3D printing with unconventional vase mode
a day ago
- #Advanced Techniques
- #Vase Mode
- #3D Printing
- Vase mode in 3D printing is a technique where the printer prints in a continuous spiral path without seams, making it fast and visually clean but with limitations like single perimeter, no internal geometry, infill, or supports.
- Advanced tricks in vase mode include using slits (0.0001 mm wide) to create internal geometry and double walls for added strength, requiring specific slicer settings like setting 'Slice gap closing radius' to 0 in PrusaSlicer.
- Increasing extrusion width up to 2x the nozzle diameter can enhance part strength in vase mode without quality loss, adjustable in PrusaSlicer under 'Extrusion width' for external perimeters.
- Fake vase mode mimics true vase mode benefits by manually adjusting slicer settings (single perimeter, no top layers, no infill, no supports) except for the continuous spiral path, offering flexibility for complex designs.
- Case study: Spheres on sticks demonstrate the application of fake vase mode, combining slits and adjusted slicer settings to achieve lightweight, functional prints with minimal material usage and print time.
- Vase mode and fake vase mode are underutilized for functional parts, offering significant savings in weight and print time, especially for larger parts, though design effort may not justify the savings for small parts.