Cura 5.6.0 skin issues - any fix?

[pfriedl 0]

OK, ever since updating to version 5.6.0, I'm getting this problem when printing with top skin. In previous versions I was able to set the top skin to 0.16 and 2 top layers and get a perfectly smooth, beautiful finish. Now I get this, and the only solution is to set skin layers to 0.

 

Any fix for this? I'm using a Creality Ender 3 v3 SE.

 

Edited February 5 by pfriedl

[Slashee_the_Cow 409]

I'm going to assume you're using a 0.4mm nozzle (it's what comes in the E3V3SE). 0.2mm line width isn't something you can reliably pully off using a 0.4mm nozzle - that's why the box is shaded yellow (the general guideline says to start at about 60% of the nozzle's width, which is 0.26mm for a 0.4mm nozzle). Trying to draw lines too think will result in too low pressure in the nozzle so it'll tend to come out in spurts every time the pressure gets high enough. Don't worry though, you can get a nice smooth finish AND not reduce your line width in the process!

 

• Click the ƒx button next to the box for that to return it to the calculated default (which is usually your normal line width).
• Enable the following settings (you might have to change settings visibility to "all" using the hamburger button in the top right), all in the Top/Bottom category:
  • Monotonic Top/Bottom Order: This makes it print all the lines in order going the same way (i.e. west to east) instead of whatever the quickest way to fill the area is. This helps ensure they all reflect light in the same direction.
  • Enable Ironing: The most important part! This makes it, after doing the top layer, go over it again with the nozzle close to help the filament set, and it's constantly releasing a very small amount of filament to fill the gaps between the lines.
    • Ironing Pattern: If you're using lines as a top/bottom pattern, make sure this is set to Zig Zag.
    • Monotonic Ironing Order: Like monotonic printing order, but it's for the ironing. You shouldn't really have one without the other.

That's it! You can leave the other ironing settings at default. I've used this to produce multicolour (changing filament at certain layers) art prints, and they are smooth.

[pfriedl 0]

Thanks for the tip on the skin setting. I did hit the function icon and it gave me a line width of 0.42, so I'm assuming I need to adjust that down.

Oddly enough though, in the previous version of Cura, my original settings worked perfectly and I didn't have this weird rippling.

 

Since I need to get this print done, I just set top surface skin layers to 0 and it's printing fine that way. I'll try the next print with these updated settings.