Is there a way to adjust the depth of fill?
I have an object that I want to give some writing on, but the PLA is a little translucent so I’m concerned that the infill will show through. It seems to default to 3 layers on a fill, but I’d like 5 to be safe
Even if I change “Bottom Shell Layers” to, say 5, all I get is a solid layer of the main blue colour
It’s plausible I’m missing a setting that’s obvious, but can anyone advise?
Unfortunately, you aren’t missing a setting, color depth control isn’t available as a changeable setting. It’s been requested for a while, for the reasons you give. The best we can do is by layer, and either paint or assemble in post. Adding ironing is often the easiest work-around, when the colors are on the top surface.
I would really love a way to better adjust the depth - there are so many use cases that I’ve come across now where this would be useful…
sure I could think of others
Maybe I don’t completely understand this issue.
Couldn’t you use a part modifier to enforce the color and pattern on the model to achieve the desired results?
Perhaps… in some cases.
In my woodgrain example - that’s already mapped onto all surfaces, so it can’t just be a separate part
But equally, that suggestion essentially leans towards saying the whole painting feature redundant - if the painting feature is there, then it would be nice for it to be enhanced in this way
Can you post a picture of your example?
I am very interested in methods to accomplish what I think you’re mentioning, but I am not sure I fully understand.
I have been modeling some board game pieces that I want to print in multiple colors, so I extrude each color as it’s own body so I can control the layer depth.
I export the whole component body as a STL and use the “split into parts” option on the slicer. I can then assign each body/object its own filament before printing.
This method allows me precise control over the colors without having to use the clumsy Color Painting tool.
If there are other methods I would love to discover them.
Funnily enough, a board game related print as well
So the wood grain is 1 layer on top and sides
What I’d love to be able to do is stick some black underneath the inner wood grain pattern, with a single layer on top of it, so that a darker shade shows through slightly - just to help with the effect.
Now I understand! Thank you.
I can see where the paint colors tool would also be too clumsy for your model as well.
I am not sure what you are using for your modeling software…
But is there a way create a 0.2mm body (assuming that is your desired print height) under each of your texture details?
If you load both the model bodies at once, the slicer will give you the option to import them as a single object with separate parts.
Then you can assign your “under texture” body the color you want with just the object menu.
Might be able to do that - but would the slicer actually retain that colour if it were in the middle of an object?
I believe so. Since you are explicitly telling it what color/filament to print the object/body it will override the default color.
There is a caveat though. I believe the slicer assigns filament priority from bottom up.
Example… 3 part model…
Object A is the main body (black)
Object B is a small feature (red)
Object C is a different small feature (green)
If the object order in the objects menu is:
B
A
C
The B object will get overwritten with A’s color (black) because they are overlapping in the model.
But C will still print green since it is processed after the first two.
In order to mitigate this, I now cut the detail parts (B & C) from the main object/body A before creating the extrude that actually creates the B & C bodies.
This eliminates the bodies overlapping in the slicer and therefore they are all treated as sperate objects “stacked” into a single model.
Then the order no longer matters.
Does that make sense?
I am using the terms bodies and objects interchangeably, but they are the same “parts”:
Fusion 360 calls them “Bodies”
Bambu/Orca slicer calls them “Objects”
Yeah I’m with you. I’ve done this in the past, but I found it really tricky if the item you want isn’t centered on the body, but you have specific place you want it.
You have to be really careful to align what you want else you end up with gaps
Thinking as I typed I guess you could just do a big block instead and order them correctly
Well, if you do it in your modeling software you can export the mesh as a single STL.
The you tell the slicer to split it into parts and the all the parts should already be in the correct place.
If you have 2 STLs, CTRL click the STLs and drag them into the slicer at the same time. It will ask you if you want to treat them as a single model.
As long as both STLs have the same origin, which they presumably will if they’re from the same model, they will be aligned the same way you modeled them.
No need to align anything manually.
Where is the split into parts option in the slicer? I can’t see it?
If I drag two STLs from the same model it does not align them for me… (i’m using tinkercad but guess it won’t make a difference)
Highlight the model on the Prepare tab, right click it and there is a “Split” option.
Interesting. This may be a limitation of Tinkercad.
I just verified with my models created in Fusion 360. When I drag them both in simultaneously, it gives me the prompt “Load these files as a single object with multiple parts?”
Clicking “Yes” then places them exactly in the same position they were created in within Fusion360.
I am unfamiliar with Tinkercad. Maybe there is an option to save positional information?
i don’t know why, but i cant post my question until i reply to stuff. so here. im replying
In Tinkercad try using export everything in the design to a single STL then when you import the STL, the parts should be aligned and can be separated with the split to objects feature.
I created a youtube video a few weeks ago that demonstrates how I add text to the build plate side of an object where the text is flat on the build plate and flat to the object. I show how to set the exact number of layers for the text. The same method could be used for other objects. The video includes a demonstration of the split to objects feature.
Basically, the method is to separate the objects which will cause them to fall flat to the build plate and then assemble the objects creating a single assembly with the surfaces remaining flat to the build plate. The z height of the text or other object would dictate the number of layers printed for that object.
Here is a link to my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21ULxfe6XkI&t=4s
Throwing my hat in the ring for really wishing we could customize the painting depth. I have painted faces where the color really only needs to be one or two layers thick, but it’s consistently making it 5-6 (this is at a 0.1mm layer height) and it adds a whole bunch of unnecessary color changes. I’ve tried everything I can think of for workarounds but no luck. The faces are irregularly shaped and modifiers end up showing through other parts of the print.
Necro posting, sorry.
This is starting to bug me a bit as well. Funny, this is only an issue on top layers. Sides paint through pretty far, and if the color is on both sides, it paints the color right across, overriding the base color, which at times can be good or bad depending on which filament you want to use more of.
With blender, I have tried to bolean out 1 mm (so 5 layers at 0.2mm) and then re-add the decal object of that thickness, but still it only paints the very top layer. I hoped that the Sphere would go deeper, but appears not (like the circle but 3D depth painting… I hoped).
it would be nice for the painting to have a default depth setting in layers/walls.
Yeah, it’s a pain. I’ve mostly gotten around it by exporting objects with multiple distinct bodies and then changing the filament on a per-object basis, but it’s a pain.
