Adjusting 3D Printer Settings: A Little Heat and Speed Change
Helpful hint: An easy cheat if you don’t want to try and modify things by hand is to make use of dual print heads using one extruder for the model and one for a raft, making sure to enable purge walls. This causes the print head to move away from the model, thus letting the model layer cool, retracts filament, wipes it on the purge wall, repeats for the second extruder, thus automatically creating a cooling of the model layers and speed reduction at the model print area.
Using 2 Different FFF Settings
As an example, the Police Call Box is going to be configured with a 90% infill and 4 perimeter outlines while the top (including the spire) section will have a 10% infill with 2 shells. This will create a heavier base and keep it from tipping over easily. Two (2) different FFF settings will be created in Simplify3D, one for each region. First, determine where the transition from 90% to 10% should take place; just below the top level of windows. The preview method mentioned earlier can be used or in Simplify3D the model can be sliced using the Cross Section Tool allowing the user to look inside the model. [View > Cross Section] Move the slider up and down the Z-plane axis until the model is slice just below the top window, so 18mm. Write this number down.
Simplify3D Settings for Different Areas
First, determine where the transition from 90% to 10% should take place; just below the top level of windows. The preview method mentioned earlier can be used or in Simplify3D the model can be sliced using the Cross Section Tool allowing the user to look inside the model. [View > Cross Section] Move the slider up and down the Z-plane axis until the model is slice just below the top window, so 18mm. Write this number down.
Adding a New Region to Allow for Different Extrusion Setting
Then add a new FFF Process for the first region, the base, settings; once they are configured a second process will be created of the second region, the top, settings.
Changing Perimeter Settings for Your 3D Model
Once the first process has been created for the base, navigate to the Layer tab and change the Outer Perimeter Shells from 2 to 4.
Infill Settings Can Differ From Perimeter Settings
Next is to change the infill to 90% on the Infill tab.
Changing Settings for Different Areas of Print Job
Next designate what layers to apply this process in the Advanced tab. For the base, it will be from the bottom to the 18mm level determined previously. The settings for the base have now been set; click OK to save the settings for this process. Create the second process for the top portion by visiting the same tabs and changing the shells on the Layer tab to 2, the Infill to 10%, and the area to print from 18mm to the top on the Advanced tab. Be sure to click OK to save the settings for the second process.
Time to Print: Advanced Slicing Settings
Once both process have been created it is time to print the model. Click Prepare to Print and when the Select Process for Printing window appears choose select all to use both configurations. It is always a good idea to run the preview print to see how the model is going to look before actually committing the print time and materials. The above screen capture video shows the how the Police Call Box will be printed included the difference in the regions. There are many, many other features that can be modified for an individual print and it is a lot of thinking and head scratching, trial and error, and failed prints until the perfect print is made. But with perseverance, planning, good design, mesh repair, and custom print configurations FDM/FFF printers are capable of printing lots of cool stuff! Thanks to Sherri Johnson and Yolanda Hayes at Catzpaw Innovations for this detailed slicing and 3D printing tutorial.
