New version of PrusaSlicer 2.7 alpha with support for the .SVG format and binary GCode generation, reducing the size of production files

PRUSA Research has published the latest version of its open-source software on GitHub – PrusaSlicer version 2.7 alpha. The update introduces new features such as support for .SVG graphic files, improved user interface and the GCode binary production file format, which is expected to reduce their size by up to 70%. The alpha version of the software can be downloaded here.

One of the most important new features of PrusaSlicer is the ability to embed .SVG files as engravings on 3D models. The function can be accessed by right-clicking on the model. It provides similar projection and manipulation options to the existing text tool. When saving the project file, the user is asked if they want to save the path to the SVG file, which would allow them to further modify parameters or reload the SVG from disk later. Otherwise, the SVG part will be saved as a three-dimensional model and editing will no longer be possible.

The second important change is the new standard for saving GCode files. PRUSA says that while standard GCode files are easy to read and interpret, their disadvantage is that data is not saved efficiently and the file size is often very large. At the same time, compressing the file is problematic because amateur 3D printers do not have enough memory or processor power to decompress it. PRUSA proposes a new standard in the form of the binary GCode format and compression of G ASCII code files. The new format is flexible, and the encoding and compression of individual blocks is variable.

When it comes to comparing the sizes of ASCII and binary GCode, the result depends on the content of the lines of code. PRUSA tests have shown that using binary GCode reduces the file size by approximately 70% on average. PrusaSlicer supports the new .bgcode file format, including its export, configuration loading, preview and file associations. Binary GCode exporting can be enabled in the 3D printing settings. To use binary GCode, you must update the 3D printer firmware. For Original Prusa MINI, MK4 and XL printers this is supported from version 5.1.0-alpha2.

Among other, more important changes, the Czech manufacturer also introduced:

• GCode editing – a dedicated editing dialog has been added, which contains a list of all available placeholders for a given GCode and a short description of each placeholder
• Improved UI – Improved appearance of UI controls that are more pleasant to view in both light and dark modes.

The full changelog is available on GitHub.

Source: www.github.com