Different print quality settings on the same print

[ignatius 23]

I use Cura, and currently I work with the 15.04 version.

Was just thinking about if it would be possible to print with 2 (or more) different layer thickness settings on the same print:

for example a 0.06 layer thickness related to the outer shell and 0.12 or 0.18 for the infill. So it could print much faster with a low quality infill with much less layers to print, while the outer shell has a high quality finish.

It´s possible to achieve it and I´m just missing something?. Or it´s just a stupid dream, and for some reason, difficult to achieve?.

[neotko 1,417]

On the old cura you could use a pluging to merge two different gcodes. Anyhow if you need that 'right now' you might needto buy Simplify3D.

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/view/5518-is-there-a-plugin-to-change-layer-height-at-when-ever-

On simplify3d it's really easy to make different areas, stls, or heights at different qualitys https://www.simplify3d.com/support/tutorials/different-settings-for-different-regions-of-a-model/

Edit: On cura 15.04 you should be able to use:

https://ultimaker.com/en/cura/view/8290-new-plugin-swap-at-height

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/swap-at-z

Edited September 2, 2015 by Guest

[ignatius 23]

Thanks for your help @neotko

I will check the links out

[gr5 2,234]

Keep in mind that this assumes layers don't change much from one to the next but this isn't always true. In other words if the infill is ever other layer of the edge, and the edge position changes suddenly the infill will not line up to the new edge properly.

What's more common is to want to change layer height or remove infill for certain areas of the part. For example when printing the dome ceiling of the droid icon guy with the rounded top, you want to make the layers as thin as possible when the dome is almost flat so you don't get that staircase look on the top of the dome.

Or if you have a part that needs 100% infill in a small area but no infill at all for the rest - simplify3d can do that.

[ignatius 23]

Thanks for your answer @gr5

Seems like simplify3d is a very versatile slicer. Cura is nice but needs a lot of plugins to make the printing versatile as you describe.

I am thinking about trying simplify3d to really have a comparison.

It's possible to download a demo version to test it??

[neotko 1,417]

That the problem for many users, they don't have a demo version. Check the Simplify3D youtube channel and search for users showing prints. That's what I did before buying.

[ignatius 23]

That the problem for many users, they don't have a demo version. Check the Simplify3D youtube channel and search for users showing prints. That's what I did before buying.

 

Thanks for your advice. I will definitely do it!

[antonypenn 0]

One way to achieve this would be to manipulate the gcode yourself. gcode is pretty readable, and cura puts in comments to say which layer the following commands relate to. So you could 'print' to file 2 versions of your model, one a low res and one at high res, and chop the gcode from one file to the other at the required height.