Wood filament grain app

thingiverse

The 3dowl.stl file included in this posting is not mine, it was created by satoshi and is included here only because Thingiverse demands the inclusion of at least one of a set of file types. When I posted this script originally there was no such rule, but with this August 2019 update it has become necessary. I've been experimenting with some wood filament from Formfutura (http://www.formfutura.com/) and Mooncactus has created a grain script in python that converts a gcode file into one that simulates woodgrain. Sadly I couldn't get the resultant file to be accepted in Makerware, so I set about fixing it, crudely, but as it turns out, effectively. I made a VB script that runs under MS Word that takes the original gcode file, finds any 'Slice' entries and inserts one of Mooncactus's variable temperature settings underneath it. So every layer is printed at a different temperature from the last one, some changes are gradual, some more dramatic. You can see the difference it makes in the two owls (made by Satoshi). Update - August 2019 Thanks to osterac for updating the Excel file to work with Cura. When I created the original I did it for the gcode created by the Makerbot slicer. i didn't realise then (or perhaps, as everything seemed to use Replicator G to generate the gcode, it didn't matter) that there would be various flavours of gcode, some of which would not create the markers my code looked for. Hopefully osterac's update gives the script a refresh making it useful again. I suggest you try osterac's version first and if that doesn't work, try my original. If that doesn't work and you feel like tinkering, have a go. Let me know if you create another version and I'll happily post that and give credit. Instructions August 2019 update My code was for gcode generated by Replicator G for the Makerbot, years ago. For more chance of success after August 2019, try osterac's code marked as _V2. Original posting To use it, first generate the gcode file in Makerware by selecting File, Export, Export to file and choose the 'GCode Slice only (*.gcode)' option. Put the resultant file (eg 'owl.gcode') together with the 'temp-vals.txt' file into whichever folder you want to use and then open the 'woodgrain.docm' file. A box opens up asking you to click the button to select the gcode file you want to add grain to. Once you choose the file, the script runs and closes itself. Shut down Word and you will find a new file in the folder called 'owlgrain.gcode' ie there's a new file called what the old one was called except for having 'grain' added. Then, in Makerware, chose File, Make from file and select the '*grain.gcode file and off you go.