Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Discussion of Ultimaker's open-source Cura software
User avatar
antiklesys
Reactions:
Posts: 183
Joined: February 13th, 2016, 8:01 am
3D Printer(s): UMO

Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by antiklesys »

Hi,

I was thinking the following:

Say I have a 0.4mm nozzle and I want to print layers at 0.1mm because I want to give my print a "nice look".
This however comes at the price of print strenght, as 0.3mm layers are stronger.
So what about having an "Infill Height" value that could be set "indipendently" from the layer height?
"Indipendently" in this case would mean that it could be different from the layer height, but it would still have to be tied to it and could only be a multiple of a layer height.

So, if I decide to print at 0.1mm layer height, I could theoretically set an infill height of 0.2mm and 0.3mm and the printer would then perform the following in order:
(in case of a 0.3mm infill height)
1-print contour/walls layer at 0.1mm
2-print contour/walls layer at 0.1mm
3-print contour/walls layer at 0.1mm
4-print infill at 0.3mm

In case of a 0.2mm infill height it would be just the same with one less contour/walls layer printed.

This way the outside of the print would have the look of a 0.1mm layer print, but the inside would have the acquired strenght of a 0.3mm print.

Your thoughts? Or is this complete blasphemy? :oops:
Anders Olsson
Reactions:
Posts: 415
Joined: February 8th, 2016, 8:37 pm
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
3D Printer(s): UM2 UM2E, UM2Go, UM3, Delta Tower, Form 1+, Form 2
Contact:

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by Anders Olsson »

Ultimaker is basically already doing this to some extent in new Cura, but by changing print speed instead of infill layer height. (Outer wall speed is typically 50% of the infill speed).
I would actually prefer them keep the speed constant and double the layer height on infill instead, according to your suggestion :-)

The main problem in both cases is that the bowden feeder has a delay that means extrusion rate does not change instantly.
So you tend to get underextrusion for a certain distance every time you start printing the infill.
That might actually be less of an issue with lower speed and thicker infill layers though.

I have a feeling that printing several walls and thicker infill could have negative effects on the surface finish though, but it would certainly be interesting to try.
User avatar
Neotko
Reactions:
Posts: 1142
Joined: February 7th, 2016, 7:02 pm
Location: Madrid
3D Printer(s): UMO+ x2.5
Contact:

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by Neotko »

The only issue I see is that it would need 2 layers printed without infill to 'hang-on-to'. That could make really weird overhangs. Ofc this is totally doable on S3D, just making 2 processes, one without infill 0.1 and other eith just infill 0.3. I done this, without changing layer height ofc, and works. I even found a way to make amazing prints making a mix of this teo processes and some extra juice, but that's for other day.
User avatar
antiklesys
Reactions:
Posts: 183
Joined: February 13th, 2016, 8:01 am
3D Printer(s): UMO

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by antiklesys »

Apparently this is already in cura: https://ultimaker.com/en/community/3661 ... e=1#unread

Neotko, I have S3D too, I'd be curious to hear about the settings and tweaks you used :)
User avatar
Neotko
Reactions:
Posts: 1142
Joined: February 7th, 2016, 7:02 pm
Location: Madrid
3D Printer(s): UMO+ x2.5
Contact:

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by Neotko »

Afaik that's only lide width, not line height. But I might be 100% wrong
User avatar
antiklesys
Reactions:
Posts: 183
Joined: February 13th, 2016, 8:01 am
3D Printer(s): UMO

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by antiklesys »

Just tested, you're right. It's not the same.
User avatar
darkdvd
Reactions:
Posts: 53
Joined: February 27th, 2016, 6:01 am
Location: France
3D Printer(s): UM2/UM2+

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by darkdvd »

CURA 2.3.1 do this.
You must activate the value "Infill Layer Thickness" in the Infill parameters.
According my parameters, this part was print with :
Layer height : 0.1
initial layer height : 0.2
...
Infill Layer Thickness : 0.3

CURA was printing the 3 first infill @ 0.1 BUT all the reste every 3 layers @ 0.3

Image

(excuse my English...)
User avatar
antiklesys
Reactions:
Posts: 183
Joined: February 13th, 2016, 8:01 am
3D Printer(s): UMO

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by antiklesys »

I've tested a custom gcode file and Ander's right.
There will be surface issues without constant print speed. The accelerations/decelerations done by the machine for different types of print then result in underextrusion of the walls that come after the infill is printed.
I wonder if Marlin's advance feature may help to address this, but then I'm not sure the Arduino computing power will be enough to sustain it.

The Infill thickness option in cura looks messed up in the interface.
By checking in the UI it appears to make the infill lines "thicker" as per the option name, rather than making them "taller".
I'm printing a test cube with this option as of now and will let you know :)
User avatar
antiklesys
Reactions:
Posts: 183
Joined: February 13th, 2016, 8:01 am
3D Printer(s): UMO

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by antiklesys »

Ran a test-cube with "Infill Layer Thickness : 0.3" and a layer height of 0.1
This seems to solve the issue of outer layers printing messed up as per my previous test with custom g-code, but it doesn't seem to do a good job on the infill side.
Darkdvd, can you share the speeds you tested with?
User avatar
darkdvd
Reactions:
Posts: 53
Joined: February 27th, 2016, 6:01 am
Location: France
3D Printer(s): UM2/UM2+

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by darkdvd »

Yep !
20x20x20 cube
0.4 nozzle
Layer Height : 0.1
Initial Layer Height : 0.2
Wall Thickness : 1.05 mm
Wall Count : 3
Infill Density : 15 %
Infill Layer Thickness : 0.3

Infill Speed : 60 mm/s
Outer Wall Speed : 40 mm/s
Inner Wall Speed : 50 mm/s
Top/Bottom Speed : 30 mm/s
Travel Speed : 200 mm/s
Initial Layer Speed : 20 mm/s
User avatar
darkdvd
Reactions:
Posts: 53
Joined: February 27th, 2016, 6:01 am
Location: France
3D Printer(s): UM2/UM2+

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by darkdvd »

(My printer is an UM2 with the UM2+ feeder)
User avatar
darkdvd
Reactions:
Posts: 53
Joined: February 27th, 2016, 6:01 am
Location: France
3D Printer(s): UM2/UM2+

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by darkdvd »

New test
20x20x20 cube at 40 mm/s for the walls and the infill
Layer Height @ 0.1
The flow for the infill @ 0.1 is 1.4 mm3/s
The flow for the infill @ 0.3 is 4.2 mm3/s
So the Infill @ 0.3 height is a true 0.3 Infill as you can see on the picture
Image
MTVDNA
Reactions:
Posts: 138
Joined: August 7th, 2016, 10:29 pm
Location: Netherlands
3D Printer(s): Ultimaker 2

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by MTVDNA »

Neotko wrote:The only issue I see is that it would need 2 layers printed without infill to 'hang-on-to'. That could make really weird overhangs. Ofc this is totally doable on S3D, just making 2 processes, one without infill 0.1 and other eith just infill 0.3. I done this, without changing layer height ofc, and works. I even found a way to make amazing prints making a mix of this teo processes and some extra juice, but that's for other day.

You actually don't need to use 2 processes. In the Infill tab you can just set "Print sparse infill every ... layers" to 2 or 3, and it will print the infill in that much thicker layers than the perimeters.
User avatar
Neotko
Reactions:
Posts: 1142
Joined: February 7th, 2016, 7:02 pm
Location: Madrid
3D Printer(s): UMO+ x2.5
Contact:

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by Neotko »

Good one. True true, just more %. Anyhow I never use this stuff since I don't print anything that requires specific strength. I wonder if there's actual tests showing how much % you gain by doing it this way or how much time yu save.
User avatar
darkdvd
Reactions:
Posts: 53
Joined: February 27th, 2016, 6:01 am
Location: France
3D Printer(s): UM2/UM2+

Re: Cura Feature request: Infill Height

Post by darkdvd »

Neotko wrote:Good one. True true, just more %. Anyhow I never use this stuff since I don't print anything that requires specific strength. I wonder if there's actual tests showing how much % you gain by doing it this way or how much time yu save.
CURA 2.3.1
Cube 20x20x20
0.4 nozzle
Wall @ 1.05 (3 walls)
speed @ 40 mm/s everywhere
Infill 15%

Infill Layer Thickness @ 0.1 mm
Printing Time : 41 minutes

Infill Layer Thickness @ 0.3 mm
Printing Time : 33 minutes
Post Reply

Return to “Cura”