I've just noticed something weird (Cura 15.02.1 layer issue)

[carlose_martin 0]

Lately I've been struggling with some underextruding issues, which make the top layer of my prints a rather ugly mess.

Today, when sending a test print to cura, I noticed something strange on the top layers:

 

This is the top layer, and you can clearly see the holes between the lines. This results in a rough surface when the print is finished.

 

The weird part is that in the lower layers, the effect is less pronounced:

 

Until it disappears completely at layer 1:

 

I've tried fiddling with some of the setting from cura, but I can't get the top layer to be as smooth as the first layer. I admit I've no idea what might be causing this.

 

Have you run into this issue before? could it be a bug with cura, or is it something I'm not doing right?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Here's the profile settings I'm using:

 

 

[profile]
layer_height = 0.1
wall_thickness = 0.4
retraction_enable = True
solid_layer_thickness = 1.2
fill_density = 100
nozzle_size = 0.4
print_speed = 60
print_temperature = 210
print_temperature2 = 0
print_temperature3 = 0
print_temperature4 = 0
print_temperature5 = 0
print_bed_temperature = 70
support = None
platform_adhesion = None
support_dual_extrusion = Both
wipe_tower = False
wipe_tower_volume = 15
ooze_shield = False
filament_diameter = 2.85
filament_diameter2 = 0
filament_diameter3 = 0
filament_diameter4 = 0
filament_diameter5 = 0
filament_flow = 100.0
retraction_speed = 40.0
retraction_amount = 4.5
retraction_dual_amount = 16.5
retraction_min_travel = 0.5
retraction_combing = Off
retraction_minimal_extrusion = 0.02
retraction_hop = 0.2
bottom_thickness = 0.3
layer0_width_factor = 100
object_sink = 0.0
overlap_dual = 0.15
travel_speed = 150.0
bottom_layer_speed = 20
infill_speed = 0.0
solidarea_speed = 0.0
inset0_speed = 0.0
insetx_speed = 0.0
cool_min_layer_time = 5
fan_enabled = True
skirt_line_count = 3
skirt_gap = 3.0
skirt_minimal_length = 150.0
fan_full_height = 2
fan_speed = 100
fan_speed_max = 100
cool_min_feedrate = 20
cool_head_lift = False
solid_top = True
solid_bottom = True
fill_overlap = 15
support_type = Lines
support_angle = 60
support_fill_rate = 15
support_xy_distance = 0.7
support_z_distance = 0.15
spiralize = False
simple_mode = False
brim_line_count = 20
raft_margin = 5.0
raft_line_spacing = 3.0
raft_base_thickness = 0.3
raft_base_linewidth = 1.0
raft_interface_thickness = 0.27
raft_interface_linewidth = 0.4
raft_airgap_all = 0.0
raft_airgap = 0.22
raft_surface_layers = 2
raft_surface_thickness = 0.27
raft_surface_linewidth = 0.4
fix_horrible_union_all_type_a = True
fix_horrible_union_all_type_b = False
fix_horrible_use_open_bits = False
fix_horrible_extensive_stitching = False
plugin_config = 
object_center_x = -1
object_center_y = -1

 

[gothampixel 10]

something is off. Your screen shots shows fill is set to 0%, the profile you posted lists the fill as 100% but the layer view looks like fill is at about 50%.

100% infill should be a solid yellow layer.

reset the profile to default settings and then change fill to 100%. See what that looks like.

 

[carlose_martin 0]

Sorry, I was fiddling with the settings to see if something changed, and I think I posted a different profile file.

I did as you suggested and reset the setting to default.

Indeed, it looks completely solid again (as it should) at 100% fill density, but also at 0% fill density. The parts are 1.275mm in height.

However, if I load the posted profile, the holes in the top layer appear again, even if I set it to 100% fill density. I wonder what could be the cause of this?

 

[yellowshark 143]

If the height is 1.275mm then your "Bottom/Top" setting will almost certainly mean that all your layers will be 100% even if you set infill at 0%.

 

[carlose_martin 0]

True. That's why I thought weird when cura showed me the layer view and I noticed the crosshatch pattern. At first I thought the infill density might have something to do with it, thinking that perhaps cura might have overridden it for some reason.

So I just changed it to 100% to see if that was the issue, but it wasn't.

I'm still fiddling with the "faulty" settings, but I can't seem to find which one is causing this. After resetting the profile settings, it works normally, but I'm curious as to what might be going on here.

 

[carinac 0]

Did you find out what it was?

[Remy 13]

Only thing I can think is perhaps Combine Everything Type-A is doing something strange. Selecting No Skin under the Enable Combing expert options may help with a nicer surface finish as well.