Crane Documentation
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  • Welcome
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  • Crane Bowden Guide
    • Unboxing/Assembly
    • First time Network Setup
    • LCD Menu Navigation
    • First look at Duet Web Control
    • Bed Leveling
    • Heating the Bed and the Nozzle
    • Loading and Unloading Filament
    • Finding and Slicing a Model
    • First Print
  • Crane Quad Guide
    • Unboxing and Assembly
    • First time Network Setup
    • LCD Menu Navigation
    • First Look at Duet Web Control Interface
    • Bed Leveling
    • Heating the Bed and the Nozzle
    • Loading and Unloading Filament
    • Finding and Slicing a Model
    • First Print
  • Crane Dual
    • Unboxing and Assembly
    • First time Network Setup
    • LCD Menu Navigation
    • Duet Web Control First Look
    • Bed Leveling
    • Heating the bed and the Nozzle
    • Loading and Unloading Filament
    • Finding and Slicing Your Model
    • First Print
  • SD card and Firmware
    • Accessing Your SD Card
    • SD card Structure
    • Firmware/Configuration
  • Advanced Tuning M3D Crane Series
    • Part Prints M3D Crane Series
    • Introduction to G-Code Commands
    • Duet Web Control Bed Leveling Assistant
    • Important G-Code Commands
    • Pro Tuning Guide
    • Temperature Calibration
    • Adjusting Homing Macros
    • Filament Extrusion Rate
    • ABS-R Success Guide
    • In-Depth Z-System Sequencing and Alignment
  • Community Submissions/Attributions
    • About Community Submissions
    • User Submitted Guides
    • Attributions
  • Changelog
    • Changelog
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On this page
  • Slicing and Printing the first model:
  • Setting up your Slicer
  • Cura
  • Importing the Printer Profile
  • Slicing your Model
  1. Crane Bowden Guide

Finding and Slicing a Model

PreviousLoading and Unloading FilamentNextFirst Print

Last updated 6 years ago

Slicing and Printing the first model:

You may choose to create your own 3D models with software such as , or, however you may wish to start printing models that are already available for download. You can find free models for 3D printing at , or you can try a few from .

Once you have found your ideal 3D model and downloaded it's STL file, it's time to download a Slicer. A slicer takes a 3D drawing (most often in .STL format) and translates this model into individual layers. It then generates the machine code (g.code) that the printer will use for printing.

Setting up your Slicer

Once you have downloaded your preferred slicer you can follow the steps below to see how to set up the slicer with the correct printer settings. For this example we'll be using Cura.

Cura

Open Cura's Setting by pressing Preferences > Configure Cura....

Once you have opened Cura's settings we will go to add a printer. This is because we need to tell Cura the specifics of our printer, such as the maximum build volume of the printer. Press Printers and then Add in order to add a new printer. This will open a new window.

Next, press Custom. This indicates we are adding a custom printer to Cura's loadout. You can define the Printer Name however you want. Then press Add Printer, this should open another setting window.

This window allows you to configure the printer settings of your M3D Crane Series printer. This informs Cura of the M3D Crane Series printer's build space, the firmware flavor and specifies starting and ending G-code.

The build volume of the printer represents the maximum value that the printer can travel in each direction.

The firmware flavor is the type of firmware that the board is running. The Duet Maestro board runs on RepRap firmware. Your firmware flavor indicates what type of commands the board can understand.

The starting and ending G-code is a series of commands that are run at the start and at the end of every print. This is important as it allows you to retract your filament after the print and turn all the heaters off.

Don't click Close just yet! Move on to the Extruder 1 tab and fill in the following information. Fill in the nozzle diameter and the material diameter. Your nozzle diameter may vary in the future as you mount different types of nozzles on your M3D Crane Series Printer. Then you can click Close.

Once you have added the printer make sure to activate it by selecting the name and then clicking the button Activate.

Importing the Printer Profile

In Cura, open the Preferences again by clicking Preferences > Configure Cura. Click Profiles > Import. Then a window will pop up that will allow you to navigate to the profile you just downloaded. It will most likely be in the Downloads folder.

Once you have properly imported the file you will have to Activate it. Select the profile and click the button Activate. The print settings you just downloaded have now been applied to Cura. Whenever you slice a model, it will now incorporate these settings.

Slicing your Model

Now that your settings are optimized with the imported printer profile, you can slice your model. Simply click the "prepare to print" button in the lower right corner of the slicer to generate your g.code. Save this new file to your computer.

The possibilities of what you can do with your M3D Crane Bowden are seemingly endless now that you know how to create, or find 3D models and how to prepare them to be printed. Next you will learn how to start your first 3D print! Follow the guide to the next section where you will find instructions on how to print.

While there are several great Slicers out there, both free as well as paid we recommend . Download and install the latest version of Cura by Ultimaker. Cura will provide a wizard so that you can add your M3D Crane Series printer's dimensions and nozzle diameter

The M3D Crane Bowden has several Cura Printing Profiles that have been pre-configured, each to the optimal settings within Cura for a selection of different material types. You can find and download the first of those here within this point release: -- you can also find the latest version of the Bowden SD Card here in case you need it.

Slicing your model is an extremely important step. Most slicer software allow you to control different print settings such as layer height or print speed in order to change how you print. Slicing has great effect on the quality of your print you produce. For additional information on Cura settings please go .

Your model is now saved on your hard drive. Just follow the instructions for how to use your, to learn how to upload your new gcode file. Enjoy watching your models come to life!

Cura
https://github.com/PrintM3D/Crane/releases/tag/1.1
here
Duet Web Control Interface
Autodesk's Fusion 360
Openscad
Thingiverse
this list
Cura