Any downside to large extrusion width and layer height?
I just discovered the feature in the Prusa Slicer for changing the extrusion width. Are there any downsides other than (potentially) print quality to using a larger extrusion width and layer height for a given nozzle? I'm printing some objects that look fine and printer faster with these settings. Could pushing the filament out faster damage anything if I do it too much?
Best Answer by FoxRun3D:
No fear.
Larger layer height is a no-brainer for models that don't need lots of vertical detail and is one of the best ways to speed things up. Always amusing to see folks use 0.1 mm layer for printing large rectangular boxes…
Increasing extrusion width is a more double-sided sword because it may affect how perimeters are laid down and may affect stability and geometry, in both positive and negative ways. It's usually somewhere between 100 and 120% but anything between 60 and 200% is generally accepted as printable. But for sure, changing extrusion width is not going to do any physical harm to your printer.
RE: Any downside to large extrusion width and layer height?
No fear.
Larger layer height is a no-brainer for models that don't need lots of vertical detail and is one of the best ways to speed things up. Always amusing to see folks use 0.1 mm layer for printing large rectangular boxes…
Increasing extrusion width is a more double-sided sword because it may affect how perimeters are laid down and may affect stability and geometry, in both positive and negative ways. It's usually somewhere between 100 and 120% but anything between 60 and 200% is generally accepted as printable. But for sure, changing extrusion width is not going to do any physical harm to your printer.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: Any downside to large extrusion width and layer height?
Excellent. Thanks. I’m printing some boxes in vase mode. There’s almost no vertical detail. In vase mode the walls are slightly thicker and sturdier with a wider extrusion width and they look great. So it looks like that’s a way to print them faster and better.
RE: Any downside to large extrusion width and layer height?
As long as you don't exceed the systems volumetric flow then you are good. If you do try and push more through than it can handle then the 'risk' is grinding spots on your filament. If that happens at best you get some temporary under extrusion as the filament skips briefly, at worst the filament stops feeding completely as it cant grip it anymore and you potentially get a ruined print and baked in filament in your nozzle. Which can usually be cleaned out with a few cold pulls etc so its not a showstopper in the sense of permanently damaging your machine.
Prusa Slicer has 2 spots to set a maximum volumetric flow and it uses the lowest of the 2. So you shouldn't be in danger of that too much with a stock system and profiles. Remember you can change the slice preview to show you a prints volumetric too if you want to check.
RE: Any downside to large extrusion width and layer height?
Thanks for the reply. This is helpful. I played around with the settings a bit and it looks like the volumetric flow rate view is good at helping you understand if you are pushing up against the limits of the printer. I also discovered that at the certain level, the software also starts refusing to slice (e.g. if you set the extrusion width to 2mm with a .4mm nozzle).
Based on your comments I search a bit and found this page as well: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/max-volumetric-speed_127176.
With a .4mm nozzle, an extrusion width of .8mm and a layer height of .3 still leaves the extrusion rate well below the limits for the prints I'm doing.