[Feature Request] Different Layer Heights on Different Layers

[Yocracra 0]

I've come across many prints where this feature would be extremely useful, especially in prints that have lots of area that don't need a big layer height and features on the top or bottom like threads. We have Adaptive Layers, so why not allow for users to manually change the layer height on selected layers? Thanks!

[GregValiant 1,408]

From what I've read around here, altering the motions of Cura (and that includes in the Z) can cause breakage in the code.  Sometimes a lot of breakage.  Right now it seems that much Cura Team energy is being put into the Arachne project that is doing this sort of thing in the XY axes with it's variable line widths.  I think it will be a while before the Z is included.  You can search on the Github site.  This Feature Request came right up.  It was one of many.

 

My work-around is to use Pause at Height to break up the code sections.  When you use Pause at Height it inserts some code around the Pause command.  That code includes the re-start positions of the X Y Z and E.  If you slice a model with 0.3 Layer height and put Pauses in at appropriate layers, and then you slice the same model at .2 layer height with Pauses at layers where you can get the .3 and .2 to match Z heights - then you can cut, and copy, and paste a custom Gcode file together.  You just eliminate the actual "M0" (or whatever command was going to pause the print) and the line that moved the print head to the Park location.

It can be a bit tedious, but the transitions are usually flawless.  This same sort of thing can be done with a solid base with a spiralized model on top, or, if you leave the Pause command in, the section consisting of a different layer height could be in another color.

[Yocracra 0]

2 hours ago, GregValiant said:

From what I've read around here, altering the motions of Cura (and that includes in the Z) can cause breakage in the code.  Sometimes a lot of breakage.  Right now it seems that much Cura Team energy is being put into the Arachne project that is doing this sort of thing in the XY axes with it's variable line widths.  I think it will be a while before the Z is included.  You can search on the Github site.  This Feature Request came right up.  It was one of many.

 

My work-around is to use Pause at Height to break up the code sections.  When you use Pause at Height it inserts some code around the Pause command.  That code includes the re-start positions of the X Y Z and E.  If you slice a model with 0.3 Layer height and put Pauses in at appropriate layers, and then you slice the same model at .2 layer height with Pauses at layers where you can get the .3 and .2 to match Z heights - then you can cut, and copy, and paste a custom Gcode file together.  You just eliminate the actual "M0" (or whatever command was going to pause the print) and the line that moved the print head to the Park location.

It can be a bit tedious, but the transitions are usually flawless.  This same sort of thing can be done with a solid base with a spiralized model on top, or, if you leave the Pause command in, the section consisting of a different layer height could be in another color.

I see. Wouldn’t be too hard either I suppose, especially after doing it a few times. It just seems odd to me that we’re able to let the software change layer heights based on some algorithm, but we can’t skip the algorithm to tell it which layers are what height. Though of course I’m no software developer and I definitely don’t know the inter workings of Cura. Thanks for the info!

[nallath 1,124]

46 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

I see. Wouldn’t be too hard either I suppose, especially after doing it a few times. It just seems odd to me that we’re able to let the software change layer heights based on some algorithm, but we can’t skip the algorithm to tell it which layers are what height. Though of course I’m no software developer and I definitely don’t know the inter workings of Cura. Thanks for the info!

Well, for starters an automatic algorithm hardly needs UI.

[AndersK 59]

I have written a similar request in Github too a long time ago, cant find it

 

I wish the feature request would be on this forum instead and a voting system so it would be more visible for the community and a way to show what the users really would like to see in the future.

 

I'm no programmer and find Github utterly cumbersome so I have given up trying to submit proposals

[nallath 1,124]

For us is the other way around; A forum is a horrible way to keep track of things, so we have given up on even attempting to keep track of it.

[glx 27]

9 minutes ago, nallath said:

For us is the other way around; A forum is a horrible way to keep track of things, so we have given up on even attempting to keep track of it.

Kind of offtopic, but how can I report a bug for things that aren’t on GitHub? I posted a minor firmware bug (mainly a UI thing) for the S5 in the firmware release post, but I guess that’s not the correct way.. Is there a "report a bug" feature somewhere that I probably did miss?

[AndersK 59]

3 hours ago, nallath said:

For us is the other way around; A forum is a horrible way to keep track

 

No need to keep track of forums, just a way to harvest ideas and level of interest. Then feed development in which ever way you want behind the scene.

 

Nuff said, won't hear it from me again