OrcaSlicer Windows 2.4.2

Some printer manufacturers don’t develop their own slicer. Instead, they rebuild OrcaSlicer. Orca-Flashforge is one of these: a Flashforge variant configured for the Adventurer 5M, AD5X and Creator 5.

OrcaSlicer was derived from two previous programs. PrusaSlicer came first. It was forked by Bambu Lab into Bambu Studio. SoftFever forked Bambu Studio in July 2022, initially as Bambu Studio SoftFever.

It is compatible with FFF filament printers only. Profiles are already available for Bambu, Prusa, Voron, VzBot, RatRig, Creality and many more. It supports Windows, macOS and Linux.

HOW TO TUNE A NEW FILAMENT

Typically, tuning a filament involves downloading test models and printing them. OrcaSlicer incorporates those tests. There is a Calibration menu in the top bar, and each item makes its own test object. You print it, view the outcome, and enter the value in your filament profile.

• The tests are conducted in a specific sequence, as each test relies on the previous one.
• Temperature comes first. It dictates the fluidity of the filament and consequently all subsequent tests.
• Flow rate is second. It is a two-pass system: print the first pass, select the best square, make the setting change, then print the second pass.
• Pressure advance is third. It can be tested in three ways. The pattern method is the fastest but requires a solid first layer. The tower method is slower, but doesn’t. Another method is called line.
• Retraction comes next. It is tested after flow and pressure advance, so that stringing is measured on an extrusion that is already correct.
• Cornering covers jerk and junction deviation. Input shaping deals with ringing and finishes the sequence.

Note: after a test, the slicer remains in calibration mode, and anything you slice that way will retain the test settings. To clear it, start a new project.

WHAT CALIBRATION CAN’T FIX

Adaptive Bed Mesh will map the bed and make adjustments to small dips and rises while printing. It only deals with minor ones. If the bed is physically out of level, it must be adjusted on the machine.

Z-offset has a field in the printer preset. However, on most printers it is set by the firmware or by a physical adjustment. The slicer field is for minor adjustments only, and is only valid if your printer supports a slicer-set value.

SETTINGS PER FEATURE

For each kind of print feature, speed, walls, cooling, acceleration and seam position are set separately. They don’t need to apply to the entire object.

Sandwich mode involves changing the sequence of wall and infill placement, resulting in a better outer surface.

Polyholes conversion is a process to change the shape of round holes. This setting corrects for the fact that printed holes are slightly small due to the extrusion width.

WORKING WITH PRESETS

The presets that ship with OrcaSlicer have a lock icon and cannot be edited. Instead, use Save As to copy one and enter your calibrated values in the copy. The original remains intact, so you can always revert to it in case a custom profile fails.

SENDING TO THE PRINTER

Jobs are sent directly to printers running Klipper, OctoPrint or PrusaLink. Bambu printers are also connected and their AMS multi-material system is recognised. A Python plugin system is used to add features that are not included with the program.