3D Printer Reprap Documentation

Original Documentation

The documentation supplied with the reprap application is located at http://reprap.org/wiki/Mendel_User_Manual:_Host_Software. However, before reading this it is suggested that you consider the following clarifications:

Read "Extruder" as meaning "Extrusion Profile"

Each of the things defined in the Preferences that their documentation calls an "extruder" would be better thought of as being an "extrusion profile" which defines a named set of extrusion parameters. Although the preference settings are tied to the Extrusion Profile by the number embedded in the parameter name, everywhere else the Extrusion Profile is referenced by its name, which is set using the Extrudern_MaterialType parameter. Although this parameter refers to "material type" this really ends up just being the name for the Extrusion Profile. Extrusion Profile names are used in two places:

1. Each Extrusion Profile optionally specifies two other Extrusion Profiles, both by name, to use for Infill and Support.
2. When loading an STL object into the 3D viewer, you apparently get to select the "material", but what you are really doing is selecting the Extrusion Profile to use for the object. The settings in this Extrusion Profile determine how the shell of the object is extruded, and also specify Extrusion Profiles to use for infill and support.

This is really two essentially unrelated applications in one

You can't print from STL to the printer directly. You must always generate GCode, and it is easiest to treat the reprap application as being two distinct tools:

First, the Preferences, the "Load STL" and "Print" buttons on the Print tab of the Console window, and the 3D Viewer constitute a skeining tool. Using this you load STL objects, position them on the printer table, select Extrusion Profiles for them, and generate the GCode for them.

Second, the "Load GCode" and "Print" buttons on the Print tab of the Console window constitute a Print command. Using this you send a GCode file to the printer. The 3D View window is utterly irrelevant, and most of the Preferences are too.

In either usage, the other tabs of the Console window can be used to perform manual operations on the printer, and the Preferences button can be used to modify, load, and/or save preferences.