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BIG UPDATE: It's Not a Pipe Dream Anymore to Manage Hundreds of 3D Printers via One FlashPrint

2020-09-08
News Center

 

 

 

For many advanced 3d printing players or companies, one 3d printer would be nothing like enough. As the number grows bigger, managing printers is really becoming a pain in the neck. In such cases, it would be a lot easier to manage numbers of printers via few click of mouse. 

 

Against this backdrop, the latest version FlashPrint 4.4.0 has launched a crucial function: Multi-Machine Control

 

Update Log: Add Multi-Machine Control function

 

As the name suggested, the new FlashPrint now allows users to operate multiple 3d printers at one time, which is an absolutely good news for our users or partners with more than one printer.

 

There are mainly two features concerning the Multi-Machine Control: Control Panel & Group Management

 

 Control Panel 

 

Long before, FlashPrint 4.0.0 has been able to support connections with multiple printers at one time. The optimization this time makes it easier for Flashforge users to manage their 3D printers.

 

Click the【Tools】→【Multi Machine Control】to enter the control panel.

 

 

As shown in the figure below, the clear and unambiguous interface enables us to connect the printers immediately via a click on【Connect Machine】

 

 

There are two connection modes: manual mode and automatic mode.

 

 ▲ Manual connection: please input the same IP Address as the printer

 

 ▲ Automatic connection: turn on the scanning after the computer and the printer are connected to the one and the same network

 

Connection Tips

  • First please make sure that the WIFI of the printer has been turned on;

  • Second please confirm that the computer and the printer have been in the same LAN;

  • Third please update the firmware to its latest version when adopting the automatic connection (as shown in the figure above, some types of the machine are not allowed to conduct the automatic connection).

 

After successful connection, you can click the 'edit' button (as shown in the figure below) to change a unique name for your printers, making it easier to distinguish and operate them.

 

 

You can also send GCode files and execute operations like Pause, Abort, Continue, Disconnect, Move to group, etc through the navigation bar on the visual interface.

 

(Part of Demonstration Charts)

 

 Group Management 

 

As shown in the figure below, it is rather time-consuming to operate printers one by one in such cases.

 

Now the group management can be realized directly through the【Multi-Machine Control】on FlashPrint. After slicing, the FlashPrint enables us to send the files in groups with one click of mouse. With batch printing on hand, the printing is far more efficient and convenient.

 

(Photo from our partner @Sygnis)

 

Then you are able to monitor the printer status on the Control Panel or in FlashPrint Front Interface.

 

(Control Panel Interface)

(FlashPrint Front Interface)

 

After slicing, you can directly click the 【Send GCode】on the Control Panel to send files and print (as shown in the figure below).
 

 

 

You can also click the【Send GCode】on the Control Panel to send files in groups and print.

 

 

It should be noted that the engineers have designed the program, and the machine types that is not matched with the files will be automatically skipped (as shown in the figure below, the blue mark in the lower right corner indicates being skipped, while the green ones indicate successful printing).

 

 

If you have many types of machine and each type in a relatively not small amount, it is allowed to set up different groups for each type to optimize group management.

 

PS: after the FlashPrint is turned off, the Control Panel will be totally cleared and the 3d printers need to be connected again the next time.

 

You can select the automatic connection mode, or search the history in 【Print】→【Recent Connections】to manually operate the printers.

 

 

After the introduction, you must get a deep understanding of the【Multi-Machine Control】. Now come on and have a try on your own FlashPrint!