3d Print Layer Height

[Mica Withington]

3Dprinting has revolutionized the world of manufacturing, enabling the creation of complex and customized parts with unprecedented speed and precision. While 3D printing technology has evolved rapidly, producing high-quality printed parts typically requires a further crucial step: 3D printing post-processing.

3D printing post-processing is an essential aspect of the 3D printing process, as it enhances the quality, appearance, and mechanical properties of printed parts. Different 3D printing technologies, such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), require specific 3D printing post-processing techniques to address issues like layer lines, support marks, and rough surfaces. By understanding and mastering these techniques, you can ensure that your 3D printed parts meet industry-specific requirements and achieve the desired functionality and aesthetics.

In this guide, we will explore the various 3D printing post-processing techniques used with different 3D printing technologies, from common methods like sanding and painting to advanced techniques like hydrographics and cold welding. We will also discuss safety considerations and best practices for post-processing, ensuring that you can confidently and safely improve the quality of your 3D printed parts.

3D printing has become increasingly popular for its ability to create intricate and customized parts. However, the quality and appearance of 3D printed objects often depend on post-processing steps. Post-processing not only enhances the aesthetics of printed parts but also improves their mechanical properties and compliance with industry-specific requirements.

3D printing, a transformative approach to manufacturing, has revolutionized how we create objects, from simple household items to complex engineering components. The quality of FDM 3D printing largely depends on the quality and types of filament used. Filament serves as the raw materials fed into 3D printers to create three-dimensional objects layer by layer. The choice of the right type of filament is crucial as it determines not only the physical properties of the final printed parts but also its aesthetic qualities like smoothness, layer consistency, level of detail, color accuracy, and overall surface quality.

Selecting the right type of filament involves understanding the different types available and their respective properties. Each filament type offers unique advantages and limitations, making them suitable for specific applications. For instance, some filaments may be biodegradable and environmentally friendly, while others might provide structural integrity to support heavy loads or withstand high temperatures. In this guide, we delve into the various types of filaments used in 3D printing, exploring their properties, applications, environmental impacts, and essential considerations for selecting the optimal filament. Understanding the nuances of different filaments will empower you to make informed decisions for your projects.

3D printing filaments are the raw materials used in additive manufacturing. They are typically thermoplastic polymers that become pliable or moldable when heated and solidify upon cooling. The filament is fed into the 3D printer, where it is heated until it melts. The printer then deposits the molten material layer by layer according to a digital blueprint, creating a three-dimensional object.

Hello! I am trying to figure out how to change a layer height mid-print. Here is my example. For the first 8 layers, I want to print at a .3mm layer height. For the remaining layers, I want to print at a .15mm layer height. I was looking into adaptive printing, but I don't think this is what I need. Thank you for your help in advance.

Height range modifiers are your friend. Right click on the model, select Height range modifier, then use the panel on the right to set your upper and lower boundaries and set the layer height you desire. HRMs can also be used to change other settings, if you right click on the gear icon to the right of the range in the parts list.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to change layer height in multiple places in the slicer. I want to start out at 0.2 layer height, then set it to 0.1 for a few layers then go back to 0.2 and then back to 0.1 in other places. How do I add multiple layer changes on the same part?

For Fused Deposition Modeling, or FDM, printers like the ones in build IT, one variable that affects the final quality of a 3D print is the layer height. Typical layer heights are between 0.1 millimeters and 0.5 millimeters. The surface quality of the finished part is proportional to how small the layer height is; smaller layer heights result in smother surface finishes.

For FDM printers, the number of layers is one indicator of how much time a 3D print will take. Choosing a smaller layer height will divide a 3D model into more layers, increasing the print time. For example, an object printed at 0.4mm layer height would take half as much time as an object printed at 0.2mm layer height, because there are half as many layers. Due to machine limitations, the minimum layer height for all prints done in build IT is 0.2mm.

Objects without fine surface details do not benefit from smaller layer heights, so printing them at a larger layer height (closer to 0.4 mm) reduces print time without sacrificing strength or quality. Smaller layer heights (closer to 0.2mm) are only recommended for prints which require better surface finishes, but this limits their overall size because the increased number of layers will take longer.

The layer height settings can be accessed via the 'Settings' window, on the left side. Selecting either Low, Standard, and High quality using the dropdown menu selects different default layer heights.

There is no hard limit of what is "ok" and what is not, but with a lower layer height, you get less precision in how much material gets extruded, so (theoretically) you get very small under- and over extrusions along the print due to rounding. This is even more a problem for "relative" extrusion mode, since the rounding of steps happens at each move instead of over a full print.

You can (to a degree, but you shouldn't and you probably won't want to) mitigate the problem slightly in one of three ways, since the problem is not being able to control the flow rate finely enough to straight out print, or keep any pressure in the nozzle chamber, if you increase the flow rate then the margin for error on the extruder's end becomes higher because you can be extruding enough to keep some pressure in the nozzle chamber.

Thanks for the detailed answers.

What I understand is that if I try to print a 0.12 mm height, there is not enough vertical room to allow the flow coming from a 0.8 mm nozzle to draw a clean line, and material will overflow the side of a theoretical 0.8 mm width line. Is it correct ?

Not exactly. It might just run straight through and not fill the nozzle chamber, so you might get small underextruded or overextruded bits if the extruder doesn't keep up perfectly, which it probably won't because of how the motors in it have an amount they move per step so it can't do a tiny adjustment up or down.

Normally when printing the flow rate is enough that you'll fill the nozzle chamber, which then basically acts as a "buffer" of sorts to make it come out at the intended rate, but printing a very short layer on a 0.8mm nozzle isn't enough flow to fill the chamber, so there's no buffer to keep it even.

I would appreciate an answer to this as well! In the industrial space this is used to insert electronics or other non-printed parts to a cavity prepared in the print, then sealed by continuing the print at that point. Sometimes the print bed drops for access and then returns to continue printing. I miss my big toys, but the cost is not appropriate for casual or hobby use!

I am looking for a way to stop printing without me being present at the printer. I wanted to leave the printer and go away, and hope the printer stops at the height. So when I returned (maybe a few hours later), i would see the portion I wanted printed. So far it looks like gcode is the only way (that is without user intervention).

Yes, my suggestion was poorly stated because I forgot why the control panel is not sufficient for a color change. On the X1C all you can do from the touch screen after a pause is resume or cancel; there is no way to get to any other functions. So Studio or Handy is needed to unload/load the filament while paused.

My question now is: Is it possible to print specific parts with finer layers? I could think of something like "paint on layer height" or mixing two stls in one print, where one object is printed with one layer height and the other one with another height?

However since you took the time to upload your zipped up .stl I wanted to take the time to show you a different way, that may come in handy in the future. I made this .3mf project file with your .stl in order to demonstrate. the file will take 8 hours 22min to print, all layers of the box are set to print at 0.15 speed and all layers of the bubbles will print at 0.05 UltraDetail, it's setup for MK3S & MK3+ but you can easily change this if you have an older MK3.

@fuchsr is correct, you can also still use layer height modifiers, or mesh modifiers on an object after doing so, and you can also still use the "Variable Layer Height adjustments" like @fortinmike mentioned as well. Keep in mind though if you try to use mesh modifiers with height range modifiers together on the same object you will run into conflicts.

Having said that, I don't believe that 0.05 will yield any discernible difference compared to 0.1 or maybe even 0.15 mm. Layer height defines vertical resolution, which doesn't seem to be a factor in this model, but then again, it's hard to tell from the picture.

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