How to Install 3d Printer Drivers

A 3D printer driver is a software that gives meaning to your 3D print ideas. Think of all the amazing things that 3D printing can achieve. There are many ways 3D printing is changing our world today, from manufacturing to engineering. You might have a 3D printer for household use, to learn and explore the depths of the creativity of your mind.

Whatever application you have in mind, you will need a facility to help you birth the amazing 3D ideas that you have always fantasized about. That’s where the 3D printer drive comes into play. The rest of this article emphasizes the crucial role of print drivers and how to install or activate their powers.

The 3D print driver is more than software. We can look at the 3D print driver as the brain of the printing operation that relates your ideas from the computer to the printer just the way you want it. The print driver also helps to decode instructions in a computer language into a form that the printer can relate with and execute. The 3D printer performs “slicing” which is the breakdown of your 3D models into layers and communicating them from their .stl format to the .gcode format that your printer understands.

Without this ability to interpret your ideas, the printer will find it difficult to produce the designs you want. These ideas are complex and multi-faceted. They include the content, size, shape, and positioning of your proposed designs.

The printer driver also recognizes the capacity and capabilities of each print environment and makes the crucial distinction and adjustment that preserves the quality of your print. This cache of sensitive responsibilities summarizes that the print driver ultimately controls every movement and behavior of your printer.

Installing a 3D Printer Driver

Since your print driver, just like a spokesman, is responsible for relaying your print ideas and wishes to the printer, it is a crucial component of your printing operation. The success or failure of your designs largely rests on the well-being of the driver. This is why printers take care to ensure that print drivers are well taken care of. This culture begins by way of proper installation and updates. Installing your driver is all about introducing it to the computer and making it ready for use. Let’s see how to properly install a print driver.

A print driver is software, and there is a litany of print drivers available. Some printers come with their software or print drivers. If yours doesn’t come with its driver, it is left for you to make your choice from among the several exciting ones that are available.

Here are some of the popular 3D print drivers and how to install them on your computer.

1.    Ultimaker Cura

This free software offers customization to its users. You can monitor multiple jobs from one place and print on multiple networks. Ultimaker Cura also allows users to adjust the speed and quality of print. Here is how to install Ultimaker Cura.

1. Ensure you download the version of Cura that is appropriate for your operating system.
2. When the installer option appears, click “run”.
3. The welcome screen will appear next. Click to agree.
4. Your printer settings come next, mark the “Lulxbot Mini” option which appears first under the printer options, mark “Single extruder” under the nozzle diameter column, and “Yes” under the graphical LCD option.
5. The Machine settings window will appear next. Move to the right of the window and click “finish”. Your Ultimaker Cura should be ready for operation.

PrusaSlicer

Here is how to install the PrusaSlicer printer driver (Chromebook).

1. First activate Linux on your Chromebook by clicking on the menu options in settings, select Linux, click the “turn on” option, and then, “install”.
2. Download the AppImage and copy it to the Linux files folder.
3. Install missing libraries on Open Terminal by using the “Sudo apt-get install libglu1-mesa libpangoxft-1.0” command.
4. Prepare the .appimage file by using the “chmod a+x PrusaSlicer-exact-file-name.AppImage” command.
5. Start the PrusaSlicer by using the “./PrusaSlicer-exact-file-name.AppImage” command.

MeshLab

MeshLab is free and fast. With MeshLab, you can run 3D color mapping and texturing, and reconstruction. Here is how to install the MeshLab on Ubuntu 16.04.

1. Download the recent package list by updating your system with the “Sudo apt-get update” command.  Choose from the package list and download.
2. Install MeshLab with the “Sudo apt-get update” command.
3. Click “install” to get your MeshLab up and running.

Meshmixer

Meshmixer offers drag-and-drop features and the ability to design on multiple materials.

Here is how to install the Meshmixer printer driver.

1. Select the Meshmixer Windows 3.5 Installer and download the EXE file on a C:\Downloads folder.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt to select and open an Elevated Command Prompt, and afterward, select Run as Administrator.
3. Enter the C:\Downloads folder and use the “Autodesk_Meshmixer_v3p5_Win64.exe/S” command and then click on the “enter” option. Wait for the desktop shortcut.

3D Builder

The 3D Builder software is a versatile driver that can operate all printers. 3D Builder runs on Windows 8.1, Windows 10 version 15063.0 and above, and Xbox One.

Here is how to install the 3D Builder driver.

1. Visit the Microsoft Store app.
2. Search for 3D Builder on the selection and click on it.
3. Click “Get” and afterward “install” to kickstart the installation.
4. After the installation is complete, click on “Launch”.

IdeaMaker

IdeaMaker allows users to print multiple files and advanced printers to customize their work.

Here is how to install the IdeaMaker printer driver.

1. Choose your preferred language after you open the installer. The Welcome window should come next. Click “Next” to proceed.
2. The License Agreement window will come up next, scroll through to read and click “I Agree” to give your consent and proceed.
3. The Choose Install Location window shows up next. Select a location or installation path and click “Next”.
4. On the “Choose Components” window which shows next, mark the components you do not wish to install. Note that the Printer Driver option isn’t necessary if you use an N-series printer. Afterward, click “Install”.
5. Once the installation is complete, click “Next” to proceed.
6. Click “Finish” to complete the installation. Now your IdeaMaker is ready for printing.

Note that if you have an older version of IdeaMaker already, make sure it is not in operation. Installing IdeaMaker while a previous version is running will predispose the installation to error.

ChiTuBox

Here is how to install the FreeCAD printer driver.

For  Windows:

1. Choose your preferred language after you open the installer. The Welcome window should come next. Click “Next” to proceed.
2. The License Agreement window will come up next, scroll through to read and click “I Agree” to give your consent and proceed.
3. The Choose Install Location window shows up next. Select a location or installation path and click “Install”. The software installation will begin.
4. Next, click “Yes” to restart the resource manager.
5. To complete the installation process, click “Finish”.

For Linux:

1. Select the file and right-click. Scroll to the “Extract here” option and select it.
2. Open the extracted folder and double-click the ChiTubox.

For Mac:

Open the file and drag the ChiTubox icon to the Applications folder. The installation process will begin automatically.

OctoPrint

Octoprint is free and gives users the ability to manipulate the printing directly from their web interface.

OctoPrint runs on several different platforms but mostly on the Raspberry Pi. You can install OctoPrint on the OctoPi distribution. Here is how to install the OctoPrint 3D printer driver.

1. We first install OctoPi by downloading the Raspberry Pi Imager, locating the OctoPi image in the “Choose OS” section, and then selecting the “Other Specific Purpose OS” option followed by the “3D printing”, “OctoPi”, and “stable” for the version choice.
2. Use the Ctrl+shift+x shortcut to open the advanced options where you can set your Wi-Fi country, SSID, and password.
3. Leave the username as “pi” and set your password and click “Save”.
4. Install the image to your SD card and connect to your Raspberry Pi before you boot. Afterward, you can use http://octopi.local.

Ignore the validity warning from your browser. Your OctoPi is ready to work for you.

Final Thoughts

3D printer drivers are an integral part of the success of every 3D print. They control the printing process and ensure that your ideas aren’t distorted or tampered with during the process. There are printer drivers for different operating systems and printers. Not all printers come with their printer drivers.

Many 3D printers require their users to download and install these drivers. 3D printer users have a wide range of available printer drivers they can choose from-each with their installation procedure. If you need to install a printer driver for your printer, you must first make sure to choose a printer driver that is compatible with your printer.

Next, check if your computer meets the installation requirements. With an internet connection and a few clicks you should get your printer driver installed and the printing journey underway.