dynamic outline direction

[rsilvers]

When you want a part to have the best zit-free surface finish, you want to have the perimeter printed from the outside-in. But that doesn't work as well for overhangs. So for parts with overhangs, I need to change it to print inside-out.

How about an "auto" setting that uses outside in most of the time, but changes, to inside-out for over-hang areas?

[vinny1575]

+1

[glx51mm]

+1

[marcnicol]

+1

[vinny1575]

Just for good measure +++1

[Jbc]

Could be a nice default type setting.
+1

[Edwin]

+1

[ashleywebster]

+1 on the auto idea

I also wanted to add, because I just noticed this, that inside-out prints from the inside of the model to the outside, not from the *middle* perimeter to the outside perimeters. So when printing a 45 degree wall, and choosing inside-out to improve overhangs, all you're actually doing is transferring the 'hanging' thread to the other side of the wall. So to add to this feature request, a fourth option to begin from the middle perimeter and print outwards. To illustrate, if you have perimeters 1,2,3 where 3 is inside the model and 1 is outside, the current option to print inside-out will start at 3 and move toward 1. I would like the option to start at 2.

[KeyboardWarrior]

+1 on the auto idea

I also wanted to add, because I just noticed this, that inside-out prints from the inside of the model to the outside, not from the *middle* perimeter to the outside perimeters. So when printing a 45 degree wall, and choosing inside-out to improve overhangs, all you're actually doing is transferring the 'hanging' thread to the other side of the wall. So to add to this feature request, a fourth option to begin from the middle perimeter and print outwards. To illustrate, if you have perimeters 1,2,3 where 3 is inside the model and 1 is outside, the current option to print inside-out will start at 3 and move toward 1. I would like the option to start at 2.

That's a good idea, I think that depends on the plastic though. Some plastics have the property that they bond to themselves extremely easily though, and therefore it might be better to extrude the overhang if the plastic can fit into an L-shaped region.

However, from a heat-transfer perspective, printing the middle perimeter first is actually really good for materials such as PLA since there would be less heat in the system from less perimeter layers and therefore the important overhang outside edge would solidify much faster and hopefully give better results.

[moraesgyn]

+1 on auto, that you be really helpful, on overhang, change to the best one for that layer.