Slic3r prob? chasing my tail cal'ing

Howdy.

I'm a couple versions behind on Slic3r (0.9.1 I think)
The first layer isn't full/solid, the rest of the layers are. I've messed with brim & skirt but to no avail. (different setting and on/off makes no dif)

Another prob I have is size cal. The steps are correct, tested and adjusted via lastword and indicators and calipers.
I can get the outside and insides dimensions right, but I got spaces between my traces. Or I can get good coverage but lose accuracy.

Should I 'lie' to the firmware on the steps p/mm?
Or am I missing a setting?

TIA

Dave

---

Prusa Gen6 Slic3r 9.1 ponterface Mac OSX 10.6

If it's just the first layer, the odds are your Z is too high for the first layer.

Actually no. If i look at layer by layer in ponterface it shows it being 'sparse'
(also just came to me, that first layer fill is 90^ not the normal 45^)

Polygonhell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If it's just the first layer, the odds are your Z
> is too high for the first layer.

Switch to Skeinforge, takes a bit of time to calibrate but has eliminated all the problems I was having with Slic3r releases such as Slic3r incorrectly calculating extrusion width (contributes to sparse solid layers), and instead of modifing axis steps/mm or modifing the model mesh you can tweek the external and internal perimeters to get your dimensional accuracy with Skeinforge.

My machine steps/mm is calibrated with a dial indicator to physical accuracy, and I model dimensionally accurate.

Even with the best settings I could get with Slic3r, all versions, dimensional accuracy is not there, and there would always be a partial gap between the fill and interior perimeters, weighted to one side or the other.

Slic3r 0.7.2b calculated an extrusion width of 0.25 mm for my printer and desired layer thickness, while Slic3r 0.9.3 came up with 0.33 mm which resulted in a sparse infill, which may be the same thing you are seeing in your first layer. Placed a value of 0.25 mm in the advanced settings in Slic3r 0.9.3 and this corrected my sparse infill. Slic3r outputs the extrusion width in the header comments of your gcode. Run a model thru 0.7.2b to get a better extrusion width to use in 0.9.3. I think this auto-calculated extrusion width changed with Slic3r 0.8.2.

I'm using a 0.25mm nozzle. Maybe place the same value as your nozzle diameter in Slic3r under print settings/advanced.

If you are changing your steps to get correct external/internal dimensions, your parts will be dimensionally incorrect within the part itself.

Example, say you are printing a cooling fan mount, with four holes for mounting the fan. If you have a scale factor, or change your steps/mm, this may correct your external dimensions or your hole diameter, but this would also scale the spacing between the four holes, making your part incorrect.

I believe accurate 3d models, a correctly calibrated machine, and correct software settings are a much better way to go than trying to 'fudge' setting to get a print, because you would be likely to have to 'fudge' some setting for everything you want to print.

Ideally, once you have everything tuned in, the only settings you should ever need to change would be layer thickness, infill percentage, perimeter loops, and solid layer count. These are the main factors in determining print time and strength of the final part.

Gave KISSlicer a run with similar problems, Skeinforge has been well worth the time to get accurate print results.

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2012 03:23PM by Dirty Steve.

Slic3r has been dragging ass for the last 3 releases.

Your version matters a great deal, because the last 3 releases have all had different fatal bugs.

Either adopt a version of Slic3r you can live with (I use 9.1 and figure out your ideal settings) or move on with life and use skeinforge, kisslicer or cora.