Please provide ability to change printed "layer height" at "layer number". (To permit a "rough" portion, and "smooth" portion of print)

[Striveup 0]

Most of my printed part can be "rough" with layer height of <0.3>mm; but about 10% of my printed part needs to be VERY smooth <0.04mm>.  Can there be a way created to slice and print the "rough" section (quickly) at <0.3mm>, and then have Cura slice and instruct the printer to shift to <0.04mm> layer height beginning at layer <100>?  I believe many users would appreciate such a feature.  Thanks. Larry C   Note: values between "<" and ">" should be a set-able value.

[GregValiant 1,492]

I do that using Pause at Height and splicing parts of gcode files together.  It's a lot easier when your layer heights are exact multiples of each other.  A "high" layer height of 0.30 would be easier if the "low" layer height was 0.10 or 0.03 or 0.05, etc..  If the low layer height is 0.04 then the high layer height of 0.28 or 0.32 would work easier.

 

Lets say I want to print the 12.0mm base of a model at 0.30 height and the upper portion of the model at 0.05 layer height.

I slice the file once with a 0.30 layer height and a Pause at the top of the base which is layer 40.  Save the gcode.

I slice the file a second time but with a 0.05 layer height and a Pause at the top of the base but now the Pause is at layer 240 (0.30 / 0.05 = 6 * 40 = 240).

Copy from the first line of the 0.30 file to the ";TYPE:CUSTOM" line at the beginning of the pause code and paste it into a new file.

In the 0.05 file copy from the pause line to the end of the file and paste it into the end of the new file.

The transition area must be checked to insure that the Z and E will match up and that the first extrusion after the transition starts from the correct XY location.

Occasionally there might be unmatched retractions and primes at the transition.  That would need to be handled within the transition code so the filament starts at the correct distance back from the nozzle

It takes a bit of practice, but you can actually do the gcode splicing in just a couple of minutes.  You can have the layer height change several times in a spliced file and the transitions are absolutely exact.

 

The same system will work if you want to print a "Spiralized" model on a solid base. 

 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2024 by GregValiant

[Slashee_the_Cow 619]

You can also submit a feature request for it.

[Striveup 0]

Thank you for the EXCELLENT, detailed, and clearly explained solution.  Your "by example" approach is outstanding. Blessings.