More settings for Top Layer only for better top finish

[ahmadpi]

Top layer speed/height/extrusion multiplier will determine the quality of the surface of a part. If more options can be added to control this, it can result in much better part quality and hence increase customer satisfaction.

[taerog]

+1 This goes hand in had with my request.

[Darrell]

Keep in mind that if you are only concerned with Top/Bottom layers (basically particular Z height ranges) then you can use multiple processes and define the start and stop heights in the "advanced" tab and have full control of all parameters. My bigger issue is dealing with external surfaces that can happen on Z-planes where other material is still internal. In the "other" tab you can set the speed reduction for solid infill layers (not sure if that only applied to Top/Bottom or all external surfaces, I would hope all external).

I will there was a way to set the ANGLE for external surfaces within a process (in the spirit of better top finish this can also effect the aesthetics of the print). This is because in a general model it is not possible to separate external and internal surfaces by Z-height alone. There are work-arounds but they all force you to use non optimal speed/fill, etc.

[guitartoys]

Chiming in here, the same as in the other post.

After using S3D for years, I now need to jump in on this bandwagon.

It seems crazy that you can set all kinds of angles for the infill, and have no options the top or skin layers. I'm sure this is probably harder to implement than we think, otherwise it would already be there. But if you are somehow setting the 45 & -45 angles, surely you could provide some flexibility.

Sure, maybe don't offer unlimited variables, maybe 4, I think that would make most people happy. You leave them to your 45, -45, 45, -45

But it would at least allow us to set them to something like 0, 45, 90, -45

I am printing some pretty complex models, which have flat surfaces (top layer for that Z) at a number of different heights.

If I were to mess with using a process, with the infill set at 100% for each of those Z heights, I'd ed up with a dozen profiles for each part, and I would have to 1st sort out 3 or 4 layer height for each top plane, which would also take forever.

Can you please just let us know if this is something that's coming, so I can adjust my workflow.

Thanks.

[upsm]

+1 for special TOP settings (and mind me, special BOTTOM settings would be nice to have too)

then you can use multiple processes

In my opinion multiple process feature have a serious bug that it will print you a solid top and bottom layer(s) in the middle of your print, just because it's a top/bottom of the process (already discussed on the forum viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6949 ).

[guitartoys]

Darrell,

You can turn off the top and bottom layers in each process to get rid of that. For example with 3 processes

Process 1, set to start printing as 0, and go to 10mm, you set the bottom layers to some number 1 or greater but you set the top layer to 0

Process 2, set to start printing as 10mm, and go to 20mm, you set the bottom layers to 0 and you set the top layer to 0

Process 3, set to start printing as 20mm, and uncheck stop, so it prints to the completion of the print. You set the bottom layers to 0, and the top layers 1 or greater.

So this is possible for multiple processes.

Instead of doing any top of bottom layers at all, you turn those off to zero, and then just set infill to 100%, and define the pattern you want for the infill. This would work fine for a part that has really one large flat bottom and top surface. But if it has what would be classified as top surfaces throughout the print, you would need to create a "process" for each of those surfaces. Whereas, but adding the additional geometry in the existing slicer (currently only does 45 & -45 for both bottom and top layers), SD3 could do it for you.

[upsm]

Darrell,
You can turn off the top and bottom layers in each process to get rid of that. For example with 3 processes

Yes, you can, on the part that on that layer you don't have any flat surfaces.

But we are printing other stuff then simple cubes. You have to make sure that at height of start/stop of processes you don't have any "top/bottom" layer and that can be a problem with complex parts. And it's complex parts where you want to use processes, the simple ones are usually, well, simple.

I really don't get why process can't properly handle top/bottom layer, anyhow, not to whine, having more settings for top/bottom would be great. Until that's available I will for sure use what's available, no matter how tedious it is.

[guitartoys]

Oh for sure, that's why I commented on this.

The best approach is to have settings for the top and bottom layers.

I also made a request, where the infill layers directly under a surface can be automatically increased. I have a lot of little surfaces strewn about. And unless I make the infill pretty high, those surfaces look like crap, as there isn't enough infill to support these smaller geometries. So I end up having to print the entire thing at a high infill percentage. What would also be cool is directly under a surface (top layer), have the means directly under those areas to have a higher infill. You can see what I mean here.

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=7097


But until then, this is the only thing available. And to be candid, using multiple processes really doesn't work for me with the complex models I am making either.

M

[smartavionics]

This is exactly why I have been whining about this issue for about two years now. I am sure that everybody rolls their eyes and groans every time I post but this is such a fundamental thing, I feel compelled to keep droning on about it until it is fixed.

[upsm]

I also made a request, where the infill layers directly under a surface can be automatically increased. I have a lot of little surfaces strewn about. And unless I make the infill pretty high, those surfaces look like crap, as there isn't enough infill to support these smaller geometries. So I end up having to print the entire thing at a high infill percentage.

There is "Solid infill threshold area" in slic3r that works in a way that if area is smaller then configured the infill will automatically be switched to solid. That would be simple to implement for Simplify3D developers and would solve the many problems like yours.