3DPrinter/HowTo

10 easy steps to 3d-print models from a Mac on the Metalab Mendel 90:

2014-06-13 by MiKa, Metalab

Brief description how to use the "OS X Tool Chain" for printing 3D models on the Metalab Mendel 90 Dibond printer:

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1. Using the touch-screen based printer station provided by Metalab:
2. Copy the content of this folder to a local Folder on your Mac.
3. Start "Slic3r.app"
4. in Slic3r use "File" -> "Load Config" to open the config file "Slic3r1.0.1-mendel90-v1.1.2.ini"
5. In the "Plater" tab click on "Add..." to add a 3D model to the printing area.
   Make sure you don't exceed a 100mm*100mm area around the center of the printing area e.g. 50mm to each direction.
6. Click on the "Export G-code..." button and save the output to the SMB share on smb://10.20.30.30/files/3d-printer/ (aka "deaddrop")
7. Power on the Mendel 90 and the Linux mini-PC (Connected to the HDMI-VGA converter of the touch screen)
8. Temporary workaround, hopefully fixed soon:
   As soon as the "pronterface" application appears you have to disconnect the USB from the touch-screen and reconnect so that the Linux can detect and initialize the touch screen as an input device.
9. In the "pronterface" klick on the "Connect" button and observe the output in the right part of the window.
   After a while, be patient, you should see several lines including the term "Printer is now online"
10. Click on the "Load File" button, select "deaddrop", click open, select "3d-printer", click open and select your file, click open.
    The file will be imported and a summary including the estimated printing time will be displayed in the right part of the window.
11. Click the "Print" button and watch the magic happen.
    The print head should move to the upper end and then slowly go down to the starting point near the front/left corner.
    After the heat-bed and extruder header have reached the target temperature and another 60 seconds waiting time the print will begin.

Happy printing, the Metalab 3d-printing taskforce!