If you've ever worked with a 3D printer, you're probably familiar with slicers. But in case you are not, the slicer is a program that converts a file with a 3D model (STL, OBJ, 3MF, etc.) into a G-code script that can be interpreted by the firmware of your machine.
Without Slicer, your printer would not know how to function. With it, you can set settings that determine how your model prints. If you don't already have one, some super powerful and popular Slicers include Cura, PrusaSlicer and Simplify3D.
Cutting settings are important because every 3D printer is different, every material is different, and every 3D model is different. Therefore, printers and media will always require different settings to achieve good print quality.
Cutting settings cover all aspects of printing, from the temperature of the print head to the thickness of each wall and layer. If you want the highest quality prints or just print something as fast as possible, you need to know the basic settings to change on your slicer.
In this article, we will look at 10 cutting settings that are essential for 3D printing. For each setting, we'll discuss what it is and what it affects, so you can decide how you want to use it.
- Temperature
First is the temperature. The nozzle temperature is the single most important setting in your slicing machine, because without the Goldilocks heat level (not too cool, not too hot), printing will not work. The nozzle temperature should be the first thing you set on your Slicer when you start printing with a new thread, and you can do this by printing a temperature tower to see which values work best.
Too high a nozzle temperature will cause pre-extrusion with stains and zippers all over your print. At the other end of the spectrum, too low a temperature will lead to insufficient extrusion, where not all layers are completely printed.
This is only for the nozzle temperature. Bed temperature is a completely different parameter in 3D printing. The bed temperature is a setting that you can adjust and this will affect the adhesion of the bed to your seal. Generally speaking, a hotter bed will provide better adhesion, while a cooler one can lead to warping. Just do not raise the temperature too high, otherwise a part of the model may be deformed on the bed.
2. Layer height
Layer height is another very important factor in your cutting machine and refers to the height of each layer of your print. The smaller the layer height, the more layers will be needed in the overall print. This means that your printer will have more space to generate the final part in parts such as thumbnails. On the other hand, more layers mean longer printing time and weaker parts.
When setting the layer height, you want to find the right balance between print time, detail, and part strength. Some manufacturers use the "magic number" theory, where you set the height of your layer as a multiple of the natural step distance of your stepper motor.
3. Speed
Speed is our third extremely important cutting setting. As the name suggests, this is the speed at which your print head moves. Generally speaking, "speed" covers many different settings, not just the default speed. For example, it may be useful to set specific speeds, such as fill speed, wall speed, and so on.
Most cutters will choose a specific speed based on your chosen layer height and material, but if you think your printer is ready, you can experiment with increasing the print speed to reduce the printing time.
On the other hand, it may be a good idea to reduce speed when you encounter print quality problems. Slow speeds make it easier to identify the setting that is causing the problem (if it is anything other than speed).
Travel speed is a different story and you should not adjust it very often. Try to keep it close to the standard value set in the slicer (probably around 150 mm / s), because it can accumulate material on the nozzle too quickly.
4. Retraction / Withdrawal /
Withdrawal is usually the first setting that people think about when they see "strings, hair or whips" on their fingerprint. Retraction determines how quickly the thread is sucked back into the nozzle to prevent material from leaking when not extruded. Retraction is controlled by several specific settings, the most important of which is the retrieval distance and retrieval speed.
These settings need to be adjusted when you see a string, but keep in mind that retracting is not the only solution to this problem, and nozzle temperature also plays a role. You need to change your settings at short intervals and not make significant increases until you try to lower the temperature. Too much retraction can cause the nozzle to become clogged, as the filament is pushed more aggressively in and out of the nozzle.
5. Stream
The flow, sometimes known as the extruder, determines the rate at which the thread is extruded. For example, with 100% flow rating, your printer can use 10 cm of thread for a part function, but if you change the flow to 90%, the same function will only require 9 cm. Ultimately, the flow regulation affects how many steps the extruder motor rotates per millimeter of deposited material.
The flow can be used to report excessive or insufficient extrusion of your printer without adjusting the printer's E-step parameter, a value stored in the firmware. Although technically flow and E-step can be used to solve the same problems, it is best to adjust the value of E-step during printer calibration and adjust the flow as required by certain print jobs. .
… Follow continuation for cutting settings 6 to 10.
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