Pausing a Print in Simplify 3D

[pyronaught]

I saw a video for a different slicer program where the guy was embedding a metal nut into his print by pausing mid-print, inserting the nut and then starting up the print again. I believe he was doing this without having to sit there and hitting the pause button at the right time-- the process was configured to stop at the correct point automatically.

Is this something that can be done in Simplify 3D? The only way I can think of for doing it would be to add some kind of M code for pausing the print, if one exists, and putting it either in the ending code of the first process or the starting code for the second process that would handle printing the remainder after the nut insertion. I can't see a way to do it all within the same process. Additional codes would probably have to be added to push the platform forward so that the extruder would not be blocking access to the nut holes, or dwelling on the stop point.

Also, anyone else ever had problems with the pause button just not working during a print? It seems to be hit and miss for me-- sometimes it pauses, sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't work, no amount of clicking seems to get it to work.

[jsc]

They added M0 to pause at a specific location in version 2.1.1. You have to edit your gcode by hand to stick in "M0" at the right layer. The layers are labeled with comments so it is easy to find the right location.

[pyronaught]

Is there a place to view all the G-code that will be sent to the printer as one large text file? I can't seem to find it.

[Dale Reed]

Just open it in the text editor of your choice -- Notepad, gedit, etc.

Dale

[pyronaught]

I was thinking maybe there was a way to view it within Simplify 3D. So you are using the "save toolpaths to disk" option to create the G-code file then? I haven't played with that yet.

[jimc]

yup just open the gcode file itself in text edit or note pad, whatever you got really.

[jsc]

While you're in there, you probably want to stick in some gcode to do things like:

• retract the filament a fair ways
• drop the bed somewhat
• move the bed forward to present the object for easy access

etc.

You can lower the temperature of the extruder and raise it again after the pause if you're concerned about oozing, although it might be better just to let it ooze and then figure out some sort of repriming sequence that would work for you. Maybe doing a 20mm extrusion off to the right, and just be ready to remove it with tweezers.

[Dale Reed]

You can probably steal some ideas from the ending g-code that some have posted here. Don't retract the filament too far, but enough to relieve pressure in the nozzle. If you go back more than about 20-30 mm, you're past the drive gear and it won't pull it back in! The basic sequence would be something like: move bed down 10mm and maybe forward or to the side a similar amount; retract filament; do the pause; return the filament; move the be up 10 mm; return to previous X/Y; (resume original g-code).

If you need a g-code reference to help understand what the various codes do and get the right syntax, see http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code

Dale

[pyronaught]

This should be an interesting little project. I'll have to make a test cube with a nut hole in the center for dialing in the code, then I'll post the code here when it is working.