Question Printing Text and Figures on a Flat Surface

[Lordpaul 1]

Hello, I have a question I’m printing a Text and a Figure on a Wall Hanging Plaque I sculpted in ZBrush. It’s Watertight and all the Text Letters and Figure start on the same layer.  Is there any Setting, Script or Model Creation Technique that I can set the text and figure to start printing at the same layer after a completely smooth flat layer has completed?  Cura 4.12.1 slices my model so the infill continues from the bottom for both the text and figure making the surface not as smooth as it could be if the text and figure started printing after a flat layer.  Photos attached.  Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

Thanks Paul

[reneroth 1]

I'll just hijack your thread, because it seems we both have the same question. Especially useful for me would be the option to have Cura iron the whole flat layer before printing the text/details. The model on the right is the best I've been able to achieve so far with tuning the ironing settings, but since Cura won't iron the part where the details will be printed, you can see the printing and ironing artifacts around the outlines.

Is there a way to have Cura basically treat the base as a "complete" object, printing the details on top of it? As in the screenshot, I'd love for the layer right before the details start to be completely flat, disregarding anything that comes above it.

Setting the top layer count to be equal to the layers of the details will create half of what I'm looking for, but the ironing still goes around where the details will be printed (slightly visible in second screenshot).

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by reneroth

[GregValiant 1,260]

I think both of you need two models.  One would be the base and the other would be what goes on top.  You can do this in Cura.  Bring the base in on the build plate and bring the upper portion in at a Z to sit on the base.  Using the Per Model settings you could have the base piece ironed and the upper part what ever you want.

 

I've printed a lot of these drink coasters using two models.  I've adjusted the Z here so you can see that the top layer of the base on the left is ironed, and the first layer of the words and rim on the right have no bottom layers (in this case, it just doesn't need them).  I usually use Pause At Height and change the color for the upper part.

[gr5 2,177]

Yes.  Make two models that don't intersect with each other.  You may have to raise the Z value of the text so it sits at the right height.  I just did this for a print 2 days ago.  You can do this even if your printer only has one extruder - in fact that is the default where the same extruder gets assigned to all models.  In my example I had 2 extruders with 2 different color filaments.

 

I didn't use the ironing feature but it would have been easy to do so.

 

[reneroth 1]

Thank you, both of you, this is exactly what me and OP were looking for. Pro-Tip: Go into Cura Settings > General > Uncheck "Automatically drop models to the build plate"

[Lordpaul 1]

Thank You Guys! 

I will try these suggestions.  I can make separate STL files that's an easy fix. 

 

That's again,

Paul

[GregValiant 1,260]

If you want to get really fancy we can teach you to merge two or more gcode files together at a height so you can mix layer heights and line widths and even print different sections with a different size nozzle.  It's a bit tedious but not bad.  The hard part is watching (with your fingers crossed) as the printer goes through a transition area of the gcode 9 hours into a print and you're wondering if you got the transition code right.