10 REASONS TO USE OCTOPRINT
There are more than eight reasons to use OctoPrint. Learn about the benefits of this application and how it can optimize your printing experience.
Sooner or later you may have had a printing error during the night or the need to be able to control a print remotely as you cannot be present at all times. This problem is solved using OctoPrint, a simple and open source software.
Created by Gina Häußge in 2012, it allows users to control their 3D printer remotely. Works perfectly with Raspberry Pi.
In this article, we’ll cover the top 10 reasons why you should use OctoPrint. Some of these are very popular plug-ins, while others can be downloaded and installed for free.
Wireless printing
Most budget 3D printers can only be controlled remotely via a cable or SD card. These options can be very frustrating. With the help of OctoPrint, you can easily control a 3D printer via Raspberry Pi. Its built-in wireless capabilities allow you to control the device via the local network. With OctoPrint, you can control virtually everything that is happening in your 3D printing environment, such as the temperature of the extruder and the progress of your prints.
Print everywhere
Wireless printing is great when you are at home, but what about when you are not at home? With the OctoPrint Anywhere plug-in, you can check and track your prints from anywhere via a website that works seamlessly with both Android and Windows. While still very popular, the company has announced that it will eventually be replaced by a more advanced version called Spaghetti Detective.
G-Code Viewer
Typically, OctoPrint users monitor print progress using a webcam on their Raspberry Pi. However, if they don’t have a webcam, the G-code viewer can keep them updated with its current status. You can view the print layer number and nozzle position in real time in the viewer window.
Terminal
The terminal function in a 3D printer is a great feature for people skilled in using the G-code. It allows them to see the various commands sent by the printer.
The most important use of this feature is when you need to send G-code commands to a 3D printer. Instead of using another program, you can simply send these commands via OctoPrint’s terminal.
This feature can also be useful for people who are new to 3D printing. If you need to calibrate your machine, this function will allow you to view existing system presets.
Timelapse & Octolapse
Due to the complexity of 3D printing, printing a model can take a long time. With a timelapse video, you can see the whole process in seconds.
Through OctoPrint, you can capture a timelapse video of your 3D printing sessions by setting the frame rate and interval between photos.
Unlike real-time video, timelapse images are smaller and are more fun to watch. Also, by storing them locally on the Raspberry Pi, they can be recovered on your computer.
With the help of a plugin called Octolapse, you can now create cleaner and sharper timelapse videos.
Cloud Slicing
Cloud slicing is a feature that allows users to create 3D models without installing software on their computer. It works by remotely slicing the model.
Imagine that you cannot install a new slicer on your laptop because it is full of applications. This is where the cloud slicing feature comes into play.
TouchUI
A touchscreen user interface has become the norm for many of our devices. However, many 3D printers still lack this useful feature.
With the TouchUI plug-in, users can easily install and use the OctoPrint user interface on a touchscreen. The user interface is similar to that of your browser.
Setting up a touchscreen can be a bit challenging at first. There are many tutorials and guides that will make it easier.
Open-Source Community
Many of the changes that have taken place in the world of 3D printing have been made by private developers. These people, who have dedicated their work to developing apps and programs related to 3D printing.
Due to its open source nature, the code used for OctoPrint was freely available for anyone to modify. This has led to the creation of many user-developed plug-ins.
Control of multiple printers
This feature allows you to work with multiple 3D printers simultaneously on a single Raspberry Pi.
You can do this with the help of Octofarm, a free and open source interface that allows you to monitor and control multiple 3D printer configurations.
Plug-ins galore
There are so many great features in OctoPrint that it can be difficult to choose just a few. This section contains some of the best 3D printing plugins that will help you get started.
- Pushover: This is a simple and effective 3D printing plugin that allows you to send notifications when printing has failed or is finished.
- Heater timeout: Sometimes, a printer is left on while the extruder is still warming up, which could cause a fire hazard. This function will automatically turn off the heating when set to a certain period of time.
- Emergency stop: This function will stop printing if something goes wrong. It has a large red bar across the top of the UI.
- Bed level visualizer: This plug-in works perfectly with the 3D printer that has a bed leveling sensor installed. It allows you to see the level of your bed, allowing you to check the irregularities of the materials.
- Spaghetti detective: The Anywhere plug-in uses artificial intelligence to detect when a print fails. Send notifications when a failed print is detected and can stop printing immediately.
If you are a new user or an experienced user, these Octoprint features will help you get the most out of the application.