Is ideaMaker better than Cura and PrusaSlicer?

Learn about this innovative 3d Printer Slicer that integrates with a free cloud infrastructure. ideaMaker competes with Ultimaker Cura and the PrusaSlicer while adding some unique capabilities. This video covers both the slicer and its cloud integration capabilities. ideaMaker is compatible with most FDM style 3d printers and has excellent support for IDEX (independent dual extruder) 3d printers. You can use it with printers from Prusa, Monoprice, Creality, ANET, JGMaker, and others.
Topics
03:26 Raise3d Overview
04:41 Raise3d Ecosystem
06:26 ideaMaker Overview
10:06 ideaMaker Definitions
12:13 ideaMaker Demo/Tutorial
21:32 gCode Parameters & Logic
22:58 Preview Mode
25:12 Support Generation
27:06 Adding Surface Textures
29:43 Freecuts (magic)
32:02 Pros & Cons .
Let's continue to learn together. Irv
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The MakeWithTech channel teaches people how to use desktop technology to create, innovate and make things. If you are a "maker" and want to learn more about 3d Printing, 3d Printers, 3d Printing Slicers, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), or 3d Modeling, this is a place you should visit often. The channel includes additional content about using a wood lathe, woodworking, programming single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi and Python. Available reviews are about Prusa, Creality, Monoprice, ANET, JG Maker, and Flashforge 3d Printers. Slicers covered include MatterControl, Cura, PrusaSlicer, Flashprint, and IdeaMaker.

[@aerospaceresearchmeyerton2687]

Glad I am watching this. You just solved an issue I had with the slicer! The under-extrusion problem. I found the idea of having logos embossed on my prints a great idea [pun intended] for when I print small trophies for my S.T.E.A.M. classes. But my 1st attempt was horribly underextruded, I thought my nozzle was clogged.

[@TrJanny]

This is an awesome review! Recently I have been in a research to get an industrial-grade printer for the company and Raise3D raised a big question mark in my head as they are only compatible with ideaMaker. But now I feel that it is actually a superb slicer which can be used for any task. Thank you for giving me so much clarity!

[@avejst]

Great review 👍 Give the SuperSlicer a go, it is a variant of the PrusaSlicer, but have some extra adjustments, and the ability of making calibration prints with the help of Freecad models. Thanks for sharing your experience with all of us 👍😀

[@josephwait7384]

I'm so glad I found you! The maker/3d printing space has taken off in popularity, which is fantastic for the market allowing us more variety of good that are more capable at better prices. But as anything that becomes popular on the internet. It's gotten infinitely more toxic in the past few years. You make me feel like I'm watching the Mr Rogers neighborhood of making and 3d printing. And it is much appreciated!

[@just_russ4633]

You got a big LIKE from me and I joined your forum. Thankyou for your great videos.

[@michaelpotter7107]

Many thanks. I really enjoyed this video.

[@KanielD]

I’ve seen a few videos of this slicer, but no prints or follow up videos. It would be great to see a follow up. Anyway, thanks for all you do

[@technodrone313]

ooh i like this. wrapping textures around models is awesome

[@LT72884]

you can change ideamaker to a dark theme, as well as in preview mode, you can change the look of it, ie from structure to speed. Also, i have my filament color set to grey because red is just so hard to see anything on:) then in preview mode, i set the type to extruder color, and then i can see the retraction moves far easier. i found ideamaker way easier to setup than cura. I hate in cura when you can a setting, it says keep or disgard, so you hit keep and it messes up your profile. curas profile management is terrible. IM's is easier to setup and manage.

[@dac7046]

Nice video- thanks. I’ve now more or less abandoned Cura for 2 reasons- 1) it is horrible at dealing with bad meshes and the mesh fix add in doesn’t seem to fix much; 2) it runs in compatibility mode unless you have a pretty recent PC (no clue about Mac though). With compatibility mode you lose some of the GCode preview functionality and some of the menu items don’t function. Constraint seems to be whether your machine is new enough to support OpenGL 4.2 video processing. In contrast IdeaMaker is wonderful with bad meshes and runs well on my 12 yr old PC. By the way, I’ve imported 2 of the Ender 3 V2 templates from IdeaMaker’s website and nothing positive to say about either of them! Far better to start with their template generator or by cloning/modifying existing one.

[@ronm6585]

Great info. Thank you.

[@thomaspc2]

Great review

[@mycinemax2653]

its similar with s3d but more option, i still choose s3d though, and ideamaker will be my backup slicer (i just installed it yesterday, and my head is spinning learning it, so i paused it for a while). in preference you can change the framerate to 60fps so it will become smoother.

[@cheekonv]

Iv just moved from S3D After 5 Years No more updates with S3D worries me so im learning Idealmaker seems ok so far

[@marksatterfield3100]

IdeaMaker has always been my go to. I have used them all.

[@daniellfidalgo]

Just excellent explanation!!!

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks

[@Oleblue11]

The texture tab in the edit section setting can be altered to make the texture indent instead of extruding out. Plus control the distance of both. I am currently using Ideamaker more than Cura

[@madscience6931]

Mike, could you explain a bit more about how to alter the texture? I've looked and LOOKED for a place where the variables are controlled. Perhaps I'm not understanding the "texture tab in the edit section" reference. Really interested in this slicer, long time S3d user frustrated with the lack of updates. Thank You!

[@jeffstrains4014]

@@madscience6931 I cam across this video, we have a Raised unit at work I have a Prusa at home. You can DL many textures from there site through the program and it wraps the entire part in it. We have made knobs and handles and given them a knurled finish. Pretty handy I am a big fan of the raft it sits the print on getting your parts of the bed

[@NickBR57]

I tried IdeaMaker and it has lots of capability. One issue I found was that with one model I tried, adding any texture crashed IM as soon as it started slicing - I have no idea why, as others work fine and that model is fine without texture. It also seems to generate extremely long print times - up to 3 times as long as Cura, Repetier or FlashPrint. I tried to set similar or the same speeds, temperatures, fills etc etc but could not get times down. Maybe there's a trick? But great video as always, many thanks Irv.

[@chrisrice4006]

Could you give some direction on printing multiple color prints (3in 1out hot end such as geetech A10t) I use latest version of cura. Keeps pausing between color change, trying to heat the hot end that's already hot. Please help

[@creativespace3077]

Wow. More of you need to hit *"LIKE"*

[@jayc2903]

Thank You

[@kingtungstenworldwide4472]

A little slow but the biggest thing that just made my day was explaining the default setting 94% extrusion!! I kept thinking something else was wrong and all along it was because this silly printer gcode was printing 94% instead of 100%.

[@lostwhocares]

Just following the steps well until "Artist D" in profile. It was not an option. They may have removed it. I am stuck. I have no idea how to start a profile for ender 3 v2. Regardless, thank you for your time and effort.

[@Theovanbreemen]

Hi Irv can you show me the video to insolved the vase mode problem on the ender 6

[@deonholt]

Thanks for an excellent video. My Ender 5 has a Duet WiFi board. I don't see an option to connect it with ideaMaker. Please advise if I am missing something.

[@williamaycock579]

The connect button only works with Raise3d printers. You can use Octoprint from Ideamaker though, it's built in to connect to it just not in a very obvious place.

[@Richie_]

Question about Cura 5. If I have 4 top and bottom layers, is there a way to print layers 2 & 3 faster than the outer layers?

[@sel17978]

Which do you suggest for cookie cutters and very small objects?

[@paulradford4100]

I'd be more interested in the cloud/octoprint/mobile functionality.. may have to dig deeper

[@igorfomenko9189]

What are xy coordinates of pause point. How to clean nozzle or insert nut for example if printer pauses under model wall?Moreover it makes blob at that point.

[@Ron_Ventura]

Great video, but would have liked to see how you built your PLA template.

[@MakeWithTech]

Ran out of time. Watch the channel for future videos.

[@Ron_Ventura]

Thanks Irv.

[@joseguevara184]

I own a Chitu code Tronxy printer and I can´t print directly from Ideamaker , maybe start and end gcode needs special configuration. Just copying the Cura gcodes and placing them on Ideamaker does not work. Any ideas? I want to replace this Chitu board with a a Nano Robin V.3 so I can make this printer a little more convencional. What do you think? Thank you, a suscribed guy from Colombia.

[@vernrandall8470]

Can you do a review of Lychee slicer. You have a great channel keep it up.

[@broderp]

I don't care to learn another slicer. I like Cura. All I want from this is the texture feature. Can the STL files be saved to my PC for importing into Cura for slicing? Can I also do this without an account or having to set up my printer in this program? Thanks for another great video!

[@igorfomenko9189]

I like cura, but how to set up small speed for layer just above support in cura?

[@rwest1957]

how to use icon scissors on freecad

[@mayurwagh7399]

Hi I was trying to slice a 30cm lithophane of 700mb size and cura simply keeps showing slicing but doesn’t do anything… how do I solve this?

[@canalfalamatheus]

can someone help me with an idea? lets say i want to print a head model, and this head have a brain inside, if i want to make the head with one infill pattern and the brain a solid model, would that be possible?

[@jacquesgilbert2774]

It seems to me that this is based on S3D, or built by the same team. The dialogs, the terminology, and the look and feel are too similar to be a coincidence. That would also explain why S3D has not bothered to publish any updates in several years - they were bought/hired by Raise and worked on this instead.

[@woodwaker1]

I just watched this and agree - I have used S3D for a couple of years and am always on the lookout for a replacement. I wish they would tell us what the future is for S3D

[@ifell3]

I have been using ideamaker for years. But after every update I need to re-add my printer and settings each time, which is really annoying.

[@obe22099]

3:50 There are a bunch of companies making high-end printers for manufacturing and prototyping. They also make traditional 3D printing tech like FDM except the open source tech is superior to expensive none consumer facing versions. The clients include institutions like schools ranging from kindergarten to colleges. They are not designed to be serviced by the buyer. It will void the warranty. They make money by marking up the prices ten fold or more and repairing very easy to fix issues for a ridiculous price. I don't have any issue with this personally since there is demand and the buyers are institutions that don't have to worry about rent.

[@mugeshrajaram6306]

Hi, Can you create a new template for ender 3 printer

[@juggernt]

Othere then texture simplify 3d dose all the same thing

[@MetalheadAndNerd]

I would love to see how the Microsoft slicer stands against these slicers. I had high hopes for it when it came out a couple of years ago but then no one ever talked about it. If you don't know what I mean, google it. My comment gets deleted if I include a link to the Microsoft slicer website.

[@MakeWithTech]

I will look it up. I generally prefer sw that runs on both Mac and Windows.

[@MetalheadAndNerd]

I'll try again to post the URL docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/3dprint/ms3dprint-standard-g-code-driver

[@fniellescatsandtrains218]

Interesting... VERY interesting... I enjoy to se your videoes more than sleeping next to my Wife..

[@0LoneTech]

Here's my first impression of ideaMaker: Source? None in evidence. License? Same. Manual? Site nonfunctional. Googled source? Repository abandoned. My first question about a tool like this has become: Can I fix it after the developer moves on? Thus, ideaMaker is out of the running. MatterControl is one I would consider.

[@MakeWithTech]

This is not an open source tool. I also use Google Docs which are not open source. In this case like in most cases with proprietary software it is up to the manufacturer to maintain it. So no, if you find a bug you cannot fix it. If you find a bug in your cars software you also cannot fix it and good luck getting a hot-fix. As consumer we have choices proprietary vs open source is a tradeoff.

[@0LoneTech]

@@MakeWithTech I understand, and we each have our own choices to make. For instance, I do not have a car. I have a bicycle, for which the worst firmware error would leave me with some dead weight in the helper motor, electronic control and battery holder (but still a functioning bicycle).

[@MakeWithTech]

@LoneTech Your comments are absolutely fair. Yes it is all about choices.

[@paulg3336]

Free *today* Says it all. Ask yourselves why it is closed source?

[@LT72884]

its closed source because raise3d, the company who makes it wanted it to be closed source. It gives them more control over it. I left cura and alot of open source software because alot of people who "think" they can add content or make it better, made it suck worse. Sometimes having a small community vs a large community is better. I do not need 300 machinists making a bolt, when 1 will do.

[@3D_Printing]

Cura 5 is almost here; better

[@vernonleeper]

Very interesting, like to try this out. And off the subject, I stand with 🇮🇱

[@kylelongstaff]

1.25x playback speed. thank me later

[@JBCool0729]

Cura? is harder to learn. Is so confusing that you can not tell me that this one is harder to learn. Second I don't like cura preview I think it sucks. S3D it has very nice preview it even shows you first layer how it looks before print. BUT CURA SUCKS my opinion..... I stay with S3D or Ideamaker because they are have almost same settings. But I will use Ideamaker more then S3D....

[@MakeWithTech]

We are fortunate to have a number of different slicers available. I use different slicers for different purposes.