Creating .12 mm profile from my .2 mm baseline help.

[C1ph3r]

Edit: Ender 3 Matter Hackers build series PLA

I have what I think is a very good .2 mm layer height profile. it isnt 100% perfect but close enough that I want to get a .12 mm profile dialed in for doing finer detail prints. I want to use my .2 as the baseline.

What settings other than the layer height of course, need to be considered when building a finer detail layer height profile? I am looking to learn? I have attached my current .2 mm profile for reference. This was built off of Dr Vax youtube video on cura profiles.

[Alan]

I printed a series of CaliCats only changing the layer height down to 0.10 mm with a 0.4 mm nozzle. All the models looked good, but overhangs (the tail) started going at 0.14 mm linewidth. When I add a metal extruder (soonish), I think that will improve. If not, I'd slow the print speed down.

Let us know how it goes for you!

Cheers

[C1ph3r]

I should print a calicat and see what I get. I printed my tower test to see if the banding lines improved at all with the lower layer height and it made no difference.
pond thing that did happen though is I got a lot of fine stringing between the round wedding cake tower and the square tower adjacent to it. Going to post it up on my other thread. Dang. I really wish I knew of a resource that went in to good depth on what all these slicer setting did. And how changing one affects another. I’m sure there is I just need to find it.

[Alan]

Have you installed the Cura's "Settings Guide" plugin? It has helped me greatly.

Cheers

[irvshapiro]

I was not familiar with this and I will give it a look. Thanks for suggesting it. I am going to do a future video on suggested Cura plugins are there any other you would recommend?

[C1ph3r]

Have you installed the Cura's "Settings Guide" plugin? It has helped me greatly.

Cheers

I did not know that was a thing. Thank you. I’ll look into it.

[Maximo101]

I mostly print at 0.12mm or 0.16mm. My settings are mostly the same as yours, except ill normally use 3-5 walls, 5-7 top/bottom layers. An important thing is to make the Z Support layer height multiples of your chosen layer height. Eg. 1x for better support that are harder to get off, or 2x layers for less support that is easier to take off. Eg. Picture attached for a 0.12mm profile

[C1ph3r]

I mostly print at 0.12mm or 0.16mm. My settings are mostly the same as yours, except ill normally use 3-5 walls, 5-7 top/bottom layers. An important thing is to make the Z Support layer height multiples of your chosen layer height. Eg. 1x for better support that are harder to get off, or 2x layers for less support that is easier to take off. Eg. Picture attached for a 0.12mm profile

Thanks for that tidbit of info. i think i also need to do something with my retraction. i am getting some faint stringing on my .12mm. hoping to do more testing today. i am currently switching all my testing so using 3DHubs Marvin. It just prints so much quicker than anything else and looks to be a hard print to get right.

[Maximo101]

What printer are you using ?
I used retraction tests to find the best spot between stringing and holes in the walls
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2563909
4mm works with the pla+ I'm using but the pla I have needs 6mm

[C1ph3r]

thanks for that. i will give it a look. i am using an ender 3. SKR Mini board, SeeMeCNC EZ Struder, capricorn bowden tube, pei bed surface and yellow bed springs.

edit: i have a tower test similar to that and with my .2 profile it is flawless. havent tried it with my .12mm profile yet.

[C1ph3r]

Edit: Ender 3 using matter hackers build series pla.

Well I tried the tower test with my .12 profile and it came out great. So I proceeded with printing my actual projects thinking the issues I was having were related to a batch of filament. Wrong. New filament same colors. This time I stopped a print that was having these horrible whisps that was using my .12 and started it again with my .2. No whispy bits and my edge is very clean. I have attached my 2 profiles and the print comparison. This whisps are easy enough to clean but on these sharp edges it’s ruining the print.

I have been advised 2 things to try so far. Change retraction on the .12 to 5mm from 6 which it was at one point and had the same issues. I thought going to 6 would help but sounds like going down instead of up may be the way? And I have also been suggested to change retract speed to 60.

[C1ph3r]

Here are my current profiles.

[Maximo101]

Your fan speeds looks different. I have not looking into cooling at all yet.
Retraction up will reduce strings but too high will leave little holes in your walls, need to find the balance
I'm using 4mm retraction distance with 25mm retraction speed with pla+ (Capricorn PTFE On ender3pro), but the pla I have does need 6mm
I get slight stringing that burns off with flame easily.

[C1ph3r]

Your fan speeds looks different. I have not looking into cooling at all yet.
Retraction up will reduce strings but too high will leave little holes in your walls, need to find the balance
I'm using 4mm retraction distance with 25mm retraction speed with pla+ (Capricorn PTFE On ender3pro), but the pla I have does need 6mm
I get slight stringing that burns off with flame easily.

yeah cooling fan is full speed after a certain layer. Heck maybe I should try with no part cooling and see what happens. I also have Capricorn ptfe tube.

I did drop down to 5mm retraction. I found at 6 on this new retraction test model I’m using I was getting under extrusion. I’ve been printing all day testing one change at a time and have made zero progress. At least with my test model. Currently with all my tests, 5mm retraction at 55mms retraction speed is where I’ve landed on those 2 settings. That’s were any changes one way or another stopped. Tried lowering my temps down and no change. Currently running now with a reduction in print speed from 65 down to 50 to see if that changes anything. This is really starting to get to me. I wouldn’t mind the whisps if it wasn’t actually ruining the edges of my prints where the whisps are.

this picture is what I’m dealing with. The one on the far left is best I’ve gotten. It was number 4 out of 8. You can see the first 3 in the background. And really the difference in all of them is very negligible. Kinda why I’m thinking I’m barking up the wrong tree with retraction. I also tried a different slider without any noticeable differences.

[Alan]

Have you tried using Coasting? Coasting replaces the last part of an extrusion path with a travel path, meaning the oozed material is used to print the last piece of the extrusion path to reduce stringing. If it is too high, the printer can under extrude. Good initial settings are:

Coasting Volume: 0.064 (nozzle diameter cubed)
Minimum Volume Before Coasting: 1mm3
Coasting Speed: 90%

Cheers

[C1ph3r]

Haven’t tried that yet. I’ll be giving that a go next.