Virtual Reality viewer for 3D Printer GCODE files
This is a program that takes sliced GCODE files for 3D printing and renders a preview that can be viewed using a VR headset.
The advantage of this over a regular GCODE viewer is that it makes it easy to interpret the scale of the printed object and its various features. Additionally, it is possible to look at the object from various angles in a natural way.
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A compiled copy of the program can be downloaded on the releases page. Otherwise, this project was built and compiled in Unreal Engine 4.11. Newer versions may be able to open and compile the project, but have not been tested.
Upon opening, the program will scan the "GCODEViewer" directory and look for any .gcode files (up to 10 total). These files will then be displayed, and a file can be selected to preview.
Once selected, the program will begin to parse the GCODE file. The amount of time this will take depends on the complexity of the GCODE file - size is a relatively good indicator, and the relation between file size and loading time is roughly linear. An indicator shows the loading progress.
Once the file has been parsed, rendering will begin. The program builds the virtual model one extrusion at a time, much as an actual printer would. This can take some time, and again the time taken will depend on the complexity of the file.
Select File - Space, Xbox A
Move Faster - Shift, Xbox B
Toggle Travel Moves - M, Xbox X
Reset Model Rotation and Scale - Tab / Xbox Y
Load New Model - Del, Xbox Back
Move Forward / Back - W, S Xbox Left Thumbstick Y
Move Left / Right - A, D, Xbox Left Thumbstick X
Move Up / Down - Q, E, Xbox Bumpers
Rotate View - Mouse X
Scale Model - R, F, Xbox Triggers
Rotate Model - Arrow Keys, Xbox Right Thumbstick
Adjust Camera Clipping Plane - T, H, Xbox D-Pad Up/Down
Layer Jog - Num +, Num -, Xbox D-Pad Left/Right
Pause Model Construction / Loading - P, Xbox Start
Graphical performance may be poor (low FPS) during initial loading and model construction. Once the model is fully constructed performance should increase, but complex / large models may still prove troublesome to work with. Rotating / scaling models also has a performance impact that is noticeable on larger models.
Rendering an entire GCODE file for preview in VR is a computationally intensive task, and a computer with a relatively powerful GPU is recommended. All tests were performed using a GTX970.
- Vive motion controls for scale / rotate
- Option to render different features in different colours (infill, non-print moves, etc)
- Adjustable quality levels
- Improved file handling / selection
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.