Progress on Path Smoothing / Lookahead?
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@CCS86 I disagree too, but it is with you I disagree. With modern computers there is no substantial penalty for things that used to be computationally demanding.
If the RepRap firmware uses segments of 1.2mm for an arc of diameter 20mm then the formula for segment lengths is faulty! I have a routine for changing arcs to G1 sequences that I made to accommodate my then new PrusaMK4 which ignored the Z parameter of G2 and G3 commands (now fixed). I found good results for a wide range of radii with the formula of 6*(r+1)^1.5 where r is the radius in mm. That formula gives a segment length of just under 0.3mm for a 20mm diameter. It is easily modified if that is too large.
I'll look at the thread that you linked.
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@MJLew said in Progress on Path Smoothing / Lookahead?:
@CCS86 I disagree too, but it is with you I disagree. With modern computers there is no substantial penalty for things that used to be computationally demanding.
If the RepRap firmware uses segments of 1.2mm for an arc of diameter 20mm then the formula for segment lengths is faulty! I have a routine for changing arcs to G1 sequences that I made to accommodate my then new PrusaMK4 which ignored the Z parameter of G2 and G3 commands (now fixed). I found good results for a wide range of radii with the formula of 6*(r+1)^1.5 where r is the radius in mm. That formula gives a segment length of just under 0.3mm for a 20mm diameter. It is easily modified if that is too large.
I'll look at the thread that you linked.
Disagree all you want but proper arc fitting can take a long time, even with powerful modern computers. That is a penalty to the user.
I run a high tech CNC manufacturing facility. I have half million dollar machines that chew through linearly segmented code and produce super smooth motion. Arc filtering everything is not the answer on the highest end CNC machining, and it for sure is not the answer for 3D printers.
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@CCS86 Well, all I can say is that the latest PrusaSlicer has arc fitting and it seems to slice as fast with it active as it does without on my Mac M1.
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@MJLew said in Progress on Path Smoothing / Lookahead?:
@CCS86 Well, all I can say is that the latest PrusaSlicer has arc fitting and it seems to slice as fast with it active as it does without on my Mac M1.
Have you looked at the code?
It's easy to go fast when you don't actually fit arcs.
Plus, even when successfully fitting arcs, they inject some variability into the wall surface. You can see something similar if you make the slicing resolution more coarse.
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Yes, I did look at the code.
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@CCS86 We do not need to argue about this. Fitting arcs will take longer than not fitting arcs, but there are some (many, probably) use-cases and examples where the time difference is trivial. Your experience is vast and your opinion is valid, but it is quite likely that I also have relevant experience.
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@MJLew said in Progress on Path Smoothing / Lookahead?:
@CCS86 We do not need to argue about this. Fitting arcs will take longer than not fitting arcs, but there are some (many, probably) use-cases and examples where the time difference is trivial. Your experience is vast and your opinion is valid, but it is quite likely that I also have relevant experience.
It's called a discussion, not an argument. That's the whole purpose of this forum.
If you have relevant experience that leads you to a different conclusion, let's hear it. Just saying that you "likely... Have relevant experience" isn't very compelling.
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@CCS86 That's weird, because it is definitely producing arcs for me:
Ian
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I put my g-code resolution back to the default value and it started generating arcs. It only does it on external perimeters though. So artifacts from linear segmented inner walls can still print through.
But again, for the sake of our discussion, until RRF allows true arc support, the quality with G2/G3 is worse than without.
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@dc42 is this just not going to be explored?
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@CCS86 I think the main focus right now is getting 3.5 out the door.