Is Orca Slicer still the recommended route to calibrate filament?

That is definitely NOT the case. The code is specifically designed to support Windows, Mac and Linux.

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Let’s clear up some confusion and uncover the mystery of what GitHub does and how Orca Slicer is shared with the world—all in plain, non-technical terms!

What’s GitHub?

Think of GitHub as a giant online library where developers from around the world store and share their work. It’s not just for private projects; it’s also home to open-source creations, meaning anyone can contribute or borrow ideas. Microsoft bought GitHub in 2018 because it’s that important in the tech world. Since then, they’ve made it even easier to use by connecting it with their other tools for free. It’s like a supercharged version of cloud storage, but with tools that let people track changes and collaborate seamlessly. I personally use it for my software projects, and honestly, it’s a treasure for anyone who loves to tinker.

Why Do Developers Love It?

For starters, GitHub gives developers street cred. When you contribute to a project, your name and a little avatar get attached to it for all to see. It’s a great way to build a reputation, especially in the tech and academic world. Plus, who doesn’t love a little recognition?

Let’s Talk About Orca Slicer

Orca Slicer is a fantastic example of how GitHub helps distribute software. Take a look at the image below—it shows the different versions of Orca Slicer available for download. Here’s the breakdown:

  1. Linux: Options for both Ubuntu and AppImage (a more universal format for Linux).
  2. Mac: Versions for both the newer M1/M2 Macs (ARM) and older Intel-based ones (x86), all neatly packed in Apple’s DMG files.
  3. Windows: You can grab an installer or a portable version (runs straight from a USB drive—no messy installs).
  4. Source Code: If you’re feeling adventurous, you can grab the source code and tweak it. Don’t like something? Change it yourself and share your version with the world!

Why Should You Care?

GitHub makes it easy for developers to collaborate and for you to access tools like Orca Slicer in a format that works for your system. It also gives contributors a platform to show off their skills, and who knows? Maybe their tweaks or ideas will end up changing the way we all use software. So next time you use something cool like Orca Slicer, just remember it’s thanks to an amazing community of creators—and a little help from GitHub.

I should also have stated, Github is quite secure if used properly. Although there are bad actors who would try to subvert it to distribute Malware, Microsoft has enhanced the security to make this very difficult to do. The best way to tell is to just make sure that the distributions are signed which is a requirement to use Github for distribution of software.

BTW: Here is the Github link to the Bambu distribution of Bambu Slicer if anyone cares to see what the product looks like from a developer distribution viewpoint.

You’ll notice that their are far fewer contributors since this Github page is supported by a commercial entity and has not invited anyone else to their club. :grin:

@Olias this was in response to the above message with the screenshot regarding quickly moving the window across screens to get the “secret” calibration menu. I hit reply on that message, the forums can be confusing, sorry about that. Wish they would indicate replies better.

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I profiled some Voxel PETG+ HS using Orca from the videos @Olias posted. It all went well, and I manually changed the settings in Orca and saved them in a new profile.


I then imported it into BS, and there is no option to enable pressure advance, so I don’t know if the option is activated.

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Interesting, maybe another reason one might consider using Orca if you need to adjust PA. Thanks for sharing that.

I know this isn’t the question you asked - but why not just stay in Orca? It is fully compatible with BS, all your BS projects, and does all the BS stuff. It is a fork of BS with extra features.

Putting that idea aside - to answer your question:

I think that if you want to use the Orca PA number in BS…it is best to go to the ‘Calibration’ tab in BS, click ‘Flow Dynamics’ on the left. Click the ‘Manage Results’ button on the bottom, find your filament in the list and change the K value. I’ve not gone this route though, I just stayed in Orca.

I think it’s BambuStudio’s direct integration with MakerWorld which saves a few steps when downloading, rating, and providing print profiles?

That makes sense. At the same time, you can pull in your models and print profiles from Makerworld. save the project, quit BS and open the project in Orca. Since everything cloud-syncs between them, all your same filament and slicer profiles wil be in both places.

Still 1 extra step for sure though.

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I would stay in Orca, but when I import step files, I do not get the Step Import parameters as I do with BS.

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