G-Code Modifier (repository)
| Summary |
|---|
| 🛠️ A desktop application created in order to support the 3D printing of sustainable materials such as chalk via extrusion through a syringe. Such a 3D printing process posses unique problems that either can not be addressed at all with popular 3D printer slicing applications like Cura or only in a very cumbersome manner. The “G-Code Modifier” itself, however, can not slice a model into G-Code as it instead modifies existing G-Code. |
Features
The possible modifications of G-Code include:
- changing the flow rate between the first and every other layer
- changing the flow rate between the outer walls and the infill
- changing the bed temperature
- changing the print speed
- turning on the fan while printing
- pausing the print after each layer for a certain amount of time
- and possibly retracting the syringe slightly during the pause
- cleaning the nozzle during the print (by moving to the bottom right corner, where a sponge is assumed to be installed, and moving the syringe up and down repeatedly)
- retracting the syringe at the end of the print
- supporting a larger syringe with a higher flow-rate
Tools
| Purpose | Name |
|---|---|
| Programming language | Python |
| Dependency manager | Anaconda |
| Version control system | Git |
| Testing framework | unittest |
| Application Bundler | PyInstaller |
| GUI Framework | PyQt5 |
Installation Process
A precompiled executable can be found with the latest release.
If you want to build the application yourself, it is assumed that you have installed Python and that your operating system is Windows.
Open this repository in the terminal of your choice. In case pip has not been installed, do so via:
py -m ensurepip --upgrade
Install pyinstaller with this command:
pip install -U pyinstaller
Now, create the executable via:
cd src | pyinstaller paste_printer/main.py --distpath "pyinstaller/dist" --workpath "pyinstaller/build" --noconsole --add-data "paste_printer/resources/icons/*;paste_printer/resources/icons" --add-data "paste_printer/resources/gcode/0.6/*;paste_printer/resources/gcode/0.6" --add-data "paste_printer/resources/gcode/0.8/*;paste_printer/resources/gcode/0.8" --add-data "paste_printer/resources/gcode/1.5/*;paste_printer/resources/gcode/1.5" --add-data "paste_printer/resources/fonts/*;paste_printer/resources/fonts" --add-data "paste_printer/resources/settings/*;paste_printer/resources/settings"
This should have created a new folder in src called pyinstaller. The executable can be then be found at src/pyinstaller/dist/main.exe
If you want to import this project and resolve all the dependencies associated with it, it is assumed that you have already installed Anaconda. Re-create the original GCode-Modifier environment from the environment.yml file with this command:
conda env create -f environment.yml
Activate the new environment:
conda activate GCode-Modifier
Lastly, check that the new environment was installed correctly:
conda env list
Licence
The G-Code Modifier is published under the MIT licence, which can be found in the LICENSE file.