Print times
Can anyone point me in the right direction to find more info on Slic3r? I would love to find out how to estimate how long prints will take before I print them. So far some of the bundled prints that offer a print time have been way off. For example the Adalinda dragon model stated it takes roughly 6hrs, yet it took 7.5hrs when I printed it (two different times with different color PLA). Of course all of the other models that you can download are in stl format so you have to slice them for the printer, so none of them offer an estimated print time. Is there a way to estimate from Slic3r once you have created the gcode? Is there some sort of formula maybe for figuring it out?
Re: Print times
❓ didn't figure out how you can squeeze this information out of slic3r. maybe using the open dlp-projector (underneath the plater menue) ?
in simplify3d you'll get an estimation of the print time for each gcode that you generate. but these times are often very rough. so if s3d says it'll take 2hours15, it might take 3 hours as well.
💡 so maybe the guys that develop slic3r have decided not to provide such unprecise estimations ?
dem inscheniör is' nix zu schwör...
Re: Print times
open the file in Prontaprint
last line shows approximate print duration
regards Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
Re: Print times
What I do is open the Gcode file with http://gcode.ws/
The estimation is very approximate as the others have said - it mostly gives you an order of magnitude.
It would be really nice to get an estimate directly from Slic3r, even if very inaccurate, because it can help a lot with finding the best settings for a print.
- Gab
Re: Print times
I find it surprising that the estimates are inaccurate.
Apart from pre-heating times or changing filament, are the .gcode instructions not basically along the lines of:
- move from point A to point B at speed x while extruding at rate y;
- move from B to C at speed x
- etc etc etc
I would think it could be calculated to be accurate to within 1% of actual required print time.
Or what am I missing?
Re: Print times
When you tell the printer to move 10 mm at 10 mm/s it's not going to take exactly one second because of acceleration and deceleration. You would have to model the mass of all the components, mass of the object on the bed, power output of each stepper, friction, and so on. Basically you'd spend a ton of effort to come up with a mathematical model of your printer and you'd still get a wildly inaccurate result because some dirt got in one of the bearings or the temperature of your room got higher than usual...
- Gab
Re: Print times
open the file in Prontaprint
prontaprint.JPG
last line shows approximate print duration
regards Joan
Thanks. Can you give me more info on Prontaprint? I tried google and I only see some printing services but I dont see anything about 3d printing or where I could open a file.
Re: Print times
When you tell the printer to move 10 mm at 10 mm/s it's not going to take exactly one second because of acceleration and deceleration. You would have to model the mass of all the components, mass of the object on the bed, power output of each stepper, friction, and so on. Basically you'd spend a ton of effort to come up with a mathematical model of your printer and you'd still get a wildly inaccurate result because some dirt got in one of the bearings or the temperature of your room got higher than usual...
Thanks for explaining this. I am not all that bothered by inaccurate times but I would like an estimation. Im not really understanding how the print times are determined because some items that are super simple and flat will take longer than others that are bigger and more complex. I know it has to do with the detail settings but I am still often surprised at times. I just dont want to start up a project guessing it might take 4 hrs just by comparing the object with another I have printed in the past and find out it wont be done for 8 hrs.
Re: Print times
As I said, I get decent estimations by loading the Gcode file in http://gcode.ws
The other tool mentioned above is included in the Prusa drivers package for Windows and Mac, http://www.pronterface.com/
- Gab
Re: Print times
My rule of thumb: 1 Mb file is approx. 1 hour print time. (@40mm/s print speed)
Re: Print times
Here's another way to get some time estimates: User Repetier-Server (the non open source Octoprint alternative). If you set you acceleration values in Repetier-Server correctly, the time estimates are a bit closer to reality than S3Ds.
Re: Print times
Good tip on Prontaprint. I just ran a print that went 1:04 and Prontaprint said 1:08 so that was not too far off.