Frequently Asked Questions

Please see the list of compatible printers.

Early Access is now available! Get started here!

While coreXY or box-style printers are compatible, most are not officially supported. Please contact us for more information.

If you have been using AutoFarm^3D and have since directly replaced the motherboard (no custom replacements), AutoFarm^3D will still work.

AutoFarm^3D™ is not an Octoprint Plugin, we built it from scratch to create a scalable software solution specifically designed for 3D printer automation and print farms with many printers.

Octoprint is not designed for print farms or automation. AutoFarm^3D was designed from the ground-up to be scalable and efficient no matter how many printers you have. Octoprint plugins may or may not work together, but all features in AutoFarm^3D are fully integrated and require zero setup or configuration.

Auto bed levelling is required for automatic part removal, as the printer bed may shift and tilt slightly between prints. If you are planning to run your printers in "Manual" mode, auto bed levelling is not required.

Yes, as long as you have firmware that supports your specific probe setup, then it will work.

Pi 3 is compatible, however it is not officially supported. Due the the lower RAM, webcams are not recommended with Pi 3.

Depending on what mods you have installed, AutoFarm^3D will most likely work. Please contact us to make sure your mods are compatible.

It is not officially supported. Some customers have figured out how to make AutoFarm^3D work with Klipper, but it is not trivial to set up. You may join our Discord server to learn more from our users who have had success.

No. Due to lack of demand, supporting RRF is not a high priority for us right now.

No, the tilt does not affect the print quality.

No, AutoFarm^3D does not require a VAAPR bed or auto-ejection kit. If you don't want auto-ejection, you can leave your printers in "Manual" mode and remove prints from your bed manually.

Yes, however you will need a way for the parts to fall out. We recommend leaving a gap at the front of the enclosure so parts don't pile up inside the enclosure. Contact us for more details.

When the VAAPR bed cools down, parts completely detach, making them extremely easy to fall off. See the adhesion demo here.

Please contact us if you are interested in using belt printers with AutoFarm^3D.

Please contact us if you have a custom DIY automation solution already in place.

When set up correctly, 3D printers can print out parts 24/7 for multiple days in a row until they run out of filament. Automation is not magic, however, and there is a learning curve. Please find out if you are automation ready here.

By default, we probe the bed at 170 degrees which prevents ooze during probing. At the end of the print we automatically add a 3.5mm retraction which will work on bowden & direct drive printers.

We provide live setup calls to get your farm networked as quickly as possible while providing basic training. Once you get set up, it is easy to add more printers and hubs to your network by yourself. More info here.

We only support Raspberry Pi 4 and Rock64. While AutoFarm^3D can theoretically run on any device that runs Linux, at this time, we do not officially support any other hardware.

Ethernet is by far the most reliable option and is recommended for all print farms whenever possible.

Yes! AutoFarm^3D supports multiple printers per Pi/hub, and if you have your hub set to "Worker" mode, then it can support up to 6. More info here.

Yes. AutoFarm^3D has a built-in tunnelling system that allows you to control your print farm wherever you are. More info here.

We recommend the following devices:

See the full list here.

The VAAPR bed is attached to the heated bed using double-sided adhesive, which makes it quite permanent. You may alternatively adhere the VAAPR bed to a flexible spring steel sheet if you have a magnetic bed system.

Yes, automated part removal works for parts as thin as 1mm.

Yes, automated part removal works even for parts that cover the entire build plate. We have successfully auto-removed a square that covered almost the full print bed on the CR10 (270x270 mm).

You only lose a very small amount of print area. It's about a 40x40 mm square in the top left or top right corner of your print bed. Unless you are printing extremely close to the maximum size of your printer, you won't notice this small loss of build volume.

Yes. See our bed replacement policy here.

If your current print bed completely releases your prints when it cools down (no force required to lift the part off the plate), then you don't need a VAAPR bed. We cannot provide support for other print surfaces though, so do this at your own risk.

Yes, but they are reserved for AutoFarm^3D customers. If you are using AutoFarm^3D, VAAPR beds can be purchased separately on our online store.

If you have the right tools and skills, you can cut VAAPR beds down to any shape or size you need. If you choose to cut the VAAPR beds, use a dust mask to avoid breathing in any dust that is created.

VAAPR bed will release parts of all shapes and sizes, but we understand it can be nice to see it just for peace of mind. Upon request, we will provide a video of your part being automatically removed. Send an email with your STL file and any custom print settings to info@3dque.com to request a VAAPR part release demo.

Many materials will release at temperatures higher than the default 29 degrees. You'll have to experiment with the materials you have, but PLA can release as high as 36 degrees, and high temperature materials like ABS and ASA release at 50-60 degrees.

We created a video showing how you can add a fan to your print bed! Check it out here.

No. Although VAAPR is the most reliable print surface for automation, other print surfaces can release parts well enough for automation, depending on the part size and material.

No. The VAAPR bed is made of a custom material invented by 3DQue which is optimized to release 3D printing polymers when it cools down. We have gone through over 20 iterations of the VAAPR bed formulation to arrive at a high-performance, reliable print surface that lasts for over 5 years.

Send us an email and we'll schedule a video call to show you the software live.

We offer AutoFarm^3D for free with 100 hours of printing included each month. Download here.

The Beta Testing Program is for current users who want to try out our newest features before we release it to the general public. If you want to become part of the Beta Testing Program, you may reach out to our staff on our Discord community.