Time Estimates Idea

jckray

I'm wondering if we could have the option to display the print time estimated generated by the slicer during printing instead of the 3 time estimates that are currently there? My idea is that it would be an option you could enable or disable either with an M code command in the printer config, or as toggle option on the PanelDue/DWC. Some silcers can generate extremely accurate print times based on acceleration and jerk settings. I would find it preferable to have this time estimate displayed during printing if you know it is reasonably accurate.

Thoughts?

dc42

DWC2 together with RRF2.03beta (to be released shortly) already displays an estimate based on the simulated time, if one is available. I'm not sure whether DWC uses the slicer-provided estimated print time if no simulated time is available. RRF provides DWC with that information.

jckray

@dc42

That would still require running the simulation first.

I was hoping for the ability to display the estimated print time generated by the slicer on the Print tap of the paneldue instead of the 3 estimates. Have one estimate is a lot less confusing for less advanced or tech savvy users. Alternitvely, if not possible the option to display a percent complete along with an elapsed time would be something I would be very interested in. While I understand the reasoning for the 3 time estimates currently used, I feel that is very confusing and less useful for someone that does not understand the quirks of the Duet system i.e our user base.

I feel like I read in some thread a while back that the possibility of running a background simulation upon upload was being considered as well. Is this still something that is being worked on?

The bottom line is I'm looking for a way to display one reasonable accurate time indication in the print tab.

garyd9

@jckray, the beta provides the simulated as well as slicer provided time via M36. Paneldue doesn't yet use that information for the "time remaining" estimates.

@dc42, would it be possible to add the information to M408 in a manner similar to how the file, filament, and layer time left estimations are presented?

dc42

@garyd9 said in Time Estimates Idea:

@dc42, would it be possible to add the information to M408 in a manner similar to how the file, filament, and layer time left estimations are presented?

M408 already provides the simulated time and the time predicted by the slicer.

garyd9

@dc42 said in Time Estimates Idea:

@garyd9 said in Time Estimates Idea:

@dc42, would it be possible to add the information to M408 in a manner similar to how the file, filament, and layer time left estimations are presented?

M408 already provides the simulated time and the time predicted by the slicer.

It does? Which M408 S parameter? S0 and S4 only give "timesleft" for file, filament and layer, and I can seem to locate the slicer/simulated time estimates anyplace other than M36.

(Firmware: RepRapFirmware for Duet 2 WiFi/Ethernet 2.03beta2)

dc42

My mistake, it's the M36 file information command that contains this information:

M36 "EscherLizardModified-kossel.gcode"
{"err":0,"size":418728,"lastModified":"2017-12-08T19:53:01","height":5.30,"firstLayerHeight":0.30,"layerHeight":0.20,"printTime":600,"simulatedTime":975,"filament":[1337.0],"generatedBy":"Simplify3D(R) Version 3.0.2"}

The printTime field is the time predicted by the slicer, in seconds. M36 without parameters returns information for the file currently printing.

arhi

@dc42 said in Time Estimates Idea:

"printTime":600,"simulatedTime":975,

printTime is extracted from g-code comment ? so for s3d it would read the end of the file, soemthing like

; Build Summary
;   Build time: 9 hours 25 minutes
;   Filament length: 50796.2 mm (50.80 m)
;   Plastic volume: 122179.13 mm^3 (122.18 cc)
;   Plastic weight: 152.72 g (0.34 lb)
;   Material cost: 7.03

and extract from "Build time" ?

simulatedTime? Is this time calculated like pushing file trough the actual RRF system simulating how fast it would exec it or?

Phaedrux

@arhi said in Time Estimates Idea:

simulatedTime? Is this time calculated like pushing file trough the actual RRF system simulating how fast it would exec it or?

That's right. You can run a simulated print and it will do a faster than real time run through of the entire gcode file. Don't interact with the duet during the simulation. It's much faster than real time, but with really long multi-day prints it's still going to take a long time to simulate.

I've found that PrusaSlicer and Cura are already really accurate with their estimates when you're setting the acceleration and jerk values in the slicer. Cura also has a printer settings plugin that lets you set max feedrates etc. I find them to be within 20 minutes on a long print. Which is the same as the amount of time it might take to simulate it first.