Possible to force Cura to generate slices that are greater than or equal to the 3D model volume?

[curaMatt 1]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to print a model that has some pretty thin parts. Cura decides by default that these are just to be omitted, but I was hoping there might be a way to 'bulk up' excessively thin parts of models so that they are printed even if it means a loss of accuracy in these areas?

 

e.g. the sword is obviously fairly thin in places and no longer reaches the ground like it is supposed to, so it is not possible to print it without supports:

 

I am aware of the 'print thin walls' setting, but whilst it might just about do the trick in this case, it's not really what I'm looking for in a long-term solution. e.g. artifacts and rather arbitrary placing of the printed thin walls.  I suspect it is almost random chance as to whether this would work in a different scenario:

 

So my question is - area there any ways to force Cura to flil out the model up to at least the volume of the 3D model? Or any other setting that might help my print in circumstances like these? Reductions in line width and out wall thickness did not seem to help.

Edited July 12, 2021 by curaMatt

[kmanstudios 1,120]

Look for 'horizontal expansion.' That has saved me many times with just a very small expansion. Note that it does not expand in the Z axis. Just the Y and X.

 

[curaMatt 1]

Thanks! That looks like it will do the job, though the skeleton might look a little 'chubby', if such a thing is possible. In the mean time I actually got it to work by opening the STL in blender and the expanding the swords width by transforming it in the X-direction whilst using the camera view as the reference.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

4 hours ago, curaMatt said:

Thanks! That looks like it will do the job, though the skeleton might look a little 'chubby', if such a thing is possible. In the mean time I actually got it to work by opening the STL in blender and the expanding the swords width by transforming it in the X-direction whilst using the camera view as the reference.

Ahhhh, ok, so you know a 3|D program. Bravo! As for the skeleton being 'chubby', try to use very small increments of horizontal expansion if you need it. I have gotten away with .05mm before. Just enough to beef up the size, but not really enough to notice.

 

You can also go into 'per model settings' and apply almost any setting per model itself. Say select the sword and perform one tiny amount and then select the skeleton and apply a different amount.

[GregValiant 1,330]

Yep, thinking outside the box.  I love a good well thought out workaround.

 

(Of course it has to actually work or I'll take away your attaboy.)

Edited July 13, 2021 by GregValiant

[curaMatt 1]

@kmanstudios / @GregValiant thanks, I have to admit that was putting off opening Blender, I hadn't used it since version 2.6 a few years ago and I wasn't convinced I could really remember how to do anything. Turns out it's a bit like riding a bike, everything came back pretty fast, and any tools that I knew I wanted to use but couldn't find were easily locatable with a quick Google.

 

I didn't know about the 'per model settings', good tip, thanks!

Edited July 13, 2021 by curaMatt