Extra Features: Queue, Control, History
Outline
Queue
There is no concept of a "queue" in traditional printing. In theory, you could add up multiple objects on an SD card or USB drive, but they're not sorted by priority, there's no concept of "Editing" a job or requesting revisions by the person that submitted it.
If your printer wasn't connected to the cloud, you'd have to make note of which print you want to start next, and then after that, and then after that..
Control
No matter what, all printers allow you to "PAUSE" and "STOP" a print. You can do this from Mobile or Desktop. Stopping a failed print from your pocket can save you from seeing a pile of spaghetti 🍝 when you get back to it!
If your printer wasn't connected to the cloud, you'd have to drive back to the physical location of your printer just to stop the print!
Some printer manufacturers have implemented "Change Filament" and a "Cold Pause".
- Change Filament: Your printer will pause, and back out the existing filament. On-screen instructions will ask you to load new filament before the print resumes.
- Cold Pause: Your printer will pause and the heaters (bed and nozzle) will turn off. When you resume the print, heating will resume.
History
Your printer is not a very smart machine. It interprets GCode and turns that into a 3D model. Your printer does not know what day of the week it is or what it printed last, or last month. The Polar Cloud keeps a detailed log of your print history, including:
- Details
- Queued Date & Time
- Started Date & Time
- Completed/Cancelled Date & Time
- Comments: If you took notes on the print (eg. run #3 failed, this object requires a raft for future prints), comments are displayed in the print history.
- Snapshot: A single photo taken at the end of your print.
- Timelapse (model permitting): The Polar Cloud stitches together photos from your entire print to create an 8 second Timelapse video you can download and share.
If your printer wasn't connected to the cloud, you'd have to relaunch your CAD program and re-export, then re-slice, and re-upload your job. Or even worse.. sort through a bunch of old SD cards and USB drives, trying to remember what you called the print you're looking for!
