Microsoft Adds 3D Printing Support To Windows 8.1

[techcrunch.com]

what kind of support are they adding ?
just a simple sender of G-codes or they have created an entire software for slicing stl files ... etc ?


mihai

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2013 03:32PM by mihai.

Well, at my school I've seen them work with the stock software that comes with the Replicator X2.. I started crying out of sadness immediately.

Repetier beats the software on every level.

I can imagine, for people who don't really have much energy to figure out all the print settings, things like this will be good, but for me, no, I want to be able to modify everything, so open-source is the way to go.

I am really interested in what they are going to put int windows 8.1

I doubt they made a slicer. I'm sure it probably will only work with the replicators and the cube. Maybe it's just so that the os will recognise the printers more and start to adopt standards for printer interfacing?

lol Microsoft have no idea what's going on

They're creating a new API that will let developers on its platform put 3D printing capabilities into their apps. I wouldn't be surprised if they're going for some sort of power play in the control of the software.

Ha, every print will have a Windows logo on it somewhere

Does anyone know technical details? All I've found are fluff pieces.

[www.netfabb.com]

I wonder if this has anything to do with it...

[www.netfabb.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2013 08:57PM by akhlut.

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- akhlut

Just remember - Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

[myhomelessmind.blogspot.com]

"Microsoft’s 3D printing vision is simple: give people the power to create, capture, use and re-create real-world objects in 3D, and make it easy to do. The company wants to make printing objects in 3D “as easy as creating a document in Microsoft Word and sending it to print."

from what I read, they seem to aim at a complete toolchain - starting with 3D scanning, ... and finally printing ...

mihai


akhlut Wrote:
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> [www.netfabb.com]
>
> I wonder if this has anything to do with it...
>
> [www.netfabb.com]

[techcrunch.com]

and

[www.makerbot.com]

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

All MS gonna add is DRM system, in the wake off the gun poo, the powers that be try in to catch up on what we printing.

Nothing,

Just like 'Microsoft Robotics Studio', it's just a hyped up load of bloated software that doesn't actually do anything.

They just want to be able to say they can support 3D Printers.

Perhaps you could watch this video that explains the driver model and device support. There's also going to be a 3DP SDK to enable apps to better integrate and print.

3D Printing with Windows 8.1

Thanks GTIspeeder that was just what I was looking for.

The link from the final slide ( microsoft.com/3d ) points to a bunch of technical infos.

GTIspeeder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Perhaps you could watch this video that explains
> the driver model and device support. There's also
> going to be a 3DP SDK to enable apps to better
> integrate and print.


Don't be posting facts. The torch and pitchfork crowd won't like that...

The idea is to make programs like Netfabber easier to develop and potentially help streamline the software toolchain. For the Reprap/DIY crowd it's not near the issue that it is for the regular folk that just want to print. Even then many less experienced Reprapers have issues with the software tool chain. Not because it's not good (I think technically it's quite good) but because of the integration of the tools within the process including creation as well. As an example Alibre PE is now Cubify Design. having an API will allow developers to better integrate 3D drawing programs with the software required for the bot. I see this as an opportunity for the Reprap community to leverage the API and use the existing technology to craft some best of breed consumer printing software.

To me this looks pretty exactly like 2D printing. App -> filter -> spooler -> printer. Just PostScript replaced by STL. And I'm glad to see they support both, direct USB and USB-serial devices. A new printing class was introduced, which looks to me like the only substantial news from the OS perspective.

The challenge for RepRap will be to make the printing process reliable enough to allow such uncontrolled printing. There is no Pronterface, no Repetier Host, no pause button, no "wait, I want to fix this manually" button. Once started, it just prints.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY