This add-on makes use of curl & slic3r or CuraEngine command line programs, please install these prior to testing features. Optionally install & configure an OctoPrint or Repetier server on the same local network to make full use of all features. Additionally this addon makes use of the Extra Objects addon already available within Blender User Preferences, though users should manually enable it if not already enabled.

TLDR

This add-on allows for turning a selection of object within Blender into either a single or multiple GCode files and auto-uploading of results to an OctoPrint or Repetier server.

How To Playlist

Installation

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  1. Download the Python file 3DPrint Short-Cuts

  2. Within Blender select ‘File’, then User Preferences or use the keyboard short-cut Ctrl Alt U

  3. Within Blender User Preferences select the Add-ons tab, then search for the Extra Objects addon within Blender User Preferences and select the Add Mesh: Extra Objects addon for activation

  4. Within Blender User Preferences select the Add-ons tab, then the Install Add-on from File... button

  5. Within the File Browser Blender has now opened navigate to where your web browser downloaded the 3dprint_shortcuts.py file, and either double-click the file or highlight it & select the Install Add-on from file button.

  6. Within Blender User Preferences select the User (under the Categories tab) button and check the check-box for Import-Export: 3DPrint Short-Cuts addon.

  7. Select the Save User Settings button if having this addon is of any use.

  8. Within the main Blender window navigate to Object Mode within a 3D View

  9. With mouse pointer within the 3D View area press T to open the Tool Shelf

  10. Scroll along the tabs within the Tool Shelf to find the one labeled 3dprint_shortcuts and select it

  11. Customize various settings available, then use the Quick Slicer Tools, and if configured for a server such as OctoPrint or Repetier the 3D Print Server Actions panels to direct Blender to take the prescribed actions; see the next section for more details.

Configuration Options

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Local Slicer Settings

Under Local Slicer Settings panel, chose a preferred slicer then add a config file (.ini or .json respectively) for the type of printer available. Additional options for configurations will become available such as for Slic3r it is now possible to define a Post Processing Script to run immediately after generating GCode file(s) from selected objects exported by Blender.

Note for Cura users; Cura & CuraEngine are separate applications with separate configuration file formats, in short if you’ve not already experienced the joys of writing/editing your own CuraEngine .json file then sticking with Slic3r for slicer options with this Blender addon is easier. That stated a generic config file - fdmprinter.def.json has been made available by the Cura team and depending upon source install options used there maybe more specific configs under /usr/share/cura/CuraEngine directory.

Note for CuraEngine version 1 users, the Extra Arguments text field should allow for sending key1=value1 key2=value2 formatted configurations, however, line-lengths within Python running within Blender are un-tested.

Select what directory GCode files will be save to if the Blender temporary directory is not desired as an output location.

Export STL Settings

Under Export STL Settings panel choose weather selected objects are to be treated as Individual, or a Batch job, or if to Merge selected object with slicers locally.

Merge is can be thought of as requesting the slicer to auto-arrange objects, where as Batch will cause Blender to export all selected objects as one file prior to slicing, and Individual treats each selected object as a separate print job.

Select an output directory and weather or not to keep temporary STL files after slicing &/or uploading operations if defaults are not satisfactory.

Import OBJ Settings

Under Import OBJ Settings panel choose weather temporary OBJ files should be removed automatically & output directory if defaults are insufficient.

Using addon’s features

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Quick Slicer Tools

  • The Slic3r Repair Selected button will export selected Blender objects to Slic3r and re-import repaired object files parented to named empty. This is to allow for previewing how the selected objects where interpreted, if results checkout then click the next button down to export the repaired object back into Slic3r for translating into GCode.

  • Preferred Local Slicer menu allows for choosing if selected objects within Blender should be sent to either Slic3r or CuraEngine for translating into GCode files, and toggles visibility of the following two buttons

  • The Slic3r Slice Selected button will export selected Blender objects to Slic3r for translating into GCode file(s). Note users should provide a config (.ini) file path to Blender under the Slic3r Settings panel if not using the original RepRap 3D printer.

  • The CuraEngine Slice Selected button will export selected Blender objects to CuraEngine for translating into GCode file(s) and much like with Slic3r users should load in their config (.json) file within the related Settings panel.

  • The <OctoPrint/Repetier> Upload GCode check-box controls if exporting selected objects through slicers for generating GCode will also be automatically uploaded to the configured server or not.

  • The View Raw GCode check-box if checked will open generated GCode files within Blender’s Text Editor (hint; the Scripting layout under Choose Screen layout menu is a handy way of getting to an open text editor pain) and is intended to allow users to verify that settings from slicer configurations are in use.

  • The Open Browser After Upload check-box under if checked will open a web browser pointed at the server uploaded to after operations have finished.

  • The Preview Build Plate & Stream Build Plate button do as advertised so long as Blender’s game engine is not broken, and so long as configurations withing the Webcam Settings panel are correct.

  • Currently OctoPrint server users will find more features available for interacting with a printer from within Blender, however, this may not be true in the future.

Notes & tips

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  • Saving customization of session settings maybe achieved via Ctrl U keyboard short-cut or File > Save Startup File, however, this is not advisable if on a shared device.

  • Hover over any tool or configuration to see default values (if any) and a description of what that portion of this addon maybe used for

  • Use the buttons with Quick Slicer Tools panel to take actions on selected objects within Blender

  • Note for OctoPrint & Repetier users; this add-on does not automatically print selected objects (yet) after uploading, please use a web browser or another option for interacting with the server for selecting which uploaded model should be printed & when.

  • Note for OctoPrint users specifically; the Server Slicer Settings panel maybe used to upload selected objects from Blender as STL files for slicing server side, however, sending multiple files for slicing is not supported just yet.

Other Blender addons that maybe of interest to users of this addon

Note the following are only what could be found via web searching for 3rd party Blender addons related to 3D printing & GCode, and have not been tested by the authors of the above documented addon.

Resources used

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Blender Stack Exchange

Stack Overflow

Blender Artists

Blender documentation

Misc. Manuals

Misc. Examples