My top three feature requests (and an extra one)

[Steve Nicholls]

Relatively new to Simplify3D but have been impressed so far. However, these are the three requests I would most like to be implemented (if I just haven't found the settings yet tell me! )

1. Stronger infill - even with random placement turned off the infill does not add much structural support to a model. The infill structure is much better in just about every other slicer I use / have used and is now the main reason I do not use Simplify for everything.

2. Ability to adjust (reduce) speed of printing for top infill layers.

3. Ability to set acceleration parameters for different parts of the print - i.e. high acceleration settings for infill, lower acceleration settings for top/bottom layers and outer perimeters.

Finally haven't quite figured out how I can set the order in which objects are printed sequentially it would be nice if it were possible to set the sequence of objects manually.

Steve

[KMFDMK]

I also want the ability to manually sequence the order in which parts are made. Having run a CNC Laser (Bystronic BySpeed 3015 / 4400 Watt) the ability to manually sequence part creation would be of great help. I'm trying to print 12 parts at a time, but even if I reposition them manually S3D builds them in whatever way it wants. It also seems to have a partly random infill generation as well. Instead of always filling from top right to bottom left, depending on travel moves it seems to infill 25% in one direction then travel to the opposite side and work back to the start point.

Also some what of better highlighting (even if an optional default turned off feature) Lead Ins and Lead Outs where it's beginning to lay down/start a layer and end (perform retraction) etc would be a great feature.

[KeyboardWarrior]

I also want the ability to manually sequence the order in which parts are made. Having run a CNC Laser (Bystronic BySpeed 3015 / 4400 Watt) the ability to manually sequence part creation would be of great help. I'm trying to print 12 parts at a time, but even if I reposition them manually S3D builds them in whatever way it wants. It also seems to have a partly random infill generation as well. Instead of always filling from top right to bottom left, depending on travel moves it seems to infill 25% in one direction then travel to the opposite side and work back to the start point.

Also some what of better highlighting (even if an optional default turned off feature) Lead Ins and Lead Outs where it's beginning to lay down/start a layer and end (perform retraction) etc would be a great feature.

Is there a quality issue with Simplify3D sequentially printing your parts in a random order? The amount of time it takes to travel from one part to another is minuscule compared to the overall print time.

[KMFDMK]

Yeah, the issue is making sure that when you have a dual head extruder/printer that the second (currently not in use) extruder doesn't unnecessarily travel over top of parts. There's literally NOTHING I can do in terms of sequencing to prevent this in S3D. The only half-way work around is to reduce print bed population and orient / spread the parts to prevent this from occurring. I have tried a current 8 part nest in several different nesting patterns and due to the dual head nature of my printer, and the random print order/travel, it's printing a layer (adding material) then traveling back across that part because it's not doing it in a ordered fashion. It's failed every time due to the print head (which is leveled properly & so is the bed) catching on the top of the parts it's traveling past.

Yes I know there's a vertical retraction option. I'm very familiar with that feature, but it's not fixing the problem, it's a workaround. The problem is traveling over printed parts due to a random print sequence.

Sure you might argue that the time wasted transiting is minimal, and that's where you'd be dead wrong. In a commercial production environment, I was able to reduce part production times up to 50% by manually sequencing a build nest to minimize excessive travel moves, and excessive vertical retractions. This came from out of the box thinking when I was brought on board. The prior laser operator had 15+ years experience, and been doing it since they manually programmed @ the machine or on an old desktop and loaded via floppy disk. They told me it was a waste of time, I proved otherwise.

In my case I'm printing parts in TPU and NinjaFlex at high layer resolution (can't smooth final product via Acetone) and as such the run times are 9+ hours. Every last thing I can do to squeeze out faster times, and more reliable part production I'll try.

Perhaps I'm spoiled from having software that does this for the CNC Laser, but even the super simple "programming" (feature/cut sequencing) software that comes with the Bystronic laser can do this.

[JoeJ]

You can adjust the printing speed for the top and bottom solid layers by clicking on the Other tab and decreasing the "Solid infill underspeed" option

[jimc]

I do the same thing as you and sequentially print a plate full of parts. Many times its ninjaflex as well. I arrange my parts on the build plate in a certain order and thats the order they are printed. It generates the gcode in the order they are listed in the window on the left. Its not random. Knowing it runs down that list from top to bottom i arrange the parts accordingly.

[KMFDMK]

I do the same thing as you and sequentially print a plate full of parts. Many times its ninjaflex as well. I arrange my parts on the build plate in a certain order and thats the order they are printed. It generates the gcode in the order they are listed in the window on the left. Its not random. Knowing it runs down that list from top to bottom i arrange the parts accordingly.

Jim,

In the FFF Process Settings under the Layer Tab, do you have "Print Islands Sequentially w/o Optimization" checked? That's the last thing I have yet to try. I did try manually arranging my parts in a nest / grid layout on the build platform and ensuring that as you go top-down through the models list that they were in a sequential zig zag pattern (just like we do at the machine shop). Still ended up with a random print sequence. Trying to figure out what I'm not doing that you are to get it to print sequentially Thanks FWIW I'm on a FF Creator Pro.

PS. I'd have taken this directly to Private Message, however in the event we resolve my random print sequence issue, others that might encounter the same problem will hopefully come here and see that it's been solved and not bother adding to the feature requests unnecessarily.

[S3D-Jason]

Many of these requests were implemented in the latest v3.0 update
1) Many new infill options were added to greatly increase the strength inside your part. You can choose from numerous different patterns now including honeycomb, grid, triangular, etc.
2) You can reduce the speed of the top layers by clicking on the Other tab and changing the "solid infill underspeed" setting.
3) You can set different acceleration parameters for different features using the new feature type tags in version 3.0. Read this for more details: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=678&p=12480#p12480

[tonyno]

I also want the ability to manually sequence the order in which parts are made.

Any solution for this yet? I want to print a custom, purge object first. I thought I could control order by placing items near the origin, or by changing their order in the model list, but that's not the case.