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Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

I'm making parts for a B737 Throttle Quadrant.  One of them broke because it needs to be solid in that area rather than infilled.  Is there a way to make a certain area of a part solid?

SpeedBrake Lever_1.jpg

SpeedBrake Lever_2.jpg

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    Yes you can but I don't think it will be any stronger.  Instead you should put a fillet in that crack.  Tight inside angles put all the stress on one line of your part.  with a tiny fillet it will spread the load more.  Alternatively make the outside thicker (the thinnest dimension).  The strength is cubed the width so 10% thicker gives you 1.1^3 or 33% more strength.  Twice as thick is 8X stronger.

     

    Anyway here's the answer to your question:

     

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    @gr5 covered the Support Blocker / Mesh Modifier way to do it.  I started wondering about making adjustments to STL files when you don't have the CAD model to work with.  I drew a 1 x 1 x 1 block with a 1mm R fillet, brought it into Cura along with your SpeedBrake part, scaled it, placed it (the rotation is tough) and then sliced it.  Nice.

    As shown - I scaled the fillet model 3 x 3 x 25.  It then has the effect of a 3mm R fillet.  Using the fillet and a support blocker as @gr5 suggests (with the overlaps set to 100% infill (or lots of walls)) and I think the part would be about as good as it's going to get using FDM.

     

    Attached you will find one fillet in kit form.

     

    Fillet.thumb.png.9adbd8828adcddd0cb7f876318bcd775.png

    1x1x1 Fillet.stl

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    I'm using Cura 4.7.1 and I couldn't find a couple of the settings gr5 used.  I used your fillet but that wasn't where the break was, it was at the top. I think I need to make that whole end where the curve is completely solid but I'm still not understanding how to do that.

     

    Jerry

    1973549247_LayerSettings_5.thumb.jpg.e4a4916693abbb92723771893217337c.jpg1898437247_LayerSettings_6.thumb.jpg.6ee1b2306f15989b1ab54f772e0721da.jpg1973549247_LayerSettings_5.thumb.jpg.e4a4916693abbb92723771893217337c.jpg

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?
    1. Add a support blocker.  It's going to be used as a Mesh Modifier.  In the object list on the lower left of the screen it's called an Eraser.  You can select it there.
    2. Move it and scale it to your satisfaction so it covers that whole end of the part.  When scaling - turn off "Uniform Scaling" to make each axis independent.  When you're happy with the location make sure that the support block Z is at 0.  If you find that you need to rotate the block you should do that last.
    3. Select the support blocker.  Select "Per Model Settings" (the tool above the support blocker tool).  Select the third option over - "Modify settings for overlaps".
    4. Wall thickness and top/bottom thickness are defaults and you can set them to high numbers.  You can choose to add "Infill Density" and set it to 100%.

    Slice the model and check the preview.  Everything covered by the support blocker should be solid and the rest of the model should reflect your regular Cura settings.

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    Cura keeps changing slightly how to use mesh modifiers since that video was made.  But it's only slightly different from the video.  Look around in the gui.

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?
    Quote

    In the object list on the lower left of the screen it's called an Eraser.

    I couldn't find this in Cura.  However, I went into Blender and made a curved block to fit the part and inserted it in Cura.  I hope this does the same thing.

     

    Jerry

    SpeedBrake Lever_1_Curve_Block.jpg

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    It's the object browser on the lower left of your screen shot.  You can select things there.

     

    In regards to your fix - Once you get everything located correctly do a SaveAs *.3mf.  Then group the models and export them as a binary STL file.  Clear the build plate and bring that new file into Cura.  It will be one part.  Sometimes that makes for better slicing but look closely at the preview because sometimes it can lead to unexpected results.

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    What does the green at the top of the model indicate and how do I tell whether the area is infilled or solid?

    SpeedBrake Lever_3.jpg

    SpeedBrake Lever_4.jpg

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    Below where it says "Prepare" there is a tool called "Color Scheme" that controls what you see in preview.  Pay with it a bit.  

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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    Hi,

    not sure if still Ok to aply here.

    My question is if a part with an area is just solid, how the 3d printer to do it, just printed as solid? or can be smart enough to print it grid? or do I need special design that area of the part to reduce the print amount? such like to design opens in that area?

    attached the picture from here as example to explain.part.JPG.78caa23bbf0b3ff148f312a802229c5c.JPG

    Thanks

     

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    Posted (edited) · Can I make one area on a part solid?

    It is always best to give the slicer the model you want printed.  Cura can make some alterations to the model, but it is not a CAD program.

    If you don't have the CAD file you can use a program like MS 3D Builder to alter the model.

    Within Cura you can bring in a support blocker, use the "Per Model" tool "Modify Settings for Overlaps" and make it a "Cutting Mesh", select "Wall Count", "Top Layers", "Bottom Layers", and "Infill Density" and set them all to "0".

    Move the cutting mesh where you want to.  (For some models that's actually the hard part.)

    Here is a cylinder configured as a cutting mesh and it has 0 walls, 0 top/bottom and 0 infill density.

    image.thumb.png.7d1f500ded0d22f6213ba980d2c83e08.png

     

    That leaves a hole in the model.

    image.thumb.png.8e5bbec352a0a0528395ff8b0b149c5e.png

     

    My experience is that the amount of material you will save is insignificant compared to the extra time the print will take because it is printing the hole.  If it is a horizontal hole it may end up filled with supports anyway.

    Edited by GregValiant
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    Posted · Can I make one area on a part solid?
    42 minutes ago, GregValiant said:

    compared to the extra time

    Thanks.

    It is a good point. 

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