#Ender 3 ultimaker cura settings skin#

Ironing is a technique where the nozzle travels over the top-most layer after printing it, to iron the top layers to a smooth surface.

#Ender 3 ultimaker cura settings skin#

The model on the left has no extra skin walls, the model on the right has 2 extra skin walls. This is different than printing an extra wall, because the extra skin wall also gets put between the skin and the infill. When printing the top and bottom with the lines pattern, the outer rim of the skin areas can still be printed with a few concentric lines. If your model slices correctly you may simply leave this setting disabled. If the model has no horizontal gaps smaller than the skin thickness, the only effect will be reduced slicing time. This saves on slicing and printing time, but might expose infill to the air. If your model has a small horizontal slit, smaller than the top/bottom skin thickness, this setting doesn't bother filling the top and bottom above/below that completely with skin. The model on the left has a line direction of, the model on the right (vertical) No skin in Z gaps Multiple numbers can be entered to change the line direction each layer, for example: this creates a horizontal-vertical direction. Changing the direction can have a visual effect. This is the fastest and uses both the X- and Y-motors. Normally, they print in a diagonal direction.

This setting allows you to change the direction in which the top and bottom skin lines are printed. This takes slightly more time to print, but makes flat surfaces look more consistent. Print top/bottom lines in an ordering that causes them to always overlap with adjacent lines in a single direction. Use this feature to get models with specific bottom visuals. This refers to the pattern of the layer that is printed directly onto the build plate. Lines, zig-zag, concentric, and 'line direction' with custom value Bottom pattern initial layer

Zig-zag: A diagonally printed pattern with connections on the shell of the model.

Lines: A diagonally printed pattern with travel moves on the shell of the model.

Concentric: The pattern is printed from the outside to the center of the print.

Ultimaker Cura allows you to choose from different printing patterns for the top and bottom layers. Reduce this value to improve print speed and reduce material cost, as the initial bottom layer is always fully supported and quickly watertight due to the surface it is printed on. The number of bottom layers printed directly on the build plate can be adjusted separately. Example: Number of top layers 12 * 0.1mm layer height = 1.2mm top layer thickness. The resulting height in millimeters will be calculated automatically depending on the layer height set. Instead of setting a height in millimeters for the top or bottom layers, you can set a specific number of layers. By using fewer layers for the bottom you can save material and print time. This is especially useful for the top as you may need a few layers to close it properly and prevent “pillowing”. You can also set the thickness of the top and bottom layers separately. The model on the left has a top/bottom thickness of 1.4mm, the one on the right is just 0.7mm. This means, for example, that with a layer height of 0.15 mm, it’s better to set the top/bottom thickness to 0.6 mm rather than 0.7 mm. It is advised to always use a multiple of the layer height for the thickness of the top and bottom. However, this can also increase the print time and amount of filament used. A higher value ensures all gaps on the top and bottom layers are closed completely. With the top/bottom thickness you can set the thickness of the solidly printed top and bottom layers of the print. Different colors or nozzle sizes can be used for the second extruder. This setting defines which extruder should print the top and bottom layers. Print it at the same speed as the outer wall to get a smooth finish. The speed can be changed to enhance the print's surface quality. If set to lines, the angle of the lines can also be set for more precise control. The pattern can be set separately to get a different visual effect. Top surface skin pattern and line directions Two or three layers are often enough to have an improved surface quality. This setting defines how many layers of all top skin layers will be affected by the setting. The second extruder may contain a different print core or material. The extruder can be set for the top surface skin layers. The parameters which can be adjusted are found in their respective categories and can easily be found by searching for 'top surface' with the settings search bar: This allows to print a preset number of layers at a higher quality which results in a better surface finish. Top surface skin is the top-most layer of top skin, which can be adjusted separately.