| Slic3r based slicers | ||
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Chapter 4. Slicer |  |
| Slic3r based slicers | ||
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Chapter 4. Slicer | |
The latest version of Slic3r has stopped with version 1.3.0 and is from 2018.
There are development releases at https://dl.slic3r.org/dev/linux/ from 2021.
However others have taken it, enhance and maintain it. Some of them are 3D printer manufacturers and adapt it to their printers, it is therefore no more a general slicer:
Prusa Slicer https://github.com/prusa3d/PrusaSlicer is a fork of Slic3r and supports also other printers than the ones from Prusa.
It stores its settings under ~/.config/PrusaSlicer
OrcaSlicer https://orcaslicer.net/ is a fork of PrusaSlicer that is a fork from Slic3r and claims to support wide range of 3D printers
It can send the gcode directly to Octoprint using the API key from Octoprint as authentication.
It has rich features as:
Adding supporting material when printing flatter than 45°. For supporting material infill rectangular can better be removed than honeycomb.
Infill patterns as honeycomb to save material and reduce printing time
The skirt is the outer ring that has the purpose to have the filament flow nicely before printing with the first and critical layer begins. The skirt does not touch the object.
Perimeters are the outside walls of the objects.
Top and bottom layers should get a concentric infill when the object is round.
Brim is to make a larger surface on the bed so the object sticks better to it. It is attached to the object. Once printed, the surface can then be removed.
Raft is an additional floor underneath the object to be printed (Brim is on the first layer(s) of the object). Mostly it is less dense and has a pattern.
The extrusion width in % is based on the layer height and not the nozzle diameter. To achieve a good printing result, it has to be made sure that the values given result in an extrusion width that is larger than the nozzle diameter. As example if layer height is 0.2mm and extrusion width is 150% then the extrusion width is 0.2mm*150%=0.3mm and this is below the 0.35mm nozzle diameter.
Slic3r has a standalone gui program but it also has a command line interface that allows to integrate Slic3r into other programs. Having it standalone gives the better overview and link to its documentation to tune the many slice parameters. The configuration manager ask for the necessary settings to get a first useful printing result.
Slic3r has two modes simple and expert.
In simple modes all the settings supported via *.ini files that are ASCII readable.
In expert mode the *.ini files parameters are split into 3: Print, Filament and Printer profiles. *.ini files can be still imported and exported.
As tests with Velleman *.ini file import and export and diff showed, just in expert modes all parameters can be imported. In simple mode some are set to default. Therefore advanced users should work only in export mode to not get some of their settings set to default.
The configuration files go into ~/.Slic3r/
The result of slicing can be exported to svg and best observed via http://garyhodgson.github.io/slic3rsvgviewer/
The Object> Settings (or its icon) opens a window where the following can be made:
Depending on the z position, the layer height can be modified using a list
An stl file can be loaded to define a zone that overlaps the objects stl file. For this zone then different modifiers can be selected. Examples: set infill to 100%. or use an other extruder with a different material. See: http://slic3r.org/blog/modifier-meshes
Usually the bed gets heated first and then the cold nozzle will be placed to the home position that might be 0.2mm above the bed. If old and cold filament is around the nozzle or even an old cold string hangs then a collision with the bed happens. The home position is usually at the corner of the bed where it is flexible so no damage happens. However such collision can be avoided by having the nozzle hot and the old filament melted before going so close to the bed. M109 can be inserted to the start code:
M109 S200 ; wait for nozzle being hot before going home G28 ; home all axes
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| Chapter 4. Slicer |
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Cura |
