Print Recovery

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The Print Recovery sub-category as shown in the MatterControl SETTINGS pane.

Print Recovery is a sub-category of Printer settings which deal with MatterControl's Print Recovery feature, allowing the user to restart prints that have failed due to power loss.

Restrictions

  • This section (Print Recovery) is not shown when Has Hardware Leveling is enabled as G29 procedures could interfere with a partially-completed print.

Sub-sections

Recover Settings

How it works

Print Recovery is an automatic feature that only needs to be enabled for it to function properly. In the event of a power loss or disconnection, MatterControl will remember where the print stopped and offer to resume the print the next time it makes a successful connection to that printer.

Types of failures

Print Recovery works for the following types of print failures:

  • power loss
  • sudden disconnection

Print Recovery does not work for any other type of failure, including:

  • running out of filament
  • any scenario where the print finishes or continues after a detrimental problem (e.g. an extruder jam)

Types of printers

Z Min and Z Max

While Print Recovery hypothetically works for any printer, printers that home the Z axis at the top (as opposed to down, at bed level-- often referred to as a "Z Max printer") are better suited for this feature. The reason for this is that the printer will need to home before restarting the print, and depending on the position of the partially-completed print the nozzle could potentially collide with the part if the printer homes down near the bed (referred to as a "Z Min printer").

XY Homing Position allows the user to specify a set of coordinates that would be least potentially hazardous for a Z Min printer to home. It's a good idea to designate a zone for this based on the size of the carriage, and make sure not to place the part within it. You may need to disable Center On Bed to place the part exactly where you want it.

Hardware Leveling

Printers that run a hardware leveling procedure at the beginning of every print cannot use Print Recovery as a partially-completed print could (and probably would) interfere with the procedure.

Process

To use Print Recovery:

  1. Enable Print Recovery by toggling the Enable Recovery setting on.
  2. Wait for a print to fail. If necessary, you can manually move the hot nozzle away from the printed part to avoid damage.
  3. Depending on the type of failure steps may vary, but essentially you need to get back to a state where the printer is on and connected to MatterControl.
  4. Once connected to the printer again, MatterControl will automatically detect that the last print failed and offer to restart.
  5. Click the 'Recover Print' button and the printer will home all axes, then resume from where it stopped. The first layer after the restart will print at the Recover Layer Speed.