Learning to use the Cerberus printer has opened my eyes not only to new hardware, but also to new software. I’m glad I’m getting a chance to learn this software before the Cerberus Gigante – which will be able to print sculptures 5 feet tall – arrives.
Jacob and Steve Graber, the geniuses behind Cerberus, turned me onto Repetier-Host, the printer interface, which allows the computer to talk to the printer. Even though Repetier has a built in slicer – which tells the printer how to create the layers – they recommend using a program called KISSlicer (yeah, that KISS is the one we’ve heard for years: “Keep It Simple … Slicer”).
Being the curious type, though, I wanted to see what the difference was between the Repetier-Host slicer and KISSlicer.
The difference was obvious – here’s a photo of a section using Repetier-Host’s slicer software:
… and here’s a photo showing the KISSlicer software:
A section printed using KISSlicer software
Everything else was the same, except the slicer software I used.
The printed material in the Repetier-Host sliced sculpture was very coarse, almost wafer-like. It snapped easily. Jacob Graber said it is because the printer head would print, move, then print again, while the KISSlicer software prints continuously.
That sample was hard and smooth – there’s no way I could snap it in two.
That little experiment confirmed: I’m sticking with KISSlicer, at least for now. Who knows what someone will develop next ….