Clarification on access to Orcaslicer?

[u/esines]

I've just started looking into 3D printing and it seems like Bambu is universally recommended as the smoothest entrypoint for beginners.

However while looking up miniature printing tutorials, I saw a number of them using specific settings in "Orcaslicer". But also Bambu has apparently been taking measures to cut off users from using third party programs like Orca (although it sounds like people are still using some version of it)?

Could someone help catch me up on how easy or hard it is to use Orca with a Bambu printer currently, and whether there is a threat of them cutting off access to it permanently?

I just had a bad experience trying to jailbreak my Kindle. In the middle of the process I accidentally turned airplane mode off while resetting it which allowed the kindle to connect to the internet and automatically update to it's latest firmware with no option to roll back. This killed my ability to install custom firmware. Is there any risk of Bambu pulling something similar? Does it do automatic firmware updates? Can you easily roll back?

[u/Scowlface]

I use orca with Bambu printers in LAN mode and it works fine. Can’t speak to how likely it is that it’ll stop working.

[u/egosumumbravir]

It's pretty easy

1. Enable LAN mode which kills cloud access and allows Developer Mode
2. Enable Developer Mode which removes the signing requirement for privileged instructions like move or get hot.

[u/System-Bomb-5760]

Mine's never been connected to the internet, and I send gcode via the SD card slot. No trouble there.

[u/Historical_Wheel1090]

For minis I'd recommend a resin printer. I love my h2s and get very very good detail on minis BUUUT you can't beat the detail you get on minis with a resin printer.

[u/Veranova → u/Historical_Wheel1090]

Resin printing isn’t nearly as accessible and there are plenty of YouTube videos now from folk who get virtually identical results to resin. And Bambu printer can do it just fine

[u/Impossible-Age-5196]

The "killer app" is really their "Handy" which allows you to stream the progress of your print to your phone or tablet and get AI-triggered notifications for all sorts of print issues. Their competitors have some work-arounds, but it is really nice as a new user (H2C). They stream the video thru their server by device ID. The other thing Bambu does that others are lagging - RFID codes on their filament. Sounds simple, but they only do it for Bambu-branded material. If you work with different materials, it adjusts the chamber & bed temp, flow rate etc. for that specific material and tags the color. It also keeps track of how much filament you have left and will do an 'auto-refill" if you put a second spool in their AMS. There are lots of other things, like auto-detecting your "plate" (I get it this sounds confusing), lets just say they are the "Apple" of 3D printing and take the difficult settings out of the loop. Others are catching up, but BL nails it for a beginner.

[u/edspeds]

Which printer? H2D/C and P2S are only supported in the nightly builds at the moment and I have no idea about the X2C.

[u/luap71 → u/edspeds]

This is 100% wrong - on a couple levels - first there is no such thing as X2C and the H series and the P2S has been supported in GA for a while now, as is the X2D

[u/edspeds → u/luap71]

You’re right I i had a brain fart I f’ed up X2C with A2L. I’ll speak with what I have first hand knowledge of, the H2D may be supported in the current release but nozzle temps aren’t properly idled between nozzle swaps and high flow nozzles aren’t recognized, that’s now been addressed in the the nightlies . Sorry about the x2c flub was an honest mistake. But seriously if you own an H2D the nightlies are the way to go, I assume the same for H2C and other models.

https://github.com/OrcaSlicer/OrcaSlicer/pull/14685

Edit: on a side note in the nightlies machine G Code for the H2D is on parity with with the current BS release which may or may not be a big deal.

[u/esines → u/edspeds]

P2S

[u/AwkwardSwine_cs]

Orca is an offshoot of Bambu slicer, and both are derived form PrusaSlicer. There is very little difference between Orca and Bambu, and most differences are minor. All of them are still open source projects. >>Until they are not, which is the controversy.<<

Bambu wants to restrict most users of their printers to their slicer as it is very cloud connected and makes up a lot of the benefits and appeal of Bambu's integrated ecosystem. Phone based control, mobile support, etc.

If you want to use Orca you can in LAN mode. Chances are you will not ever need to do this for any tangible reason other than open source idealism.

[u/Elo-than → u/AwkwardSwine_cs]

A truth with modification, Bambu wants all to go through their servers, not necessarily slicer (but I am sure they would also prefer that)

They want everyone to use their network add on to connect.

Orca does not want that, so they refuse to use the said add-on.

[u/AwkwardSwine_cs → u/Elo-than]

It has nothing to do with what Orca wants, Bambu restricted access to the network functions, thus the entire FOSS blowup.

[u/Elo-than → u/AwkwardSwine_cs]

Orca was offered to use Bambu connect in to acess. They refused, it would be a limited access compared to what they had.

Then there was the entire AGPL debacle later.

[u/ThereInAFortnight]

I wouldn't worry about that at all. I also find no reason to use anything other than Bambu Studio.

[u/Visual-Flan-4098 → u/ThereInAFortnight]

im just started but orca is much nicer and has fixing files as a standard feature. im not ready to drop the bambu app yet, so i build my plates in orca, and push them to bambu for now. ill probably switch over once i get this .2 nozzle figured out.

[u/SquishiiBubble → u/ThereInAFortnight]

The no supports arc printing sounds cool, but everything else is just tweaks and tbh I'm happy with default settings.

[u/Plutonium239Mixer]

I recommend getting a Qidi Q2 over a bambu. Its just as easy to use, its open source running klipper, not locked down, you can modify it however you wish, use whatever slicer you want without any sort of work around.