1 Topic by rickq

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Topic: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

Most of my prints have small features relative to their largest overall dimension (like a 1.5" dia. cylinder may have 0.03"  wide grooves in it.   Sli3er does not do this well.  It just generates nonsense.

I have messed with the stl parameters or remodeling the part (taking clues from many forums, yadda yadda), but the results are few hits and mostly misses.  I am using SolidWorks -  have been for 18 years.

I tried a few slicer options and have found Cura to be the most user friendly, but the resulting part quality is not quite as good.  I hate using subjective terms, but I believe all things being equal, the Sli3er prints are smoother and dimensionally more predictable.

The pictures attached are of an assembly of two parts that Sli3er would not slice properly.  They were printed using Cura, and are a bit bumpy, but usable.

My settings are pretty far off the reservation (Nozzle dia. of .3  and filament ratio of .66 for .3 layers at 40mm/sec, stock Doodle e-steps), but any more squirt and I lose features.

All of this may be solved by a microstepping extruder driver, which I have ordered.

I guess what I really want to know is how many folks prefer Cura, and how do the prints look?

Thanks in advance.

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2 Reply by pirvan

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

We would need more information about the problem you're having.  From the picture you posted, I can only assume that the grooves you mentioned are the radial grooves/notches that create the 12 wedges in the center of the parts. 

All things considered, that doesn't look too bad, you do have some extrusion inconsistency, but it's more pronounced vertically than horizontally.  So I would try slicing this at .1mm layers. 

The other thing you can try in this particular case, is reversing the loop order, so the external perimeters get printed first.  This will give you better, more accurate external faces, which is fine because you don't have overhangs.

Additionally, I don't know what you Slic3r settings are, but when I need accurate external dimensions, I also set the speed of the external perimeters 30mm/sec, small perimeters to 40mm/sec and the rest of  the other perimeters are 50mm/sec.  The default extrusion is .42mm and the perimeters are .35mm (same diameters as the nozzle).

One last thing to remember is that Slic3r takes in consideration the minimum and maximum extrusion widths when it calculates the paths, so if your model has parts that go below the minimum extrusion width, those parts will not be printed (they will not even be shown as part of the slice).  Try for example to create an object (a bar) with .2mm fins.  Al you'll get is a the bar, no fins.  Conversely, instead of fins, do .2mm grooves (spaced farther than the nozzle thickness, say .5mm), and slice it using the "perimeters first" option, and you'll see it works fine.

Hope these ideas help.

To print or, 3D print, that is the question...
SD3 printer w/too many mods,  Printrbot Simple Maker Ed.,  FormLabs Form 1+
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3 Reply by sigiel

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

I'am also working on print that have small features, I use slic3r too, but the only problem i have with it are the support material, that kinda ruin the print as it stick on the surface that should be smooth.

Otherwise it slice OK, sometime the last layer isn't made "smooth". 
I'm kinda sorry I cannot give picture but it's a prototype that is currently being patented so I  can't post picture or it will void the patent.

I think it's the "vertice" from solidework that is the problem. I'm using Autodesk Inventor 2013 and I don't have any problem with slic3r.

4 Reply by rickq

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

pirvan wrote:

Hope these ideas help.

I do appreciate the feedback.  Cura is a bit light on adjustability.  Skeinforge is obviously a bit over the top in that regard.  I think Slic3r fits my Goldilocks expectations, but it just does not consistently produce a printable output.

I have attached a screen shot of Slic3r's version of the part in question using your the parameters you suggested.  I have previously varied nozzle diameters and such to make sure that the resulting drawn filament diameter would fit the geometry with similar results.

I am not sure it is a parameter issue.  On a previous part that would not slice, all I did was increase the height of the SolidWorks model by 0.1" and then it sliced fine.  That obviously should not have mattered to Slic3er

Cura works 100% of the time, and is 10X faster (maybe 50X if you have many parts on the platform - seconds, not minutes).  The 2nd pic is the Cura output of the same part.  And being able to print each part on the platform completely before moving on to the next one is quite cool.  But the Cura prints are just "bumpier."  I would print this part using Slic3r if it would slice it.

Thanks for your help.

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5 Reply by pirvan

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

rickq wrote:
pirvan wrote:

Hope these ideas help.

I do appreciate the feedback.  Cura is a bit light on adjustability.  Skeinforge is obviously a bit over the top in that regard.  I think Slic3r fits my Goldilocks expectations, but it just does not consistently produce a printable output.

I have attached a screen shot of Slic3r's version of the part in question using your the parameters you suggested.  I have previously varied nozzle diameters and such to make sure that the resulting drawn filament diameter would fit the geometry with similar results.

I am not sure it is a parameter issue.  On a previous part that would not slice, all I did was increase the height of the SolidWorks model by 0.1" and then it sliced fine.  That obviously should not have mattered to Slic3er

Cura works 100% of the time, and is 10X faster (maybe 50X if you have many parts on the platform - seconds, not minutes).  The 2nd pic is the Cura output of the same part.  And being able to print each part on the platform completely before moving on to the next one is quite cool.  But the Cura prints are just "bumpier."  I would print this part using Slic3r if it would slice it.

Thanks for your help.

Can you post the STL here?  I'll try to see why you get the output.  The only time I see that kind of output is when there's a problem with the model itself (like intersecting or non-manifold faces).

Did you put the model through NetFabb to check it for errors? Not that NetFabb find all the problems, but it might.

To print or, 3D print, that is the question...
SD3 printer w/too many mods,  Printrbot Simple Maker Ed.,  FormLabs Form 1+
AnyCubic Photon, Shining 3D EinScan-S & Atlas 3D scanners...
...and too much time on my hands.

6 Reply by pirvan

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

sigiel wrote:

I'am also working on print that have small features, I use slic3r too, but the only problem i have with it are the support material, that kinda ruin the print as it stick on the surface that should be smooth.

Otherwise it slice OK, sometime the last layer isn't made "smooth". 
I'm kinda sorry I cannot give picture but it's a prototype that is currently being patented so I  can't post picture or it will void the patent.

I think it's the "vertice" from solidework that is the problem. I'm using Autodesk Inventor 2013 and I don't have any problem with slic3r.

I used to have the same problem with the support material sticking to the surface of the model itself, then I found the one settings that helps:

http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=3413

Set the number of layers to 2 or 3 and you'll see an actual gap between the model and the support.  Works pretty well.

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To print or, 3D print, that is the question...
SD3 printer w/too many mods,  Printrbot Simple Maker Ed.,  FormLabs Form 1+
AnyCubic Photon, Shining 3D EinScan-S & Atlas 3D scanners...
...and too much time on my hands.

7 Reply by 2n2r5

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

If you are having trouble getting slic3r to slice properly but others slicers work fine, try running the model through netfab. I was running cura for a while and didn't really have too many problems with it. I stopped using it because I didn't have as much control over my printer as I wanted. I am using simplify3D right now for most things and fall back to RH for special needs. (vases specifically)

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8 Reply by techbuilder2175

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

Hi 2n2r5,

I use simplify3D as well but I don't quite have it dialed in well yet.

Could you share your settings if you didn't mind?

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9 Reply by rickq

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

pirvan wrote:

Did you put the model through NetFabb to check it for errors?

Well, I learned something new today, which makes it a good day. NetFabb fixed it (see pic).  I used the cloud version. Nifty.

So as all Slicers are not created equal, so to are the STL generators.

Thank you folks.  Much appreciated.

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10 Reply by 2n2r5

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Re: Slic3r not sli3ing well. Anyone else using Cura?

techbuilder2175 wrote:

Hi 2n2r5,

I use simplify3D as well but I don't quite have it dialed in well yet.

Could you share your settings if you didn't mind?

I am out of town on business right now but when I get back I will share my factory file that I made. The biggest thing with simplify3d is that it wants to use it's own leveling technique which isn't compatible with the way RH and Slic3r work. The first layer starts at the end stop instead of .3 or what ever your layer height is.

SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

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