Asura is a 3D printing preparation software designed to that simplifies the process of preparing for resin-based 3D printing. It has both features specific to Moai SLA printer as well as for general resin 3D printing.

Main features:

• Import / Export STL files
• Adding Support and base (Automatically / Manual Addition)
• Scale and Rotate Models
• Slice Model to GCode (to print on Moai)
• Distortion Adjustment (Moai only / Gcode only)
• Lightning Fast Processing Speed
• Save/Load Projects
• Undo
• Z-axis cross-section view.
• Resin Volume Estimate
• Print Time estimate
• Improve profile visibility and naming
• Improved Support Printing to make supports stronger
• Improve Stability
• Drag and Drop
• Moai 200 Calibration Profile

Download link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1swATqFfq6awU1ORFn2bNOKt28IFpIl5l

And you can share your feedback here:

https://forum.peopoly.net/t/peopoly-print-software-beta-test-thread/1954

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After downloading Asura from Peopoly link, open and extract the content to a directory:

To start the program, execute Asura3D.exe

*(notice the CuraEngine.exe is also in the directory, we are using version 3.5.1)

Asura will Open:

Register: When you are using it for the first time, you would need to register your copy of Asura. It is free and takes about a minute.

Once Asura is open click “Help” drop down menu. Then click “Register”

Once Clicked, Enter Your name, company (Optional), and email address. This will send a confirmation email to your inbox.

After you click “Send” you will receive this popup notification.

In your email, you will receive a message such as this one:

One you open that email, you will see a message with your activation key.

Copy that code, then go back to Asura and paste it into this window that popped up:

Once code is pasted, Click Register.

Congratulations! You now have registered Asura!

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Select File → Preference to change the size

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Shortcut keys: L for load model. A for Automatic Support. S for Save. V for reset the view

Views You can set views to an axis by clicking the upper right cube.

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Open STL file

Move, Rotate Object

Center Lets you move the object to the center of the platform

To Platform Lowers the object to touch the platform without changing current orientation.

Asura combines rotation and movement into one simple control that can be seen on the below screen.

Click can drag the circles and you can rotate the object, at 5 degrees per turn. Control+Click and drag the circle and you can rotate the object in a much finer angle. Control+Click+drag and then type in a number and you can rotate to a specific angle

Scale Object

Scale can now be done via factor or precise object dimension. You can maintain equal ratios and fit it to the platform. You also have a reset button and the Apply button to save your changes.

Hollows and Holes

Offset: Thickness of the wall. Default is 2mm

Mesh Density: This is how detailed the internal hollow mesh needs to be. Since it is inside of the model, it does not need to be very detailed for most of the applications. The default is 50 which provides excellent results and speed.

Make Holes Enable the functions to create drain holes

Radius is the size of the drain holes

Taper is how the holes close off

Select offset/density first, click up to set hollow. Then click on the model to apply holes. When everything is set to your liking, click “ok” and the program will create hollows and holes in the model.

The blue portion represents the solid part of the model. The green portion represents the hollowed out portion. And the circle is the location of the holes. Left click on the model to create holes while right click to remove them. (see below picture)

Supports

This feature helps you add supports to your model quickly via auto-generated function while offers comprehensive manual and fine-tuned control.

This Icon above will open the support menu.

Generate - Auto generate support based on parameters

Add - Add manual supports based on parameters Click Add or press A will give you a special cursor that you can click on spot for support

You can change the manual support size by changing them in the parameters drop down. The manual support parameters can be different from auto-generated

Just click on the spot you want supports. It can do auto-linking if it is close enough

Delete - Manually remove selected support, including branches. Click or press D to activate

You can select different types of tips and bases for support.

New in 2.2.3. We have perset the ideal support base and diameter for use with most models.

On the left side is support tip

Round Cross

On the right is the base type

single piece of base with flared corner for easy removal

Island base - Individual for each support trunk

No base

Remove Internal ignores any parts that may need internal support. Not frequently used function

Perpetrators

Here you have advanced parameters which you could open by clicking the small triangle:

Tip Size is the tip of the support connecting to the object Trunk Size is the size of the main support trunk Branch Size is the size of the size branches Head Extend is how long the top of support extends out, this allows the tip to tilt Z - Offset is how much the object should raise on z-axis when support is generated. Default is 5mm Base Size is the diameter of the base. The larger the more grip on the build plate. Base Thickness is how thick the base of support should be Density is how dense of the support cluster, the lower the number, the denser. Angle is at what overhang should support be added

Press T to toggle between solid color support and semi-transparent support

Save to STL file

When you have your model rigged up with supports and hollowed, you have the option to save it to a .stl file. To do this, Click the floppy disc button and you will be prompted to select a drive/folder to save your stl file at.

Export

Export function is used to export your Gcode file.

Profile There are 5 default Options from 100um to 20um. And 4 Options for the Moai 200. 100um is the most used profiles and recommended for new users. This is your “Layer Height”.

Calibration Calibration is adjusting distortion related to Moai. Here you can select the default adjustment for Moai 130/Moai 200.

Export file By clicking the Export button, you can provide a name and type of the file you want to export.

Save your Exported Gcode to your SD card in the “Gcode” folder.

For non-Moai users, you can export to STL. The Cura Profile and calibration will not have an effect on the STL file.

Z - Slice Pre-view

This is a slider that will show you your slice within Asura. You can use this to see your infil, hollow, Supports as they will be printed in layers.

When you click this button you will see another slider pop up under it. You have the option to turn infill on and off.

The lower you drag the slider, the closer to the build platform your model will degrade by layer.

The higher you drag the slider, the more it will grow to the completed model.

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General Adjustment.

You can simply select the default adjustment profile moai100_calib as seen here in the export menu:

User can either select none, the included default profile moai100_calib or moai200_calibv2. *Adjustment is only effective when exporting to GCODE

For most users, this would be enough to reduce distortion at the edge to under less than 1%. To make the best use of the moai100_calib.acp. We recommend that your printer is set up this way:

• During laser scanning calibration, only match the other circle
• And do not make use of the firmware x/y size to adjust the print size. Keep X/Y Size at the default value of 900

Since there are build differences between each Moai, this is will minimize some of the deviations. You may not see improvement if your Moai has different calibration than the printer we used to create this general profile. In case you want even high accuracy, use the custom approach

Custom Calibration Profile

This is for those who want to minimize size variance by using custom calibration profiles.

1. Download Calibration Print STL here

2. Load the STL into Asura (or Cura). Make sure it is centered by pressing center. X+ (Positive X Value) is back of the printer and X- (Negative X Value) is the side closest to the door.

3. Make sure your printer's laser is centered and scanning calibrated using Advance Moai calibration guide.

4. Print the above STL file with calibration set to NONE during slicing and measure the actual print value. The blocks on the print are designed to make it easier to measure. Each side starts 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61

Export the file to your computer and then load it on the SD card for the printer within the gcode folder

Put the SD card back in the printer, reboot and print the gcode file you just created.

Remove the build plate with the print attached. Clean the resin off, but leave the print attached to the build plate. Do not try to cure it at this point. This is unnecessary for the calibration procedure.

Measure the actual print as shown and record the values. The blocks on the print are designed to make it easy to measure. Each axis (X+, X-, Y+, Y-) has 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61mm dimensions.

5.

Make a copy of one of the calibration configuration files from the Asura “calib” folder with the extension .acp. Rename it to “mycalibration.acp” and save it back into the Asura “calib” folder.

Open the file you created with notepad or another simple text editor that does not modify or add data. Do not use a word processor like Word etc. unless you know how to export it as a simple text file with no formatting.

The Xval and Yval correspond to the measurements obtained in step 8. The first number in each line is the target value and is never changed, the second number is the correction factor.

To use your own data points. Enter the values you measured in step 8 as the second number in each line.

For example: If you measured -61.25 when you measured the longest part of X-, then you would change the row “Xval -61 60.6” to “Xval -61 -61.25

Once you have changed all the second numbers in each line to what you measured from the test print, then save the calibration file.

Now, print another one of the asura-calib-print-Moai.stl using your new calibration. Follow the same steps as before except when you select the “Export” Icon. Select the Calibration “mycalibration”. This should apply your correction values to the gcode export and your next print should measure out very close to the targets.

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Software history:

6/25/2019 Asura 2.2.3

• Unordered List Item
• Resin Volume Estimate
• Print Time estimate
• Improve profile visibility and naming
• Improved Support Printing to make supports stronger
• Improve Stability
• Drag and Drop
• Moai 200 Calibration Profile

12/29/2018 Version 2.2

• Save / Load Project
• Undo function
• Z-axis cross-section view
• Bug fixes

11/23/2018 Version 2.1

• Improved Distortion Adjustment
• Updated Slicing Engine and Profiles
• Quick keys for manual support generation. A for Add, D for Delete, T for toggle
• Semi-Transparent view Toggle for support

10/27/2018 Version 2.0

• Export and Slicing to GCode (using CuraEngine.exe)
• Distortion Adjustment
• Manual Support allows different size/parameters than auto-generated supports
• Improved support algorithm.
• Bug fixes

9/8/2018 Version 1.5

• Hollowing / Holes
• Bug fixes

8/16/2018 Version 1.2

• Bug fixes to support, better rotation and manual support, improved view perspective, change build volume size, hot-keys

7/24/2018 Manual Support feature added.

7/10/2018 Improved auto-generated support algorithm

7/1/2018 Initial release