Feature Request: Smooth top finish / Extrusion width

[vOidward]

Slic3r has a unique setting in the advanced menu that lets you adjust layer widths for various parts of the print. In particular, it's quite useful for a flat top fill because it can make it look much smoother then a standard 0.4 nozzle thickness, it seems like the nozzle going over the same area multiple times at low speed has an effect of ironing out the layers behind it. The setting I used is 25%, which makes it behave like a 0.1 nozzle.

A simple checkbox for smooth top finish to apply this effect would be nice, which will change the top finish to act like a 0.2 or 0.1 nozzle.

Here's 2 prints of the standard 20mm calibration cube printed with Slic3r:
Right side is standard 0.15 layer thickness
Left is the same print with a 25% extrusion width for the top surface finish.

[tobyCwood]

+1

[jimc]

man that is really nice. cool idea

[davedfx]

We can manually do this can't we? Via process on the top layers set to nozzle width eg 0.25

[jimc]

sure can

[heathenx]

We can manually do this can't we? Via process on the top layers set to nozzle width eg 0.25

Wait a second. Where is this setting exactly? I'd love to be able to do this.

[jimc]

you need to set 2 processes. a separate one that starts before the top surface of your model. in the second process just click the box for manual extrusion width then adjust the diameter down. the width should not be made smaller than the nozzle diameter. actually it should be just a hair larger. my nozzle is a .35 and i try not to go under a .4 width.

[heathenx]

I'm a little confused. My nozzle dia is set to .4 now. Do I go down to .35 or up to .45 for a smoother top finish? Also, I'm not sure when to flip on the second process. Say if I'm printing a 20mm cube, do I set that second process to start at .97mm (if I'm set to .20mm layer height)?

[3Drasle]

I'm a little confused. My nozzle dia is set to .4 now. Do I go down to .35 or up to .45 for a smoother top finish? Also, I'm not sure when to flip on the second process. Say if I'm printing a 20mm cube, do I set that second process to start at .97mm (if I'm set to .20mm layer height)?

You have to change your extrusion with, not your nozzle diameter.
In fact changing the nozzle diameter do nothing, I have tried setting it at 0 and it print just the same.

So to get finer surface lower the extrusion with and maybe the layer hight too.

Setting the start hight of proces2 at the same as finnish hight of proces1 Works fine for me.

/Michael

[helibrdr]

Setting multiple processes is fine if you have very discrete upward/downward facing flat surfaces. If you have multiples at different heights with multiple parts per build platform that would be quite tedious. A checkbox would be much more convenient.