Does changing Filament Diameter or Flow % have the same effect

[jweaver 2]

I just wanted to check.. If I am using 1.75 filament, but specified the filament diameter as SMALLER this would cause over-extrusion.

But equally, if increase the flow% it would have the same effect.

Does the Fillament Diameter feature and Floew% do exactly the same job? Or are they different.

I just want to find out as I am planning to do some experiments with 'flow' to try and improve the situation I am suffering with, and I just wanted to find out whether these 2 settings basically do the same thing.

Jon

 

[swordriff 119]

Quote: I just want to find out as I am planning to do some experiments with 'flow' to try and improve the situation I am suffering with, and I just wanted to find out whether these 2 settings basically do the same thing.

 

What is it you wish to accomplish?

 

[jweaver 2]

Quote: I just want to find out as I am planning to do some experiments with 'flow' to try and improve the situation I am suffering with, and I just wanted to find out whether these 2 settings basically do the same thing.

What is it you wish to accomplish?

 

Not sure but willing to try anything. I am just thinking that my problem is under extrusion. And i wonder what will happen if i force a bit more plastic out.

So to so this, i wonder if i should increase the flow, or reduce the filament diameter?

[swordriff 119]

Without seeing pictures I guess you have too low temperature

or wrong nozzle size in slicer or clogged hot end

 

[Daid 306]

Both the flow and the filament diameter effect the same internal "how much material do I need to push forward" value. But that hardly makes them the same things. Larger diameter lowers the "how much material do I need to push forward" value, with a power of 2. While the flow is a direct adjustment of that value.

 

[jweaver 2]

Both the flow and the filament diameter effect the same internal "how much material do I need to push forward" value. But that hardly makes them the same things. Larger diameter lowers the "how much material do I need to push forward" value, with a power of 2. While the flow is a direct adjustment of that value.

 

Agreed.. I understand that increasing the flow by 10% (to 110), is completely different to reducing the diameter by 10% (from 1.75 to 1.575) as the diameter setting is the "volume" of the filament.

But all i wanted to know is that taking the mathematics out of the equation, they both do the same thing.

 

[swordriff 119]

jweaver: If you take the consequence of what Daid writes you can look at it like this:

You have a certain diameter of filament, yes? Set, and use that setting.

When you need to change the flow, then change the flow.

Although you will probably be able to balance your suggestion out in your head, it will probably

mess things up for you later on, in saving the different configurations or other things.

If your filament is lets say 1.75. Why would you want to configure your machine to have

a bigger gauge filament and then reduce flow to "compensate"?

Hehe.. what would the flow be if you set your filament to 10CM? 0.37%.?

No. Reco is to set the settings you know and can be sure of, then fiddle as much

as possible (I certainly do) with everything else.

 

[jweaver 2]

If your filament is lets say 1.75. Why would you want to configure your machine to have

a bigger gauge filament and then reduce flow to "compensate"?

 

I just want to test this and see what happens.. I don't for a second thing it will do anything.. But I just want to see the effect of an increase flow on the first layer, and its been suggested several time taht my problem could be "under extrustion".

It just a test.. I just want to see what happens.. But I just wanted to check whether I needed to play with both options.. Or whether the flow % would do the same as reducing the filament diameter.

I have pretty much tried every other option available and still can't solve my problem on the first layer.. So i just want to see the effect that "flow" has.

Jon

 

[swordriff 119]

Generally, "under extrusion" is not solved by increasing flow rate setting, except for very special filaments like for

example Woodfill.

More often "under extrusion" is a symptom of one or more of many other things like faulty hardware settings, to high speed, too low temperature, problem with feeder, problem with filament, problem with bowden tube, problem with hot end, problem with hot end couplings, nozzle, and more..

 

[jweaver 2]

More often "under extrusion" is a symptom of one or more of many other things like faulty hardware settings, to high speed, too low temperature, problem with feeder, problem with filament, problem with bowden tube, problem with hot end, problem with hot end couplings, nozzle, and more..

 

I know all this and if I were trying to fix an issue with under extrusion, I would certainly look at re-calibrating the extruder in firmware..

But I just want to see what effect increasing the flow (or decreasing the filament diameter) has on the quality of prints.. And to see if it does anything relating to my problem.

Its just a test.. I don't plan to do much with it.

 

[area0404 0]

Personal experience of solving under extrusion is always to increase temperature. Though I am currently upping the flow% as well while I try to somehow compensate for air bubbles in my filament. Highly doubt it will work though.