Cura Installation Tutorial for 3D Printer Creality CR-7 & CR-8 Lesson 1

Cura Installation Tutorial for 3D Printer Creality CR-7 & CR-8 

Lesson 1 Installation and Basic Settings

In this tutorial, I will explain how to do the correct Cura settings to slice your 3D model and how to create a G-code file for your personal 3D printer CR-7 and CR-8 for beginner.

Let's say now you have a 3D model in the STL or OBJ file format - either downloaded from online platform or you designed with CAD software. Before you transfer your 3D model to the 3D printer, the particular model has to be translated into a format that the printer can handle through a software. This process is called slicing as the model is sliced into thin layer from the bottom all the way up to the top. A lot of the free software can do the slicing such as Cura, Slic3r, CraftWare, Repetier, etc. 

In this tutorial, Cura is used, the free software created by the makers of the Ultimaker printers. Cura allows you to import STL or OBJ file, it not only slices your model; it creates the commands to your printer to execute the printing process, called G-code. When slicing process is finished ,save the g-code on a SD card that you insert into your printer.

Cura Tutorial - Lesson 1: The Basics

In lesson 1, basic steps needed to turn a 3D model in STL or OBJ format into G-code file will be shown.

Cura Tutorial - Basics - Step 1: Installing Cura

1. Download the latest Cura softaware from the Ultimaker website and install it. Cura_15.04.6 (dating from June 2016)

2. Launch the installer. The setup wizard will pop out, click "Next" to begin the installation .

3. Click "Finish" and start Cura 15.04.6.

4. Add the setting according to your 3D printer model. Choose "Other", follow by "Custom". 

   For CR-7 user, follow the left-hand side setting; for CR-8 user, follow the right-hand side setting.

5. Congratulation! You have done the installation!

Cura Tutorial - Basics - Step 2: Overview

1. Load/Open file: Use to open your STL or OBJ file, you can drag and drop the files here too.

2. View Mode: Let you switch between Layers and Solid view.

3. Print Setup: Printer-specific settings which user can access to all the settings (Basic Mode and Advanced Mode) and can be changed. Let's start in Basic Mode and switch to Advanced Mode in lesson 2.

4. Save to Disk: When you are finished, save the G-code to your hard disk or SD card for the printer.

Cura Tutorial - Basics - Step 3: Handling 3D Model in Cura

1. Load a 3D model into Cura using the "Load" button or the File > Open command.

2. Explore different view mode. In Solid View, you see the entire object (the way it will look when printed). In Layer View, you can go through layer by layer with the scrollbar at the bottom right. When switching to Layer View, it may take a short time before the layers are calculated and displayed (depending on the model and on your computer hardware).

3. You can scale, rotate or mirror it on the build platform. Just play with these functions (you can undo the changes later).

4. Remember to keep the "Uniform Scaling" always locked, otherwise the printed model will be distorted. To close the Scale box, click the Scale button a second time. 

5. Right-click the model to open the context menu. Here, you can undo the changes to the model and center it on the platform again. You may also duplicate the object, if you wish to print several copies of the model.

Cura Tutorial - Basics - Step 4: Cura Settings

For now, we work in Basic Mode. The values you can manipulate it to obtain the best printing quality:

• Layer Height is default 0.1mm. You may adjust it according to the printer's ability. If your printer supports thinner layers, you decrease the height to get smoother surfaces - that will increase print time, however.
• The Shell Thickness setting of Cura determines the thickness of the object's wall. It has to be an integer multiple (1x, 2x, 3x, etc) of the nozzle diameter. A thickness setting of 0.8mm means that the walls will be 2 lines wide (as the nozzle of CR7 or CR8 has a diameter of 0.4mm).
• The Bottom/Top Thickness is usually also set to 0.8mm. If you print an object with a large flat top, you may want to print more layers in order to close the top surface completely. This avoids the unwanted "pillowing" effect.  (Again, the value must be integer multiples of the nozzle diameter).
• Infill Density determines how much plastic is printed inside the object. A higher value means that more plastic will be printed. Typically, 10% to 20% are sufficient to build strong objects. In case, you wish to print the object completely hollow, set the density to 0%.

• Print Speed ( recommended 50 - 60mm/s)
• Printing Temperature (recommended PLA: 185 - 210°C; ABS: 210 - 230°C)
• check the "Enable Support" option (in this case, no supports are required). Most of the 3D models require support structures. So, it is better to always have Enable Support checked. Supports are needed when your model has overhanging parts or parts floating in the air.
• Bed Temperature (recommended PLA: 45 - 60°C; ABS: 60 - 90°C) 
• Flow (%) is the entire amount of the material that needs to be extruded for your model. The Flow value is usually set to 100%, so the extruded amount equals the amount of material required. You only need to increase this setting if you use very soft materials.

ATTENTION! 

• Diameter of the filament is 1,75mm and the machine nozzle size is 0.4mm!
• If you wish to print faster than default Print Speed (50 - 60mm/s), it is recommended to increase the Print Temperature value as well so that the plastic is properly melted.

The below is the recommended Creality 3D Printer setting is for material PLA. (*Printer settings vary in shape, orientation and complexity of the 3D model.)

Cura will calculates layer height, print duration and other settings according to the quality you selected.  

Cura Tutorial - Basics - Step 5: Generate a G-code file

For this first lesson we are almost finished. The last step is saving the model in a printable g-code file.

1. Click the Save to Disk button or select File > Save; Save Gcode.
2. Enter a file name and the folder where the file is stored. You may store the file on the SD card you use to transfer the file to your 3D printer.
3. Reminder: Select Gcode File (*.gcode) and click Save.

(Source: https://all3dp.com/cura-tutorial-3d-printing/)