How do I force minimum solid body width ?
I have a model that has very fine lines in the base layer - 0.4mm wide, used to create a tuxedo effect.
As you can see in the picture, this should be considered as one continuous body. However, when I slice this with a 0.4mm nozzle with the default slicer settings, the slicer treats each of the tuxedo lines as a separate body, which then get print individually (see video).
This can leave artifacts on the print if the lines do not lay down precisely.
Talking with Prusa support, they told me that the minimum width for a perimeter to be considered as a part of a solid body is 0.8 - i.e., if my tuxedo lines were double the width, the model would print as though it were one continuous solid body, and my problem would be solved.
Ideally, I'd like to keep the 0.4mm thickness without changing the nozzle size. Note that the thickness is perfectly printable, it's just that the slicer algorithm does not process the 0.4mm lines and the rest of the object as a single solid body.
Is this something that anyone else has encountered ? Are there community slicer mods that address it ?
Prusa Core One, MK4S w/ MMU3 (formerly MK4 / MMU3, MK3S+/MMU2), 2 Prusa MINI+, Octoprint. ASA, PETG, PVB, (some) PLA.
RE: How do I force minimum solid body width ?
I don't know of a slicer mod that might help, but my initial thought was perhaps such a fine detail across the whole first layer might be provided by a custom textured build plate?
I did a quick search and didn't find parallel lines (but it's a rabbithole I'm sure to spend a bit more time exploring, as the variety is truly surprising)
The *thickness* is printable but bear in mind that the first layer - the base layer, has to be squished into the build sheet in order to stick and that the default extrusion width for a 0.4mm nozzle is 0.45mm before the extra squish. So: even if you somehow circumvent the slicer logic you still won't succeed as you will be laying down extrusions without squish and therefore without decent adhesion. I don't see it working well even with a 2mm nozzle ... If it's essential then @geoff-steele's suggestion of a textured build sheet is probably the only way to go. You would have to get one machined to your spec and then use a light spray of (probably) PVA in place of PEI depending on your choice of filament.
Cheerio,
RE:
To be clear - the item prints, and if the build surface is perfectly clean, the layer lines do go down at the appropriate dimensions and stick to the plate.
My issue is more that the lines are being printed as individual bodies - my preference would be to force the slicer to consider them one continuous body, because then the lines would be anchored to the outer perimeter, making the whole print more fault tolerant for minor build plate inconsistency or contamination.
Moreover, because they are laying down as individual bodies, the slicer guides the outer perimeter around them, making the end where the perimeters contact look wavy rather than as solid straight line.
What I'm really looking for is a way to force the slicer to consider this a single body, and not many tiny separate bodies. Maybe a custom GCode ?
Prusa Core One, MK4S w/ MMU3 (formerly MK4 / MMU3, MK3S+/MMU2), 2 Prusa MINI+, Octoprint. ASA, PETG, PVB, (some) PLA.
RE:
Any chance of posting the model or at least part of it so I can get an idea of what you are working with ? Some of the techniques used for vase mode prints might be applicable to the first few layers but need to see to evaluate.
Don't forget to zip up anything you attach if you do decide to.