1 Topic by reznor9 (edited by reznor9 2015-12-16 22:06:32)

  • reznor9
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Topic: Can someone explain the shell thickness options?

I have a Da Vinci Pro and although Ive completed dozens of successful prints, I have really have no understanding of the shell thickness print options.. scratch that, I figure I have a very basic understanding of shell thickness as I would assume its referring to the thickness of the outer layer of the print(i.e.:the shell). What I don't understand is the three individual options for shell thickness in the print settings.
Normal:
Top Surface:
Solid Infill:

What do these options mean? I really have no idea how many layers to assign to each one and what they specifically do for the print. I also see you can adjust the speed for each shell category... not sure whats up with that either... Can someone fill me in? Thanks in advance.

2 Reply by carl_m1968

  • carl_m1968
  • carl_m1968
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Re: Can someone explain the shell thickness options?

Normal are the outside perimeters. Assuming correct calibration each perimeter pass should be .48mm so two outside perimeters would be just under 1mm thick for an outside wall. That setting comes down to what you want. 2 to 3 is normal.

Top surface is just what it says. The difference is that this layer is dictated by your set layer height. Assuming .3 which is normal you would get a top surface layer that is .3mm thick on each pass. For .3 two or three layers are common. For a lower layer height that might need to be raised if you notice gaps in your top surface.


Infill is what it feels the empty space with and is usually a percentage. This is what gives your part strength. For structure parts that need to handle loads you would 50 to 90 percent. 90 percent is usually solid enough for any pupose the mateial can handle. If it is a figure or just a rough test print you would use less than 50 percent to conserve filament. Of course this also depends on thr depth of your pockets. If cost was no issue then I guess you could print everything at 100 percent infill.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
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