Configuration

• Slicer
  • Approach
  • Typical Slicer Settings
  • Slicer Configuration

Slicer

Approach

Typically three versions of the Makerbot Replicator are created in the slicer:

• Right Extruder
• Left Extruder
• Dual Extrusion

Each printer configuration will be identical, EXCEPT for different start G-CODE option for the printer.

Typical Slicer Settings

The Makerbot Replicator’s firmware will handle most of the advanced settings like acceleration, print head spacing, etc automatically, these do not have to be set.

Slicer Configuration

The Makerbot Replicator will need start and end G-CODE sections added to your slicer software. This will ensure your prints work as expected. The following G-CODE examples include substition patterns for SuperSlicer, other slicers like Ultimaker Cura may use different ones. An example is [first_layer_temperature], which will be replaced with whatever value you set up in the slicer settings, like 210

Start G-CODE Right Extruder Only

; **** begin start.gcode Replicator 1 Dual Right Extruder****
M73 P0 ; enable show build progress
G90 ; set positioning to absolute
M127 ; disable fan
;
; set temps and assert Vref
M140 S[first_layer_bed_temperature] ; heat bed up to first layer temperature
M104 S[first_layer_temperature] T0 ;  set right extruder temperature to first layer temperature
M104 S0 T1 ; set left extruder to 0
G130 X118 Y118 A118 B118 ; set stepper vrefs to default
; let the Z stepper vref stay at eeprom level (probably 40)
;
; home and set coordinates
T0 ; home on the right extruder
G28 X Y Z ; home XYZ at default home feedrates
G92 X0 Y0 Z0 A0 B0 ; define this as Z=0, the other coords are technically unnecessary but x3g requires them so gpx will make some up
G1 Z5 F500 ; move Z 5mm away so we can carefully hit the limit switch
G161 Z F100 ; home Z slowly to give more consistent first layer height
M132 X Y Z A B; recall stored home offsets for XYZ axes
;
; move extruder to waiting position then wait for heatup
G1 Z30 F1100 ; move Z to waiting height
G1 X110 Y-72 F2500 ; move to waiting position
M116 ; wait for everything to reach target temperature
;
; wipe and prime extruder
G1 Y-75 F2500 ; move off the bed
G1 Z0 F1100 ; move nozzle to level with bed
G1 Y-71 F4000 ; chop off any ooze on the front of the bed
G1 Z[first_layer_height] F1100 ; move to first layer height
G1 X66 F2500 ; move to prime start position
G1 X-117 E24 F2000 ; extrude a line of filament across the front edge of the bed (3mm from the front edge)
G1 Y-68 F2000
G1 X-104 Y-71 F4000 ; cross the extruded line to close the loop
G1 X-96 F4000 ; wipe across the line (X direction)
G1 X-86 Y-76 F6000 ; Move back for an additional wipe (Y direction)
G92 E0 ; set E to 0 again because the slicer's next extrusion is relative to this 0
M73 P1 ;@body (notify GPX body has started)
; **** end start.gcode ****

Start G-CODE Left Extruder Only

; **** begin start.gcode Replicator 1 Dual Left Extruder****
M73 P0 ; enable show build progress
G90 ; set positioning to absolute
M127 ; disable fan
;
; set temps and assert Vref
M140 S[first_layer_bed_temperature] ; heat bed up to first layer temperature
M104 S0 T0 ;  set right extruder temperature to 0
M104 S[first_layer_temperature] T1 ; set left extruder to first layer temperature
G130 X118 Y118 A118 B118 ; set stepper vrefs to default
; let the Z stepper vref stay at eeprom level (probably 40)
;
; home and set coordinates
T0 ; home on the right extruder
G28 X Y Z ; home XYZ at default home feedrates
G92 X0 Y0 Z0 A0 B0 ; define this as Z=0, the other coords are technically unnecessary but x3g requires them so gpx will make some up
G1 Z5 F500 ; move Z 5mm away so we can carefully hit the limit switch
G161 Z F100 ; home Z slowly to give more consistent first layer height
M132 X Y Z A B; recall stored home offsets for XYZ axes
;
; move extruder to waiting position then wait for heatup
G1 Z30 F1100 ; move Z to waiting height
G1 X110 Y-72 F2500 ; move to waiting position
T1 ; switch to the left extruder
M116 ; wait for everything to reach target temperature
;
; wipe and prime extruder
G1 Y-75 F2500 ; move off the bed
G1 Z0 F1100 ; move nozzle to level with bed
G1 Y-71 F4000 ; chop off any ooze on the front of the bed
G1 Z[first_layer_height] F1100 ; move to first layer height
G1 X66 F2500 ; move to prime start position
G1 X-117 E24 F2000 ; extrude a line of filament across the front edge of the bed (3mm from the front edge)
G1 Y-68 F2000
G1 X-104 Y-71 F4000 ; cross the extruded line to close the loop
G1 X-96 F4000 ; wipe across the line (X direction)
G1 X-86 Y-76 F6000 ; Move back for an additional wipe (Y direction)
G92 E0 ; set E to 0 again because the slicer's next extrusion is relative to this 0
M73 P1 ;@body (notify GPX body has started)
; **** end start.gcode ****

Start G-CODE Dual Extrusion

; **** begin start.gcode Replicator 1 Dual Both Extruders****
M73 P0 ; enable show build progress
G90 ; set positioning to absolute
M127 ; disable fan
;
; set temps and assert Vref
M140 S[first_layer_bed_temperature] ; heat bed up to first layer temperature
M104 S[first_layer_temperature] T0 ;  set right extruder temperature to first layer temperature
M104 S[first_layer_temperature] T1 ; set left extruder to first layer temperature
G130 X118 Y118 A118 B118 ; set stepper vrefs to default
; let the Z stepper vref stay at eeprom level (probably 40)
;
; home and set coordinates
T0 ; home on the right extruder
G28 X Y Z ; home XYZ at default home feedrates
G92 X0 Y0 Z0 A0 B0 ; define this as Z=0, the other coords are technically unnecessary but x3g requires them so gpx will make some up
G1 Z5 F500 ; move Z 5mm away so we can carefully hit the limit switch
G161 Z F100 ; home Z slowly to give more consistent first layer height
M132 X Y Z A B; recall stored home offsets for XYZ axes
;
; move extruder to waiting position then wait for heatup
G1 Z30 F1100 ; move Z to waiting height
G1 X110 Y-72 F2500 ; move to waiting position
M116 ; wait for everything to reach target temperature
;
; wipe and prime left extruder
T1 ; switch to the left extruder
G1 Y-75 F2500 ; move off the bed
G1 Z0 F1100 ; move nozzle to level with bed
G1 Y-71 F4000 ; chop off any ooze on the front of the bed
G1 Z[first_layer_height] F1100 ; move to first layer height
G1 X66 F2500 ; move to prime start position
G1 X-117 E24 F2000 ; extrude a line of filament across the front edge of the bed (3mm from the front edge)
G1 Y-68 F2000
G1 X-104 Y-71 F4000 ; cross the extruded line to close the loop
G1 X-96 F4000 ; wipe across the line (X direction)
G1 X-86 Y-76 F6000 ; Move back for an additional wipe (Y direction)
G92 E0 ; set E to 0 again because the slicer's next extrusion is relative to this 0
;
; wipe and prime right extruder
T0 ; switch to the left extruder
G1 Y-75 F2500 ; move off the bed
G1 Z0 F1100 ; move nozzle to level with bed
G1 Y-69 F4000 ; chop off any ooze on the front of the bed
G1 Z[first_layer_height] F1100 ; move to first layer height
G1 X66 F2500 ; move to prime start position
G1 X-117 E24 F2000 ; extrude a line of filament across the front edge of the bed (3mm from the front edge)
G1 Y-66 F2000
G1 X-104 Y-69 F4000 ; cross the extruded line to close the loop
G1 X-96 F4000 ; wipe across the line (X direction)
G1 X-86 Y-74 F6000 ; Move back for an additional wipe (Y direction)
G92 E0 ; set E to 0 again because the slicer's next extrusion is relative to this 0
;
M73 P1 ;@body (notify GPX body has started)
; **** end start.gcode ****

End G-CODE

; **** begin end.gcode Replicator 1 Dual ****
M73 P100; end build progress
M127; disable fan
M140 S0 T0; set bed temperature to 0
M104 S0 T0; set right extruder temperature to 0
M104 S0 T1; set left extruder temperature to 0
G1 Z150 F1100 ; send Z axis to bottom of machine
T0 ; Next job assumes T0 is the current tool
M18; disable all stepper motors
M70 P5 (PRINT COMPLETE)
M72 P1; Play Ta-Da song
; **** end end.gcode ****

Ultimaker Cura G-CODE Replacement Patterns

This page provides information on how to set up Cura to do the G-CODE to X3G conversion, using the X3GWriter plugin installed from the Marketplace: A better way to configure Cura to slice objects for your Makerbot Replicator 2 3D printer

Note that the provided page above refers to the Makerbot Replicator 2, but will very likely work with the Replicator 1

Substitute the following tokens in the G-CODE above for use with Ultimaker Cura:

Cura provides a built in configuration for the Makerbot Replicator which has most of the settings in place, except:

• Origin at center must be checked
• G-code flavor must be RepRap
• Apply Extruder offsets to GCode must be UNchecked
• Start G-code must be added as shown above, and the appropriate replacement pattern tokens
• End G-code must be added as shown above

If you are using Dual Extrusion with the Ultimaker Cura, you cannot use the provided printer configuration for the Makerbot Replicator, as you will not be able to define a second extruder. The solution is to add a Custom printer. Most of the settings can be copied from the Makerbot Replicator setup.