Windows software for Ender V3

[Jawloms]

Hi,

 

We have a Creality Ender v3. Anyone know of any reliable Windows software which will recognise it and print to it please? I've found some ropey looking software I've not touched, and something that looked quite good but wouldn't detect the printer. It does appear in Device Manager against COM6.

 

Thank you

 

Stuart

 

P.S. I don't want to set up a Raspberry Pi.

[noelmm]

Have you tried Cura? We have a Creality Ender but don't print to it directly over USB, we export to an SD card and print that way, that's also they way I print to my printers at home.

[bald_pig]

Looks like Creality have their own software on their website?

 

https://www.creality.com/pages/download-ender-3?spm=..page_1934481.products_display_1.1

[DGardiner]

creality software is just cura with the profile preconfigured for the ender, if i remember right i downloaded the software for ultimaker as its newer and had some niceties in and i just had to set a bits preferences to dial it in

[Oaktech]

I use Matter Control. Has a LOT of options, but once you have it dialled in, it's very reliable.

[Zbd]

You can use the printer in offline mode. You can also connect directly via a cable though this is not something I would recommend, at least based on my experience on the original version of the Ender as it might be different now, sometimes the bandwidth wasn't fast enough and the printer would crash half way through a print. Using the SD slot overcame this limitation.

 

You would need a slicer software such as Ultimaker Cura, Prusa Slicer, or Orca Slicer (All of these are free).

 

You would load in the 3D file, then slice the file to generate the G-Code that the printer would use. You would save the G-Code to an SD card/Micro SD card and then insert it into the printer.

[Davit2005]

Prusa Slicer might be another choice.

 

I've installed OctoPrint on a Pi at home which connects via USB to the 3D printer. Can upload files to the printer as well as timelapse and a whole load of other stuff. Then you only need a USB connection to do updates and even those can sometimes be done via a SD card. I've not had a direct connection from my PC to my Prusa since I purchased it 4 years back.

Edited November 28, 2024 by Davit2005

[Jawloms]

You would save the G-Code to an SD card/Micro SD card and then insert it into the printer.

 

This is why we're looking for software. The students are all saving their work to the network and we block memory card usage which is making it a pain for the guy who needs to get the student's files to use the printer in offline mode.

[Zbd]

Octoprint would be an option running on a Raspberry Pi or equivalent, as suggested by others, I have used this in the past, but it was limited by the connection to the printer as I said before but its likely the Ender 3 V3 is faster anyway.

 

Alternatively I think Creality Cloud works with the Ender 3 v3, but its not something I've used and am unsure of the security implications.