Request Settings by layer/height

[dnordenberg 0]

Hi

Don't know if exactly this has been requested before but I see scripts do things to a degree that this suggestion could do and I also find requests here for specific settings at to be applied at certain height/layers, for example print speed, z hop height and more.

In Cura today some print settings can be set differently by the definition of top and bottom height. However it only affects a limited number of settings that is selectable as specific top/bottom settings. This is quite limiting on what settings that can be set different at different layers or height spans.

 

So I suggest a more generic model for implementing different settings at specific layers or a height spans could be very useful. This would then be done by defining a layer or height span to work with and then allow to add/change any print setting in there that will then override the "base" print settings (those which is used outside any custom layer or height spans). The span areas could be defined maybe as layer numbers (but those can easily change if layer height is changed so not optimal) or a height unit span or maybe as a percentage span of the model height but I think height units are the best to use.

 

What do you think about this suggestion?

I wish I was a programmer so I could add something like this myself but I'm not 😞

[MariMakes 206]

Hey @dnordenberg,

 

Welcome to the Ultimaker Community 🎉
Adding settings is also outside of my field of expertise, don't worry 😉

 

Have you considered working with Mesh Modifiers?

You can use them to only affect settings for part of a print. 
Not all settings can be altered like that but Print Speed is one of them:


You can read more about them here

 

Is there a specific model you need help with? 

Do you have a project file for us? It contains the printer and settings we need for troubleshooting. 

To save a project file go to File -> Save project.

 

[dnordenberg 0]

Hi!

I have not tried the mesh modifiers, thanks for the hint 🙂 However a quick look at it make me think that for example z hop does not seem to be one of the supported settings you can change with it 😞 I would like a minimal z hop for easy to print areas and have some trouble with curling upwards on some overhangs/bridges that the nozzle tends to hit and knocks the model off the plate 😞 So I really want a bigger z hop here to stop it from doing that.

Project attached if you want to try to understand my problem. I also want this to print without support since I need a few a these and post processing of the models takes time 😞

CCR10SPRO_skydd5 ASA.3mf

[GregValiant 1,408]

The post-processor "ChangeAtZ" can make changes to several settings but the Z-hop isn't one of them.  Likewise as you have found out, no travel settings are settable using a modifier.

I played with a post-processor for changing the Z-hop height between certain layers but I haven't looked at it in a couple of years.

 

Actually, the reason I'm posting here is that when Cura paints a model with polka-dots it indicates that the model has errors.  There are repair utility apps and on-line repair services for model files.  For that model it doesn't appear to make a difference in the slicing, but getting in the habit of checking and repairing models can save time and confusion down the road.

 

[dnordenberg 0]

I seen this script too but as you say, the vanilla "ChangeAtZ" does not have Z-hop support either but I guess it would be quite easy to add that to the script.

 

The dots is an extra surface, at first I found it convenient to keep it since it worked as a separator and made adjusting the "tower" positions of the modell easier when I was modelling it and test printed to find the exact correct position. But Now when that is done I found out this surface had another nice little feature, it made a foundation for the tower legs so they attach to the core of the bottom plate and not just on the surface. So that is why I did not remove it.

[MariMakes 206]

Hey @dnordenberg,

 

I took a look at your file. 
I would change these three settings to prevent the curling behavior. 

- Bottom skin expand distance, to prevent the drops of yellow skin deposits in the sensitive area
- Infill Pattern, to reduce the amount of infill needed to print, decreasing the time that it takes to close the bridge
 

Have you taken a look at the bridging settings?
They might help you out here as well if you decrease the support angle. 

 

Oh! And I also found the Z Hop Height in the per-object settings will be shipped with the Cura 5.3 Beta. So keep your eyes peeled for the next update. 

 

Mari_CCR10SPRO_skydd5 ASA.3mf

[dnordenberg 0]

Thank you for your modifications 🙂 I was a bit skeptical about making them hollow but they might still have the strength I need so I did a test print. The outcome was way better then before.

It still knocked one pillar off.

I think I understand the problem better now, it is the layer that is about to bridge the two pillars together that causes me troubles because then you have no z-hop at all. Then simply need to be on the exact same level for the nozzle to be able to move from one pillar over to the other and I can't think of any way how this could be ensured 😞

Edited February 21, 2023 by dnordenberg

[dnordenberg 0]

Maybe some kind of ironing? Moving the warm nozzle slowly over the gap with no material added before adding material again?

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by dnordenberg