How Does Layer Height Affect Speed & Printing Time?ДЄs previously mentioned, weвЂ™ve determined that layer height affects the speed and overall printing time of your object, but to what extent. The middle or the 50% mark is usually a good starting point to be at, then whether you want better quality or a faster printing time, you can adjust accordingly. So if you have a nozzle diameter of 0.4mm which is the standard nozzle size, youвЂ™ll get a warning with a layer height anywhere from 0.32mm and above.ДЄs previously mentioned, your layer height should be between 25% & 75% of your nozzle diameter.ДЇor the standard 0.4mm nozzle, this gives you a layer height range of 0.1mm up to 0.3mm.ДЇor a larger 1mm nozzle, itвЂ™s a little easier to calculate, with your range being between 0.25mm & 0.75mm. There is a well-known guideline set in the 3D printing community about just how high you should set your layer height, as a percentage of your nozzle diameter.Д¬ura even starts to give warnings when you put in a layer height that is above 80% of your nozzle diameter. You should keep in mind though, there are limits to how small or large your layer height can be, depending on your nozzle diameter.ДЄ layer height too low for your nozzle diameter would cause plastic to be pushed back into the nozzle and it will have issues pushing out filament at all.ДЄ layer height too high for your nozzle diameter would make it hard for layers to stick to each other due to the nozzle not being able to extrude with good accuracy and precision. Keep these as reference models so you know just how well the quality will be when using those nozzle diameters and layer height settings. To properly determine which is the best, you should 3D print objects like a calibration cube, or a benchy at different layer heights and inspect the quality. You would opt-in for a smaller nozzle diameter, while using a small layer height to get an extremely high level of detail. When you have a model of a detailed, artistic statue that you would like to display in your home, the goal is to have the best quality. Not only would you opt-in for a larger nozzle, but youвЂ™d also use a large layer height, up to the point where itвЂ™s fully functional. Once you determine your balance between speed and quality then you can pick which layer height would be best for your 3D printing situation.ДЇor a situation like 3D printing PPE face masks and face shields, your main goal is getting them printed as fast as possible.

This isnвЂ™t the most straight forward question to answer because it really depends on your preference.Дo you need a fast as lightning print so you can get them out ASAP? Then pick a bigger layer height.Дo you want an artistic piece with highly detailed parts and unmatched precision? Then pick a smaller layer height. Which Layer Height is the Best For 3D Printing? Now that we have this basic understanding of the layer height, lets answer the main question of choosing the best layer height for 3D printing. So the smaller the layer height, or вЂbuilding blocksвЂ™ the better your quality but it also results in more layers needing to be extruded to complete the same print. ItвЂ™s similar to trying to build a detailed object using Lego pieces, the blocks are just far too big for the details to really come out. If you think about a detailed object, having a large layer height means that the detail can only go so far.

ItвЂ™s also known as layer thickness and resolution due to being what makes a 3D print better quality. So basically, the layer height is the measurement, usually in mm that your nozzle extrudes for each layer of a 3D print. 8 What Are the Downsides of Using a Small Layer Height? What is Layer Height, Layer Thickness or Resolution?Д«efore we get into choosing what layer height is the best, letвЂ™s all get on the same page about what layer height is.

Simplify 3d first layer height