Cura print guide

Ultimaker 3

Printing with PVA supportPVA support is water soluble and easy to remove, which greatly increases quality on the supported areas. This guide provides step by step information on how to slice a model with PVA support.

1. Load model

Load the model file by clicking the Open File icon (top left corner). The file browser displays all files. Select the relevant model file. Cura supports the following files: .3mf, .x3d, .stl and .obj. After selecting a model, it automatically appears on the build plate.

Tip: Select multiple files in your file browser to load simultaneously.

2. Adjust model

Adjustment Tools can be used to position, scale and rotate the object. To use the Adjustment Tools, left click on the Model. As the engineering model needs to be strong, it must be rotated to ensure the layer bonding is strongest in the desired direction.

3. Set print cores and materials

In the sidebar, check if the Print Cores and Materials are correct. Print core 1 should contain a print core AA 0.4 loaded with PLA. Print core 2 should contain a print core BB 0.4 loaded with PVA.

Tip: With complete geometrical freedom, you don’t need to worry about overhangs or bridges.

Note: If your Ultimaker 3 is connected via the network to Cura and loaded with the correct print cores and materials, Cura will sync automatically to your machine.

4. Select profile

Select a Profile quality. Options include: Draft Print, Fast Print, Normal and High Quality. The layer height is displayed in light grey for indication.

5. Set helpers

Select Helper Parts on the Sidebar. Set the desired strength and choose the print core for Support: print support using natural PVA (Print core 2).

6. Layer preview

To view the result of the selected profile and support settings, go to the View Mode and select Layers. With Print core 1 selected in the sidebar, the model is highlighted in the layer view. This indicates which parts are printed with the corresponding print core. When switching visible print cores, (selecting Print core 2 in the top right), the support becomes highlighted, indicating it will be printed with that print core.

7. Print!

In the bottom right corner, select Save File, Save to USB or Print Over Network, depending on the chosen printing method.

Tip: In the Recommended mode both print cores share the same settings. In the Custom mode, certain settings can be adjusted per print core if required.

Tip: The model Print Time is visible in the bottom right corner of the 3D viewer. Change the profile quality to view the effect on the print time.

Note: Click the top right button to enter the Print Monitor. Note, this can only be done when the printer is connected to the network.

Thank you for choosing Ultimaker, happy printing!