UltiMaker Cura 5.11 Beta: Painting Tools and New Profiles

Cura 5.11 also bundles dozens of community fixes across Mac, Windows, and Linux. The beta is live on the official UltiMaker GitHub releases page. It installs alongside any existing Cura version, so production users test it without disrupting current workflows.

What UltiMaker Cura 5.11 Adds for Seam and Material Painting

Cura 5.11 introduces three paint-on features. They move common pre-print decisions out of menus and onto the model itself.

Users paint seams directly onto the model to define where Cura places the z-seam, or block out areas where seams should not appear. A second brush handles extruder assignments for multi-material printing, letting users designate regions of the model to specific extruders without re-slicing or splitting the file. Cura now saves painted preferences in the project file, which keeps settings consistent if the same part runs through the slicer again later.

UltiMaker flags the painting workflow as the headline feature in the beta notes.

Expanded UltiMaker S6 and S8 Print Core Support

The UltiMaker S6 and UltiMaker S8 gain wider print core compatibility in 5.11. Cura now slices for AA 0.25, AA 0.4, AA 0.8, CC 0.4, and CC 0.6 cores on both machines.

The change brings the S6 and S8 in line with the wider print core range already supported on earlier S-series hardware. Users running fine-detail prints on AA 0.25 or abrasive composites on the larger CC cores no longer juggle a separate slicing setup.

Improved PLA, Tough PLA, ABS, and PETG Profiles

UltiMaker has refreshed the four most common S-series filament profiles. PLA, Tough PLA, ABS, and PETG profiles in 5.11 produce smoother surfaces, stronger parts, and tighter dimensional accuracy compared with earlier releases.

The release also introduces new draft intent profiles for the same materials. Draft profiles trade some print quality for shorter print times and target users who run frequent iterations or short-run production batches.

New Print Setting Controls and Bug Fixes

Three new advanced settings give users tighter control over extrusion and cooling.

• Retraction during travel moves reduces stringing on long non-print moves.

• Initial layer build fan speed and build volume fan speed settings allow finer cooling control on the first few layers and across the chamber.

• Disable unused extruders pop-up reminder prompts users to switch off idle extruders before slicing, which prevents them from interfering with print quality.

The release also bundles dozens of stability fixes. Cura now launches cleanly on Windows machines running strict antivirus software. Cura corrects overhang wall speeds and brim gap handling. Estimated print times for the MakerBot Replicator+ now read more accurately. Spiralised model top layers print cleaner. Uninstall and startup behaviour on Windows now feels tidier.

Open-Source Contributions in Cura 5.11

The beta also rolls in a round of community contributions. UltiMaker has updated the ChangeAtZ post-processing script for more flexibility, and the release adds new annealing and drying scripts for users running heat-treated parts. Plugins for thumbnail rendering, cooling profiles, filament changes, and LCD display output all gain refreshed code. Per-model retraction settings, contributed by the community, now give users finer control over individual parts in a multi-part build plate.

How to Download the UltiMaker Cura 5.11 Beta

The Cura 5.11 beta lives on the official UltiMaker GitHub releases page. The beta installs alongside the current stable Cura release, so existing print profiles and project files stay intact. Beta software targets testing, so production users should validate workflows on non-critical jobs before relying on it day-to-day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is new in UltiMaker Cura 5.11 beta?
The beta adds paint-on tools for seams and multi-material assignment, expands print core support on the UltiMaker S6 and S8, refreshes PLA, Tough PLA, ABS, and PETG profiles, and includes dozens of community fixes.

Does Cura 5.11 work with the UltiMaker S6 and S8?
Yes. Cura 5.11 adds support for AA 0.25, AA 0.4, AA 0.8, CC 0.4, and CC 0.6 print cores on both the S6 and S8, alongside the refreshed material profiles.

Is Cura free to download?
Yes. Cura is open-source 3D printing software available at no cost. The Cura download runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux and supports UltiMaker, MakerBot, and most third-party FDM printers.

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3D Printer 3D Printers 3D Printing software Cura Cura 5.11 Beta UltiMaker Ultimaker s6 ultimaker s8