Voxel Editor Advanced Options

In this guide we’ll try to explain the advanced options available in the Voxel editor of Voxelizer software (3d printing workflow).

The advanced options become visible when you select Show advanced in the project settings window.

Advanced options are divided into five sub-menus: General, Outline, Infill, Support, and Project.

 

GENERAL

This is a more general overview of the entire printing process and its most important aspects. Let’s have a closer look at every option available.

Extruder – This option tells the machine which extruder nozzle to use when printing object. It’s important when ZMorph is mounted with a Dual-Head and Dual PRO extruder. Extruder 1 is the nozzle and filament on the left side of the machine while Extruder 2 is the nozzle and filament on the right.

Single head extruder (left) and dual head extruder (right).

Layer Height – It’s a height of every printed layer. This option is visible also in project settings window.

First layer height – Determines what layer height will be used for the first layer. It’s often the most important layer which enables the object to firmly stick to the worktable, so you can adjust it to be lower than a usual layer. If you have a Power Raft option on, this will be the first layer printed AFTER the power raft.

Path width – It depends on which nozzle you have mounted. This parameter dictates the thickness of a single path of plastic placed by the machine. If your ZMorph is equipped with an extruder with a standard nozzle of 0.4 diameters, then this setting should also be set to 0.4 mm. Please make sure that this setting is set to the exact size of the nozzle in use. For example, when you’re using a 0.2 nozzle, then set the path width to 0.2 too.

 

Travel speed – Printing head speed when it travels from one point to another without extrusion.

First layer speed – This parameter controls the printing speed of the first layer. In order to be sure that it sticks firmly, it’s automatically set to 50% of the default printing speed.

Retraction on (check box) – Turns on/off the retraction setting. When un-selected, the following retraction options are hidden.

Retraction height – Determines how much the nozzle is lifted above the print during retraction movements.

Retraction amount - Determines how much of filament is sucked in during retraction.

Retraction speed z - Determines how quickly the nozzle is lifted above the print during retraction.

Retraction speed e - Determines the speed of extruding/retracting the filament.

Retraction min distance – Controls the minimum distance when the retraction should kick in.

Extra length on restart - How much more of filament should be extruded after retraction is finished.

Travel extrusion multiplier - Amount of travel movements to be performed when beginning/finishing retraction.

Use experimental retraction (check box) – Tick box to enable an experimental retraction. Use this type of retraction for single material extruder only, and remember to set the “retraction speed e” value to around 200-300 mm/s.

Move inside object (check box) - When turned on, all moves would be made within the boundaries of a currently printed model (if possible).

Generator order – It tells the printer how to place plastic within the model. You can decide to make the outlines first and infill later or vice versa. Supports are always printed first.

Fan preset – Here you can find presets for controlling fan during ABS or PLA printing. It opens up Fan Control menu with following options:

Fan speed - How much of the printing time the fan will work. 100% is all the time, 50% half of the time and so on.

Fan free layers - This controls how many layers will be placed without using cooling at the beginning of printing process. This also ensures proper sticking to the worktable.

Dynamic cooling - When selected, this enables an algorithm that gives an extra cooling power while printing bridges, overhangs and/or other difficult parts.

Fan min speed – Fans won’t work slower than this value.

Fill raft gap – Select this option if you wish to don’t have any Voxel space between the object and its raft. It will stick to the raft firmly, so make sure to be careful when dis-attaching the print.

 

OUTLINE

Deals with all the aspects of the object outline settings.

Outline count – Decides the number of outlines on the object.

Outline print speed – Decides the speed of outline printing.

Simplification threshold – If the outline is lower than this perimeter, it will not be taken into consideration as an outline. This is the threshold under which outlines will be decreased.

Minimum outline length – If the outline is shorter in size than this number, then it will be discarded.

Outline order – Decides which outlines will be made first. If your model has 8 outlines and you select Outwards option, then the outermost layer will be made first, then the second one and another moving inside the object. You can select vice versa too.

Border inset – When a small border inset is added on the outermost outline, it provides an extra security on perfect print dimensions.

Start position – Option that determines where the outlines should start:
Last position - start outlines from position where the last layer ended
(0,0) - start from the point closest to (0,0) coordinates
In valley - starts in the sharpest angle of the mesh
Max curvature - starts in the point on the maximum curvature
Random - randomize starting points
Complex – algorithm that finds best region on outline to put the seam

Small perimeter speed – When Voxelizer finds small perimeters on the object, it will slow down the speed to make sure that enough plastic has been extruded into this spot. This menu controls the speed during this process.

Small perimeter threshold – Similarly here, plastic placing can also be controlled by the size of the small perimeter in this menu.

Extrude odd outlines (slow) - Option to enable or disable printing partial outlines that would be generated in places that are too small.

 

INFILL

This sub-menu takes into consideration all the aspects that deal with the infill of the object.

Infill print speed – Controls the printing speed of the infill.

Infill ratio – Density of printed infill. The more infill, the stronger the print is.

Infill offset - Amount by which the infill will overlap with the outlines. Negative value makes the overlap greater, positive increases the gap between outline and the infill. Setting it too big will result in no connection between infill and outlines at all.

Infill angle – With this perimeter you can decide if your infill will be made at an angle or not.

Infill type – Enables you to decide about the type of infill. This is a valuable option if your printed object will be later exposed to different forces. For example, honeycomb infill could make it stronger.

Top solid depth - Thickness of the top solid layers of your print.

Bottom solid depth - Thickness of the bottom solid layers of your prints (even those over the bed and bridges).

Solid depth - Thickness of layers close to the outlines.

Solid bottom layers - Number of solid layers to be printed at the bottom of the print. After this value has been reached, the infill will begin to print.

 

SUPPORT

Here you will find additional settings for creating and generating support structures.

Support printing speed - Speed of printing support structure.

Spacing - Gap between two lines of the support, when it’s generated as “standard”.

Filament amount - Amount of filament used for support structures. Less filament makes them more prone to breaking out of the model.

Connection threshold - Threshold below which, the support structures would be connected together.

Minimum Length - Support below this length will be automatically removed.

 

PROJECT

Bottom layer base – It let you choose what type of bottom layer you want. You can choose between Raft, Box, Brim or none bottom layer at all

Filament diameter - Diameter of the filament you’re using for this project.

Bottom layer extruder - Which extruder should be printing the bottom layer (box, brim or power raft).

Home before printing - Choose whether the machine should home itself before printing.

Add custom G-code - Enable or disable adding custom G-code to the output file. Clicking gears next to this option allows you to enter G-code manually either before or after each layer is finished.

Head change artifact – Here you can choose what kind of artifact will be generated when switching to the second extruder, and when the nozzle is being cleaned. There are 4 types that you can choose from:
Brim – shape of the artifact resembles the outer shape of the printed model.


Box – rectangular artifact printed around the model.


Tower – rectangular tower artifact printed in some distance from the model.

None – artifact is turned off.

Min artifact filament 1 - Amount of the filament from extruder 1 that will be extruded for the artifact.

Min artifact filament 2 - Amount of the filament from extruder 2 that will be extruded for the artifact.

Artifact offset - Distance between the artifact and the printed model.

Min layer printing time - Minimum printing time of a single layer.

Minimum speed – Minimum printing speed. It can be set in a relation to a minimum layer printing time.

Head swap retraction - How much filament should be retracted when swapping extruders.

Preheat - Enable or disable preheat in the G-code so the printer starts printing when the extruder and heated bed reaches this temperature. Enabling this option expands it and allows to set preheat temperatures for the extruder and heated bed.

Extruder 1 print speed – Set the printing speed for extruder 1.

Extruder 2 print speed – Set the printing speed for extruder 2.

Slowdown on contact – Enables or disables slowdown on contact. When the extruder prints with one extruder, and reaches the position on the model printed with the second extruder, then it will slow down.

Extruder type - Type of toolhead in use (ZMorph users only!). You can choose either between the unified head (DUAL PRO) or separate heads (Dual Extruder).
DUAL PRO Dual Head