The settings in this category are experimental and should be considered carefully before use. They may result in failed prints.

Tree support

Instead of printing supports up in straight lines from the build plate, we can use tree support to print tree-like structures that support models. These supports are hollow and can be designed to follow different angles. The following parameters control the way the supports grow.

• Tree support branch angle: The maximum overhang angle the branches may use to print sideways
• Tree support branch distance: The distance between the endpoints of branches, for example, where they touch the model. It is comparable to the support density
• Tree support branch diameter: The diameter of the branch where it touches the model
• Tree support branch diameter angle: The growth angle of the branch. A bigger angle increases the branch’s bottom width
• Tree support collision resolution: The X-Y resolution to check the loaded model and avoid collision
• Tree support wall thickness: The thickness of the outer wall of the tree branches

Slicing tolerance

Slicing tolerance defines the way sloped areas are sliced. As visible in the image below, a layer is sliced in 2D at a particular height. However, depending on the layer height, the layer is actually 3D. The layer can be sliced in three ways.

• Inclusive: Slice at the outermost part of the layer, always including the model
• Middle: Slice at the middle of a layer. This is the standard setting
• Exclusive: Slice at the innermost part of the layer, allowing the model to be bigger than the actual slice

Top surface skin

Top surface skin prints a number of skin layers. To enable these options, first set a number of top surface skin layers, which can be found under the Shell category.

• Top surface skin line width: Adjusts the line widths of these layers
• Top surface skin pattern: Adjusts the pattern of these layers
• Top surface skin line directions: When the pattern is set to zig-zag or lines, a user can adjust the line direction in degrees here. Multiple directions should be separated by commas

Infill travel optimization

Travel moves of infill lines are not always ideal. This setting enables an optimization that reduces travels between the infill lines. However, it is important to note that this setting might increase print time when used on models with many separate shells.

Maximum (travel) resolution

These settings define the maximum resolution for each horizontally printed line. This is used to remove unnecessary detail in printed curves and curved travels, resulting in a smaller GCODE file and putting less stress on the printer’s processing power.

Break up supports in chunks

This setting divides zig-zag pattern support into separate structures by adding small gaps. This allows support structures to be easily pulled away piece by piece. It will not affect the support capacity of the reinforcing structure.

Enable draft shield

A draft shield will create a one-layer thick wall around the object, which protects it from unwanted air flows from the environment. Materials that are prone to warping or delaminate easily (e.g. ABS) can benefit from this feature.

This model of a vase uses a draft shield to prevent warping

There are a few draft shield parameters that can be set.

• Draft shield X/Y distance: The distance between the draft shield and the object
• Draft shield limitation: This allows the printer to print the draft shield to the full height of the object, or to a limited height
• Draft shield height: The height at which the draft shield will be printed when the draft shield limitation is set to “limited”

Make overhang printable

This setting converts all geometry that has a bigger overhang than specified in the “maximum model angle” setting to the value set there. When using this setting, the shape of the model is altered and the model will print differently.

Enable coasting

Coasting replaces the last part of an extrusion path by a travel move. This way excess pressure is released from the nozzle, decreasing the likelihood of material leaking from the nozzle while traveling. Too much coasting, however, can lead to under extrusion as the pressure inside the nozzle drops during the travel move.

When coasting is enabled, you can adjust the following parameters:

• Coasting volume: The volume of material that is coasted
• Minimum volume before coasting: The minimum volume an extrusion path should have before allowing coasting
• Coasting speed: The speed of the coasting move as a percentage of the print speed. Since the pressure is released from the nozzle, a value slightly below 100% is advised

Alternate skin rotation

Usually the top and bottom layers are printed diagonally, and in different directions every alternating layer. With alternate skin rotation, the direction of the top and bottom layers will swap between the two diagonal directions, and print in the X or Y direction only. This helps close the top layer better and decreases the chance of pillowing. This setting only works with lines and a zig-zag bottom/top pattern.

Alternate skin rotation visualized

Spaghetti infill

Print the infill every so often, so that it will end up in the model in a chaotic way. This will print infill faster but will also reduce the model stability.

Conical support

This is an experimental feature which creates support structures that are small at the bottom and wide at the top. Using conical support can save up to 50% of support material. It also provides option of printing an overhanging support structure over your model, to support parts on the top surfaces of the model, without using the option support throughout the print.