1st Layer patterns

[mark 0]

This question is somewhat aimed at Daid, though I'm sure anyone familiar with the inner workings of Cura could help me out. Is there any way to change how Cura lays down the first layer?

For example if the bottom of my object is a square Cura will fill the whole thing in with diagonal lines across. This works great for most applications but I am in an interesting situation where it would be better if I could divide the bottom surface into smaller squares. The whole side is still being filled in, just in a different pattern. Let me know if that doesn't make any sense and I'll draw up a picture of what I mean.

A rephrase of the question is: Can this pattern change for the way the bottom layer is laid down be done without changing Cura source code? And if not, where in the source code would I look to make such a change? (I don't mind diving into the source if needed, but would be fine with a simpler method )

-Mark

[joergen 2]

This question is somewhat aimed at Daid, though I'm sure anyone familiar with the inner workings of Cura could help me out. Is there any way to change how Cura lays down the first layer?

For example if the bottom of my object is a square Cura will fill the whole thing in with diagonal lines across. This works great for most applications but I am in an interesting situation where it would be better if I could divide the bottom surface into smaller squares. The whole side is still being filled in, just in a different pattern. Let me know if that doesn't make any sense and I'll draw up a picture of what I mean.

A rephrase of the question is: Can this pattern change for the way the bottom layer is laid down be done without changing Cura source code? And if not, where in the source code would I look to make such a change? (I don't mind diving into the source if needed, but would be fine with a simpler method )

 

slic3r and netfabb offer one different infill pattern: concentric. maybe this helps you?

[mark 0]

Does concentric apply to the outside/bottom layer too? Because you can change the infill pattern in Cura (found under the expert settings), but that only effects the inside fill, and not the outside surface layer (not sure if that makes sense).

[Edit]Ok, you can change the infill pattern for just the top/bottom layers in Slic3r. It seems that this may be slightly better in this instance (printing right now), so thanks for pointing out the option. I'm still interested to know how one might specify the same thing in Cura, or if it is possible.[/Edit]

[joergen 2]

Does concentric apply to the outside/bottom layer too? Because you can change the infill pattern in Cura (found under the expert settings), but that only effects the inside fill, and not the outside surface layer (not sure if that makes sense).

[Edit]Ok, you can change the infill pattern for just the top/bottom layers in Slic3r. It seems that this may be slightly better in this instance (printing right now), so thanks for pointing out the option. I'm still interested to know how one might specify the same thing in Cura, or if it is possible.[/Edit]

infill is and solid infill is the same (technically) for SF/cura, while in all other slicers it's something else. but the easiest way would be slicing your object, and looking at the generated gcode layer by layer in printrun, and see if you like it.

[thedudevt 0]

I've noticed that cura lays down layers separately for faces created from different features, even when they are coplanar. This may actually be a function of the stl generator (I use solidworks). So, try modelling it with separate faces where you'd like it to print. You could also try faces that are not coplanar, but are separated by less than half the layer thickness. I bet the slicer would treat them separately, but the small difference in Z will get rounded out.

Kyle

[jeneidaniel 0]

Hi. You can modify in notepad. Because G-code  is a text file, you can edit it.
So, what you have to do (for example) is to generate 2 different infill patterns for the same print. Next, you save them both. Then you open both of them in notepad. Then you identify the layer height change ( you search for the z change; you search the letter z in notepad, and when you see it changes from z=0.2 (for example) in z=0.4, there is the next layer). Then you delete the whole text from between layers change and copy paste the whole text from the other G-code. And you save it and that's it!