Cura is an open source 3D printer slicing application. It works by slicing the user’s model file into layers and generating a printer-specific g-code. Once finished, the g-code can be sent to the printer for the manufacture of the physical object.
The open source software, compatible with most desktop 3D printers, can work with files in the most common 3D formats such as STL, OBJ, X3D, 3MF as well as image file formats such as BMP, GIF, JPG, and PNG.
As of the writing of this article, Cura is in version 4.5. It works on all common OS platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux. The minimum system requirements for Cura are:
- Windows Vista or newer
- Mac OSX 10.7 or newer
- Linux Ubuntu 15.04, Fedora 23, OpenSuse 13.2, ArchLinux or newer
To install Cura, first download it for your OS from this page. When the Cura download is complete, here’s what you need to do on each platform.
Cura Download and Installation
Run the Cura installer and go through the usual steps. The only non-trivial part of the installation is the following screen, which gives you the option to install additional components.
Follow the instructions and set it up.
Add a printer - Custom - Custom FFF printer - Printer Named "X1"
Manage Printers - You can change the printer settings here.
Ops, looks like the object is too big for the printer. Some parts of it are outside of the printing square. Let's change the size and make it printable.
Let's set it to 50%, and please select the "Uniform Scaling". It will decrease the whole project to 50%.
Lets' set the printing settings before slicing. Go to the " Custom" and you can custom it as you like.
Here is some advice for the settings if you are new to this.
Layer Height: 0.1mm
Wall Thickness: 0.8mm
Print temperature: 200
Print speed: 30
Generate support: √
Support Placement: Everywhere
After all things done, you can start to slice it. It will show the estimated time for printing.
FAQ: Why my prints goes longer than the estimated time?
A: The estimated time is calculated at a regular speed. But actually it will slow down the speed while goes with the turning and sharp angles.
