Using Cura 2.3.1 with LulzBot 3D Printers

Since my last update on Cura 2, there have been many great improvements made by Ultimaker. Version 2.3.1 was recently released so peruse the release notes https://ultimaker.com/en/products/cura-software/release-notes. Most notably for LulzBot users, is the ability to create a custom printer without having to modify files. This makes using the software with non-Ultimaker printers much easier. Below is instructions on how to configure it. Please post questions and any problems you run into.

  1. Download version 2.3.1 from software.ultimaker.com
  2. Install Cura like you would any other software on your platform
  3. Launch Cura
  4. Create a configuration for your printer
    Settings -> Printer -> Add Printer …
    Custom -> Custom FDM printer
    Give your printer configuration a name (in the lower left corner)
    Add Printer
    Now grab settings from your current slicer (here is a screenshot with Cura LulzBot Edition on the left and Ultimaker’s Cura v2.3 on the right, using settings for a LulzBot Mini)

    The most important number to enter is your nozzle size! Most LulzBots use 0.5, but some of the older TAZs are 0.35
    before closing that window you still need to:
  5. Insert the Start and End GCODE sections
    Download a profile of your favorite printer and material from http://download.lulzbot.com/print-profiles/cura/
    Extract the start/end gcode then paste into the appropriate boxes of Cura
    Some of the settings have changed names, so in the start section you need to modify these two variable names. Note: some profiles reference these variables more than once.
    print_bed_temperature -> material_bed_temperature
    print_temperature -> material_print_temperature
    Should now look something like this:

    Check these links to read more about the inner workings of GCODE specifically for Mini and TAZ 6

Close Machine Settings window
Close Preferences window
6. Import a profile
Settings -> Profile -> Manage Profiles…
Import
(Down at the bottom) change “Files of type” field to “Cura 15.04 profiles (*.ini)”
Navigate to, then select the profile which you downloaded earlier
Open
Close preferences window
7. Prepare to print
(In right hand panel, near the top) Change the “Profile” field to the one you just imported
Disable “Print Build Plate Adhesion”
Load a model with File -> Open File
Save the sliced GCODE file somewhere (SD card or your file system)
8. Start printing and experimenting!

Challenges
Many of the below problems will be fixed over time, but they have not been taken care of yet.

Interoperability

  • On Linux, Cura 2.3 cannot be installed side by side with existing Cura Original
  • Cura 2.3 automatically attempts to connects with printers when it is started up, so ongoing USB print jobs may be killed

Performance – Compared to 2.1, significant improvements have been made. However not all features are faster then the previous generation of Cura.

Regressions – these features were not deliberately removed, they just have not been re-implemented on the new code base yet. Compared to 2.1 there are less.

  • Minimal print controller interface
  • No way to import/display GCODE files

Experimentation/Ease of use –
LulzBot profiles include a wipe temperature in the start gcode section, this number is material specific. Until this is extracted as a setting of the User Interface, it is difficult to swap between materials. For now you will have to open the printer settings and modify this hard-coded number in the start GCODE section :astonished:

Z-offsets may require tweaking to achieve optimal first layer adhesion


Caveats
This has only been tested on Linux (Debian Jessie). But everything should work the same on other platforms.
Do not trust the GCODE that it produces. There may be bugs lurking, so please do not start a multi-day print then leave your printer unattended!

“What happened to version 2.2?” you ask. Well, a PinkUnicorn had a nasty collision with a train. The mythical being is fine, but the SteamEngine had to be completely re-built. It was a mess… please don’t ask about it.

Edit: add a few links
Edit2: version 2.3.1 is now released, updated information

Cura 2.3.1 was released — any updates?

Good question martinbogo. 2.3.1 solves a few problems and simplifies a few steps. I have edited my post to reflect this.

I’m right that there is no dual extruder support? i installed a new printer but no option for second print head…

There is support for Dual extrusion, but these items are deliberately hidden for printers which don’t have multiple nozzles configured. So far it is not possible to change the number of nozzles by using Cura itself, you need to modify some files which is quit messy. You can take a peek at the available multi-extrusion settings from “Settings” -> “Configure settings visibility…” page. Here’s a screenshot

tried this with the 2.4 version that is on the site now, and I get a fan min / max error every time I try to slice looks like the max is set in mm somehow and not %

Not sure how to fix it

@vesteroid: All I did to get the fan min / max error to go away was change the number in “Regular/Maximum Fan Speed Threshold” to 30.

I’m actually printing right now with the latest version of Cura (2.4). My steps are pretty similar to the initial post in this thread, but here’s an overview.

  1. Add a custom printer
  2. Copy the settings you see in the 2.1 version of Cura to the Machine Settings page (See screenshot)
  3. For the gcode, just go to the 2.1 version of cura in expert mode and go to the “Start/End Gcode” section. Copy the both gcode sections into Cura 2.4.
  4. Import a taz 5 profile
  5. You’ll get an error for “fan min / max”. Solve it as above (You can find fan by going to custom and searching for fan, the field with the error will be in red…)
  6. Click “Print via USB”.

Cura will say “Not connected to a printer”, but the Taz will actually print. No control panel though… so, not sure if the print messes up how i’ll abort everything. If you close Cura completely, it’ll stop printing as well. I might just keep simplify3d open, because its control panel works fine (and doesn’t have that annoying delay in “Connecting” that Cura 2.1 had.

I tried printing with 2.4 and it was printing really erratic. very jumpy and not smooth. Can anyone who’s had success post their machine profile and print profiles?
Using Taz 5

I made these today.

Taz 6:

Forgot to enable the web Cam before I started the print.


Mini:

Just getting started with this. Two quick questions:

  1. I see that on the Ultimaker site they are now making a 2.5 version of Cura available. Should I stick with 2.3.1 for this effort or experiment with 2.5?
  2. When I look at the Taz6 profiles I see sections like start2.gcode and end3.gcode. Do I include those in what I paste into Cura’s start and end gcode sections? Or do I just include “start.gcode” and “end.gcode”?

Hi,

Is dual extrusion implemented at this stage? Is there a place to add X/Y spacing calibration for the dual extruder nozzles?


Thanks
Bill

Has anyone else used Cura for slicing? I use it with my reprap, and it puts slicer to shame. They eliminated the slice button, it occurs in the background. I think they are using the GPU or something to get fast slices.

Ive been using it for a month now and love it. Is there anything similar for a DLP printer? I just found Creation workshop, Im going to check it out tonight.