Like small parts, medium-sized parts can have their difficulties. Whether it be adhesion, corners, or rounded edges, parts usually need their own specific settings for a successful outcome.
The most important factor for any 3D model is bed leveling and Z axis offset.
Having the print head too low will cause it to drag the bed and make the stream too wide and thin.
Having it too high will cause the layer to not adhere to the bed.
If the bed is not level, likewise can apply in a constrained section of the bed.
Low spots are also a possibility – You may not be able to see 0.2 or 0.3 of a millimeter with the naked eye to recognize a low spot in the middle of the bed. That is a full layer thickness and can cause issues depending upon where the print head’s Z axis is calibrated.
Adding a BRIM is the first line of defense with small and medium-sized parts. Doing this will make the contact patch with the bed larger, so the part has better likeliness to adhere and stay during the duration of the print.
Moderating the Print Speed is the main line of defense with small parts. By slowing down the print head to 20-30 mm/s, it is able to more accurately make curves and small details in the prints, and is less likely to have loose “hairs” or “strands” randomly sticking out of the model.
Increasing Wall or Shell Thickness can also be a crutch on small parts. If you are making a part that will have tube-like properties, it may be better to increase the thickness of the walls rather then tweak the infill density.
Finally, there is a Cooling setting. For small parts, you want this box turned on so that each layer will be properly “dry” by the next time the print head comes around. With that said, you do not want it turned on in situations where the part may overly cool before the next pass, at which point the layers may not adhere properly – This can lead to the part cracking or having a weak spot. As such, this setting is typically turned off for medium and large parts.
These are some rough starting points for settings:
- Parts 4-9 square inches (2″ x 2″ to 3″ x 3″):
- Brim enabled
- Print Speed 20-25 mm/s
- Cooling OFF
- Parts 9-16 square inches (3″ x 3″ to 4″ x 4″):
- Brim enabled
- Print speed 25-30 mm/s
- Cooling OFF
