Orca Slicer for OWLplane Models
~ For A1 and A1 Mini BambuLab Only & Others Later ~
User Guide for Slicing OWLplane All Models
~ Printing w/ BambuLab A1 and A1 Mini ~
When one gets a Bambu 3D printer, the first destination for slicing software is usually Bambu Studio, a 3D slicer developed specifically for use in the Bambu 3D printers. It has a user-friendly interface; however, if one wants advanced features and customization options, Orca Slicer is the best choice. Orca Slicer is a free and open-source slicer made by a GitHub user called SoftFever, who forked it from Bambu Studio, and it is gaining popularity in the 3D printing community (see : https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/how-to-use-orca-slicer ).
After evaluating both slicers, we have decided to use Orca Slicer instead. There are some critical values that are intentionally hidden by Bambu Studio, there are:
– Extra length on restart under filament setting group.
– Pressure advance under filament setting group.
– Ensure vertical shell thickness under process setting group.
The three settings above help when trying to get the best result for printing a single perimeter and also tweaking material extrusion for active foaming filament.
To download Orca slicer, please visit the following URL : https://github.com/SoftFever/OrcaSlicer and try to download by following the page. There are some useful links that can be refer to learn Orca slicer:
– https://www.obico.io/blog/orcaslicer/
– https://github.com/SoftFever/OrcaSlicer/wiki
Also, the following videos show what is Orca slicer and also why it is better to use Orca slice :
Installing Orca Slicer
Please follow some links and/or video above to install.
Import and/or Setup Config Files
There are two methods to import or setup the OWLplane Profiles for printing with BambuLab A1 and A1 Mini 3D printers. The first one is to use “importing tools” and the second one is to copy all config directories to the config target directories.
Our new profile file name “#” character has been replaced with “@” since Klipper firmware does not understand the “#” character.
By Importing Config Files
The first method :
Extract the Zip file, please find the directory under “OWLplane Profiles for BambuLab A1 and A1 Mini\Orca Config Files” you will find the 3 directory as follow :
The content of the machine directory :
The content of the filament directory :
The content of the process directory :
Utilizing “Import Configs..” tools, it will bring up all OWLplane profiles shown above used to slice OWLplane models to print with BambuLab A1 and A1 Mini. Just upload all files starting with files under machine, filament and finally process directories.
Once completed, the Orca slices is ready to slice OWLplane models by following its reference code.
By Copying The Config Files into Target Directories
The second method :
Starting by opening the target directories by invoking “Show Configuration Folder” as shown on the right side image.
Find the “default” directory if you do not use cloud or login to the MakerWorld. if you use BambuLab account, please use the first method instead since it will synchronize your profiles with the BambuLab slicer.
Copy all files under corresponding directories with the same name. All files under “filament” to “filament” directory, under “machine” to “machine” directory and under “process” to “process” directory. Restart the Orca slicer, you will see all OWLplane profiles automatically shown in the menu.
Opening Project Files
3MF Project Files are also provided.
Open “BambuLab Project File Samples”
All project files are under the following directories.
Browse all directories, you will find 3MF and also its related STL files.
Slicing and Printing
Once OWLplane profiles have been successfully uploaded :
– upload the target STL file.
– select the right printer, filament and OWLplane profile reference code.
– slice and continue by printing, sending or exporting the g-code file.
Removing Timelapse To Get Clean Preview
To get the clean travel view, user preset machine is created. Whenever to record the timelapse, feel free to use system preset profile.
Optimizing and Fixing OWLplane Profiles
Feel free to increase or decrease some setting values to get better result where increasing the print weight, usually increasing also the strength and vice versa.
– increasing or decreasing flow rate under under filament setting group.
– increasing or decreasing print line width under process setting group.
– keep ensure vertical shell thickness checked under process setting group.
For LW-PLA, it is important to compensate some missing material during travel by increasing extra length on restart under filament setting group (too high the value will increase the total printed weight).
Calibrating pressure advance value under filament setting group is important if you find the model like the following :
Depending on the filament, feel free to increase Max volumetric speed when using high speed type of filament.
