What does print quality setting change?

[WizarDru]

Hi, gang.

So, I picked up Simplify3D a few weeks ago and after a bit of a rough start (due entirely to me and the printer)*, I'm FINALLY getting the results out of my printer that I'd hoped for when I first purchased it. Which raises a question about some behavior that I observed last night. I'm using a Printrbot Simple Metal with a heated bed add-on. I'm constantly trying to do more complicated and bigger prints, as I get more skill and confidence with the technology and the settings.

So I started printing an object on 'High' quality, to see what kind of results I would get. I saw the time increase, as I expected. But when it started printing (in this case, PLA), I saw terrible adhesion to the bed. Instead of a solid line, I saw little blobs strung along like morse code. Then when it did start printing the base level, it started getting blobs and clearly was going to be a dirty print (sorry, forgot to take a pic). I tried then changing the settings to 'Fast' quality and the print appeared to lay down an nice first layer...and i got the best print I've ever gotten off of the printer. I don't think I made any other settings changes. Any idea what those settings changes alter that might explain this? Is this an indication that I'm not close enough to the bed because 'High' settings operate at 0.1mm? Could it be something else? Is it possible that that the extruder is moving TOO slow when on higher settings (currently have first layer speed set to 40%, iirc).

*- Man, nothing validated my purchase of Simplify3D like going back to Cura to try and test a setting. I have become quickly very used to S3D's far more friendly and responsive interface, not too mention the much cleared controls, settings and options. Seriously, Simplify3D is just a great product.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. This is what I printed, btw:

[SimpleScott]

Go to "File, Export FFF Profile" and export your profile. Then open it with a text editor, and search for the "AutoConfigureQuality name=" sections. These sections will show you which parameters and values are set when you choose that particular Quality option.

At least with the current version of S3D, it is possible to manually edit this file and add other "global" parameters into each AutoConfigureQuality (or AutoConfigureMaterial) section. Once you import and select the edited profile, those additional parameters will also be tied to changing Quality.

It is tough to diagnose what happened with had your print, but what you describe with not sticking on first layer *sounds* like you were either too far from the bed (a leveling issue, or a Z-offset issue), or too little extrusion on first layer (not primed well, or too little First Layer Width %), or printing too fast on first layer (First Layer Speed %). It sounds like you've considered all of those, so not sure what to suggest aside from those.

But take a look at the exported XML, that will at least give you an idea of exactly which settings are adjusted when you choose a different "Quality" which may help you track down the problem.

[glsf91]

If you export the profile and open the file with notepad you can see at the bottom what it is changing.

edit: I'am sorry for the same post as above. Because I'am a new user, my post was delayed. When posting, above post was not there

[WizarDru]

Great, thanks.

I'll export both and see if I can see what's changing. I'll post if I figure out what's going on.

Thanks,
Dru.