Ultimaker Cura 3.3 beta has been released. Download it now to discover a new set of features, plugins, bug fixes, and more support for third-party printers.
What's new in Ultimaker Cura 3.3 beta?
● New font for better screen readability and consistency with Cura Connect
● New look for the plugin browser
● Circular prime tower for a more reliable dual extrusion experience
● Support blockers for better control over where support material is generated
● New option to disable extruders on Ultimaker 3, unlocking "print one at a time" mode
Please note: We have thoroughly tested this version, and it offers great features and improvements. However, it is still in beta, and we cannot guarantee the same printing reliability as the stable version.
If you are working on an important project, we strongly recommend using the stable version of Ultimaker Cura.
UX Improvements
Updated font. The default font has been changed to NotoSans, improving readability and consistency with Cura Connect. The font update also fixes some rendering issues on Mac OSX.
Font updated to NotoSans
Configure/Sync button. Configure and sync buttons are now available for network-connected printers to sync all available settings in a Cura Connect group.
Group hostname will be automatically extracted from the API, and network printers and local printers will be separated in the list.
Display compatible settings for connected printers
Setting readability presets. Presets guide you to find the most important settings. A small menu next to the search bar allows for easy setting of readability presets.
Model Helper. For models larger than 15 x 15 x 15 cm printed with ABS, PC, PP, or CPE+, a prompt will appear informing users how to achieve the best results.
Faster model addition. Significantly increased speed when adding models.
Display tooltip for unselectable files. If a setting file in recommended mode is grayed out, a tooltip will inform the user of the reason.
Ultimaker 3 without material loaded. When material is not loaded into the extruder on an Ultimaker 3, it will display as "empty" instead of "unknown".
Optimized Slicing Engine
Single extruder mode. Disable extruders on Ultimaker 3 for single extrusion prints. In the right panel, right-click on the desired extruder and select "Disable Extruder" to disable it.
Re-enable it by right-clicking and selecting "Enable Extruder". Print profiles will be optimized for the enabled extruder, and all settings, such as print bed temperature, will be adjusted for better print quality.
Single extruder mode also enables the "print one at a time" feature for Ultimaker 3 or other dual extrusion printers.
Circular prime tower. The prime tower is now circular. The circular prime tower path makes the printing movement easier, the structure stronger, layer adhesion better, and better adhesion to the print bed, reducing the possibility of failure.
Circular prime tower for smoother and stronger print head movement
Connected infill lines. Grid and triangular infill patterns now have connected lines for more stable flow, better models, rigidity, and reduced impact on outer wall quality.
Support blockers. Generate a cubic mesh to prevent support material from being generated in specific areas of the model. Use standard adjustment tools to scale, rotate, and move the cube to meet user requirements.
Use support blockers to prevent support in specific areas
True bridging. New experimental feature detects bridges and adjusts print speed and fan speed to improve print quality of bridged parts.
Updated CuraEngine executable. The CuraEngine executable now includes dedicated icons, author information, and certificates.
Use system libraries for RapidJSON and ClipperLib. The application has been updated to use verified copies of libraries, reducing maintenance time (as it is now handled by the operating system) and reducing code size (as it does not need to be redistributed if it is already on the user's system).
Compressed gcode. Gcode saved from Ultimaker Cura is now compressed to save space (using gzip).
Improved Printing Behavior
Initial layer flow. A new setting in the "Material" category allows adjusting initial layer flow for better user control.
Retraction on initial movement. Retraction has been added to initial movement, reducing the chance of blobs appearing on parts before printing edges/skirts.
Unnecessary retractions. Eliminate retractions during layer changes in spiral mode, improving model quality.
Faster travel paths. Until now, the path order optimizer worked by taking the shortest route from one point to another. When using combing, any route may take longer due to the need to bypass obstacles.
Now, combing distance can be used to achieve more consistent results.
Updated Plugins
Plugin browser look and feel. The plugin browser has been updated with a better look and feel, consistent with other UI elements. Author names are clickable to directly email the author for support. Plugins can now also be uninstalled using the uninstall button.
New plugins. Ultimaker Cura has added three new plugins: Scalable Extra Material, Print Temperature Adjust, and Turn Off Fan.
Preheat extruder. New function to preheat in the printer monitor.
Rename TweakAtZ to 'ChangeAtZ'. The script has been renamed to be more consistent with other scripts.
Import XML material settings file check. Before importing into Ultimaker Cura, XML material profiles are now checked to avoid potential issues.
Bug Fixes
We have been working hard on various bug fixes for a better user experience:
● Infill density now applies to both extruders, not just one
● Slicing engine fails when slicing with material at 0°C
● Fixed users unable to connect to printers after losing network connection
● Replaced comtypes module with win32com in SolidWorks plugin to fix errors
Third-Party Printers
We have updated profiles for third-party machines, including FABtotum, Dagoma, uBuild, Cartesio, Printrbot, SeeMeCNC, Velleman Vertex, and gMax 1.5.
Discover more Ultimaker Cura 3.3 beta
Thanks to our contributors, including fieldOfView, Pheneeny, smartavionics, and thopiekar.
The beta version of Ultimaker Cura 3.3 is completely free. Don't forget to tell us what you think in our 3D printing expert community, where all user feedback may be incorporated into the stable version.
Original source: https://ultimaker.com/en/blog/52522-announcing-ultimaker-cura-33-beta