GCODE support for UP300

JothamB · July 16, 2019, 11:10am

Hi,

The UP Plus 2 can use GCODE… The UP BOX and UP BOX+ can use GCODE.

Why can GCODE not be used with UP300? It is Tiertime’s flagship printer. It would seem logical to be able to use GCODE with the flagship machine.

Thanks,
Jotham

up_3dwp · July 17, 2019, 9:22am

As far as I know (and have tested) no printer of Tiertime uses GCODE (well).

They said they did and would support it but it has died a silent death sadly…

JothamB · July 17, 2019, 10:20am

See the reason I need GCODE to work is so that I can use Simplify3D instead of UPStudio.

UPStudio has some big issues printing certain parts on the UP300. Here are some examples:

JothamB · July 17, 2019, 10:22am

owensparks · July 17, 2019, 10:22am

I agree 100%
Owen S.

JothamB · July 17, 2019, 6:10pm

@up_3dwp do you think GCODE support would solve the issue? Is there some limitation to how it works on upstudio?

I’m really fed up with this issue. I literally cannot use this machine for a lot of my projects. This new catfish slicer is supposed to fix it all but I’m not holding my breath. This issue has existed for 5 years if you read forums and has never been fixed. Tiertime, please, I’m done with this. Fix it or allow the use of gcode PLEASE. This is ridiculous. You’ve created a beautiful 3d printer but limit it with software. You’ve done everything right, except this. Such a pitty.

I would also like to add that having single perimeters and increasing infill is a poor way to increase part strength. More perimeters as an option please.

Arnold · July 18, 2019, 12:13am

Where’s the STL? I’ll slice it in Cura and compare.

up_3dwp · July 18, 2019, 7:24pm

Real GCODE support would be great, you could tweak anything from perimeters to overlap and infill. There has been/is a github code to upload gcode and Tiertime promised support for it but both didn’t work well. In my case round models would slant so much they looked awful, had something to do with rounding errors of short segments in circles.

So of course I still hope there can be some kind of conversion or Tiertime support for GCODE.

JothamB · July 18, 2019, 7:50pm

@Arnold I’m pretty sure I posted the file yesterday but I guess it got stuck in moderation or did not send. I will try put it up in 12 hours from now.

@up_3dwp I have seen that project to convert GCODE to upstudio compatible code. I had a play with it and have had very little success by that I mean nothing worked.

At this point the way I see it I have three options.

Make noise on the public forum here get community support and try to convince tiertime that they I need to support gcode. as a programmer I look at it and think to myself they’ve already done all the hard work it is supported on the otherprinters they just need to update it to suit the up300.
Fix the GCODE converter project myself and reverse engineer it. I only have so much free time though…
Replace the 3D printing controller inside the printer entirely. I would like to avoid this if at all possible as it voids the warranty.

Arnold · July 19, 2019, 2:30am

If you consider Cetus Mk3 as Tiertime, I’d say it prints GCODE very well from Cura.

JothamB · July 19, 2019, 6:53am

I do consider it to be Tiertime, they both use UPStudio which is what matters. UPStudio has that functionality in it already, its just not working with the UP300.

Arnold · July 19, 2019, 7:13am

I find it odd since the UP300 has more powerful controller as its firmware is Linux-based…

up_3dwp · July 19, 2019, 3:18pm

Does the Cetus Mk3 has the same CPU or that TinyFab replacement?

If one Tiertime printer works with GCODE they should all be able to work with it. It’s just a matter if Tiertime wants it…

JothamB · July 20, 2019, 6:08pm

As far as I know they all run the same family of STM32 type CPUs. I imagine that’s not the problem. Main issue is probably that they have other features they’d rather be working on in their new slicer rather than fixing the old one

JothamB · July 27, 2019, 11:15pm

@TiertimeBrook @Tiertime-Joseph @Tiertime_Ocean @tiertimefreya @tiertime-jason

Is there a solution coming? If gcode is supported it would solve my gap issue as shown above and any other issues I have…

owensparks · August 5, 2019, 6:52am

Well they said there would be support for GCODE back in April 2018, so if it hasn’t happened by now…

Owen S.

JothamB · August 5, 2019, 9:44am

Yep… I’m still waiting as are others.

rlkirstine · October 29, 2019, 4:56am

I’d be all for not having to use Up Studio. I can’t get this thing to print consistently and watching it lay down a first layer with a raft vs no raft really makes me scratch my head. The perimeter and infill being totally disconnected when slicing in Up Studio makes this printer nearly worthless to me right now. I’m really unhappy with the decision I made to buy this thing. Catfish may be okay to use, someday, but I’m not sure that someday is anytime soon based on my experience with the state it’s in right now. I’m about ready to rip this thing apart, replace the controller, and just use the mechanics which are definitely the most solid part of this printer. It’s really frustrating because the potential is there for this to be a really nice printer.

JothamB · October 29, 2019, 5:55am

Right on. I’ve got about half of the wiring loom worked out. Really don’t have time as of late but would be keen to wire in a new controller.

rlkirstine · October 29, 2019, 5:26pm

My preference would be that they fix it such that we could use other slicers and import gcode. I would rather not have to spend more money and time on what was already an expensive printer. However, right now I have a very expensive, nearly useless, printer.