{"id":166061,"date":"2023-01-05T17:01:28","date_gmt":"2023-01-05T09:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&p=166061"},"modified":"2023-01-10T10:08:55","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T02:08:55","slug":"wall-thickness-3d-printing-how-to-make-it-perfect","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/wall-thickness-3d-printing-how-to-make-it-perfect","title":{"rendered":"Wall Thickness (3D Printing): How to Make It Perfect"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Walls are an important part of any 3D print. Learn how to find the perfect wall thickness for your 3D prints!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Shells in a Nutshell<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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3D prints are made of bottom layers, top layers, walls, and infill (Source: Hubs)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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In traditional manufacturing, parts are a single full or hollow body, with no distinction between the interior and exterior areas of the model. In contrast, the interior and exterior of 3D printed parts are technically separate because the machine prints the two areas in completely different ways.<\/p>\n

The inside portion of a 3D print is the\u00a0infill<\/a>, while the exterior is referred to as the\u00a0shell<\/a>. The infill can be printed in any density between 0% (hollow<\/a>) and solid (100%) as well as in a\u00a0variety of specific structures<\/a>. The shell, however, is printed completely solid.<\/p>\n

The shell isn\u2019t only the most noticeable element of a 3D print, but it also heavily influences the model\u2019s mechanical properties (e.g. strength). It comprises the walls and the top and bottom layers of a print. The former constitutes the vertical exterior regions, spanning a print\u2019s height, and the top and bottom layers cover the horizontal regions.<\/p>\n

These two regions are distinct because the walls cover the horizontal perimeter of a print and continue upwards along the Z-axis. The top and bottom layers cover the entire horizontal area within the perimeter established by the walls.<\/p>\n

Shells and their sub-components are vital parts of any 3D print because, as we said, they can affect a part\u2019s strength and durability. That\u2019s why it\u2019s critical to ensure that your shell slicer settings align with the purpose of your 3D printed part.<\/p>\n

In this guide, we\u2019ll discuss the most important shell settings, including those for walls and top and bottom layers. In addition, we\u2019ll go over how to use these settings correctly and some other relevant information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Main Settings<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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Wall line count is the number of lines that make up the exterior sides of a model (Source: Jackson O’Connell via All3DP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Almost all\u00a03D slicer programs<\/a>, which turn a 3D model into 3D printable\u00a0G-code<\/a>, have shell settings. Before we get started, though, it\u2019s important to note that most of our terminology in this article is based on\u00a0Cura<\/a>. The terms used in other 3D slicers should be obvious, though. For example, in\u00a0Slic3r<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0PrusaSlicer<\/a>, shells are referred to as \u201cPerimeters\u201d.<\/p>\n

These settings can make or break a print because, if set incorrectly, your object will most definitely contain visual imperfections. Many different settings affect how shells are printed in one way or another, but there are a couple of super important ones.<\/p>\n

Thickness, Line Count, & Layers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Perhaps the most important setting for walls and top and bottom layers is the thickness of the shell features. Unfortunately, there\u2019s no one slicer setting for shell thickness most of the time, as it\u2019s usually split into wall thickness and top and bottom layer thickness.<\/p>\n

Moreover, shell thickness settings usually can be approached as either line count or width\/height (in millimeters). These two ways of approaching shell thickness are directly correlated with each other; adjusting one will automatically adjust the other. So, you can work with whichever you feel more comfortable with.<\/p>\n

Wall width in millimeters, called simply \u201cWall Thickness\u201d in Cura, determines the width of the set of walls on a print. In terms of the other approach, the wall line count setting represents the desired number of passes the\u00a0nozzle<\/a>\u00a0should take for the walls.<\/p>\n

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The bottom layers are printed before the infill structure begins (Source: Jackson O’Connell via All3DP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The thickness settings are very similar for the top and bottom layers. Top and bottom thickness refers to the height of the layers. You have the option of either adjusting them in a single setting or separately.<\/p>\n

The top and bottom layers settings define the line count. Keep in mind, however, that if you go this route, the actual height of these layers will depend on what you\u2019ve set for the overall print\u2019s\u00a0layer height<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shell thickness or line count value should change based on the purpose of your model and the material you\u2019re printing; there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all approach. The more walls you have, the longer your print will take and the more material your machine will consume. Your part is also likely to be stronger.<\/p>\n

Recommendations<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now that you know all about shell thickness settings, it\u2019s time to set your wall thickness (or line count) and top and bottom thickness (or layers) in your slicer. Common values for printing regular, moderately strong parts include a wall thickness of 0.8-1.6 mm (3-4 wall lines) and a top and bottom thickness around 0.8-1.2 mm (4-6 layers depending on the layer height set). For most cases, your slicer\u2019s default values will be suitable.<\/p>\n

If you want to make your own custom values, though, there are a few rules of thumb you might want to know about:<\/p>\n

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  1. We suggest using a multiple of your nozzle diameter for the wall thickness because it\u2019s ideal for printing full-size walls.<\/li>\n
  2. Similarly, we recommend using a multiple of your layer height for the top and bottom thickness as full-size layers yield the best results.<\/li>\n
  3. If you want higher-strength parts, use larger values such as a wall thickness of 2-3 mm and a top and bottom thickness of 1.6-2 mm.<\/li>\n
  4. For more display-oriented models that don\u2019t need much strength, you can get away with a 0.4-mm wall thickness and a top and bottom thickness of 0.2-0.8 mm.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Special Applications<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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    No top and bottom layers shows off infill designs (Source: Penolopy Bulnick via Instructables)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    There are also some special ways you can use shell thicknesses, such as using zero top and bottom layers to expose an infill pattern. This is common, for example, in\u00a0jewelry<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0phone cases<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Another example is thicker shells and no infill for functional parts involving frames or rod-like structures. In a model like this\u00a0phone stand<\/a>, for example, all of the cross dimensions are small enough that thicker shells can replace the need for infill.<\/p>\n

    Depending on how a part is designed, shells can provide greater part strength than the equivalent amount of infill material. It might also result in added flexibility.<\/p>\n

    Other Settings<\/h3>\n
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    Adjust your slicer’s infill overlap distance to combat gaps between the walls and infill structure (Source: 1100110001000 via Reddit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Now that you know the ins and outs of shell thickness, it\u2019s helpful to get to know a few other important settings. These allow you to fine-tune your model\u2019s shells to prevent visual and mechanical imperfections.<\/p>\n

    Infill Overlap Percentage<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    This setting refers to the overlap between the infill lines and the walls. The value you enter for this setting is a percentage of the infill line width. The larger the value, the tighter the bond between the walls and the inside of the print.<\/p>\n

    The default value for this setting is 30% in Cura. You may want to add 10% to this value to increase your model\u2019s strength. Conversely, you could subtract 10% to conserve material and\u00a0speed<\/a>\u00a0up your print time.<\/p>\n

    Speed<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Another important consideration is print speed, specifically the speeds for the inner wall, outer wall, and the top and bottom layers. These settings determine how fast the stated elements of a print are printed, and they can affect the print quality of the underlying area. It\u2019s important to mention that the inner wall is simply the wall adjacent to the infill (the innermost wall), and the outer wall is the visible outermost wall.<\/p>\n

    The Cura default values are 30 mm\/s for both wall speeds as well as the top and bottom speed. We suggest raising the inner wall speed to between 30 and 60 mm\/s as no one will see the inner wall and set the outer wall speed between 20 and 45 mm\/s. For the top and bottom layer speed, we recommend either leaving it as is or reducing it to around 20-25 mm\/s so the base and top surface look nice.<\/p>\n

    We included such a large range of speeds in order to account for differences in material standard speeds (e.g.\u00a0ABS<\/a>\u00a0should be printed slightly slower than\u00a0PLA<\/a>). However, feel free to adjust the value by as much as 30 mm\/s depending on what you will use your model for.<\/p>\n

    Layer Height<\/h3>\n
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    The layer height setting also impacts the top and bottom layers (Source: fntsmn via Reddit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The layer height setting is also helpful for tuning your shells, mainly the top and bottom layer components. The layer height controls how much higher each consecutive layer is from the previous one, and the top and bottom layers are still real layers, so they rely on this setting.<\/p>\n

    Essentially, the larger your layer height value, the stronger the part, but the less detail it contains. Most slicer\u2019s default layer height is 0.2 mm, and we recommend leaving your layer height at this value.\u00a0However, you may want to decrease it if your model is detailed or increase it if you need a stronger part.<\/p>\n

    Print Order<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Our last basic setting relevant to shells is the print order of the walls. It determines whether the outer or inner wall is printed first for each layer. According to Ultimaker, activating this setting results in improved dimensional accuracy in the X- and Y-axes but comes with the downside of reduced print quality for\u00a0overhangs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    If available in your slicer, we recommend turning on this setting only when you don\u2019t have any overhangs. That\u2019s because they could come out a bit droopy if the outer wall is printed first.<\/p>\n

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    Even More Settings<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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    Vase mode is a slicing mode that produces only one wall (Source: Steelcity Electronics)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    In addition to the slicer settings we discussed above, there are a few other tools that impact a print\u2019s walls. Below, we\u2019ve made a list of handy slicer settings and slicing modes that allow you to further tune how your walls are printed beyond the basic settings:<\/p>\n