Simplify3D has released version 5.1 of its paid slicing software. The release follows up December’s highly anticipated version 5.0, which was largely received as lackluster by users and reviewers, many lamenting a lack of buzzworthy features after a years-long wait.
Headlining Simplify3D 5.1 is a collection of features that work to improve the visible surfaces of prints. An ironing feature, for instance, performs a finishing pass that smooths imperfections on a print’s top layer, resulting in a “perfectly flat finish”, with newly added monotonic infill settings controlling the direction and order of infill toolpaths for improved consistency. Additionally, “intelligent” anti-scarring uses “unique retraction and movement behavior” to – you guessed it – reduce unwanted marks and scarring, while a top layer control feature enables users to customize the properties of a print’s top layer – including speed, flow rate, and cooling – to achieve “perfectly sealed” surfaces.
A “major upgrade” to Wi-Fi and Ethernet communication, meanwhile – which is compatible with Klipper, OctoPrint, and Duet3D-powered printers, as well as popular Klipper tablets such as the Creality Sonic Pad – allows users to leverage the Simplify3D Machine Control Panel to upload files, monitor printer statuses, and more.
Simplify3D version 5.1 also arrives with a new “Live Preview” feature that shows an animated, real-time simulation of a print. There’s also a separate option for an embedded thumbnail preview image, which can be displayed on a printer’s LCD screen. Rounding out the update is native support for Apple M1 and M2 silicon, which Simplify3D says results in up to 20% faster performance during CPU-intensive, plus “support for more than 30 new 3D printers, including real-time monitoring, optimized settings profiles, and full customization capabilities”.
Version 5.1 is available as a free update for all existing Simplify3D 5.0 users. New users can purchase a perpetual license for Simplify3D for $199 on the Simplify3D website. Those who have purchased a license in the past 12 months, however, are eligible for a free upgrade, with those holding a license from before that time able to make the jump up at a “small fraction” of the full license cost.
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License: The text of "Can Simplify3D 5.1 Make Up For 5.0’s Poor Reception?" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.