[3D Printing Software] Quick Printing with Ultimaker Cura's Adaptive Layers Feature

[3D Printing Software] Quick Printing with Ultimaker Cura's Adaptive Layers Feature

As most people know, the Ultimaker 3D printer uses fusion deposition modeling (or FDM) to create physical objects.
This process involves slicing a digital model into a series of horizontal layers using slicing software such as Ultimaker Cura.
Print the layers one by one to form a physical object.

Quality and speed

Most slicing software assigns a constant spacing (called layer height) between each layer.
Very fine layer heights produce high-resolution models, but each additional layer increases printing time. Thicker layer heights print faster—because fewer layers are printed—but the finished model will have less detail. These situations put users in a position where they must choose between optimizing printing time or print quality.

What if you could have the best of both worlds – making your print layer height automatically adjust to the shape of the object?
Adaptive layers, made possible by new slicing features available since Ultimaker Cura 3.2.

Application of adaptive layers in product development

What does this mean in practice? Poly-Tainer Inc., a plastic bottle manufacturer and decorator, produces containers for products used in the health and beauty markets. To accelerate their 3D CAD design implementation process, they invested in two Ultimaker 3 Extended printers for in-house prototyping.
Using 3D printing technology, Poly-Tainer is able to share accurate concept models with their clients, typically major retailers such as Target and Walmart.
And eliminate design uncertainties before investing up to $100,000 in mass production molds.

Bottle prototype using the "rapid" slicing archive in Ultimaker Cura. Layer thickness consistently maintained at 0.2 mm (200 microns).

Bottle prototype using adaptive layer slicing. Printing time was reduced by 10%, and more detail was given to the areas where it was needed.

The final product's appearance on the shelf is a crucial consideration in the sales process. Using adaptive layers, Poly-Tainer can print detailed concept models with improved appearance and quality in less time compared to models with constant layer height.
The model's angled sections feature more refined steps at each layer, with important design elements (such as the stitching on the bottle neck) exhibiting better detail.

You can use the layer thickness color scheme included in the Ultimaker Cura layer view to display variations in layer thickness. In this example, the thicker layers are yellow.
The finer layers are blue.

Ultimaker 3's dual extrusion capability allows for the use of soluble PVA support material, facilitating the realization of design features such as a "raised bottom," a crucial design element in bottle manufacturing. Compared to constant layer heights, using adaptive layers and soluble PVA support enables faster creation of conceptual models, and the well-defined decorative bevels add detail, aiding in precise multicolor mesh printing during the bottle decoration process.

A raised bottom is an ideal feature for health and beauty product containers. The horizontal cross-section of this feature shows the blue support structure. After printing,
The support material can dissolve more easily in tap water.

Precise 3D printing of concept models allowed Poly-Tainer to order custom-made decorative tools before the first product was even created in production. This saved approximately 4-6 weeks in bringing new designs to market.

How adaptive layers optimize speed and detail

Ultimaker Cura's adaptive layering feature analyzes the tilt angle of a model's exterior walls. The slicing engine optimizes the layer thickness for each section. Curves are printed with a finer layer analysis rate, while vertically flat areas are printed with thicker layers, reducing print time. The calculation is automatic, and users can specify three parameters: maximum variation, variation step size, and layer threshold. The preset parameters are usually sufficient to provide good results, but testing can be performed to further optimize print time for user-specific models while still preserving fine details.


Free slicing software

Ultimaker Cura is completely free for users. You can try this feature by loading this sample .STL file into Ultimaker Cura 3.2 or later. Access the adaptive layer settings from the Ultimaker Cura interface by switching to custom mode and searching for "adaptive layer" in the search bar. We always love hearing how Ultimaker helps people streamline business processes. What features do you consider most important to your workflow?
We welcome you to share your ideas in our 3D printing expert community.
Special thanks to Frank Cowles of Poly-Tainer Inc.

Original link: https://ultimaker.com/en/blog/52520-print-detailed-objects-faster-using-adaptive-layers-in-ultimaker-cura