[FEATURE REQUEST] interlocking/brick layers example

[ES-Alexander]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. The anisotropic properties of 3D prints are frequently exacerbated by shear weakness planes created along the layers, often due to poor melding of an extrudate with the material below, and/or regular cracks/spaces where the material has not reached.

While this can be partially handled by careful management of printing characteristics such as hot-end temperature and flow rate, a major contributor is likely that levels of material are typically stacked flat, whereby most of the weaknesses at a given layer are aligned into a plane.

Describe the solution you'd like Interlocking extrudates across layers may significantly reduce this problem, and it would be useful to provide some examples and/or tools for doing so. The concept is similar to that of bricks, although it could be interesting to experiment with multiple levels within each layer, or perhaps some kind of woven pattern if we can figure out how to print one.

I'd be interested to know whether this has a meaningful effect on something like the CONVEX tensile test samples, where it could perhaps be applied to modify the alignment of the internal interfaces.

Describe alternatives you've considered Non-planar layers should typically suffer less from this, although any shape with locally flat layers may suffer from the effects of aligned weaknesses.

Additional context This concept is from the CNC Kitchen video on Brick Layers, where it is explained and tested in some detail within the context of a relatively standard slicing software.

[fullcontrol-xyz]

I have done some research on this and am not sure the benefits are really there. The key problem is that when you offset filaments you often end up with twice as many pores. Even though you disrupt the crack path's planar-ness, the contact area between layers reduces because you have twice as many pores but they are not half the original pores' width. Undoubtedly the first solution to aim for is to reduce the size or number of pores. This is most simply achieved by printing wider lines (we have printed more that 250% nozzle diameter) to reduce the number of lines and pores, and by overextruding as much as you can to reduce the size of pores. We show this here and also show an alternative concept to disrupt the planar-ness with zigzag motion in Z here. I would certainly focus on designing wide extrusion before considering anything more complex like brick patterns, zigzag stuff or z-pinning

[DragonSan26]

Hello i was trying to do the same to make a lightsaber blade stronger, but i'll try the zigzag z method instead for now

[AndyGlx]

Ah interesting. ZigZagZ will result in periodic bulges on the surface, FYI. The most effective way to get better Z properties is to use very wide extrusions (e.g. 0.8-mm wide for a 0.2-mm layer height or something). But this does make it harder to retract, and I can see why you would want the walls to be as thin as possible too. It's just a case of compromising based on what's most important.

[DragonSan26]

I first tried being lazy and just doing wide Extrusion and i manage to make my lightsaber blade with 1 mm Extrusion ( on a 0.4 mm nozzle )

[DragonSan26]

it worked perfectly thanks

[fullcontrol-xyz]

Great! Did you set extrusion width wider in a slicer, or use FullControl?

[DragonSan26]

With fullcontrol by pushing more while going slower

[DragonSan26]

And with a smaller layer height

[fullcontrol-xyz]

Cool, this is a great way to print (as wide as possible with as low layer thickness as possible). Gets the best mech props