I know I can change the layer height to be various sizes but what is the smallest practical layer size for a Taz6? 0.1? 0.001?
Minimum (and maximum) layer heights depend on the nozzle diameter. The smaller the nozzle diameter, the smaller the minimum and maximum layer heights.
Here’s a couple of articles that explain the relationship. https://the3dprinterbee.com/3d-printing-layer-height-vs-nozzle-size/ and https://www.gcreate.com/post/choosing-the-right-nozzle-for-your-layer-height-with-3d-printing.
For my TAZ 6, I have three single extruder V2.1 tool heads with .2 mm, .35 mm, and the standard .5 mm nozzle. I have successfully printed objects with .1 mm layer height. Using the above articles as guides, I would suspect that .05 mm layer height with the .2 mm nozzle would be a practical lower limit.
With the standard taz6 extruder, .15 is as low as I can go and have good results with PLA. With the SL aerostruder, .1 or less is possible.
So for my 0.5 nozzle it sounds like 0.125 is the lowest I should go.
Thanks!
We have built with 0.05mm layers with the old TAZ 3 and TAZ 4 with the 0.35 budaschnozzles. We haven’t had occasion to with our other, newer units with the 0.5 Hex and 0.5 E3D, but I have no doubt 0.05 would work just fine. What’s handy about thin layers is that gives finer resolution on the x and y axis since extrusion width is a ratio of layer height, depending on slicing settings.
I guess I need to test dropping the layer height down to see how low I can go.
With the Z axis thread pitch and stepper motor degrees, .05 MM is the smallest height you can do. Not a function of the nozzle size at all, that affects filament feed rate is all nozzle size does, and also maximum layer height.
THAT is the answer I was looking for! Thank you!