Good balance between Quality / Speed - Print under 8hrs

[andygomez3dart 0]

@Ultimaker 2+ why nobody seems to talk about how to keep a good balance Quality/Speed? Real problems are how to print under 8 hours big complex models with loads of overhangs ,very thin walls and it's not feasible to split the 3d model. Any tips for UM2+?
#ultimaker
#3Dprinting

[Smithy 1,144]

Everyone has different needs and views what's acceptable and what not. So there will be no general advise how to do. You can only decide for your specific project what is important for you. 

 

Increased speed settings results most of the time in a decreased quality.

A bigger layer height can help and decreases the print time.

Also less infill percentage.

Decrease wall lines. 

Decrease top/bottom layers

...

 

After slicing, hover over the print time and you will get a popup with the details which give a rough indication where you "loose" the time.

 

 

[andygomez3dart 0]

Thanks. I can see there is always something to Sacrifice between quality/printing time.

 

I've been slicing a very complex skull (approx. 100x100x114mm)

 

- Loads of overhangs

 

- 1.2mm wall thickness 3 wall lines

 

- 0% Infill & 0.2mm Layer height

 

- Speed (40-60mm/s and 30mm/s Top/Bottom) plus 150mm travel speed.

 

 

 

The biggest problem is the time spent building supports even using,Zig Zag build plate only and 12% support density.

 

 

 

But I am afraid If Increase speed It's very likely to brake parts as the nozzle travel between overhangs/bridges or those thin supports. 

 

 

 

I tweaked several acceptable options but I don't really want to go lower than 0.2mm quality neither split the 3d model. 

 

I rotated the 3d model in several positions and still with the above speed/Quality It's so frustrating not being able to get a print under 8 hours.

 

Regards,

Andy

[gr5 2,172]

Pictures would help.  Maybe we'd get some ideas.

 

I found variable infill (gradual infill steps) to be a good time saver - I can usually save 20% of print time with that feature.  I only use it for parts that I will make over and over again as I keep tweaking it after each print until I get my prints really fast and also accurate.

 

Also using a 0.8mm nozzle might be a good time saver.    Or 0.6mm nozzle.  It depends on the part.

[Smithy 1,144]

And one of the biggest learnings is, that there are models which just needs more print time. It makes no sense to trim down just to reach your limit. I don't why you stick to the 8 hours, you will have your needs, but maybe you can find another way and you can give the printer the time he needs to produce a good result.

 

When you say there are a lot of overhangs in your model, I guess there are also a lot of retracts, which are very time consuming. But as said it makes no sense to tune these things, the retract is needed.

[GregValiant 1,251]

To add to what @Smithy and @gr5 are saying,

If you don't need a lot of inner strength you can make the Infill Layer Height 2X the regular layer height.  The same goes for Support Layer Thickness.  When they are at 2X Layer Height they will only print every other layer.  Everything affects everything and since you've doubled the rate of infill flow you might have to slow the Infill Speed as it is possible that the extruder could miss steps trying to keep up while printing the double height infill.

 

Using the "Gradual Infill Steps" can make a difference as well but again - it comes with a cost of weaker parts.

I print a lot of things at 75mm/sec with the outer walls at 35.  The print times are faster but the slow outer wall speed keeps the finish decent.

 

There is also the reality that some parts just take a long time to print.  It's the nature of FDM that it just isn't an instant process.  If you fill the plate on your printer and the model is near max height then the printer is going to be busy for a day or two.  There is no way to turn a 24 hour print into a 6 hour print.

[geert_2 557]

I see it this way: letting a model take 2x more time to print, and have it printed correct, costs less time than having to do it 2x or 3x to get it right... So, yes, for a quick draft to estimate things or show a crude concept, a quick print might do. But otherwise I usually do it in good enough quality. Quality and function go above speed for me.

 

[andygomez3dart 0]

Thanks very much guys for all of your suggestions. I think @GregValiant ' s idea about "make the Infill Layer Height 2X the regular layer heigh" is best fit for my case. It looks like a really good time saver and the only settings I never experimented with.

I will give it a go.

Edited September 20, 2021 by andygomez3dart
Clarifying