OrcaSlicer

Note

Currently in alpha stage, so subject to change. It is not strictly the latest version of OrcaSlicer

The most recent builds can be found here. (Mac, Linux, Windows)

We provide a forked version of OrcaSlicer with Helio-Additive services baked in, where users can run simulations directly from the slicer, and view the thermal quality index for each part of the print.

This feature helps in predicting heat distribution and potential thermal issues during the printing process, ultimately allowing process engineers and 3d printing enthusiasts better interpretability of process settings and improved print quality, times and part performance.

Initial set up

Supported printers

Once you’ve downloaded and installed Orca Slicer, enable Bambu Lab printers during setup. The Helio Additive printer data is already included in those profiles, so no extra configuration is needed.

Currently, we support the following printers:

• Bambu Lab X1
• Bambu Lab X1 Carbon
• Bambu Lab X1E

Note

You can trigger simulations and optimisations using only one of these printers. We’re actively working on adding support for more, so keep an eye on the changelog for updates.

Supported materials

To enable supported materials, just select the default Orca Slicer profiles for the following:

• Bambu Lab PC	• PolyLite™ ABS
• PolyLite™ ASA	• PolyLite™ PETG
• PolyLite™ PLA	• PolyTerra™ PLA
• PolyFlex™ TPU90	• PolyFlex™ TPU95
• PolyLite™ PC	• PolyMax™ PETG
• PolySonic™ PLA	• PolySonic™ PLA Pro
• Fiberon™ PET-CF	• Fiberon™ PA12-CF
• Fiberon™ PA6-CF	• Fiberon™ PA6-GF
• Fiberon™ PETG-ESD	• Fiberon™ PETG-rCF

Usage

OrcaSlicer requires authenticated requests to our servers. This expects a PAT (Personal Access Token) to be sent in all requests so we understand who you are.

Inputing a PAT

The following assumes that you have already created a PAT (Personal Access Token) from the Helio Additive dashboard. If you have not done so, please follow the instructions under 'Generating a PAT' to create one.

1. Open the settings menu in OrcaSlicer

   

2. Scroll to the bottom to find the Helio Options section

   Your PAT (Personal Access Token) should be entered here.

   Note

   The Helio API Endpoint should not be changed

   

Setup ambient temperature settings

In order to perform accurate thermal simulations we need you to enter an accurate temperature for the environment around your print. Ideally take a measurement inside the chamber after your bed has been heated to the required temperature. Usually an enclosed chamber printer will have sensors to provide the temperature, which can be read from the printer screen.

You MUST enter the initial air temperature.

Initial air temperature input box

Slicing

Simulating

Standard slicing options like Slice all and Slice plate are still available, but our fork adds a new feature: Slice with Helio.

Upon clicking this, OrcaSlicer will internally slice and generate a G-Code. We then get in the middle of that process and upload that G-Code to our services where we run a simulation of the print, and return back an annotated G-Code which contains a thermal index for all parts of the print. OrcaSlicer displays the thermal quality index on a color scheme, ranging from blue (too cold) to red (too hot). To view it, scroll down in the Slicer Preview panel until you see the Thermal Quality Index.

Simulated Autodesk FDM Test Handy Model.

Optimising (Coming Soon)

If you’re on a paid subscription, you can send your G-code directly from Orca Slicer to Dragon for optimisation. For more details on optimsied G-codes, see the section on G-code analysis

Sending to the printer

For simulations, it is strongly recommended not to send the Helio-annotated G-code directly to your printer. The file size can become significantly larger due to added comments for thermal visualization. If you’re satisfied with the optimisation, we suggest performing one final slice using the Slice plate option and sending that clean G-code to your printer instead.

For optimisations, you will receive two G-code files: one with thermal quality indexes for visualisation in preview tools, and a clean, optimised version without these annotations. The visualisation file is helpful for understanding thermal behaviour, but the clean G-code is the one recommended for sending to your printer.

FAQ

What printers or materials are supported for thermal simulation?

The integration supports the materials currently available in the filaments and printers presets. Helio constantly adds new filaments and printers to our server database after in- house lab based characterisation (rheological) and when ready we will add them to the list through updates.

Can I export simulation results for further analysis?

Currently, for our free simulation product, we write our thermal index data into the gcode for easy visualisation the the preview tab. For more detailed data please directly reach out to Helio Additive.

For paid optimizations, you’ll receive two G-code files:

• One with Thermal Quality Index (TQI) data included for visualization in your slicer

• One without TQI data, ready to send directly to your printer (recommended, as the annotated version can be too large for printing)

What’s different in the optimised G-code? (Coming Soon)

Dragon optimises your G-code by adjusting layer print speeds to maintain ideal thermal conditions throughout the print.

These speeds are based on either:

• The minimum and maximum print speeds your printer supports, or

• Speeds calculated from your flow rate, layer height, and line width (for key printable features like inner walls, outer walls, and infill).

This helps you achieve reliable quality, while making full use of your printer and material’s capabilities.

Is there a command-line interface available?

Currently, the integration is primarily GUI-based, but a CLI/SDK version is in development.

How to interpret Thermal Index?

A thermal index of 0 indicates you are in the sweet spot thermally for that material in terms of layer bonding and is visualised by a green colour. A value greater than 0 indicates you are too hot and possible failures could be material deformation or collapse. A value below 0 indicates you are too cold and possible failures include warping or delamination depending on the material. Also note if there is large temperature variations between sections this also indicates a chance of warping or dimensional issues. A good rule of thumb is try achieve limited variations or rapid changes in temperature and get a overall temp as close as possible to 0.

Again interpretation is very material dependent. PLA for example can be printable with lots of cooling and a cold looking simulation maybe ok, however it is very sensitive to overheating so avoid going over a thermal index of 0. Different logic should be applied to higher temperature materials like Polycarbonate where warping is a concern.

A useful flow chart on using thermal simulation to improve your prints is described below:

Can you use the thermal simulation to automatically optimize process parameters like print speed & fan speed?

Watch this space.

Are you simulating according to the exact toolpath used?

Yes. The exact gcode is the primary input to our simulation as it contains all the critical information related to the process. We do not rely on stl or step files or rough approximations of the process. The simulation is almost a realtime digital twin of the print with sequential time based voxel temperature as output.

How fine is your mesh?

Quite technical but here goes… A 3d print is inherently already discretised into layers, paths, roads, arcs, sections with fans at different %, varying layer height, width, nozzle T etc. We are a few extra levels finer than that to ensure all changes can be captured and allow accuracy of calculation output, whilst also allowing for fast/efficient numerical calculation. We don’t go coarser than the gcode resolution or the print itself because that does not accurately capture the process and leads to error stack up.