Thanks to the strong community support and development team at Ultimaker, the open beta test for Cura 2.5 has finally concluded! You can now download the latest official version of Cura here.
Cura 2.5 will not disappoint. It comes packed with numerous new features and bug fixes, promising a more seamless 3D printing experience.
This version includes many useful improvements such as enhanced printing speed, multi-threading support, and more accurate print cost calculation.
Remember: If you are upgrading from an older version (Cura 2.4 or earlier), your settings may be overwritten.
Be sure to back up your settings folder before installing Cura 2.5. For information on the location of the settings folder, please see here.
New Feature Highlights
Our development team has worked hard to make Cura 2.5 the best 3D printing software on the market. Here's a quick overview of the new features and improvements:
Improved Print Speed: We've optimized the entire system. Now, the calculation process for your printer, settings, material, and Printcore is significantly faster than before.
We've also improved the processing speed of 3MF files, allowing you to open 3MF data in one-tenth of the time it used to take. This greatly reduces waiting time before printing!
Multi-Threading Support: This is a significant improvement for Windows and Linux users. On PCs with multi-core CPUs, Cura can now perform multiple processes and slicing tasks simultaneously.
Depending on your PC specs and model data, slicing speed can increase by up to 70%, further boosting your workflow efficiency!
Print Bed Preheating: Ultimaker 3 users can now preheat their print bed more easily. This reduces downtime and speeds up the workflow.
Simply use the "Preheat" function on the print monitoring page and set the appropriate temperature for the material you are using.
Improved 3D Preview Function: Want a clearer view of how your model will be printed? We offer an improved Layers preview mode for OpenGL 4.1 compatible PCs.
For OpenGL 2.0-4.0 compatible PCs, the system will automatically switch to the traditional display mode.
Disable Auto Slicing: Some users reported that the auto-slicing function was slowing down their workflow. Reflecting your feedback, we've added an option to turn off auto-slicing!
Auto Scaling Default Off: Previously, if a model's size didn't fit in Cura, it would be automatically scaled. However, since users found it difficult to notice the size change, this feature is now disabled by default.
Print Cost Calculation: Cura 2.5 can now calculate print costs. Simply enter the price and weight per roll of material.
Additionally, different cost settings can be applied per material, allowing for more accurate cost management.
Gcode Loading Function: The Gcode loading function is back! By loading Gcode into Cura, you can view it in Layers mode.
Furthermore, you can print, share, and save Gcode from Cura, and even preview the finished print!
Updated Infill Settings: Infill settings now include a Top Layer Expansion setting, allowing you to extend walls into the infill region.
This is useful when normal infill is not suitable for narrow areas. You can freely set the minimum extent for replacing infill with wall thickness.
Additionally, settings for Top/Bottom Line Direction and Infill Line Direction have been added, allowing you to choose the optimal pattern and direction such as Line or Zig Zag.
Discard or Keep Changes Popup: After making changes to print settings and switching to a different profile,
a dialog will now appear asking whether to keep the changes. More information is displayed, making the operation more intuitive.