VolcoGUI

Desktop GUI for Volco, a 3D printing voxel simulator. Provides drag-and-drop G-code import, parameter configuration, and interactive 3D STL visualization.

Download

Latest Release: v0.3.2-beta

Windows: Download VolcoGUI_v0.3.2_win.zip, extract, and run VolcoGUI.exe. No installation required - Volco is bundled.

Other platforms: Build from source (see below).

Features

• Drag-and-drop G-code file import
• Configurable simulation parameters (voxel size, step size, nozzle diameter)
• Background processing with progress tracking
• Interactive 3D STL viewer (PyVista/VTK)
• Bundled Volco engine (no separate install needed for releases)

Quick Start (Development)

Prerequisites: uv package manager

# Setup
git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/kylegrover/volcogui.git
cd volcogui
uv sync

# Run
uv run python -m volcogui.main

If you already cloned without submodules:

git submodule update --init --recursive

Or use convenience scripts: run.bat (Windows) / ./run.sh (Mac/Linux)

Usage

1. Import G-code: Drag-and-drop .gcode file or use "Browse Files..."
2. Configure parameters:
   • Voxel Size (0.001-10mm): Simulation resolution (default 0.1mm)
   • Step Size (0.001-10mm): Filament discretization (default 0.1mm)
   • Nozzle Diameter (0.1-5mm): Printer nozzle (default 0.4mm)
3. Click "Run Simulation" and wait for completion (30-120s typical)
4. View/interact with result in 3D viewer (left-click drag to rotate)

Parameters

• voxel_size: Grid resolution. Smaller = more accurate but slower. Try 0.2mm for quick preview, 0.05mm for detail.
• step_size: Filament segment length. Must be small enough relative to filament length (see troubleshooting).
• nozzle_diameter: Match your printer's actual nozzle.

Performance

Example (344 filaments, 0.1mm voxel): ~12s

Time complexity: O(n³) for voxel size, O(m) for filament count.

Building Releases

See BUILD.md for creating standalone executables with bundled Volco.

uv pip install pyinstaller
uv run python build.py
# Creates dist/VolcoGUI/ folder ready for distribution

Troubleshooting

"Volco not found": Run git submodule update --init (dev mode) or use bundled release.

Slow simulation: Increase voxel_size or step_size (0.2mm for preview, 0.05mm for quality).

Missing dependencies: Run uv sync

See LESSONS_LEARNED.md for more solutions.

Documentation

• START_HERE.md - Project navigation
• LESSONS_LEARNED.md - Integration notes and known issues
• DEVELOPMENT.md - Architecture and extension guide
• BUILD.md - Release build instructions

Tech Stack

• UI: PyQt6
• 3D Rendering: PyVista (VTK)
• Simulation: Volco
• Package Manager: uv

Contributing

Pull requests welcome. See DEVELOPMENT.md for architecture details.

Credits

• Volco - 3D print simulation engine
• PyVista - VTK visualization
• uv - Python packaging