Repetier-Host Setting

Outline

Repetier-Host is an excellent integrated 3D printing software, you can slice, modify the

G-Code, manually control 3D printer, and change some parameters of firmware and some

other features. It even can use other external slicing software to slice, such as

CuraEngine, Slic3r and Skeinforge software. Comparing to all similar software (such as

Printrun, Repelicator-G), it is the most convenient. It invokes excellent performance of

Slic3r in refining and printing path optimization, as well as has some advantages in printing

performance and simplified path of CuraEngine. So Repetier-Host is popular among 3D

printer players. Let’s take the following RepetierHost_1_5_6 for an example.

一. Installation

1.1 Open the SD card, in the file "4. Control software Repetier - Host installation and

introduces" copy the installation package to a computer.

1.2 Installing the software

1) Unzip the downloaded file and install .

The software supports multiple languages, including Simplified Chinese. But the

installation of Chinese can not be selected, select “English" to be installed, it will be is a

simplified Chinese version after completion. Or it may be able to identify the system

language and automatically match.

Click OK

Click “next”

Click “I accept the agreement” and do next

Choose location of installing files

Then select the slicer, default options are CuraEngine and Slic3r, also you can load

Skeinforge slicer, which not so good, then better no choose it. Click “next”.

Create a desktop icon and click “next”

After the installation is complete, the software icons appear on the desktop.

2) Using the desktop icon or Start menu shortcut to start the software. The main interface

is as follows:

Repetier-Host software interface includes a menu bar, toolbar, view areas and functional

areas. Toolbar mainly used to connect the printer and set up the printer. View area is

mainly used to view the model, G-Code files, observe the temperature curve, it contains

some additional perspective view shortcut buttons. Functional areas are the core area of

the software, including five functional blocks: objects placed, slicing software, preview,

manual control and SD card. "Objects Placed" is used to transform a 3D model and make it

easy to print; "Slicing Software" is for selecting a good model to slice the model changed in

the engine so as to obtain a G-Code file; "Preview" to view slicing result in single-view,

multi-view, simulate the printing process, print statistics view, modify, G-Code; "manual

control" for debugging printers, including the movement of each axis test, fan switch,

heating control, see the printer feedback , G-Code commands sent to the printer; "SD card"

is used to read and write SD card content while online, and delete some G-Code file.

二. The printer settings

Click "Printer Settings" icon on the toolbar to the printer settings, including "connected,"

"Printer", "extrusion head", "printer-shaped."

2.1 Connected

Repetier-Host and 3D printers typically establish communication through the serial port,

two important parameters are " communications port " and "Baud Rate" , the

communication port is the host computer and the 3D printer port board to establish the

connection , baud rate refers to the rate of the computer and printer communication, that is

bits of accepted or transmitted per second. These two parameters must be properly set up,

the software then can control the printer well. Communication ports can be found in the

computer's Device Manager, the current version of Repetier-Host can automatically detect

an available port, simply by selecting the "Auto" in the drop-down box. The baud rate must

be set the same as the baud rate of 3D printer firmware, otherwise the computer and the

printer can not connect to work properly, and the average valuesare 250000, 115200 and

56000. Another important option is to use the ping-pong communication, that is, only the

printer software to receive feedback OK response will continue to the next instruction.

2.2 Printer

In this section you can set the movement speed of the printer, including the panning

speed of the extruder head, Z axis movement speed and pulling-back speed of extruder,

please pay attention to these kinds of figues. The default temperature of extrusion head

and heated bed need to set the appropriate value according to the type of supplies, so

when adjusting printer next time, it requires no modifying it in the "Manual Control”. Setting

stop position and check the “turn off after task interrupted”, it can go back to this position

when breaking or completing the task. "Increases the printing time compensation" may

estimate more accurately about printing time. “Inversion of control” can reverse the

movement direction of the corresponding control axis.

2.3 Extruder head

Extrusion head section is mainly to set the size and security settings. The number of

extrusion head depends on the number of printer nozzle. The maximum temperature of

extrusion head and thermal bed is to prevent overheating damage to the printer. If the

software detects that the temperature exceeds the maximum temperature, the printer will

automatically stop printing. Extrusion head or size can be set in the lower half part.

2.4 Printer size

According to the characteristics of the printer being used to set up, including start position

(i.e., home position, the home position of some axis of some printers located at the

maximum coordinate position) , the actual coordinates range of the printer (usually starting

from 0) , left front point coordinate value of the heated bed and the print range also must be

set up correctly. If using Rostock (circular printer), you need to select the printer type as

Rostock inside the printer.

2.5 Scripts setting

Scripts setting can be used to set the manual control button operation, one to one.

三. Viewing and editing models

3.1 Viewing models

"Load" button in the toolbar can import 3D model files (in obj, stl, 3ds format) into the

software. Confirm the view area in the "3D view” state. Loading a 3D model as an example

to do the following:

1. Rotate for viewing

Switch to the "spin" tool on the left toolbar, drag the left button to rotate the model to

observe, or press the middle button to drag.

2. Move horizontally and vertically

Switch to the "Move” tool on the left toolbar, drag the left button to move the camera.

3. Move the model

Use the moving tool on the left toolbar.

4. Zoom

Zoom in or out the model size

5. Model focus

Focus model for a clear view of model

6. Fixed ratio of models to view

7. Front view

8. Overlook view

9. Use parallel projection

3.2 Editing Model

1. Save

You can save model after editing.

2. Add extra models

Add new model

3. Copy

Copy the selected model

4. Automatic Layout

Automatically layout arrangements

5. Centered model

Centered model

6. Zoom in or out models

The model size can zoom in or out in equal way.

7. Select Model

You can select the XYZ axis, changing the angle of the model.

8. Cutting Model

9. Mirror Model

10. Model shadow

11. Selection of the nozzles when printing models

12. Model Information

13. Delete the selected model

3.3 Slicing software setting

To switch the functional area to "slicing software", you can do slicing. And click

“configuration”, you can set up slicing parameters. Once it has been done, click the button

of “Start slicing” to slice, transforming into G-Code. It is noteworthy that, Repetier-Host can

save the software in the form of document, the default configuration named default. The

user can create a new profile for future use by directly selecting the configuration file

without having to modify a number of parameters. About the setup of Slicing software

please go to see Cura or Slic3r guide.

3.4 Slice preview

After completing loading the sliced model or importing G-Code file, you can preview the

print path, including print time, the total number of layers and the length of the supplies

used. And it can display the single path through displaying all the code, single layer or

assigned single layer, and change the first layer and the last layer to observe the patch in

detail to each level of the printer head. Therefore, it can also determine whether it is

reasonable to print out. The green line on the left represents the printing path, if you click to

display a non- print path, the path of movement will show non-printing thin line.

Click “Edit G-code”

Referring to modify the G-code file (generally speaking, if you understand G-code printers

well, you may consider amending, if not, then do not modify it, about detailed instruction on

G-Code, please go to see 3D printer G-Code Detailed instructions.)

3.5 Manual control

Manual control is the most important function for Repetier-Host. Now please switch to

"manual control" section from “function area”. There are two modes in simple or

complicated way, you can switch "Easy Mode" button on the toolbar easily, let’s take the

non-simple pattern for example. Before the printer is not connected, buttons of manual

control are so gray and inactive. Manual control section consists of four parts, “Send

G-Code”, “control shift & extruder”, “set temperature, fan speed and override” and “adjust

option”.

1) Send G-code instruction

2 ) Setting the axis and the extruder

3) single-axis back to zero buttons

4) All axes back to zero button

5) Moving button of XY coordinates manually

6) Moving button of Z-axis coordinates manually

7) Manual control button of Extruder (Note: the extruder temperature of greater than 170 ℃

before starting)

8) Scripts Control button

9) Printing speed, PWM of fan, heat bed, extruder manual control button

3.6 Monitoring Data Window

Repetier-Host software provides monitoring window, you can click “whether to record

“button (pencil shape) on the toolbar and tune it out. Monitoring window provides many

options for users to choose whether to display, including commands, information, warning,

error and response. You can also choose whether to automatically scroll and clear history

records.

It is noteworthy that, in order to obtain temperature of printer head and heating bed, it will

send commands M105 once every three seconds, therefore M105 instruction appear in the

monitoring serial port, if you want not to show those M105 instruction, then you can go to

the printer column and check “removed M105from the records”.

3.7 Online Print

First, you need to connect the printer, click the Connect button in the toolbar. If it cannot

connect, you may have the following two reasons:

1. The port does not exist, maybe the printer is not connected, or the computer serial port

driver is not installed successfully;

2. The port is occupied, a port at the same time is connected only one device.

In the case of port no exist, the need to go to the Device Manager (computer - > Manage -

> Device Manager ) to check if they do not really exist, and if yes, firstly make sure the

printer and the computer has been connected by USB cable, then reinstall the serial chip

drivers. Download link of drivers for be born printer of Hengjianchuang:

http://www.hjc3d.com/content/upload/CDM%20v2.12.00%20WHQL%20Certified.exe

For the occupied port, please check which program is using the port, and then lift the

occupation.

Sometimes the computer and printer connected, but a situation of “few commands wait” in

the manual control column comes out. This shows that there are no printer commands

without being executed, and therefore did not give a response to these commands which

could be blocked in the buffer zone. At this time, please check if the baud rate settings of

the printer are correct. If the baud rate is no problem, then disconnect and unplug the USB

cord, then plug it back and try to connect again.

When the computer and the printer establish the connection, the model can be sliced or

loading external G-Code file, you can check if G-Code is right in the preview column, if ok,

you can click "Run task " button in the toolbar, then the printing task begins, after that, " run

task" button becomes "End task" button. In the status bar you can see the progress of

printing the remaining time estimates can be seen in the manual control section. If you

want to stop printing halfway, just click on the "Stop Task" button in the toolbar. If you want

to terminate the print, just click "End Task" button in the toolbar. During the printing process

you can change the speed ratio, fan speed, nozzle and hot bed temperature and other

parameters.

3.8 Offline SD card print

If the 3D printer contains a SD card, then you can check the "Printer has SD card" in the

printer section of the printer settings (checked by default). Repetier-Host can delete some

files on the SD card, and the current G-Code files can be written to the SD card, and then

execute the print job from the SD card, then you no need worry about the printing speed

affected because of low speed of computer.

To switch the functional area to "SD Card" section, and then click the “Install SD card”

button, the software will be listed below contents from SD card. The user can select a file,

then you can delete (requires firmware support to delete files, marlin seemingly not

supported), you can also choose to execute the file, then print the job from the SD card.

Click “Load File” button, you can write files to SD card, it is worth noting that the filename

suffix is preferably GCO, otherwise there will be some problems, then you can choose to

load the current code or external G-Code file. SD card functions thru Repetier-Host control

seems to be less well than for the Marlin firmware. So you can consider installing Repetier

firmware.

四. About the menu bar

4.1 File

File column includes loading file, saving screenshots, opening the directory, display of

recently opened file and exit.

4.2 View

It is for observing models in different directions.

4.3 Configuration

This is the most important part, consists mainly of operation of language, printer settings,

firmware parameters modification, units and options, it also can be set according to their

needs.

4.4 Printer

4.5 servers

4.6 Tools

It is good for DIY players to do the calculation of accomplishing synchronous belt and

transmission of shafts.

4.7 Help

It allows users to get more information on support

五. Thanks

This file shows how to set up Repetier-Host software, including a more comprehensive

analysis based on some network data, thanks for your support for our products and

Repetier-Host.

Repetier-Host functionality have better usability, is an integration software of Slic3r,

CuraEngine, Skeinforge and other slicing software, so users can easily switch the slicing

pattern according to the needs of their own, to print what you want. For easy control of the

software requires a comprehensive understanding of the software, then it can perform well.