Speed
These aspects concern printing speed:
- Time to completion for individual parts
- Fast moving print heads
- Material throughput
- Time to completion for many parts
#1 can be achieved by model specific slicer settings: Raising layer height from
0.2 to 0.3mm will reduce print time by up to 33%; increasing layer width from
0.4 to 0.5mm saves another 25%. Combined, this can reduce print time up to 50%
at the expense of resolution. Time saved depends on model geometry. Other
settings (infill, top/bottom layers/wall depth, even retract length and
speed) can lead to remarkable time savings as well.
#2 is governed by three variables: Terminal speed, acceleration, and corner
performance. Acceleration is often more important for shorter print times than
terminal speed, especially with complex models. A rigid frame allowing
for higher acceleration is often all you need for a considerable speed up.
Finally, corner performance is important to avoid/reduce ringing. Corner
performance usually is reduced by higher acceleration, but this can be offset
with input shaping.
#3 has two aspects: Melt capacity and cooling capacity. Printing fast with low
melt capacity leads to skipping, cold core extrusion, bad layer adhesion and
compromised surface finish. Melt capacity is increased with longer meltzones
(E3D volcano and derivatives), high powered heaters, and special nozzles like
Bondtech CHT. Larger bore nozzles also help (advertised maximum flowrates are
often only attainable with 1mm or larger bore nozzles, with resolution being
the main trade-off). Some materials like PLA need cooling performance
commensurate with material throughput. Cooling performance needs stronger fans,
better ducts, or additional cooling setups.
#4 (throughput of multiple parts) is effectively solved by having more
than one printer because you can parallelize and streamline your workflows
besides just print time (part prep, machine setup, cooldown time, post
processing).
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