5 Ways How to Fix Thin Walls in 3D Prints – Cura
Reading Time: 6 minutes There are a lot of 3D printing enthusiasts that wonder how they can correctly print thin walls and many of them experience different issues when working with models that feature thin walls.
To fix thin walls in 3D prints, you can try adjusting wall thickness, optimizing line width, or enabling the option “Print Thin Walls” as ways to solve any issues. Scaling the object up and reducing your nozzle size in Cura are other possible fixes.
Keep reading for more information about how to fix thin walls in 3D prints.
How to Fix Thin Walls in 3D Prints – Cura
These are the main ways to fix thin walls in 3D prints:
- Adjust wall thickness
- Optimize line width
- Enable “print thin walls”
- Scale the object up
- Reduce nozzle size in Cura
1. Adjust Wall Thickness
One way that you can fix thin walls in 3D prints when using Cura is by adjusting wall thickness.
To do that just open Cura and load your model. Navigate to the “Walls” settings in the sidebar and increase the wall thickness to match or go slightly above your desired thickness.
For example, if your intended wall thickness is 2.0mm, you can try setting the wall thickness in Cura to 2.2mm to see if the issue is resolved.
One user was experiencing issues with Cura not printing or slicing the thin walls of his model correctly. He was able to fix that by changing the wall thickness from 0.4mm to 0.8mm.
Another user stated that to fix issues when 3D printing thin walls, you can try adjusting wall thickness, so the walls of your model are at least as thick as your nozzle diameter.
He recommends adjusting the wall thicknesses to be in multiples of the nozzle diameter or Cura may have problems trying to print it.
Other 3D printing enthusiasts stated that normal slicing will need two times the nozzle diameter, as one wall line is added along both sides of the thin walls.
Check out the video below which goes over wall thickness and other settings.
2. Optimize Line Width
Another way to fix thin walls in 3D prints is by optimizing the line width.
That’s because line width is important when it comes to the strength and precision of your 3D prints and by adjusting this setting you can enhance the strength and size of thin walls.
To do this access the “Print Settings” menu in Cura and go to the “Quality” section to find this option.
Locate the “Line Width” setting and reduce the value a bit. This adjustment will allow a finer extrusion, that may help with the stability of thin walls. Try small changes, such as reducing the line width from 0.4mm to 0.35mm, until you reach the results you are looking for.
One user stated that it is important to check if your line width is greater than the width of the wall itself as that may cause issues when printing thin walls. He stated that a way to fix this issue is by reducing line width, slicing the model again, and checking if the preview is looking any better.
Another user also suggested changing the line width as a way to solve issues with Cura not printing thin walls.
Check out the video below for more information about how to optimize line width.
3. Enable “Print Thin Walls”
Enabling the option “Print Thin Walls” in Cura is another way to fix thin walls in 3D prints.
That’s because the feature will automatically detect and handle thinner sections of your model. To enable this setting, just go to the “Walls” settings and look for the “Print Thin Walls” option.
Activating this option will allow Cura to process and print thin walls more in a better way, making sure it will extrude correctly and minimize the risk of compromised wall thickness.
One user stated that he doesn’t even slice the walls of his models without activating this option before as it works well to fix thin walls not printing correctly.
Check out the video below for more information about this setting.
4. Scale Your Object Up
Another possible fix to thin walls in 3D prints is to scale up your object.
That’s because when you increase the overall size of the model, you can ensure that the walls reach the desired thickness.
You can also set a horizontal expansion to make the object wider in every direction, which will result in a more printable model.
To scale up your model, just open your model in Cura, highlight it, and increase the size of the model in all dimensions, making sure to maintain the proportions.
You can also adjust the “Horizontal Expansion” setting. You can find the setting on the “Walls” settings in the sidebar.
Start with small increments, such as 0.1mm, and adjust as needed to reach the desired result. This will fatten up the model in every direction without affecting its dimensions.
That will allow the printer to extrude more material, making sure that thin walls are printed with sufficient thickness.
Remember to preview the changes in Cura’s slicing preview to make sure that the scaled-up or expanded objects are in the desired dimensions.
One user was having problems when printing thin walls using Cura and solved his issues by adjusting the “Horizontal Expansion” setting.
Another user recommends this method when having problems printing thin walls, he stated that either scaling the object up or trying the “Horizontal Expansion” setting can be good solutions.
Check out the video below for detailed information on the “Horizontal Expansion” setting.
5. Reduce Nozzle Size in Cura
Reducing your nozzle size in Cura is another possible way to address any issues with thin walls you may be having.
That’s because the nozzle size is very important for the thickness of the 3D printed walls. By changing your nozzle size setting in Cura, you may be able to correctly print some thin walls.
To do that just click the top bar at the middle, the one that features your filament and nozzle size. There you’ll be able to select a different nozzle size.
You can try reducing it from 0.6mm to 0.4mm and slice the model again to check for any changes.
One user recommends reducing your nozzle size in Cura to resolve problems when 3D printing thin walls. He was able to solve his issue with printing thin walls by reducing his nozzle size in Cura from 0.5mm to 0.4mm.
Check out the video below for detailed instructions on how to reduce your nozzle size in Cura.
