MOST Metal Cura

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This page describes how to install and use MOSTMetalCura to slice a 3-D model (.STL file) and generate G-code for the MOST's open-source metal 3-D printer. Full explanation: Slicer and process improvements for open-source GMAW-based metal 3-D printing

Introduction

MOSTMetalCura is a customized version of CuraEngine v.15.06 (Latest version that supports Delta machine.) that converts a 3-D model (.STL) into G-code for the MOST's open-source metal 3-D printer.

MOSTMetalCura is also called a slicer program because of the core operation of it, slicing. The CuraEngine is written in C++ and use the library called Clipper which is included in the source code. MOSTMetalCura is a console application without the GUI.

MOSTMetalCura was customized to support the MOST's open-source metal 3-D printer. Configurations were added to the setting file, fdmprinter.json:

1. machine_metal_printing (True/false; if false, then it operates as normal CuraEngine)
2. machine_welder_on_gcode (G-code to turn on the welder)
3. machine_welder_off_gcode (G-code to turn off the welder)
4. machine_min_dist_welder_off (Minimum distance to travel that require the welder to be turned off)
5. machine_layer_pause (True/false; pausing between layers)
6. machine_layer_pause_gcode (G-code to specify how long to pause between layers)

MOSTMetalCura uses these and other settings to generate the proper G-code for the MOST's open-source metal 3-D printer. For more details about settings, please see below.

How to Install

This is mainly for Linux OS machine.

1. Clone or download a zip file of the repository from MOSTMetalCura (Ongoing development!). If you download the zip file, unpack it to a wanted directory.
2. Install Protobuf (See more details in README2 file.)
3. Install libArcus (See more details in README2 file.)

Cmake compilation:

1. Go to the MOSTMetalCura directory
2. Execute the following commands
   1. mkdir build
   2. cd build
   3. cmake ..
   4. make

Configuration

You may want to adjust some settings to suit your printer in the configuration file, fdmprinter.json, which can be found in the MOSTMetalCura directory. The significant settings are:

• machine_start_gcode (Additional G-code to be inserted at the beginning of the G-code file.)
• machine_end_gcode (Additional G-code to be inserted at the end of the G-code file.)
• machine_metal_printing (True/false; if false, then it operates as normal CuraEngine.)
• machine_welder_on_gcode (G-code to turn on the welder.)
• machine_welder_off_gcode (G-code to turn off the welder.)
• machine_min_dist_welder_off (Minimum distance to travel that require the welder to be turned off.)
• machine_layer_pause (True/false; pausing between layers.)
• machine_layer_pause_gcode (G-code to specify how long to pause between layers.)
• machine_gcode_flavor (Which machine that generated G-code for?)
• layer_height (Printed layer height.)
• wall_line_count (Number of shell or perimeter lines.)
• wall_line_width (Width of a perimeter line.)
• infill_line_width (Width of inner fill line.)
• top_bottom_thickness (Thickness of top and bottom layers.)
• top_layers and bottom_layers (The amount of top and bottom layers respectively.)
• material_diameter (The filament diameter.)
• speed_print (Printing speed.)
• fill_sparse_thickness (Infill thickness.)

How to Run

MOSTMetalCura can be run from the terminal as command line.

1. Go to the MOSTMetalCura directory.
2. Edit "path/to/output/MOSTMetalCura.gcode" and "path/to/model/MOSTMetalCura.stl" in the following command and execute the new command.
   • ./build/MOSTMetalCura -v -j fdmprinter.json -o "path/to/output/MOSTMetalCura.gcode" "path/to/model/MOSTMetalCura.stl"
3. The generated G-code file will be in the directory you changed "path/to/output" to.
4. You can load the G-code file into Franklin if you are using it as controlling software for your printer.