Print objects as thin as a line width

[rmatveev 0]

Hi there!

I'm trying to print an object - single layer (0.2 mm in hight or so) text. Most of the printing should be made with a single line.

I tried different Cura settings:

- Print thin walls

- Surface mode: surface

- The setting forces to print the outer shell only (I forget the setting name and I wasn't able to find it again, anyway - I did not get the desired result with it)

I tried to pick different lline widh and object thickness. Anyway - Cura tried to pass any line at least twice (treating each 3D object as a shell-infill combinatino).

 

I need Cura to treat thin 3D object as a line. Is it possible?

[Smithy 941]

Please save the project (File -> Save) and attach the .3mf file to this thread so we can check it out.
 

[rmatveev 0]

Hello, Smithy!

My project is in the attachment.

CE3_text.3mf

[Smithy 941]

I cannot say it exactly, but I would say your lines (chars) are too small. Even with print thin lines, some chars are not sliced.

[rmatveev 0]

2 minutes ago, Smithy said:

I cannot say it exactly, but I would say your lines (chars) are too small. Even with print thin lines, some chars are not sliced.

You're probably right. But with no posibility to slice the text in the single lines I can not figure out what is the minimum text size is possible.

Could you share your settings with me?

Edited December 9, 2019 by rmatveev

[Smithy 941]

Which setting should I share? I just imported your project and selected (enabled) "print thin lines", nothing more.

You should design your model in a way, that a single line has the width of the nozzle, so min. 0.4mm. Even if it is possible to slice some chars with the "print thin lines" option, the result will not be good.

[KHANtech 1]

IMHO, the best option is to use Surface Mode : Surface.

For this to work properly, you have to design your STL so that the text is not a solid extrusion (i.e. with a line width of 0.4mm, where each character is a closed figure), but instead a mere surface (with no width, where each character is a path).

What this implies, is that you'll probably have to draw the characters yourself, and not use typefaces.

[rmatveev 0]

10 minutes ago, KHANtech said:

IMHO, the best option is to use Surface Mode : Surface.

For this to work properly, you have to design your STL so that the text is not a solid extrusion (i.e. with a line width of 0.4mm, where each character is a closed figure), but instead a mere surface (with no width, where each character is a path).

What this implies, is that you'll probably have to draw the characters yourself, and not use typefaces.

This sounds very promising. I will try it and write you back!