Ultimaker 3

Cura
print
guide
Printing with PVA support
PVA support is water soluble and easy to remove, which greatly increases quality on the supported areas. This guide
provides step by step information on how to slice a model with PVA support.

1. Load model

Load the model file by clicking the Open File icon (top
left corner). The file browser displays all files. Select
the relevant model file. Cura supports the following
files: .3mf, .x3d, .stl and .obj. After selecting a model, it
automatically appears on the build plate.

Tip: Select multiple files in your file browser to load simultaneously.

2. Adjust model

Adjustment Tools can be used to position, scale and rotate the object. To use the Adjustment Tools, left click on the
Model. As the engineering model needs to be strong, it must be rotated to ensure the layer bonding is strongest in the
desired direction.

Tip: With complete geometrical freedom, you don’t need to worry about overhangs or bridges.

3. Set print cores and materials

In the sidebar, check if the Print Cores and Materials

are correct. Print core 1 should contain a print core AA
0.4 loaded with PLA. Print core 2 should contain a print
core BB 0.4 loaded with PVA.

Note: If your Ultimaker 3 is connected via the network to Cura and loaded with the correct print cores and materials,
Cura will sync automatically to your machine.
4. Select profile

Select a Profile quality. Options include: Draft Print,

Fast Print, Normal and High Quality. The layer height is
displayed in light grey for indication.

Tip: In the Recommended mode both print cores share the same settings. In the Custom mode, certain settings can be
adjusted per print core if required.

5. Set helpers

Select Helper Parts on the Sidebar. Set the desired

strength and choose the print core for Support: print
support using natural PVA (Print core 2).

Tip: The model Print Time is visible in the bottom right corner of the 3D viewer. Change the profile quality to view the
effect on the print time.

6. Layer preview

To view the result of the selected profile and support settings, go to the View Mode and select Layers. With Print
core 1 selected in the sidebar, the model is highlighted in the layer view. This indicates which parts are printed with
the corresponding print core. When switching visible print cores, (selecting Print core 2 in the top right), the support
becomes highlighted, indicating it will be printed with that print core.

7. Print!

In the bottom right corner, select Save File, Save to

USB or Print Over Network, depending on the chosen
printing method.

Note: Click the top right button to enter the Print Monitor. Note, this can only be done when the printer is connected to
the network.

Thank you for choosing Ultimaker, happy printing!