How to squish layers?

[scampa123]

What is the best way to affect the overall perimeter smoothness?

Would it be to simply set a smaller overall layer height in S3D?

Or is it a factor of the extrusion multiplier? Or both?

I posted these shots in another thread, but thought it might make sense to post in a new thread all together...

The duck was printed in black PETG. The black is a bit shiny, so you can easily see all the layers...I'm thinking the layers should be thinner or squashed more..what do you think?

[PcS]

What layer height is that printed at ? Try .10 Also if your z gap is too wide you may get.that as well. You need to know that clearance as well.

[jimc]

overall that looks pretty good. obviously it gets a little more sloppy on the overhangs and the top of the head since that will get a little heat soaked unless your printing maybe 5 ducks at a time. if you want a smoother finish then lower the layer height. also keep in mind that the duck is probably too small of a print to really tune settings with. the layer is probably so fast that s3d is slowing the print speed way down.

[scampa123]

What is a good object to tune the setting with?

[jimc]

i dont have anything off the top of my head. i havent printed a test and tune object in a couple years. i just watch my prints then tweak accordingly. some of the other guys here might have something. you just need to print something where the printer is printing at normal speed. anything tiny and s3d is going to drop the print speed do to prob 10-25%. you'll see that setting in the cooling tab..."speed overrides".

[scampa123]

okay thanks...maybe I'll just print something bigger..unless someone else chimes in.

[Jules]

The only thing i'd mention is to have reasonable expectations as to what the PETG is going to look like when you print with it. It's a shiny filament, and any time you print a curved organic shape with it, you're going to see more reflections, making it look like the ridges are worse than they actually are. (If you look at your ABS duck, you'll see the same spread on the filament threads over the top of the duck, they're just not as noticeable because it's not shiny.)

Aside from the heat soak, (which happens with smaller features), you'll still see the layers on larger rounded prints with PETG. Try dialing it in with something square or blocky and you won't notice it so much.

[scampa123]

Thanks Jules! Maybe I'll print another raspberry pi case...its larger and rectangular...probably a better piece for this!

-Sal

[jsc]

Which duck model is this? My daughter saw your print and wants one.

[scampa123]

It's this one:http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:139894

I've scaled it down to 35% (black was 25%)...(I should say that I scaled it before printing..it's not my duck!)

My kids love them, which is another reason why I kept printing them!