Releases: Ultimaker/Cura
4.3 Beta
Release of the Ultimaker Cura 4.3 BETA.
For more information look at the blog post: https://ultimaker.com/en/blog/52928-6-things-you-can-try-today-in-ultimaker-cura-43-beta
v4.2.1
4.2.1
Bug fixes
- Fixed a bug in the error checker where the slicer prevents a slice even when all the settings have the correct value, or it doesn't indicate which settings have an incorrect value.
- Fixed 'Z Hop Speed' error in the new Creality profiles that prevents the slice when the 'Z hop when retracting' setting is enabled. This happened as well when enabling support since 'Z hop when retracting' is enabled in this case.
- Fixed importing old profiles for Creality CR10s. After the inclusion of the CreawsomeMod profiles, the version upgrade didn't take Creality CR10s into account.
4.2.0
Orthographic view
When preparing prints, professional users wanted more control over the 3D view type, so this version introduces an orthographic view, which is the same view type used by most professional CAD software packages. Find the orthographic view in View > Camera view > Orthographic, and compare the dimensions of your model to your CAD design with ease.
Object list
Easily identify corresponding filenames and models with this new popup list. Click a model in the viewport and its filename will highlight, or click a filename in the list and the corresponding model will highlight. The open or hidden state of the list will persist between sessions. How convenient.
Print previews
Some improvements have been made to print previews displayed in the monitor tab, Ultimaker Connect, or the Ultimaker S5 interface. In some instances, previews were clipped at the bottom or side, and sometimes models outside of the build plate area were visible. This is all fixed now.
AMF file compatibility
Ultimaker Cura now supports AMF (Additive manufacturing file format) files out-of-the-box, thanks to an AMF file reader contributed by fieldOfView. https://github.com/fieldofview
Slice button delay.
After clicking ‘Slice’, a lack of response could lead to frustrated buttonclicking. This version changes the button text to read ‘Processing’ during any pre-slicing delay.
Layer view line type
The line type color scheme in the layer view has been tweaked with new colors for infill and support interfaces so that they can be distinguished better.
Nozzle switch prime distance
Certain materials “ooze” more than others during retraction and long moves. Vgribinchuk (https://github.com/vgribinchuk) has contributed a new setting that lets you finetune the restart distance, so that the full extrusion width is achieved when resuming a print.
Smart Z seam
A new option to increase the aesthetic quality of your prints has been added to custom mode, under Z seam settings. Smart Z seam works by analyzing your model’s geometry and automatically choosing when to hide or expose the seam, so that visible seams on outer walls are kept to a minimum.
Separate Z axis movements
Z axis movement handling has been improved to reduce the chance of print head collisions with prints.
Flow per feature
You can now adjust material flow for specific features of your print, such as walls, infill, support, prime towers, and adhesion. This allows line spacing to be controlled separately from flow settings.
Merge infill lines
We did some finetuning of the CuraEngine to improve print quality by filling thin infill areas more precisely and efficiently, and reducing movements that caused excessive gantry vibration.
Z hop speed
The Z hop speed for printers with no specific speed value would default to ‘299792458000’ (light speed!) The new Z hop speed setting ensures that all Z hops are performed at a more sensible speed, which you can control.
Support tower diameter
The ‘Minimum diameter’ setting for support towers has been renamed to ‘Maximum Tower-Supported Diameter’, which is more accurate and more specific because it mentions towers.
Square prime towers
Circular prime towers are now the default option. Square prime towers have been eradicated forever.
Third-party printer order
The ‘add printer’ menu now includes third-party printers that are ordered by manufacturer, so that specific machines can be found easily. Printer definitions. New machine definitions added for:
- Anet A6. Contributed by markbernard. https://github.com/markbernard
- Stereotech ST320 and START. Contributed by frylock34. https://github.com/frylock34
- Erzay3D. Contributed by Robokinetics. https://github.com/Robokinetics
- FL Sun QQ. Contributed by curso007. https://github.com/curso007
- GeeTech A30. Contributed by curso007. https://github.com/curso007
Creawsome mod
This version has pulled the Creawsome mod, made by trouch (https://github.com/trouch), which adds a lot of print profiles for Creality printers. It includes definitions for Creality CR10 Mini, CR10s, CR10s Pro, CR20, CR20 Pro, Ender 2, Ender 4 and Ender 5, and updates the definitions for CR10, CR10s4, CR10s5 and Ender3. The CRX is untouched. Pull requests are now submitted that merge the mod into mainline Cura.
Bug fixes
- Noto Sans. Noto Sans was introduced as the default font in Ultimaker Cura some versions ago, but until now it wouldn’t render properly in the application unless already installed on your computer. This release forces the application to render Noto Sans even when it’s not installed as a font on your computer. Fun fact: Ultimaker recently rebranded, and we made Noto Sans our corporate font as well.
- Reslice with per-model settings. When slicing a model with per-model settings, a change of one of the per model settings would not trigger a reslice. This has been fixed. Serial port interruptions. This version adds a way to stop serial connections if you add command line parameters.
- Print one-at-a-time blob. In print-one-at-a-time mode, prime blobs could cause obstructions and cause prints to fail. This has been fixed.
- Prime tower brim overlap fix. Fixed an issue where models on the build plate could overlap with brims of other models.
- Wrong printer name. Fixed an issue where Ultimaker 3D printers that are synchronized over the network would display ‘Extruder 1’ in place of the printer’s hostname.
- Unnecessary travel at print start. Fixed an issue where printing without a prime blob would cause the print head to make a 10 mm travel move for no reason.
- Stair step height. This version fixes support stair step height, which influences the adhesion between the model and support printed on top (supports everywhere). For now, this bug has had no influence on PVA supported prints.
4.2 Beta
Release of the Ultimaker Cura 4.2 BETA
For more information look at the blog post: https://ultimaker.com/en/blog/52907-ultimaker-cura-42-beta-whats-new
v4.1.0
Draggable settings panels
There was a lot of feedback from the 4.0 release about the collapsible settings panels. Based on this feedback, we decided to make them completely draggable. The print settings panel (prepare stage) and the color scheme panel (preview stage) can now be dragged and positioned anywhere in the 3D viewer. A double click of the header will reset each to their default position.
Updated onboarding flow
The onboarding flow on first startup has been updated with a look and feel more in line with the new interface. A series of setup steps will be shown, including Welcome, User agreement, Change log, the option to add a (networked) printer, and the option to sign up/sign in with an Ultimaker account.
Add printer menu
Various updates in the ‘Add printer menu’. The machine settings menu has been updated in line with the new look and feel of the interface, and it's now possible to directly add machines from discovered network printers.
Expert settings visibility
Previously, new settings weren't displayed in the expert preset even though they were expert-level settings. The latest features (e.g. Prime tower brim) are now included in the expert preset, for easy access.
Experimental print profile indicator
When an experimental print profile is activated, the settings panel header will now display an "Experimental" tag.
Printing guidelines
More information about how to print advanced materials can be quickly and easily accessed via the interface. When a material is chosen in the configuration selector, an icon will appear next to it, which when clicked will direct the user to a 'Printing Guidelines' page specified by the print profile supplier.
Increased rendering speed
Rendering speed improvements that should be quite noticeable with multiple objects on the build plate.
Layer change script
This new post-processing script injects custom Gcode on a layer change, so that manual commands can be defined, e.g. park the print head. Contributed by wporter82. https://github.com/wporter82
Prime tower brim
Prime towers might need the extra adhesion of a brim even when the model doesn’t, so an option for a prime tower to print with a brim independently of the model has been added. This setting is available when the adhesion type is set to 'None', 'Skirt' or 'Brim', and the prime tower is enabled. Currently this option doesn’t work with rafts.
Prime tower Gcode comments
Gcode now contains comments to indicate when a prime tower is printed, like so: ;TYPE:PRIME-TOWER
Maximum deviation setting
Previously, the maximum deviation was hard-coded in CuraEngine to be half of the maximum resolution. A new setting has been added that sets the maximum allowed deviation from the original polygon when reducing model resolution. If line segments are shorter than the maximum resolution, they are removed, unless this introduces a deviation greater than the maximum deviation.
Gyroid support
Smartavionics has contributed a new option for a gyroid support pattern, similar to his gyroid infill contribution. A gyroid pattern is relatively efficient with material, so gyroid patterns permeable to water can dissolve faster. It’s also easier to pull gyroid structures off your model with pliers compared to some other support patterns. https://github.com/smartavionics
Purchase materials
The Marketplace now includes a direct link to a site where users can buy specific materials to work with the corresponding print profile. The link is specified by the print profile supplier through the contributor portal.
Marketplace notifications
When a plugin or print profile in the Marketplace has updates, a badge notification will appear over the Marketplace button and installed packages tab, prompting you to update.
New third-party definitions
- NWA3D A5. Contributed by DragonJe. https://github.com/DragonJe
- Anycubic Chiron. Contributed by BluefireXD. https://github.com/BluefireXD
- Alfawise u30. Contributed by NicolasNSSM. https://github.com/NicolasNSSM
- Cubicon. Contributed by Hyvision. https://github.com/Hyvision
- Wanhao Duplicator 9. Contributed by matshch. https://github.com/matshch
- Creality 3D-X. Contributed by steverc1572 https://github.com/steverc1572
- Z-Bolt. Contributed by alexkv. https://github.com/alexkv
- TiZYX Evy. Contributed by ValentinPitre. https://github.com/ValentinPitre
- FLSUN QQ. Contributed by ranfahrer. https://github.com/radfahrer
- Structur3D Silicone. Contributed by afinkle. https://github.com/afinkle
- TiZYX Evy Dual. Contributed by ValentinPitre. https://github.com/ValentinPitre
Bug fixes
- Fixed an issue where the application crashed when opening the Ultimaker Marketplace after being logged in for more than 10 minutes. This was due to an expired token when checking network requests.
- For PLA-PLA support combinations, the horizontal expansion value has changed from 0.2 to 0 by default. This fixes an issue where unnecessary support is generated. The default value for PVA remains the same.
- Fixed an issue where choosing to "Update Existing" profile during project file loading did not overwrite the current settings with what was in the project file.
- Removed the GFF and CFF materials from this version onwards. These materials are intended only for testing and are incompatible with the Ultimaker 2+
- Fixed an issue where the maximum resolution setting removed more vertices than necessary.
- Improved gyroid infill to stop very small (less than 10 uM) line segments being created when the gyroid infill lines are connected, increasing print consistency and reliability. Contributed by smartavionics https://github.com/smartavionics
- Previously, disabling build plate adhesion would also disable support brim settings. A support brim can now be enabled independently of build plate adhesion.
- Improved combing moves over thin model areas. Contributed by smartavionics https://github.com/smartavionics
- Fixed an issue where the printer selector panel text would exceed the boundaries of popups in languages other than English.
- Removed the ability to create print profiles with duplicate names in the print profile manager. Print profiles with the equal names would eventually lead to crashes or undefined behavior.
- Fixed an issue where the application would not remember the previous save path after saving again in the same session.
- Older machines running Mac OS X don't always support OpenGL 4.0+. For better performance the software can now detect if a machine doesn’t support it, and use OpenGL 2.0 instead. Contributed by fieldOfview. https://github.com/fieldofview
- Fixed an issue where the application would crash when selecting the support eraser tool.
- Fixed an issue where Z seams didn’t snap to the sharpest corner.
- Fixed issues where prints would have imperfections and on vertical surfaces.
v4.0.0
Updated user interface
Ultimaker Cura is a very powerful tool with many features to support users’ needs. In the new UI, we present these features in a better, more intuitive way based on the workflow of our users. The Marketplace and user account control have been integrated into the main interface to easily access material profiles and plugins. Three stages are shown in the header to give a clear guidance of the flow. The stage menu is populated with collapsible panels that allow users to focus on the 3D view when needed, while still showing important information at the same time, such as slicing configuration and settings. Users can now easily go to the preview stage to examine the layer view after slicing the model, which previously was less obvious or hidden. The new UI also creates more distinction between recommended and custom mode. Novice users or users who are not interested in all the settings can easily prepare a file, relying on the strength of expert-configured print profiles. Experienced users who want greater control can configure over 300 settings to their needs.
Redesigned "Add Printer" dialog
Updated one of the first dialogs a new user is presented with. The layout is loosely modeled on the layout of the Ultimaker 3/Ultimaker S5 "Connect to Network" dialog, and adds some instructions and intention to the dialog. Contributed by fieldOfView.
Updated custom mode panel
Based on feedback from 4.0 beta, the custom mode panel is now resizable to make more settings visible. The set position will persist between sessions.
Monitor tab
Updated the monitor tab interface for better alignment with Cura Connect interface.
Remote printing
Use your Ultimaker S5 printer with an Ultimaker account to send and monitor print jobs from outside your local network. Requires firmware 5.2 (coming soon).
User ratings for plugins
With an Ultimaker account, users can now give feedback on their experience by rating their favourite plugins.
Integrated backups
‘Cura backups’ has been integrated into Ultimaker Cura and can be found in the ‘extensions’ menu. With this feature, users can use their Ultimaker account to backup their Ultimaker Cura configurations to the cloud for easy, convenient retrieval.
Plugin versioning
Newer plug-ins can't load in older versions if they use newer features, while old plug-ins may still load in newer versions.
LAN and cloud printer icons
Users can now quickly see if their printer is network or cloud enabled with new icons.
Improved UI speed
This version switches faster between extruders and printers. Your mileage may vary depending on your system specifications.
Floats precision
No settings in Ultimaker Cura require more than three digits of precision, so floats in setting input fields have been limited to three digits only. Contributed by fieldOfView.
Minimum support area
This feature allows set minimum area size for support and support interface polygons. Polygons which area are smaller than set value will not be generated. Contributed by vgribinchuk/Desktop Metal.
Lazy Tree Support calculation
In previous versions, 95% of Tree Support’s computation time was used to calculate the collision volumes to make sure that the branches avoid collisions with the meshes. Now it calculates these volumes only when necessary, reducing the computation time. Contributed by bjude.
CPE and CPE+ comb retractions
Changed all CPE and CPE+ profiles to travel up to 50 mm without retraction, decreasing blobs caused by combing long distances.
Marketplace improvements
Added optimizations to show a support site instead of an email address, increased the number of lines that are shown for the description, and show a 'website' link so people can order material directly.
Arduino drivers silent install
Previous versions stopped silent installation because the Arduino drivers packaged with Cura are not signed. Arduino drivers are now skipped when performing a silent install.
New third-party definitions
- Wanhao. Updated printer profiles to use new travel_speed macro (Contributed by forkineye).
- JGAurora A1, A5 and Z-603S (Contributed by pinchies).
- Alfawise U20 (Contributed by pinchies).
- Cocoon Create ModelMaker (Contributed by pinchies).
- Ender-3. Updates to the printer definition (Contributed by stelgenhof).
Bug fixes
- Fixed an issue which prevented slicing when per extruder settings were changed with a disabled extruder.
- Improved handling of non-Ultimaker network connected printers within Ultimaker Cura. Contributed by fieldOfView
- Fixed an issue where printing with the second extruder only would retract material unnecessarily.
- Fixed an issue where outdated plugins remained partially activated.
- Fixed an issue where combing was not working when tweaking Retraction minimum travel.
- Fixed an oversized print head collision zone when using print one-at-a-time mode.
- Due to inaccuracy of floats in very large prints, the position is reset again several times using "G92 E0" commands.
- Improved update checker text for better readability.
- Updated the implementation of 3MF in Ultimaker Cura for better consistency with 3MF consortium specifications.
- Removed all final and initial print temperature offsets, and increased first layer print temperature to fix under-extrusion problems.
- Holding shift and rotating a model on its axis for fine-grained rotations would sometimes pan the camera. This has now been fixed.
- Added file type associations for .gcode and .g extensions.
- Marked some more profiles as experimental.
- Fixed an issue where duplicated PLA with a different label would replace the original PLA entry.
- Updated which profile new materials are based when you create a brand new material. Contributed by fieldOfView.
- Fixed adhesion type errors on startup.
- Fixed an issue where system tray icons would remain when Ultimaker Cura is closed until mouse-over.
- Added extra tooltip to give extra information about start/end g-codes.
- Fixed an issue where clicking 'Create Account' would go to login instead of sign-up.
- Fixed an issue where the legacy profile importer would generate corrupt profiles.
- Fixed an issue where Ultimaker Cura could crash on start-up during the upgrading of your configuration to the newest version for some people.
- Fixed an issue where Ultimaker Cura would crash after downloading plugin from Marketplace.
- Ignores plugins folder when checking files for version upgrade. Start-up is now much faster if you've installed a lot of plugins or have used many versions of Ultimaker Cura.
- Fixed an issue where the firmware checker shows up when there is no internet connection.
- Fixed an issue where settings could not be made visible again after hiding all settings.
- Fixed false configuration error for CC Red 0.6 core after a version upgrade.
- Fixed an issue where a warning is issued when selecting a printer with no material loaded. The extruder will now be disabled instead.
v3.6.0
Gyroid infill
New infill pattern with enhanced strength properties. Gyroid infill is one of the strongest infill types for a given weight, has isotropic properties, and prints relatively fast with reduced material use and a fully connected part interior. Note: Slicing time can increase up to 40 seconds or more, depending on the model. Contributed by smartavionics.
Support brim
New setting that integrates the first layer of support material with the brim’s geometry. This significantly improves adhesion when printing with support material. Contributed by BagelOrb.
Cooling fan number
It is now possible to specify the cooling fan to use if your printer has multiple fans. This is implemented under Machine settings in the Extruder tab. Contributed by smartavionics.
Settings refactor
The CuraEngine has been refactored to create a more testable, future-proof way of storing and representing settings. This makes slicing faster, and future development easier.
Print core CC 0.6
The new print core CC 0.6 is selectable when the Ultimaker S5 profile is active. This print core is optimized for use with abrasive materials and composites.
File name and layer display
Added M117 commands to GCODE to give real-time information about the print job file name and layer number shown on the printer’s display when printing via USB. Contributed by adecastilho.
Firmware checker/Ultimaker S5
The update checker code has been improved and tested for more reliable firmware update notifications in Ultimaker Cura. The Ultimaker S5 is now included.
Fullscreen mode shortcuts
Fullscreen mode can be toggled using the View menu or with the keyboard shortcuts: Command + Control + F (macOS), or F11 (Windows and Linux). Contributed by KangDroid.
Configuration error message
In previous versions, Ultimaker Cura would display an error dialog explaining when something happened to user configuration files, including the option to reset to factory defaults. This would not warn about losing the current printer and print profile settings, so this information has been added.
Rename Toolbox to Marketplace
The entry points to the Toolbox are now renamed to Marketplace.
Materials in the Marketplace
A new tab has been added to the Marketplace that includes downloadable material profiles, to quickly and easily prepare models for a range of third-party materials.
New third-party definitions
New profiles added for Anycube 4MAx and Tizyx K25. Contributed by jscurtu and ValentinPitre respectively.
Improved definitions for Ender-3
The Ender-3 build plate size has been adjusted to the correct size of 235 x 235 mm, corrected the start-up sequence, and the printhead position has been adjusted when prints are purged or completed. Contributed by stelgenhof.
Add mesh names to slicing message
Added comment generation to indicate which mesh the GCODE after this comment is constructing. Contributed by paukstelis.
Bug fixes
- The active material is highlighted in Ultimaker Cura’s material manager list. This behavior is now consistent with the profile and machine manager.
- The option to use 1.75 mm diameter filament with third-party 3D printers is now fixed and does not revert back to 2.85 mm. This fix also applies the appropriate a Z-axis speed change for 1.75 mm filament printers. Contributed by kaleidoscopeit.
- A fix was created to handle OSX version 10.10, but due to the Qt upgrade, users with older versions won’t be able to run Ultimaker Cura on their system without a system update. This applies to OSX version 10.09 and 10.08.
- Fixed a memory leak when leaving the “Monitor” page open.
- Added performance improvements to the PolygonConnector to efficiently connect polygons that are close to each other. This also reduces the chances of the print head collide with previously printed things. Contributed by BagelOrb.
- Fixed a bug where the GCODE reader didn’t show retractions.
- Changes the USBPrinting update thread to prevent flooding the printer with M105 temperature update requests. Contributed by fieldOfView.
- Fix the behavior of the "manage visible settings" button, when pressing the "cog" icon of a particular category. Contributed by fieldOfView.
- Add a new post processing script that pauses the print at a certain height that works with RepRap printers. Contributed by Kriechi.
- Fix updates to the print monitor temperatures while preheating. Contributed by fieldOfView.
- Fixed a bug where material cost is not shown unless weight is changed.
- Fixed bugs crashing the CuraEngine when TreeSupport is enabled.
- Fixed a bug where Ultimaker Cura would upload the wrong firmware after switching printers in the UI.
- Fixed a bug where the layer view was missing if the first layer was empty.
- Fixed a bug where erroneous combing movements were taking place.
- Fixed a bug where the initial layer temperature is set correctly for the first object but then never again.
- Fixed a bug where clicking the fx icon didn’t respond.
v3.5.1
3.5.1
Bug fixes
- Fixed M104 temperature commands giving inaccurate results.
- Fixed crashes caused by loading files from USB stick on Windows platforms.
- Fixed several issues with configuration files that missed the type in the metadata.
- Fixed issues caused by skin/infill optimization.
- Fixed several issues related to missing definition files for third-party printers.
- Fixed an issue where combing path generation cuts corners.
- Fixed a range of crashes caused by lock files.
- Fixed issues with remembering save directories on MacOS.
- Fixed an issue where CuraEngine uses incorrect material settings.
- Fixed an issue where some support layers don't have support infill.
3.5.0
Monitor page
The monitor page of Ultimaker Cura has been remodeled for better consistency with the Cura Connect ‘Print jobs’ interface. This means less switching between interfaces, and more control from within Ultimaker Cura.
Open recent projects
Project files can now be found in the ‘Open Recent’ menu.
New tool hotkeys
New hotkeys have been assigned for quick toggling between the translate (T), scale (S), rotate (R) and mirror (M) tools.
Project files use 3MF only
A 3MF extension is now used for project files. The ‘.curaproject’ extension is no longer used.
Camera maximum zoom
The maximum zoom has been adjusted to scale with the size of the selected printer. This fixes third-party printers with huge build volumes to be correctly visible.
Corrected width of layer number box
The layer number indicator in the layer view now displays numbers above 999 correctly.
Materials preferences
This screen has been redesigned to improve user experience. Materials can now be set as a favorites, so they can be easily accessed in the material selection panel at the top-right of the screen.
Installed packages checkmark
Packages that are already installed in the Toolbox are now have a checkmark for easy reference.
Mac OSX save dialog
The save dialog has been restored to its native behavior and bugs have been fixed.
Removed .gz extension
Saving compressed g-code files from the save dialog has been removed because of incompatibility with MacOS. If sending jobs over Wi-Fi, g-code is still compressed.
Updates to Chinese translations
Improved and updated Simplified Chinese translations. Contributed by MarmaladeForMeat.
Save project
Saving the project no longer triggers the project to reslice.
File menu
The Save option in the file menu now saves project files. The export option now saves other types of files, such as STL.
Improved processing of overhang walls
Overhang walls are detected and printed with different speeds. It will not start a perimeter on an overhanging wall. The quality of overhanging walls may be improved by printing those at a different speed. Contributed by smartavionics.
Prime tower reliability
The prime tower has been improved for better reliability. This is especially useful when printing with two materials that do not adhere well.
Support infill line direction
The support infill lines can now be rotated to increase the supporting capabilities and reduce artifacts on the model. This setting rotates existing patterns, like triangle support infill. Contributed by fieldOfView.
Minimum polygon circumference
Polygons in sliced layers that have a circumference smaller than the setting value will be filtered out. Lower values lead to higher resolution meshes at the cost of increased slicing time. This setting is ideal for very tiny prints with a lot of detail, or for SLA printers. Contributed by cubiq.
Initial layer support line distance
This setting enables the user to reduce or increase the density of the support initial layer in order to increase or reduce adhesion to the build plate and the overall strength.
Extra infill wall line count
Adds extra walls around infill. Contributed by BagelOrb.
Multiply infill
Creates multiple infill lines on the same pattern for sturdier infill. Contributed by BagelOrb.
Connected infill polygons
Connecting infill lines now also works with concentric and cross infill patterns. The benefit would be stronger infill and more consistent material flow/saving retractions. Contributed by BagelOrb.
Fan speed override
New setting to modify the fan speed of supported areas. This setting can be found in Support settings > Fan Speed Override when support is enabled. Contributed by smartavionics.
Minimum wall flow
New setting to define a minimum flow for thin printed walls. Contributed by smartavionics.
Custom support plugin
A tool downloadable from the toolbox, similar to the support blocker, that adds cubes of support to the model manually by clicking parts of it. Contributed by Lokster.
Quickly toggle autoslicing
Adds a pause/play button to the progress bar to quickly toggle autoslicing. Contributed by fieldOfview.
Cura-DuetRRFPlugin
Adds output devices for a Duet RepRapFirmware printer: "Print", "Simulate", and "Upload". Contributed by Kriechi.
Dremel 3D20
This plugin adds the Dremel printer to Ultimaker Cura. Contributed by Kriechi.
Bug fixes
- Removed extra M109 commands. Older versions would generate superfluous M109 commands. This has been fixed for better temperature stability when printing.
- Fixed minor mesh handling bugs. A few combinations of modifier meshes now lead to expected behavior.
- Removed unnecessary travels. Connected infill lines are now always printed completely connected, without unnecessary travel moves.
- Removed concentric 3D infill. This infill type has been removed due to lack of reliability.
- Extra skin wall count. Fixed an issue that caused extra print moves with this setting enabled.
- Concentric skin. Small gaps in concentric skin are now filled correctly.
- Order of printed models. The order of a large batch of printed models is now more consistent, instead of random.
Third party printers
- TiZYX
- Winbo
- Tevo Tornado
- Creality CR-10S
- Wanhao Duplicator
- Deltacomb (update)
- Dacoma (update)
v3.4.1
3.4.1
Bug fixes
- Fixed an issue that would occasionally cause an unnecessary extra skin wall to be printed, which increased print time.
- Fixed an issue in which supports were not generated on the initial layer, because the engine expected a brim to be in place.
- Conical and tree supports are now limited within the build plate volume.
- Fixed various startup crashes, including: copying of the version folder, errors while deleting packages, storing the old files, and losing data on install.
3.4.0
Toolbox
The plugin browser has been remodeled into the Toolbox. Navigation now involves graphical elements such as tiles, which can be clicked for further details.
Upgradable bundled resources
It is now possible to have multiple versions of bundled resources installed: the bundled version and the downloaded upgrade. If an upgrade in the form of a package is present, the bundled version will not be loaded. If it's not present, Ultimaker Cura will revert to the bundled version.
Package manager recognizes bundled resources
Bundled packages are now made visible to the CuraPackageMangager. This means the resources are included by default, as well as the "wrapping" of a package, (e.g. package.json) so that the CuraPackageManger and Toolbox recognize them as being installed.
Retraction combing max distance
New setting for maximum combing travel distance. Combing travel moves longer than this value will use retraction. Contributed by smartavionics.
Infill support
When enabled, infill will be generated only where it is needed using a specialized support generation algorithm for the internal support structures of a part. Contributed by BagelOrb.
Print outside perimeter before holes
This prioritizes outside perimeters before printing holes. By printing holes as late as possible, there is a reduced risk of travel moves dislodging them from the build plate. This setting should only have an effect if printing outer before inner walls. Contributed by smartavionics.
Disable omitting retractions in support
Previous versions had no option to disable omitting retraction moves when printing supports, which could cause issues with third-party machines or materials. An option has been added to disable this. Contributed by BagelOrb.
Support wall line count
Added setting to configure how many walls to print around supports. Contributed by BagelOrb.
Maximum combing resolution
Combing travel moves are kept at least 1.5 mm long to prevent buffer underruns.
Avoid supports when traveling
Added setting to avoid supports when performing travel moves. This minimizes the risk of the print head hitting support material.
Rewrite cross infill
Experimental setting that allows you to input a path to an image to manipulate the cross infill density. This will overlay that image on your model. Contributed by BagelOrb.
Backup and restore
Added functionality to backup and restore settings and profiles to cloud using the Cura Backups plugin.
Auto-select model after import
User can now set preferences for the behavior of selecting a newly imported model or not.
Settings filter timeout
The settings filter is triggered on enter or after a 500ms timeout when typing a setting to filter.
Event measurements
Added time measurement to logs for occurrences, including startup time, file load time, number of items on the build plate when slicing, slicing time, and time and performance when moving items on the build plate, for benchmarking purposes.
Send anonymous data
Disable button on the ‘Send anonymous data’ popup has changed to a ‘more info’ button, with further options to enable/disable anonymous data messages.
Configuration error assistant
Detect and show potential configuration file errors to users, e.g. incorrect files and duplicate files in material or quality profiles, there are several places to check. Information is stored and communicated to the user to prevent crashing in future.
Disable ensure models are kept apart
Disable "Ensure models are kept apart" by default due to to a change in preference files.
Prepare and monitor QML files
Created two separate QML files for the Prepare and Monitor stages.
Hide bed temperature
Option to hide bed temperature when no heated bed is present. Contributed by ngraziano.
Reprap/Marlin GCODE flavor
RepRap firmware now lists values for all extruders in the "Filament used" GCODE comment. Contributed by smartavionics.
AutoDesk Inventor integration
Open AutoDesk inventor files (parts, assemblies, drawings) directly into Ultimaker Cura. Contributed by thopiekar.
Blender integration
Open Blender files directly into Ultimaker Cura. Contributed by thopiekar.
OpenSCAD integration
Open OpenSCAD files directly into Ultimaker Cura. Contributed by thopiekar.
FreeCAD integration
Open FreeCAD files directly into Ultimaker Cura. Contributed by thopiekar.
OctoPrint plugin
New version of the OctoPrint plugin for Ultimaker Cura. Contributed by fieldOfView.
Cura Backups
Backup and restore your configuration, including settings, materials and plugins, for use across different systems.
MakePrintable
New version of the MakePrintable plugin.
Compact Prepare sidebar
Plugin that replaces the sidebar with a more compact variation of the original sidebar. Nozzle and material dropdowns are combined into a single line, the “Check compatibility” link is removed, extruder selection buttons are downsized, recommended and custom mode selection buttons are moved to a combobox at the top, and margins are tweaked. Contributed by fieldOfView.
PauseAtHeight plugin
Bug fixes and improvements for PauseAtHeight plugin. Plugin now accounts for raft layers when choosing “Pause of layer no.” Now positions the nozzle at x and y values of the next layer when resuming. Contributed by JPFrancoia.
Bug fixes
- Prime tower purge fix. Prime tower purge now starts away from the center, minimizing the chance of overextrusion and nozzle obstructions. Contributed by BagelOrb.
- Extruder 2 temp via USB. Fixed a bug where temperatures can’t be read for a second extruder via USB. Contributed by kirilledelman.
- Move to next object position before bed heat. Print one at a time mode caused waiting for the bed temperature to reach the first layer temperature while the nozzle was still positioned on the top of the last part. This has been fixed so that the nozzle moves to the location of the next part before waiting for heat up. Contributed by smartavionics.
- Non-GCODE USB. Fixed a bug where the USB port doesn’t open if printer doesn't support GCODE. Contributed by ohrn.
- Improved wall overlap compensation. Minimizes unexpected behavior on overlap lines, providing smoother results. Contributed by BagelOrb.
- Configuration/sync. Fixes minor issues with the configuration/sync menu, such as text rendering on some OSX systems and untranslatable text. Contributed by fieldOfView.
- Print job name reslice. Fixed behavior where print job name changes back to origin when reslicing.
- Discard/keep. Customized settings don't give an 'discard or keep' dialog when changing material.
- Message box styling. Fixed bugs related to message box styling, such as the progress bar overlapping the button in the ‘Sending Data’ popup.
- Curaproject naming. Fixed bug related to two "curaprojects" in the file name when saving a project.
- No support on first layers. Fixed a bug related to no support generated causing failed prints when model is floating above build plate.
- False incompatible configuration. Fixed a bug where PrintCore and materials were flagged even though the configurations are compatible.
- Spiralize contour overlaps. Fixed a bug related to spiralize contour overlaps.
- Model saved outside build volume. Fixed a bug that would saved a model to file (GCODE) outside the build volume.
- Filament diameter line width. Adjust filament diameter to calculate line width in the GCODE parser.
- Holes in model surfaces. Fixed a bug where illogical travel moves leave holes in the model surface.
- Nozzle legacy file variant. Fixed crashes caused by loading legacy nozzle variant files.
- Brim wall order. Fixed a bug related to brim wall order. Contributed by smartavionics.
- GCODE reader gaps. Fixed a GCODE reader bug that can create a gap at the start of a spiralized layer.
- Korean translation. Fixed some typos in Korean translation.
- ARM/Mali systems. Graphics pipeline for ARM/Mali fixed. Contributed by jwalt.
- NGC Writer. Fixed missing author for NGC Writer plugin.
- Support blocker legacy GPU. Fixes depth picking on older GPUs that do not support the 4.1 shading model which caused the support blocker to put cubes in unexpected locations. Contributed by fieldOfView.
Third-party printers
- Felix Tec4 printer. Updated definitions for Felix Tec4. Contributed by kerog777.
- Deltacomb. Updated definitions for Deltacomb. Contributed by kaleidoscopeit.
- Rigid3D Mucit. Added definitions for Rigid3D Mucit. Contributed by Rigid3D.
v3.3.0
3.3.0
Profile for the Ultimaker S5
New printer profile for the Ultimaker S5, our latest 3D printer.
Profile for Tough PLA
New material profile for Tough PLA, a material that prints with the convenience of PLA but with toughness and impact strength similar to ABS.
Configuration/sync button
Configuration and synchronization button now available for Ultimaker network-connected printers to easily synchronize all possible available configurations in your Cura Connect group. The name of the group host is automatically pulled from the API, and network printers and local printers are separated in the list for clarity.
Setting visibility preset
Presets guide you to find the most important settings incrementally. A small menu is located next to the search bar to easily access these new setting visibility presets. Contributed by fieldOfView.
Print/save hotkey
Send a print to the queue using Ctrl + P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + P (Mac). If no printer is present on the network, it will save to file instead.
3D model assistant
Models sliced to print with ABS, PC, PP or CPE+ that have a larger footprint than 150 x 150 x 150 mm will notify the user with an icon and popup of how they can achieve the best possible print quality and reliability.
Refactored machine manager
Refactored machine manager resulted in less manager classes. Changing settings, materials, variants and machines is now clearer. This results in an overall speed up when making changes.
Multiply models faster
Significant speed increase when multiplying models.
Auto slicing disabled by default
The auto slice tool is now disabled by default. Users can still enable the feature in the user preferences dialog.
Updated fonts
Default font changed to NotoSans to increase readability and consistency with Cura Connect.
Plugin browser look and feel
The plugin browser has been updated with a better look and feel to bring it in line with other UI elements. The author name is clickable, which opens email for support. Plugins can now be uninstalled with an uninstall button.
Show tooltip for unavailable profile
Tooltips have been added to incompatible settings, to give explanations why they are incompatible.
Empty material slots Ultimaker 3
When a material is not loaded in the Ultimaker 3, it is now displayed as ‘Empty’ rather than ‘Unknown’.
Send over network confirmation
When a print job is sent to a networked printer, a popup will confirm the job was sent, with a button to redirect the user to the monitor in Cura Connect.
Post processing scripts
Fixed an issue where post processing scripts could be lost between sessions. Post processing scripts are now persistent between sessions.
Single extrusion mode
Disable an extruder on a dual extrusion printer, so you are not limited by the other extruder’s parameters. To disable an extruder, right click it in the right panel, and select ‘Disable extruder’ to disable it. Re-enable by right clicking and selecting ‘enable extruder’. Printing profiles are optimized for the active extruder, as well as global settings, such as build plate temperature, to achieve better print quality. Using single extrusion mode also makes the ‘print one at a time’ feature available for the Ultimaker 3 and Ultimaker S5.
New UFP extension
UFP (Ultimaker format package) is a new file extension that contains compressed gcode and a preview thumbnail. Using this extension enables a model preview (similar to the solid view) on the Ultimaker S5 touchscreen and in Cura Connect.
Compressed Gcode
Gcode saved from Ultimaker Cura using the Ultimaker 3 profile is compressed (using gzip) to save space on printers.
Circular prime tower
Prime towers are now circular, resulting in a less jerky print head action, a more robust structure, better layer adhesion, and better build plate adhesion compared to square prime towers, reducing the chance of prime tower failure mid-print.
Connected infill lines
Grid and triangular infill patterns now have connected lines for a more constant flow, better model rigidity, and reduced impact on the quality of the outer wall.
Support blocker - fieldOfView
Generate a cube mesh to prevent support material generation in specific areas of a model. Each cube can be scaled, rotated, and moved with the standard adjustment tools to fit your requirements. When the support blocker tool is selected, single click in the area you want to block support to generate a mesh. If it is positioned by accident, click it again to remove it.
Real bridging - smartavionics
New experimental feature that detects bridges, adjusting the print speed, slow and fan speed to enhance print quality on bridging parts.
Updated CuraEngine executable - thopiekar
The CuraEngine executable now contains a dedicated icon, author information and a license.
Use RapidJSON and ClipperLib from system libraries
Application updated to use verified copies of libraries, reducing maintenance time keeping them up to date (the operating system is now responsible), as well as reducing the amount of code shipped (as necessary code is already on the user’s system).
Initial layer flow
New setting in the ‘material’ category where the initial layer flow can be adjusted.
Initial travel move retraction - smartavionics
Retraction has been added to the initial travel move, reducing the chance of prime blobs getting dragged into parts before brim/skirts are printed.
Unnecessary retractions in spiralize - smartavionics
Removes retractions on layer change in spiralize mode, improving model quality.
Faster travel paths - smartavionics
Until now, the path order optimizer worked on the basis that the shortest possible route could be taken from any one point to another. When combing is used, any route may longer, due to the need to route around obstacles. Now, it can use the combed distances to give more consistent results.
New plugins - Pheneeny
Three new plugins have been added to Ultimaker Cura: Scalable extra prime, Print temperature offset, and Enclosure fan.
Pre-heat extruders - fieldOfView
This new feature allows to preheat the extruders in the printer monitor.
Renamed TweakAtZ to ‘ChangeAtZ’
This script has been renamed to be more consistent with other scripts.
Import XML material profile checks
XML material profile files are now checked before import in Ultimaker Cura to avoid potential issues. Contributed by fieldOfView.
Bug fixes
- Slice engine crash default temperature 0. Fixed an issue where the slicing engine could crash when slicing with a material at 0°C.
- Network printer reconnect. Fixed an issue where the user could not connect to the printer after losing connection.
- Pause at height ‘redo layers’ broken. Fixed an issue where setting ‘pause at height redo layers’ to 1 or more would cause failed prints.
- Reset icon fix. Fixed an issue where manually reverting a default print profile value instead of using the reset button would cause the reset icon to remain.
- Infill density for all extruders. The infill density in the recommended mode now applies to all extruders instead of extruder 1.
- Polypropylene 0.25mm print profile. Fixed the maximum number of allowed extrusions for all 0.25mm Polypropylene profile prints.
- SolidWorks plugin. Replaced comtypes module with win32com to fix issues.
- Font rendering issues. Fixed font rendering issues on Max OSX.
- Slice engine avoids broken wall segments. Fixed an issue where narrow walls created broken line segments by testing for such situations and using slightly narrow lines in those cases.
Third party printers
- FABtotum TPU profiles. Added third-party material profiles for TPU. Contributed by krios-fabteam.
- Dagoma profiles. Updated printer profiles contributed by dagoma3d.
- uBuild profile. Updated printer profiles contributed by uBuild-3D.
- Cartesio printer updates. Updated profiles contributed by maukcc.
- Printrbot Simple Maker's Kit 1405. Profiles contributed by timur-tabi.
- Added SeeMeCNC. Profiles contributed by pouncingiguana.
- Velleman Vertex. Updated printer and quality profiles contributed by velbn.
- gMax 1.5. Profiles contributed by gordo3di.
v3.2.1
3.2.1
Bug fixes
- Fixed issues where Cura crashes on startup and loading profiles
- Updated translations
- Fixed an issue where the text would not render properly
3.2.0
Tree support
Experimental tree-like support structure that uses ‘branches’ to support prints. Branches ‘grow’ and multiply towards the model, with fewer contact points than alternative support methods. This results in better surface finishes for organic-shaped prints.
Adaptive layers
Prints with a variable layer thickness which adapts to the angle of the model’s surfaces. The result is high-quality surface finishes with a marginally increased print time. This setting can be found under the experimental category.
Faster startup
Printer definitions are now loaded when adding a printer, instead of loading all available printers on startup.
Backface culling in layer view
Doubled frame rate by only rendering visible surfaces of the model in the layer view, instead of rendering the entire model. Good for lower spec GPUs as it is less resource-intensive.
Multi build plate
Experimental feature that creates separate build plates with shared settings in a single session, eliminating the need to clear the build plate multiple times. Multiple build plates can be sliced and sent to a printer or printer group in Cura Connect. This feature must be enabled manually in the preferences ‘general’ tab.
Improved mesh type selection
New button in the left toolbar to edit per model settings, giving the user more control over where to place support. Objects can be used as meshes, with a drop down list where ‘Print as support’, ‘Don't overlap support with other models’, ‘Modify settings for overlap with other models’, or ‘Modify settings for infill of other models’ can be specified. Contributed by fieldOfView.
View optimization
Quick camera controls introduced in version 3.1 have been revised to create more accurate isometric, front, left, and right views.
Updated sidebar to QtQuick 2.0
Application framework updated to increase speed, achieve a better width and style fit, and gives users dropdown menus that are styled to fit the enabled Ultimaker Cura theme, instead of the operating system’s theme.
Hide sidebar
The sidebar can now be hidden/shown by selecting View > Expand/Collapse Sidebar, or with the hotkey CMD + E (Mac) or CTRL + E (PC and Linux).
Disable ‘Send slice information’
A shortcut to disable ‘Send slice information’ has been added to the first launch to make it easier for privacy-conscious users to keep slice information private.
Signed binaries (Windows)
For security-conscious users, the Windows installer and Windows binaries have been digitally signed to prevent “Unknown application” warnings and virus scanner false-positives.
Start/end gcode script per extruder
Variables from both extruders in the start and end gcode snippets can now be accessed and edited, creating uniformity between profiles in different slicing environments. Contributed by fieldOfView.
OctoPrint plugin added to plugin browser
This plugin enables printers managed with OctoPrint to print via Ultimaker Cura interface (version 3.2 or later).
Bugfixes
- Fixed a bug where the mirror tool and center model options when used together would reset the model transformations
- Updated config file path to fix crashes caused by user config files that are located on remote drives
- Updated Arduino drivers to fix triggering errors during OTA updates in shared environments. This also fixes an issue when upgrading the firmware of the Ultimaker Original.
- Fixed an issue where arranging small models would fail, due to conflict with small model files combined with the “Ensure models are kept apart” option