Questions about extrusion width?
My understanding is that it adjusts the width of the extruded material.
There are several things I want to know.
1. Why should I adjust it ? (Better first layer adhesion is one, are there other reasons to adjust it ?)
2. I use Simplified 3D, there is an option for automatic and manual extrusion width. Should I leave it to automatic or do it manually? It usually sets value higher than 0.4mm, why so? If do it manually, how to get the correct value?
3. Most importantly, will it change the dimension of the printed object. If the value is high, will the final object be bigger in X and Y dimensions and vice versa (even by a very small amount) ? Or will the slicer automatically compensate and keep the size as intended no matter what the extrusion width is?
Re: Questions about extrusion width?
My understanding is, that this is the width the slicer calculates its moves with. That means it does NOT change the amount of material output per line but the amount of lines and position of lines next to each other, e.g. higher values leading to less lines for an item of a specific width and thus overall less material/less overlaps between lines.
Automatic width is usually more than the nozzle size, since the line is somewhat squashed and therefore a little wider than the nozzle size itself.
Correct me if I'm wrong 😉
Re: Questions about extrusion width?
My understanding is that it adjusts the width of the extruded material.
There are several things I want to know.
1. Why should I adjust it ? (Better first layer adhesion is one, are there other reasons to adjust it ?)
2. I use Simplified 3D, there is an option for automatic and manual extrusion width. Should I leave it to automatic or do it manually? It usually sets value higher than 0.4mm, why so? If do it manually, how to get the correct value?
3. Most importantly, will it change the dimension of the printed object. If the value is high, will the final object be bigger in X and Y dimensions and vice versa (even by a very small amount) ? Or will the slicer automatically compensate and keep the size as intended no matter what the extrusion width is?
1. If you increase, better bounding and better overhang. But corner less sharp, the minimum radius is half the width. For my needs I prefer better overhang and bounding to sharp corner then I go up to 0.5 width or 0.6 width with 0.25 layer height. Moreover it is easier to design walls incrementing 0.5mm widths.
2. I have not made any test myself. Just general experiences conducted to such values. Simplify3D propose 0.48 (or nozzle*1.2), Slic3r propose 0.45 (or nozzle * 1.125). I think most of the reasons are of what I wrote in 1.
3. The slicer make all calculation to keep external dimension closest to the model, "no matter what the extrusion width is". It is its job to do it the best. If not, you should change the slicer but Simplify3D is good.
Some documentation that would be correct for any slicer: http://manual.slic3r.org/advanced/flow-math
Re: Questions about extrusion width?
My understanding is that it adjusts the width of the extruded material.
There are several things I want to know.
1. Why should I adjust it ? (Better first layer adhesion is one, are there other reasons to adjust it ?)
2. I use Simplified 3D, there is an option for automatic and manual extrusion width. Should I leave it to automatic or do it manually? It usually sets value higher than 0.4mm, why so? If do it manually, how to get the correct value?
3. Most importantly, will it change the dimension of the printed object. If the value is high, will the final object be bigger in X and Y dimensions and vice versa (even by a very small amount) ? Or will the slicer automatically compensate and keep the size as intended no matter what the extrusion width is?
1. If you increase, better bounding and better overhang. But corner less sharp, the minimum radius is half the width. For my needs I prefer better overhang and bounding to sharp corner then I go up to 0.5 width or 0.6 width with 0.25 layer height. Moreover it is easier to design walls incrementing 0.5mm widths.
2. I have not made any test myself. Just general experiences conducted to such values. Simplify3D propose 0.48 (or nozzle*1.2), Slic3r propose 0.45 (or nozzle * 1.125). I think most of the reasons are of what I wrote in 1.
3. The slicer make all calculation to keep external dimension closest to the model, "no matter what the extrusion width is". It is its job to do it the best. If not, you should change the slicer but Simplify3D is good.
Some documentation that would be correct for any slicer: http://manual.slic3r.org/advanced/flow-math
So what you are saying is, it does in fact change the material output per unit but accounts for this "overextrusion"/ change in the flow rate by spacing the lines accordingly making this a slightly different setting than flow rate itself. Good to know :).
Re: Questions about extrusion width?
To simplify, what the slicer does:
1. calculate the path of the nozzle according to the model external boundaries, width and height of the flow to extrude.
2. associate a linear speed to each trajectories.
3. calculate the extrusion speed according the speed of the nozzle, the width and height of the flow to extrude.
Here an example of an extreme extrusion width ("Now using 0.9mm extrusion width for nearly a 5:1 aspect ratio"):
https://shop.prusa3d.com/forum/print-tips-slic3r-settings-kisslicer-model-repair--f12/polycarbonate-here-s-how-to-print-it-without-warpi-t6919.html
Re: Questions about extrusion width?
.....
Some documentation that would be correct for any slicer: http://manual.slic3r.org/advanced/flow-math
Do you know if a printable manual for Slic3r or Simplify3D is available? I'm interested in both but prefer to read from paper, old dog you know... Besides paper is easier to thumb through while on the road.
Edit: nm google found this one, shared for others like myself...
Re: Questions about extrusion width?
Thank you ron for your answer. It's clear and to the point.
Have a nice day!