Making Prusa Slicer IDEX ready  

Making Prusa Slicer IDEX ready

Hi,

i work for the RatRig R&D team and we are currently working on fixing the complete toolchain for IDEX printing. Klipper, Mainsail, Gcode, Slicer, .....
The last missing piece are some slicer modifications i want to talk about. The idea is to make Pursa Slicer IDEX ready in a away that doesnt require any major changes in the codebase.

1. Copy and Mirror mode 

To make copy and mirror mode work we need a way to configure multiple bed sizes for the printer and letting the user select the bed. Copy and mirror mode require different bed sizes. This is easier than to try to visualize both toolheads and saves us tons of sanity checks

example screenshots github links:
bed configuration screenshot

bed selection screenshot

2. Variables

- the toolchange count variable should also work if there is no purge tower in use, currently it reports zer0 in this case

- there should be additional vector variables which tells us at which toolchange index the toolheads are getting used the first and last time, so that we know when we can turn a toolhead on/off. Ideally, we are able to turn a toolhead on, like for example 2 minutes, before we need the toolhead. This way we dont need any standby mechanism.

3. Toolchange gcode

to make real use of an idex printer you need to be aware of the next XY coordinates for the next toolhead. We are currently doing that with a post processing modul. The idea is to make a single gcode move where we park one extruder and at the same time moving the next extruder to its new xy coordinates

Both toolheads move at the same time during toolchange. this allows us to make toolchanges in up to 0.3seconds.

Retraction and deratraction in front and after a toolchanges should be optional

Youtube link: 
V-Core IDEX - Endgame Toolchange - YouTube

This is how we manipulate the toolchange gcode atm. there is a lot of stuff that needs to be outcommented as you can see. this is the ONLY way to provide real seamless IDEX multicolor and multimaterial printing without the need for a purge tower.

;G1 Z0.6 F3000
; custom gcode: end_filament_gcode
; Filament-specific end gcode
; custom gcode end: end_filament_gcode
; custom gcode: toolchange_gcode
T0 P1 X78.426 Y124.685 Z0.2
; custom gcode end: toolchange_gcode
; custom gcode: start_filament_gcode
; Filament gcodeSET_PRESSURE_ADVANCE ADVANCE=0.044
; custom gcode end: start_filament_gcode
;G1 E-0.8 F7200
;G1 X78.426 Y124.685 F30000
;G1 Z0.4 F3000
;G1 E0.8 F7200

4. Print settings

the fact that we can select only one print setting for all materials is unfortunate. I am totally aware that different print settings are creating all kind of slicing issues. But we should be at least able to select different speed and acceleration settings for the different toolheads and filaments, this should not affect the slicing in any negative way

thanks for your time

helge keck