So I’ve been running a print for the last 8 hours or so. Originally it was suggested to have 20% infill but when I sliced it that seemed hugely excessive. From the (albeit relatively few) prints I’ve done 2-3 walls is extremely rigid on its own. So it got me wondering… how much infill do you really REALLY need for the average print? For a toy or a statue or otherwise non-load-bearing piece that is (I get you might want more rigidity for a helmet or a functional part or whatnot). Curious what people have experienced.
Infill not only provides structural rigidity, but it also supplies internal support to build on quickly. You can, of course, bridge a gap without a support but it has to be done slowly. What I’d like to see is a mode whereby a print is done with infill supplied within a given distance of an outer wall. That is to say, you have the outer shell of the model, infill for the next 1cm and hollow in the middle.
Mind you, this doesn’t really answer your question.
I find the infill patterns aren’t very strong. I printed some open brackets that had no top and bottom layer and the infill is very fragible without having surfaces to adhere to. I think if you wanted to do that, backing up the walls i mean, then it might be better just to design it in and not let the system define it.
If it’s just a test pieces, something ornamental, or something that really doesn’t need strength I print it at 5% infill.
If I see issues with top surfaces or bridging I bump the infill to 10-15% or use Prusa slicers supportive cubic infill (which has it’s own problems)
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