For any Simplify3D users, how to make nozzle path follow the line of my image?

[rwig 2]

In Simplify3D I see there are many travel paths going all over the place. This makes my printer shake and jerk around more than if the nozzle followed the path of my print.

Why doesn't the nozzle just move along the lines of the image rather than jump all over the place? And how to correct this?

There were way more paths before but I increased the "Maximum allowed detour factor" in the advanced tab, and this did reduce the number of paths (thanks Neatko!). Anything above 6 or 7 doesn't decrease the number of paths anymore.

I've also tried all three "Start point" options including random start points, optimized start points, and custom start points. For custom, I tried 300, 0   0, 300   -999, 0   just to try different ways, but there are still many random paths of the nozzle.

Why does the nozzle move like this and how to make it move along the lines of the STL?

I just realized in Cura, the nozzle path is almost perfect along the lines of my image. And cuts my time in 3!

Why/how to make path same in Simplify3D? (I've asked in SImplify3D forum but they are less active and knowledgable than the UM forum.)

Edited February 8, 2017 by Guest

[neotko 1,417]

Dunno. Maybe Cura finally thinks better. In my experience Cura always did worse paths than s3d, but maybe they improve it. Afaik for the things I do it always does worse path than s3d, but ofc it might just depend on what you do.

To cut down stringing I just improved my hotend, changed the feeder to allow almost infinite retractions. When you can do as much retractions as you want you only worry about scratching the print (something Cura likes to do). So maybe for your stuff you should stick to cura? For top layer quality I still see s3d as the better option, specially since it allows the user more control, it doesn't hide options thinking for the user and let you do much more tricks. Cura even old versions has been for me a really good click/print but a poor production slicer (production as when you need to do 1000 of the same). Ofc anything works, and cura can work (slow) for most of the cases, but when you control s3d, it can do anything you ask him without hidden stuff or thinking for the user when not asked to do so.

What stops s3d to do longer path traveling? Dunno. Maybe it knows that over crossing path over and over can make the paths overheat and deform, but you ain't doing overhangs so you can use long path travel. Also s3d uses retractions to keep the control of extrusion, but cura loves to hide the mistakes on the infill or in long travels (hiding the dripping).

[rwig 2]

Thank you! It helps a lot for me a noob to here from the more experienced like you! I will just do whatever works best and was just a bit shocked when, after using S3D for so long, and then to try out Cura, to realize that Cura makes better/cleaner travel paths. I am sure it can be fixed in S3D somehow but I'm just going to use Cura for now!