User avatar
KeyboardWarrior
Posts: 480
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 5:02 pm

Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

Today's tip is more of a glossary of terms for the Layer tab. If you guys have anything to add, please feel free to add a comment below.

Layer Tab

Primary Extruder: Which extruder you'd like to have the Perimeters printed with.

Primary Layer Height: How thick you want each layer to be on the Z-axis. Smaller means finer resolution and better print quality, but also means many more layers you'll have to print, which can dramatically increase print time.

Most profiles use the following:
Fast prints: .3 mm
Medium: .2 mm
High Quality: .1 mm

Top Solid Layers: The number of 100% infill layers that will be placed at the top of your part. If you notice that there's some incomplete filling your top layers, I would recommend raising this value from 3 to 5 and increasing the extrusion multiplier slightly under the Extruder tab if needed.

Bottom Solid Layers: The number of 100% infill layers that will be placed at the bottom of your part.

Outline/Perimeter Shells: Outline shells will trace the outline of your part, and extrude at your extrusion thickness. The printer will print the outline shells, then print Infill afterwards. I traditionally print with 2 Outline Shells.

Outline Direction; Inside-Out: It will print your perimeter shells from the inner shell to the outer most shell. This is very beneficial when printing overhangs, as the print is branching out in the X-Y direction for each layer.

Outline Direction; Outside-In; It will print your perimeter shells from the outer most shell to the inner most shell. This is better for surface quality finish usually. For instance, if printing a cube, this may be the better route.

Print Islands Sequentially without optimization: Lets say you are printing the part below. If you went from pillar to pillar in the most efficient order, you may get to the next layer so quickly there may be issues with heat-build up and the previous layer not being solidified. Therefore, you can turn off optimization, and then it will print the pillars in a random-order therefore helping you prevent from heat-build up.

Image

Single outline corkscrew printing mode (vase mode): The extruder will print with one outline/perimeter shell and won't make any retracts. This means that it will slowly move up in the Z as it prints, imagine spiraling upwards, instead of printing a static layer, than moving upwards to do another layer. Traditionally with vases the best settings I've found are Zero top solid layers, 3 Bottom Solid Layers, and under the Advanced tab enable "Merge all outlines into a single solid model".

First Layer Settings (These are applied to where the Bed touches your model. If you have a raft, that means the First Layer Settings will apply to your raft).

First Layer Height: This % will take a % of your Primary Layer Height. If you are printing with a small Primary Layer Height like .1 mm I would recommend a First Layer Height of 250%, to get about a resulting .25 mm first layer height

If your First Layer Height is below 100%, the extrusion amount will remain the same, only the Z-will change, but if you increase above 100%, the extrusion amount will scale accordingly.

First Layer Width: the extrusion width of your first layer, you may find that your first layer sticks better with a thicker extrusion (100%+). I don't have too much experience with this, but I think 125% or 150% would be good starting points.

First Layer Speed: Slows down the First Layer Speed to a percentage of your Default Printing Speed (Other tab)

Start Points: Certain printers find that there are very small voids at the starting points. This can create a seam on the print. Start points can options can help for both controlling where these voids (the seam) goes, but also help for print time.

Use Random Start Points for all perimeters: Randomizes the starting points

Optimize Start points for fastest printing speed: Optimizes starting points by finding the closest location for the next starting point. When generating G-Code you can see the travel moves, traditionally this option really minimizes the amount of red lines that signify travel moves you will see on the G-Code previewer

Choose start points closest to specific location: This can be useful if you want to line-up your starting points on a certain part of your print, so the seam isn't obvious or is hidden.
Screen Shot 2015-01-15 at 2.17.47 PM 1.png
GoldMark
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:49 am

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

Thank you very much for the tips. I am waiting for the next one :D
Best Regards

Bernhard
-----
Simplify3D 3.1 Lubuntu 16.04 LTS 364-Bit
Mendel90 Nophead with alu plate and 1mm carbon plate on top. Print only with PLA
66tbird
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 1:22 pm

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

GoldMark wrote:Thank you very much for the tips. I am waiting for the next one :D
Agree :D
turbocharged110
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:45 pm

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

First Layer Height: This % will take a % of your Primary Layer Height. If you are printing with a small Primary Layer Height like .1 mm I would recommend a First Layer Height of 250%, to get about a resulting .25 mm first layer height

If your First Layer Height is below 100%, the extrusion amount will remain the same, only the Z-will change, but if you increase above 100%, the extrusion amount will scale accordingly.
I was just about to post a thread asking a question specifically asking how S3D interprets this parameter. Thanks for the info!
Printer: Rostock Max w/ E3D V5 hotend and lots of upgrades/modifications
jcullins
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:36 am

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

I see in the tab screen shot this is for PLA, what changes would be made for ABS or nylon ?
Great tips. I bought a Robo3d R1 with auto-leveler about 2 months ago, lots to learn. Thanks
User avatar
KeyboardWarrior
Posts: 480
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 5:02 pm

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

jcullins wrote:I see in the tab screen shot this is for PLA, what changes would be made for ABS or nylon ?
Great tips. I bought a Robo3d R1 with auto-leveler about 2 months ago, lots to learn. Thanks
Changing the material configure would change things like the temperature, cooling settings and extrusion multiplier for the most part.
jcullins
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:36 am

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

Okay, so you recommend just going with the default for my printer (Robo3d r1 with auto level) and the material type.
easy enough. I am very new to this so I do have a lot to learn.
Thanks
User avatar
AIBLTD
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 5:29 am

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

Thanks for your postings. It is very useful indeed!
jcullins
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:36 am

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

I don't see a setting for flexible filament , What would change from ABS.
Mike01Hu
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 5:11 pm
Location: Lakenheath, UK

Re: Tip of the Day 4- Layer tab, a technical analysis

I thought the first layer width referred to the distance between lines as when I tried this that is what I got. From what I see, the extrusion does not change so the effect is to give better gap filling and better adhesion. I'll have another look.

Mike

Return to “General Discussion and Tips”