1 Topic by KevinME

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Topic: Default extrusion width

Quick question.

I am using simplify3d and noticed for the Da Vinci they have the default extrusion width set to .4mm. When trying to print something at 4mm, I had to use the 'auto' default extrusion width which set it to .48mm. Since then I did some research and understand your extrusion width needs to be 1.2 times your layer height. As I'm still trying to learn/understand all of this, does that mean I would need to change my extrusion width to different values when printing .4mm, .3mm and .2mm (or would I just leave it a constant .48mm)?

Any feedback or tips would be appreciated.

2 Reply by carl_m1968

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Re: Default extrusion width

KevinME wrote:

Quick question.

I am using simplify3d and noticed for the Da Vinci they have the default extrusion width set to .4mm. When trying to print something at 4mm, I had to use the 'auto' default extrusion width which set it to .48mm. Since then I did some research and understand your extrusion width needs to be 1.2 times your layer height. As I'm still trying to learn/understand all of this, does that mean I would need to change my extrusion width to different values when printing .4mm, .3mm and .2mm (or would I just leave it a constant .48mm)?

Any feedback or tips would be appreciated.


First an foremost your printer has a .4mm nozzle. That means you csn never print a layer height that exceeds .35. That is why after market hot ends come with a variety of nozzle sizes. You can only or should only print a max layer height that is no larger than .05 of your given nozzle size. Of course you can always print smaller. Extrusion width should be correct if you stick to that rule.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

3 Reply by KevinME

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Re: Default extrusion width

Thanks for that Carl. The only reason I was suggesting a .4mm height is because I thought that was one of settings on the xyzware software (I am running repetier .92 at the moment). So in essence, this printer should really only be printing at layer heights of .1mm, .2mm or .3mm (could go up to .35mm). Is this correct?

As for my default extrusion width, if I want to print at a height of .2mm, would I make my extrusion width of .24 (.02 * 1.2) or would I just leave it at a static number for all my prints regardless of height (say .4mm)?

Sorry for the newb questions, the more I learn, the more I realize just how much I don't know

4 Reply by carl_m1968

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Re: Default extrusion width

You are correct on the heights of .1, .2, or .3. As for width it is normally a static percentage. I dont remember the exact number but I know a layer height of .3 should give you a width of about .43.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

5 Reply by leenanj

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Re: Default extrusion width

I am fairly new at this 3D printing but here is my take.

90 percent of the stuff I print I am more interrested in speed than detail.

I have my nozzle diameter set at 0.45
I read somewhere that the actual size of the nozzle is 0.48

I then set extrusion width to auto and primary layer height to 0.45

With these settings it take half the time to print a model and
it still looks great to me.
If you do a acetone vapor bath like I do on many parts its even less important
how good the layers look.

6 Reply by carl_m1968

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Re: Default extrusion width

leenanj wrote:

I am fairly new at this 3D printing but here is my take.

90 percent of the stuff I print I am more interrested in speed than detail.

I have my nozzle diameter set at 0.45
I read somewhere that the actual size of the nozzle is 0.48

I then set extrusion width to auto and primary layer height to 0.45

With these settings it take half the time to print a model and
it still looks great to me.
If you do a acetone vapor bath like I do on many parts its even less important
how good the layers look.


According the manual and machine specs the 1.0 and 1.0A both have a .40 nozzle. That being the case your layer height should never exceed .35 on a .40 nozzle. If it does there is not enough surface area being bonded to assure proper strength. Your prints may look OK but will never be as strong as a print that is printed properly. There are some undocumented rules about printing such as the width to height ratio that should be followed. Unfortunately as I said it is hard to find a #D printing rule book so you really just have to dig through the 100's of sites for information. Back when i started and the rules where being established there where only a few sites and information was much easier to find.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

7 Reply by oscahie

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Re: Default extrusion width

You just cannot have an extrusion width thinner than your nozzle's size, so never less than 0.4mm.

8 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Default extrusion width

Extrusion width is dictated by nozzle size. Generally 120% of the nozzle diameter, due to die swell.

Layer height can be anything you want, though generally you wouldn't layers thicker than 75% of the extrusion width.

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