Just wondering what the best settings were for printing the plastic parts using PLA, ie - number of perimeters and percentage of infill to get the best results.
Martin.
It’s listed on the Parts page. 55%-65% infill for most parts (I think the feet are 35%), and I think 3 perimeters. Double-check the page for details. It’s all there.
2 or more perimeters… I print with 3. Personal choice. But make sure that whatever your settings are, your PLA layer-to-layer strength is good. My XY parts started to delaminate and tear themselves apart (although I think that’s also a symptom of excessive material shrinkage). I’m currently reprinting with some new filament that seems to work a little better.
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Read them instructions a few times last night, don’t know how I missed that thankyou very much for your help.
That link is for the MPCNC. On the LowRider Parts Page the infill % is not as clearly defined, Just “30-55% infill” which is quite the range. Perhaps it isn’t as critical for this design? I hope so anyway. I printed my parts w/ 30% infill and 3x .6mm walls (vs the more typical .4mm) so hopefully that is sufficient in all cases fingers crossed
From everything I’ve been reading/watching recently, you’re probably better off increasing perimeters rather than infill anyway. CNC Kitchen did some testing and IIRC, the strength difference in perimeters far outweighed the strength difference in infill. Also, stick to grid/rectilinear infill (or maybe gyroid, if you’re feeling artistic), as they print faster and don’t detract from part strength at any decent infill value.
I went with “Cubic” for my prints and they feel plenty solid. The general sense I get is that (outside of certain applications) people use way too much infill on their prints so I tend to low-ball everyone’s estimates. I usually take the “if it looks right, it is right” approach when inspecting the sliced gcode and I’ve had decent luck and I agree 100% on walls being more important that infill.
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Cubic is good, too. The screwball ones are the variations of honeycomb. All those direction changes slow the printer down so much, and the print ends up being weaker than plain old rectilinear infill. Gyroid works because the paths are all smooth-ish curves, and the printer can maintain speed. Cubic is pretty much rectilinear, but tilted and with some structure in what would have been the Z-plane to provide better 3-D support (technically, most “2D” infills provide the best strength/support along the Z axis).
I’m sure you know this, but I thought I’d elaborate for anyone who might be looking at their slicer wondering what all those choices mean.
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