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I had John and Steve (and Jim) on my show on Friday promoting Startup Weekend, and they asked if I was using Matter Control yet. I had only used it a couple of times, but stuck to Repetier Host. I'd forgotten why. I just tried using it and remembered.

Everything is perfect when I print in Repetier Host, but in Matter Control the extruder doesn't come down all the way. As a result, no filament is being extruded directly onto the glass. It's just dripping onto it from elevation. Currently, the extruder is about 3/16 above the glass.

I bet you've got an old automatic bed level configuration active. That's the only time MC would interfere with where Z0 is.

g.

So what is the big draw of Matter Control over Repetier-Host anyway? I installed MC and made a few parts with it (still using KISSlicer imported gcode) and didn't see any benefit so I went back to Repetier since I know it inside and out.

To me the attractions are a smooth UI experience - I've grown accustomed to the way the settings work now,many love the coloured speed layer preview - and the bed levelling. I'm also a big fan of MatterSlice over Slic3r for most prints.

I gave on MC because it would leave holes and gaps in the print, randomly change between a square and circle print bed, and setting wont save. I email support and it took a week to get back to me. I switched to S3D and love it. I'll wait for auto leveling that can save to the EEPROM, not just an offset to the Z axis in the G-code. Support material in S3D is the best I have found so far also.

BONE wrote:I gave on MC because it would leave holes and gaps in the print, randomly change between a square and circle print bed, and setting wont save. I email support and it took a week to get back to me. I switched to S3D and love it. I'll wait for auto leveling that can save to the EEPROM, not just an offset to the Z axis in the G-code. Support material in S3D is the best I have found so far also.

you probably needed to select a printer.

I did have correct printer setup. I was able to print a couple small parts OK, then it started going haywire each time I opened it. It would fail to generate G-code sometimes and the program would crash. I found it very buggy. Going to S3D, I've had no issues and it works every time.

And hearing things like this is why I haven't switched over to it yet Getting more curious about CraftWare, though.

Thanks for having us on the show, it was fun!

I'll have to check out Craftware. http://www.craftunique.com/craftware

I have always used Repetier and slic3r and just this weekend set up matter control for my orion.
I have been printing quite a lot of circles and small cylinders which slic3r just doesn't handle well.
I have to say that using matterslicer the g code was more intuitive than slic3r jumping all over the print.
Not a huge improvement but noticeable better quality print.
Would like to try simplify3d but I am not forking out $140 for something I can't try first.

You get two licenses with S3D for two different computers. It's up to you who's computers you put the licenses on.

precisionpete wrote:Would like to try simplify3d but I am not forking out $140 for something I can't try first.

This is the problem I have with S3D. I'm sure it's as good as everyone says, but that's a lot of money for software with no trial...especially when all the competitive software is (mostly) free.

0110-m-p wrote:

precisionpete wrote:Would like to try simplify3d but I am not forking out $140 for something I can't try first.

This is the problem I have with S3D. I'm sure it's as good as everyone says, but that's a lot of money for software with no trial...especially when all the competitive software is (mostly) free.

Considering I had issues with all the open source stuff, $140 for two licenses is a bargain not to have any issues and print customer parts with ease. Also, it's only $70/computer if you can find someones computer to install the second license on.

Even $10 per licence is too much for software that still labours under the early stigma of much crappiness.

It could now be the most awesome slicing software on the planet with all the early cheese gone now but I ain't paying $140 to find out.

Automated key based online trial-with-licensing software is a dime a dozen these days, it's not hard to set up. And they will be losing more sales by not offering it than they would from the few people who might try to crack it.

I buddied with someone on MakeXYZ to get a copy of S3D. Its pretty nice, but quite confusing coming from a Cura based background. I know what to do with most settings, but figuring out all the bells and whistles its a bit more challenging. Ive used it for one print so far, the support material turned out great, super easy to remove just like everyone says, and it doesn't leave any marks on the print. I haven't had the time to try and port my Cura config into it, so its just been sitting in my applications folder, gathering dust until a time when I have nothing to print and can screw around.

Anyone fancy posting a photo of said support? Or a screen grab of a layer preview showing how it hangs together?

I'm finding the Slic3r (and now MatterControl) setup with interface layers and a gap is working really well for bigger overhangs but the internal ones and detail stuff leave a little to be desired.

I'll say this about slicers - don't expect good results if the source model is unproven.

I am dabbling with several 3D software packages. They might each be refined and perfect, but my usage of them is not.

I drew an object in SketchUp and then exported STL. Cura, MatterSlice, and slic3r see it as manifold and slice it up. The gcode from each is useless. Things that need support don't have it, support is placed where it is not needed, etc.

Several times I have grabbed files off the web and the slicers' outputs had unusual or unexpected issues.

In almost every case, sending the STL file through netfabb for repair took care of the issues. The "fixed" STL renders exactly the same the original, but can be sliced with much less drama and intrigue. Slicers now add support structure in proper areas (only).

So now, before I blame the slicer-de-jour, I send the file out for cleaning first.

Captain Starfish wrote:Even $10 per licence is too much for software that still labours under the early stigma of much crappiness.

It could now be the most awesome slicing software on the planet with all the early cheese gone now but I ain't paying $140 to find out.

Automated key based online trial-with-licensing software is a dime a dozen these days, it's not hard to set up. And they will be losing more sales by not offering it than they would from the few people who might try to crack it.

I split the license cost with someone also. All 6 guys in my print are using it.

Watch this video.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHqRY4mGJIM[/youtube]

Captain Starfish wrote:Even $10 per licence is too much for software that still labours under the early stigma of much crappiness.

It could now be the most awesome slicing software on the planet with all the early cheese gone now but I ain't paying $140 to find out.

Automated key based online trial-with-licensing software is a dime a dozen these days, it's not hard to set up. And they will be losing more sales by not offering it than they would from the few people who might try to crack it.

I split the license cost with someone also. All 6 guys in my print club are using it know.

Watch this video.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHqRY4mGJIM[/youtube]

Looks like the auto level setting was on. I successfully printed one thing after turning it off, then the next print dropped the extruder to the bed, then raised it to home again, and killed the print.

I have decent success with Repetier Host using Cura for complicated stuff and Slic3r for simple prints.

I am with the rest here that MatterControl isn't quite up to par for me. It crashes quite often for me and I haven't even printed anything on it yet. I also don't like the settings UI. Once I get the default settings in there, I want to be able to change one or two things (like layer height and speed) and then have the program simply save those specific two settings to a quality profile. Instead, I have to go into some arcane profile menu, create multiple profiles, and then manually choose the settings I want to change at that time. It's a pain. In Repetier-Host, I can set up Cura with one "printer" profile that has a slider for slow->fast print settings and multiple sub-profiles for layer height and material that are all different. I just don't like the UI for MatterControl, and I'm not some dumb moron who can't figure it out. I'll have to look at S3D and stuff and see what the draw is, but right now Repetier has a superior UI for my tastes and Cura is an excellent slicer so I'll stick with them for the time being. Too bad MatterControl's bed leveling aid isn't implemented in some fashion in Repetier.

I'm a big advocate of Simplify3D. I really enjoy using it with my Orion, it's 1500$ for the printer, 20 to 50$ a spool for filament depending on the type, I can EASILY justify 140$ for software. Especially since it's the only PLA support material I've ever used that comes off as it's supposed to.

KeyboardWarrior wrote:I can EASILY justify 140$ for software. Especially since it's the only PLA support material I've ever used that comes off as it's supposed to.

YES and YES!