alexrj/Slic3r — Issue #210: Slic3r could create internal bridges and print infill on top of them to support shallow domes when printing hollow
Author: Pointedstick
Created: 2012-02-19 17:08:15+00:00
State: open

Printing hollow is a great way to speed up print times and reduce material consumption, But there's a big problem: shallow dome shapes (such as the top of a head) do not have any supporting infill, so perimeters alone are often not enough to support them without gaps in the extrusion becoming visible at the top.

To ameliorate this, Slic3r could detect shallow dome shapes, create an internal bridge several layers below it, and use the bridge as a platform to draw infill on top of. That way, there can be a little bit of infill in the areas that really do benefit from it, but most of the model will still be hollow. The minimum dome angle to trigger this could be calculated from the extrusion width and layer height, since shorter layers are better at very extreme angles to begin with.