls. Different types of infill such as hex or follow outline (making vases or thin walled objects is still a problem, a fill that can fill a wall with only shells with out having to guess the number of shells or have the slicer leave a central gap) been forced to often make a solid object set the shell to my wall thickness and set top to 0 layers. This ONLY works well if the top is flat.
8 have the ability to set top and bottom to a measurement (like mm) This helps when changing layer thickness.
9. A model preparation complete dialogue after every prepare can be annoying should be an optional setting.
10. After ending a preview for one file dialog should allow users to copy to a file (ie onto a SD for makerbot users since direct print is not possible)
That is what I have for now. looking forward for new and interesting updates!
Re: New and enhanced features
- rafts were greatly improved in version 2.0 with many new control options to improve separation
- mouse controls for object rotation have now been added (there are even several ways to do it depending on what you prefer)
- repair tools now provide feedback on if the operation was successful and what was changed
- serial communication for makerbot x3g machines was added in version 1.1.3
- temperature controllers automatically use the correct bed and extruder preheating commands depending on what type of machine you are talking to (i.e. RepRap, MakerBot, etc)
- many more infill types were added in version 3.0
- "model preparation complete" message was removed in version 2.0. Things slice much faster now
- added options to export toolpaths to the disk so they can be copied to an SD card
- mouse controls for object rotation have now been added (there are even several ways to do it depending on what you prefer)
- repair tools now provide feedback on if the operation was successful and what was changed
- serial communication for makerbot x3g machines was added in version 1.1.3
- temperature controllers automatically use the correct bed and extruder preheating commands depending on what type of machine you are talking to (i.e. RepRap, MakerBot, etc)
- many more infill types were added in version 3.0
- "model preparation complete" message was removed in version 2.0. Things slice much faster now
- added options to export toolpaths to the disk so they can be copied to an SD card
