CuraEngine Settings

The slice settings for CuraEngine in MatterControl are divided by three categories:

• General: This is where the settings concerning the actual printed part are located. Things like, layer height, support material, and infill.
• Filament: This is where the settings concerning the filament are located. Things like temperature control and cooling.
• Printer: This is where settings concerning the actual hardware are located. Things like bed size, nozzle diameter, and custom GCode.

We'll be breaking them down by sub-category, in order, assuming that Advanced mode is enabled. If a setting isn't visible, make sure Advanced mode is enabled.

General

Layers/Perimeters

Layer Height

Layer Height: This determines the quality of the print in its entirety. The thinner the layer, the higher the resolution. This also is the biggest factor when determining print time.

First Layer Height: This determines the height of your first layer, which is useful in making sure your print has a good starting point. Remember, the vast majority of prints will fail within the first layer.

Vertical Shells

Perimeters (minimum): This determines how many vertical layers you have on your print. i.e. how thick your walls will be.

Spiral Vase: Force the print to have only one vertical layer and gradually increase the extruder height during the print. Only one part can be printed at a time with this feature.

Horizontal Shells

Number of Solid Layers on the Top: This determines how many of the top layers will be solid. This is useful when the infill is lower.

Number of Solid Layers on the Bottom: This determines how many solid layers will be printed before the printer begins to use infill.

Infill

Infill

Fill Density: This determines the density of your infill within the print. This affects print time, total weight, and filament used.

Speed

Speed for Print Moves

Perimeters: This determines how fast your printer will travel when extruding perimeters.

Infill: This determines how fast your printer will travel when extruding infill.

Speed for non Print Moves

Travel: How fast your printer will move when it is not otherwise extruding.

Modifiers

First Layer Speed: This determines how fast the printer will extrude during the first layer. This is typically a percentage of the previous settings, as extruding the first layer more slowly helps the print get started.

Skirt and Brim

Skirt

Loops: This value determines how many loops around the print will be extruded at the start.

Distance from Object: How far from the print the loops will be extruded.

Minimum Extrusion Length: Sets the minimum amount of filament to use when drawing the skirt loops. This will cause enough skirt loops to be drawn to use this amount of filament.

Support Material

Support Material

Generate Support Material: Checking the box enables the printing of support material with whatever settings you have enabled.

Overhang Threshold: This determines the angle at which your print will have support material generated.

Options

Pattern Spacing: This determines the density of your support material. Essentially the infill for it.

X and Y Distance: How far the infill will rest away from your print on the X and Y axis. The farther away it is, the easier it is to disconnect.

Z Distance: How far the infill will rest away from your print on the Z axis. The farther away it is, the easier it is to disconnect.

Filament

Filament

Filament

Diameter: Here you would enter the diameter of your filament. This setting is usually already entered when you first connect to a printer, giving it the default settings from the manufacturer.

Temperature

Extruder Other Layers: This determines the extruder temperature for the duration of the print.

Bed Other Layers: For printers with heat controlled beds, this determines the bed temperature for the duration of the print.

Cooling

Fan Speed

Min Fan Speed: This value determines the slowest speed that your fan is allowed to go, by percentage.

Max Fan Speed: This value determines the fastest speed that your fan is allowed to go, by percentage.

Disable Fan For The First: This determines how many layers should go by without the fan being enabled.

Cooling Thresholds

Slow Down If Layer Print Time Is Below: This value determines the minimum amount of time a layer is allowed to take, in seconds. If the layer finishes before the allotted time, the extruder will move away and stop until it is allowed to resume.

Printer

General

Size and Coordinates

Bed Size: These values determine how long your bed is along each axis, by millimeters.

Print Center: These values determine where the center of your bed lies.

Build Height: How high your bed can lower or raise, along the Z axis.

Bed Shape: This determines the shape of your bed, either rectangular or circular.

Custom G-Code

Start G-Code: GCode input in this field will go into effect as soon as you start a print.

End G-Code: GCode input in this field will go into effect as soon as a print finishes.

Pause G-Code: GCode input in this field will go into effect when the 'Pause' button is pressed during a print.

Resume G-Code: GCode input in this field will go into effect when the 'Resume' button is pressed after the print having been paused.

Cancel G-Code: GCode input in this field will go into effect when the 'Cancel' button is pressed during a print.

On-Connect G-Code: GCode input in this field will go into effect when MatterControl successfully connects to the printer.

Extruder 1

Size

Nozzle Diameter: This is where you input the diameter of the nozzle, in millimeters.

Retraction

Length: This value determines how far your filament will be retracted with each qualifying non-printing move, in millimeters.

Speed: This Value determines how fast your filament will be retracted, and re-extruded, in millimeters.

Minimum Travel After Retraction: This value determines the minimum distance of a non-printing move that will result in a retraction.