Just a few weeks ago, we told you about upcoming software releases that are on the way. Today, we’re excited to announce a new release of both MakerBot Desktop and the firmware for our latest generation MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers.
This firmware update contains background changes that lay the groundwork for print quality improvements that will be coming soon in MakerBot Desktop 3.4. Getting this release out into the field and getting your feedback is essential to making the next several releases great.
New capabilities on MakerBot Desktop 3.3
Among the changes included in the upgrade, MakerBot Desktop now features:
• An overhaul of the communications between the printer, MakerBot Desktop, and MakerBot Mobile
• Automatic filament unloading following an ‘out of filament’ error
• The ability to change Smart Extruders during a paused print and resume printing
• An improved assisted leveling process
• A faster camera streaming over both network and USB for closer monitoring of your prints
• An expanded Device Preferences dialog for advanced users
Download the free MakerBot Desktop 3.3 upgrade now.
Upgrade your firmware now
Because a number of firmware changes have been made to support these new features (and to support the print quality improvements coming soon in MakerBot Desktop 3.4) it’s crucial to also upgrade your firmware.
Here’s how:
1. Upgrade to MakerBot Desktop 3.3 here.
2. Connect to your MakerBot Replicator 3D printer.
3. Upgrade to Firmware 1.4 to keep your MakerBot Replicator running in top condition with all the latest features.
For the full MakerBot Desktop 3.3 release notes, click here.
Coming soon: Print Quality Improvements and Print History
MakerBot Desktop 3.3 is an important release because it sets the stage for the 3.4 release where we will make some significant changes to the way we manage synchronizing the extruder advance to the movements of the gantry. The heavier computational requirements of our new extruder-advance modeling required us to refactor the communications protocol to make room. We’re really excited about the print quality results we’re seeing in our testing and we’re looking forward to getting them out to you.
Another feature that we’ve been hearing a lot of folks asking for is a way to save files they’ve already printed. In the coming days, we’ll be telling you more about this functionality as a Print History folder within the MakerBot Desktop Library tab. Stay tuned.