The most popular 3D printing software app for your Mac!

Ultimaker Cura for Mac

Ultimaker Cura for Mac

  -  236 MB  -  Freeware
  • Latest Version

    Ultimaker Cura 5.9.0 LATEST

  • Review by

    Juan Garcia

  • Operating System

    macOS 10.12 Sierra or later

  • User Rating

    Click to vote
  • Author / Product

    Ultimaker BV / External Link

  • Filename

    UltiMaker-Cura-5.9.0-macos-X64.dmg

Ultimaker Cura for Mac (also known just as Cura) is a popular open-source slicing application for 3D printers, enabling users of all technical knowledge levels to fine-tune their 3D models with over 400 settings for the best slicing and printing results.



The app is designed to be easy to use, even for those with limited experience in 3D printing, and offers a range of features that make it simple to prepare and print 3D models.

This software is well known as one of the best tools for businesses that use 3D printing as part of their daily workflow, offering them extensive stability and security features.

Additionally, the app integrates with a range of other tools and software, making it easy to incorporate into existing workflows. This includes full support for CAD project imports/exports and compatibility with various 3D model and photo file formats such as STL, OBJ, X3D, 3MF, BMP, GIF, JPG, and PNG.

Developers of this app are also makers of a wide array of hardware solutions for 3D printing, providing comprehensive offerings for 3D printing, model preparation, material management, and finalization of projects of all types and sizes.

Key Features
  • Expert Slicing Engine – Manage 3D printing projects of all types and sizes with automated preparation tools.
  • Customization Options – Test over 400 settings for fine-tuning 3D models.
  • Integration with 3D Printers – Send projects seamlessly to a wide range of 3D printers.
  • Material Profiles – Access a large offering of material profiles and find the perfect filament for a specific build.
  • CAD Plugin Integration – Integrates with a range of CAD software, including SolidWorks, Siemens NX, Autodesk Inventor, and others.
  • Cross-Platform Support – Optimized for Intel and M-series Macs, Windows, and Linux computers.
Installation and Setup

This open-source application is available as a completely free product, enabling users on all modern computer platforms to easily deploy it at home, school, or business.

To get it up and running, users only need to download the official installer from its main website or secure FileHorse servers, and drag the app’s icon to the Application folder. This will initiate an automated installation procedure, after which users will be able to jump into the app.

It is important to note that owners of the Ultimaker 3D printers can also download the app of the same name from the App Store (for Macs, iPads, iPhones, and Apple Vision), which will manage all detected printers from this company.
 
How to Use

Using this app is straightforward. New and seasoned users can import their 3D models into the app and then use the various customization options to fine-tune their printing experience.

The app offers a range of tutorials and guides that can help users get started, and the user interface is designed to be easy to navigate.

User Interface

The Ultimaker Cura interface is clean and intuitive, with a layout that makes it easy to navigate the app's various features. The main window displays a summary of the user's 3D model, and users can access the app's customization options through a series of tabs and menus.

In addition to Mac UI options, this app also features native mobile apps that are fully streamlined for touch-friendly operations and 3D model management.

FAQ

What is Ultimaker Cura?
It is a fully featured 3D printing software that allows users to fine-tune their 3D models and print them with ease.

Is it safe?
Yes, this open-source app is regarded as one of the safest and most reliable software solutions for 3D printing.

Alternatives

CuraEngine – A reliable tool for converting 3D models into g-code instructions for 3D printers.

Slic3r – A free and open-source 3D printing software that can connect to a wide range of popular 3D printers.

Simplify3D – A professional-grade 3D printing software for enthusiasts and businesses.

Pricing

This is a free app.

System Requirements
  • OS: macOS 10.12 or later
  • CPU: Intel or M-series processor
  • GPU: OpenGL 4.1 compatible graphics card
  • RAM: 4GB of memory (8GB is recommended)
  • Storage: 550 MB of free space
PROS
  • Easy to use.
  • Advanced slicing engine.
  • Compatible with all modern 3D printers.
  • Extensive customization options.
  • Stylish user interface.
  • Cross-platform availability.
  • Integration with modern 3D model editors.
  • Free for use.
CONS
  • Limited options compared to competition.
  • No support for 3D modeling.
Conclusion

Ultimaker Cura for Mac is a powerful and user-friendly 3D printing software designed to help anyone prepare and print 3D models.

While it may have some limitations, this app is an excellent choice for individuals and businesses that use 3D printing as a hobby or commercially.

Also Available: Download Cura for Windows

  • Ultimaker Cura 5.9.0 Screenshots

    The images below have been resized. Click on them to view the screenshots in full size.

    Ultimaker Cura 5.9.0 Screenshot 1
  • Ultimaker Cura 5.9.0 Screenshot 2
  • Ultimaker Cura 5.9.0 Screenshot 3
  • Ultimaker Cura 5.9.0 Screenshot 4
  • Ultimaker Cura 5.9.0 Screenshot 5

What's new in this version:

New features and improvements:
Scarf seam settings:
- New settings have been added in experimental that let you turn your Z seam into a scarf seam
- Scarf Seam Length Determines the length of the scarf seam, a seam type that should make the Z seam less visible
- Scarf Seam Start Height The ratio of the selected layer height after which the scarf seam will begin
- Scarf Seam Split Distance Determines the length of each step in the flow change when extruding along the scarf seam. A smaller distance will result in a more precise but also more complex G-code.
- Outer Wall Start Speed Ratio This is the ratio of the top speed to start with when printing an outer wall.
- Outer Wall (start) Acceleration This is the acceleration with which to reach the top speed when printing an outer wall
- Outer Wall End Speed Ratio This is the ratio of the top speed to end with when printing an outer wall.
- Outer Wall (end) Deceleration This is the deceleration with which to end printing an outer wall
- Outer Wall Speed Split Distance This is the maximum length of an extrusion path when splitting a longer path to apply the outer wall acceleration/deceleration. A smaller distance will create a more precise but also more verbose G-Code
- Updated the Start and End G-code:
- It is now possible to include conditional statements such as If/Else statements when editing the start and end G-code in your machine settings. This allows you to set up much more complex printer automation that responds to things such as the status of your printer or user input. Learn more about the possibilities on our wiki.

Added the "Extra Infill Lines to Support Skins:
- And other improvements to help make printing over sparse infill more reliable, contributed

More Improvements:
- Introduced Build Fan Speed at Height, Build Fan Speed at Layer, and Build Volume Fan Number to control extra fans, like those controlling the build volume separately
- Significant UI speed improvements interacting with custom settings especially if your printer has multiple extruders
- Introduced an Anycolor option for the UltiMaker S and F series enabling you to print with any UltiMaker color loaded in the material station that is compatible with the printjobs. Note that it’s only compatible with the latest version of the firmware (for Factor 4 >=10.1 and for S-series >=9.0, and it does not include the UltiMaker S3)
- Added an option to Export Package for Technical Support to the help menu, it includes a project file with the settings but also the logs
- Improved the way materials are selected when using multiple extruders to print the build plate adhesion so it doesn't default to the first extruder but the best option instead.
- Improved processes so not only installers but also executables inside installers are signed for Windows
- Introduced improvements to how models and projects with large file size (500MB) slice. A message was also added to inform the user when a file size is too big to slice.
- Made it possible for multiple Engine plugins that are registered to the same slot to be used together. (Only for Modify plugins, and Plugins will be addressed alphabetically)
- Moved the Gradual Flow Engine Plug-in to CuraEngine, this also resolved slicing crashes when the plugin was used in combination with large number of smaller models that were printed at once.
- Improved and expanded the Insert at Layer Change post-processing script, contributed
- Improved and expanded the Time Lapse Post Processing script, contributed
- Added a registry entry to provide the option to silent uninstall on Windows, contributed

Fixed:
- Fixed a crash that would occur when renaming profile names that would result in changing the order of the profiles
- Fixed a bug so objects in a 3MF reload in the same position as they were saved again, contributed
- Fixed an issue where overhanging walls and walls that were adjacent to overhanging walls were not printed at the correct speed
- Fixed a bug that prevented the "Sync materials with printers" page from displaying when accessed immediately after starting Cura or signing in
- Fixed a bug where reloading an updated model would not update the duplicates of the model on the build plate
- Fixed a bug that showed incompatible materials when switching between printers with a different filament diameter.
- Fixed a bug where tree support in enclosed holes has missing layers
- Made improvements in the G-codePathModify slot for Engine Plugins, contributed
- Fixed a bug that prevented changes to the initial layer diameter from being applied properly in tree support, contributed
- Fixed a rounding issue in the engine math
- Bugs resolved since the Beta release:
- Spiralize outer contour no longer adds unnecessary seams to the model
- When coasting is enabled the printhead no longer drops down
- Fixed coasting strategy so it's only applied to outer/inner walls, and not to skin, top-bottom, or infill
- Fixed wiping direction when printing a single wall
- Improved wiping in combination with the scarf seam
- Significantly improved the strategy for sharpest corner - smart hiding seam location combination
- Fixed a bug where long scarf seam length and short scarf seam steps would result in the seam being moved outward
- Fixed a bug where seam acceleration and deceleration around seam were not working
- Fixed a bug where infill was wrongly removed from narrow spaces
- Triple-clicking values and searches that you entered now has you select everything so you can edit it in the field similar to other desktop applications
- Updated dependencies and improved how unwanted and unused binaries are excluded from the building process
- Added Eazao material for the new Eazao printers
- Updated the urls schemes to make them more robust when attempting to open files in Cura
- Retract before outer wall now works correctly on all layers
- Resolved top reported crashes coming in via the analyzing tool Sentry
- Removed an unwanted Z-hop when starting a new layer
- Layer starts are more visible in the print preview with the scarf seam
- Made the X to close floating and pop up windows a little bigger
- Improved the visuals of printers with a build plate texture, they now render more consistently regardless of zoom or angle of view
- The UI now displays correctly on Wayland, with this fix we noticed some performance drop compared to X11

Introduced Makerbot Sketch Sprint:
- The new lightning-fast MakerBot Sketch Sprint has been released and is now supported inside of Cura
- Learn more about our fastest classroom printer; MakerBot Sketch Sprint
- Note: We are very happy with the performance of the Sketch Sprint profiles. However, the Sprint prints so fast that some users have experienced issues with overhangs that do not print as cleanly as they would like. If you find this yourself, you can increase the 'Minimum Layer Time' setting to give the overhangs more time to cool. If the issue persists then use supports to support any overhangs that are giving you trouble. We are always making improvements to our printer profiles and we expect that overhangs will only get better over time!

More Printers and Profiles:
- Introduced Makerbot Sketch and Sketch Large
- Introduced new materials to the UltiMaker Method series, ABS, PETG, Nylon-CF, and Tough PLA
- Introduced new materials for Labs Extruder of the UltiMaker Method series, BASF Ultrafuse 316L, TPE SEBS 1300 95A, and Polymax PC. Except BASF Ultrafuse 316L is not available on the Method XL.
- Various setting improvements for ABS and Nylon for UltiMaker Method series
- Various setting improvements for dual extrusion support for the UltiMaker Method series
- Implemented a hard limit so the bed temperature cannot be more than 120°C on all UltiMaker printers.
- Fixed an error in the profile Ultimaker 2 profile naming
- Introduced the Creality CR-M4, contributed
- Introduced Eazao M500, M600, M700, and Potter, and updated the Eazao Zero, contributed
- Introduced ZYYX+ and ZYYX Pro, contributed
- Updated acceleration settings for the Creality Ender-2 V3 SE, contributed
- Community Translations:
- Updated Japanese translations
- Brazilian Portuguese