New to KISSlicer

[heathenx]

I just started playing around with KISSlicer for the first time about an hour ago. The interface reminds me of something from the early 90's but it seems quite functional. I copied some profile settings found on this forum to get me started. There are a few things that have me baffled. The first thing is that I don't know how to close up the top surface to my sidewalls. In S3D I have a setting called "Outline Overlap" that controls this quite easily. On my Rostock Max I have it set to 85% which is quite large but ensures that everything looks good afterward. I think the default is like 15%. Does KISS have some kind of overlap setting? I'm using a .35mm nozzle by the way.

I'm also struggling with getting a really nice top surface. The bottom and side walls are spectacular. Better than any slicer I have ever tried. Right now I have black ABS from SeeMeCNC primed up. Haven't tried any PLA yet.

[mhackney]

hethenx, the photos you show really make me believe you have a "delta arm blues" problem (search that string here for fixes). I slice exclusively with KISS and have no issues like that and my top surfaces are quite nice.

On the top surface, try polishing the tip of your nozzle, it makes all the difference!

cheers,
Michael

[heathenx]

"delta arms blues"? Oh no! Let's hope not. Something else to research. I'm an RMAXv2 user. My arms are different then the first generation. Could that still be a problem for me? I did calibrate the towers a couple of weeks ago and just checked it again. Everything there is good.

If I do have a mechanical problem with the printer then I wonder if my overlap setting in S3D is just masking the problem. Cura doesn't have this problem but MatterControl with the Cura engine has this problem. That's why I print 20mm calibration cubes with a 5mm hole in the center so I can see how how my top surface closes up to the walls of the hole.

[lordbinky]

You can also play with the infill overlap setting as a cover up until you solve that issue, but it will create other problems such as a ridge where each layer stop/starts.

[heathenx]

You can also play with the infill overlap setting as a cover up until you solve that issue, but it will create other problems such as a ridge where each layer stop/starts.

I found that setting but it's already set to 1. I take it I have to lower that setting to fill in those gaps?

[lordbinky]

If I remember right it's a function of your extrusion width, so 1 is the max where it overlaps completely. It might be useful to turn it to 0 and play with your extrusion width under style (common to set it to .44 for a .4 nozzle to account for die swell) and the extruder ratio (default is 1) which is in the material tab. You'd basically be doing single wall test cubes and extruder calibration with extrusion width as an extra variable to play with. At best it would only cover up the actual mechanical issue you are having, and even then you will need to do it all over again when you correct it, so you might as well figure out the source of the problem (tower alignment, delta arm blues, belt tension, cheapskates tightness, or possibly a pully that's wiggling on the motor shaft).

[heathenx]

I'll keep playing with it. On a side note, I just printed off something other than a 20mm cube with a hole in it and it looked pretty damn good.

[Polygonhell]

looks like you are under extruding slightly to me, the lines on the top are not touching. Did you actually measure the filament, or just use 1.75mm?
You should probably also do a real extruder calibration.

[heathenx]

The filament measures 1.75mm. I've tried bumping it up and bumping it down and I'm not seeing anything too noticeable. I actually made improvements using a .3mm nozzle and an extrusion width of .4mm. I've played with those setting a little.

I think you're right though. My extruded paths do seem to be a bit thin. I notice that on my shell walls. I'm squirting at 230C too.

[heathenx]

Alright. This is about the best that I can do at the moment. Perhaps there are some more tweaks but I haven't found them yet. I've managed to close the gaps more by doing crazy things. I have a .35mm nozzle but I have KISS set the extrusion width to .28mm with an infill extrusion width of .90mm. That seems like the only way I can get my beads wide enough. This doesn't seem to harm the printed size all that much. This is a 20mm x 20mm x 10mm cube and the dimensions are fairly accurate. Z is a little off but x and y are on the money. I cut this particular print at .1mm layer heights. I don't notmally go that low on ABS but I was curious. The perimeter walls look pretty good.

[lordbinky]

That looks really good. Have you printed a single wall cube (or print a cube with the infill set to VASE) and measured the width of that single wall? I find mine vary slightly between each wall especially the wall right after it starts the new layers. I also forgot to mention your temp setting is a factor too, I was reminded of that when you noted the temperature, it also happened to me the other night when I lowered my extrusion temp the material was lagging so the infill stopped reaching the perimeter until I increased it back up (using a .6 nozzle with an E3D hotend, still it holds true for other hotends).

[heathenx]

No, I haven't tried printing a single wall cube yet. I'll put that on my list of things to do.

I was emailing Brian at Trick Laser this morning and I think I'm going to buy some carbon fiber arms from him. He claims that his u-joints work a bit better than my stock ones. My stock ones are quire stiff when I move them. He suggested that I lube those which I did. I think it made an improvement. If I get the carbon fiber arms ordered soon enough then I might be able to install those this Friday. I'm hoping it will make some noticeable improvements. Brian's a pretty sharp cat. I enjoy talking with him.

I'm also interested in an E3D hotend but I'll save that for later.

[lordbinky]

I am using the trick laser arms, I really do like them .I had the original set of stock arms though and the new versions of the stock arms are supposed to be fairly trouble free. If you have a newer set, check with the SeeMeCNC guys about it if it doesn't screw up the opportunity to get the tricklaser arms.

[Lightpath]

Did you ever solve this problem? I'm having the same issue.

[heathenx]

Nope, never quite got rid of it completely. I've since gone back to S3D where I can control it. Changing arms didn't make much of a difference.

[gestalt73]

Hey Heathenx,

fwiw, here is what I would/do check if I was having issues with the topsurface not going all the way to the edge of the perimeters.
(I switched to KISSlicer last year, and never looked back.)

0. Out of curiousity, did you start with mchackney's posted settings?

1. make sure your extrusion width is 110% of your nozzle diameter, so 0.55mm for stock, 0.44mm for e3d with the 0.4mm nozzle.

2. make sure you're just not printing too fast. For small parts, I don't go above 20mm/s. If you're curious, try running the part at 10mm/s to see if it makes a difference

3. I actually use the top surface defect you show to verify my flow rate multiplier. I do print single walled cubes as well, but I also print a small cube shape and verify the top surface mates with the perimeter. I'll keep bumping up the multiplier by 5% or so until they mate.

If it was delta arm blues, I believe you would see a gap on one side, but usually not all sides.

Alan

[heathenx]

Ah, thanks. I'll give it a try when I get back into the office.

[Lightpath]

Alan- Thank you!! I'll try it out when I get home from work.