Help with temperature setup

[scott216]

I just got Simplify3D and I'm a bit confused on how to set the temperature. If I want my entire print to be 215 degrees, do I just add a setpoint on layer 1 for 215? If I want the first layer to be 215 and the rest to be 200, do I add layer 1 @ 215 setpoint and layer 2 @ 200 setpoint?

Having different temps for different layers is new to me. What's the general idea here. Would you make the first layer hotter, if so why?

I'm using PLA on a Makerbot Replicator 2 printing on a Lexan bed.

Thanks
Scott

[JoeJ]

Think of it as the layer where you send the command to the printer. So if you tell it to go to 215C at layer 1 and then don't have any other commands after that, it will stay at that temperature for the entire build.

And yes, frequently people use different temperatures for different parts of the build. Maybe you have a model that goes to a tiny point at the end (like a pyramid) and you want to start decreasing the temperature to help with cooling near the tip. There are many reasons.

[KeyboardWarrior]

I just got Simplify3D and I'm a bit confused on how to set the temperature. If I want my entire print to be 215 degrees, do I just add a setpoint on layer 1 for 215? If I want the first layer to be 215 and the rest to be 200, do I add layer 1 @ 215 setpoint and layer 2 @ 200 setpoint?

Having different temps for different layers is new to me. What's the general idea here. Would you make the first layer hotter, if so why?

I'm using PLA on a Makerbot Replicator 2 printing on a Lexan bed.

Thanks
Scott

A common thing is to print the first layer hotter then the rest of the build, to help push out the filament and really get a solid first layer. For instance, printing PLA at 210 for the first layer, then 195 for layer 2 onwards. The downsides to printing too hot would be that you get a lot of stringing, but for the first layer this may not be an issue.