Lateralg wrote:1) What's the difference between FFF files and Process files? What value do process files provide?
You can use the process file to create a set of FFF rules that apply to only part of a model - for instance you can set a process for Layers 1 through 40, and a separate process for layers 41 through 45, if you want it to go slower on the top 5 layers. You can change the layer size down for fine detail prints on surfaces, but blast through the bulk of the print underneath at higher speeds and at a higher layer height. (Stuff like that.
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2) What is a good strategy for saving the settings from good prints?
Name it, name it, name it when you save it. If it's for a particular color of eSun PLA - call it
eSun blue PLA. If you use different plates, call it
eSun blue PLA on PEI. If you use different kinds of filament call it
eSun green PETG on kapton. The more information you can get into the name, the less trouble you'll have finding it. I always name for the Filament, the Manufacturer, the color and the plate surface.
3) How avoid inadvertently deleting or altering a good file?
After you have created and saved the perfect FFF files for a particular filament and plate -
Export the FFF file to your computer where a copy will be saved without being over-written.
4) Advice/clues for good S3D file management.
I keep four folders on my desktop:
3D Designs Working:
My own designs under development. Each has a folder with the name of the file, the AI file, the Rhino file, the various iterations of the .STL file and a backup of the Rhino file in an un-merged and incomplete state in case modifications are needed down the road. (Nothing worse than having to recreate it from scratch.) This folder contains the designs that didn't work, got interrupted, or that I didn't like but might revisit one day.
3D Designs Completed:
Same as above only they also include the photos for publishing.
3D Designs to Try:
Other folks' work that looked interesting. Definitely the largest folder at the moment.
FFF Profiles
I save all of them to a folder on my desktop so I can find them again if i accidentally save a modification that I don't want.
As far as the bulk of the stuff on Thingiverse, I created a few categories and add the stuff that looks interesting into those. Thingiverse is actually an excellent way to keep track of designs, because you get pictures. If you just download them, you have the file, but you might not know what the heck it is without a photo.