3D Printing — Slicer Settings Quick Reference
Jul 14, 2026 11:55am · 3 views
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3D Printing — Slicer Settings Quick Reference
What each slicer setting does and when to change it. Applies to OrcaSlicer, Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, and Cura with minor naming differences.
Layer and Quality
| Setting | Effect | When to change |
| Layer height | Print resolution and speed | 0.1mm = fine, 0.2mm = standard, 0.3mm = fast |
| First layer height | Adhesion and squish | Usually 0.2–0.3mm regardless of layer height |
| Line width | Extrusion width | Typically 100–120% of nozzle diameter |
| Seam position | Where layer transitions appear | Rear = hidden, Random = scattered, Aligned = visible line |
Speed Settings
| Setting | Typical range | Notes |
| Outer wall | 30–60mm/s | Slower = better surface quality |
| Inner wall | 100–200mm/s | Not visible — can be fast |
| Infill | 150–300mm/s | Not visible — go fast |
| Top surface | 30–50mm/s | Slower = smoother top |
| First layer | 20–30mm/s | Always slow for adhesion |
| Travel | 200–300mm/s | No filament — go fast |
Infill
| Setting | Notes |
| Density | 10–15% for visual prints, 30–40% for functional, 100% for maximum strength |
| Gyroid | Best strength-to-material ratio for functional prints |
| Grid / Lines | Fastest, good for non-structural parts |
| Lightning | Minimum material for display models |
| Adaptive cubic | More infill near surfaces automatically |
Walls and Top/Bottom
| Setting | Notes |
| Wall count | 2–3 for visual prints, 4–6 for functional — adds strength more than infill |
| Top/bottom layers | 3–5 layers — more = better top surface with low infill |
| Top surface pattern | Monotonic or Archimedean = smoothest top |
Support
| Setting | Notes |
| Support type | Normal (tree recommended for most prints) |
| Overhang threshold | 30–45° typical — steeper angles need support |
| Interface layers | 2–3 layers at 0.2mm gap — easier removal |
| Z distance | 0.15–0.25mm — closer = stronger but harder to remove |
| Support material | PVA for dual-material, use same material for single |
Temperature
| Material | Nozzle | Bed | Notes |
| PLA | 190–220°C | 60°C | Most forgiving |
| PETG | 230–250°C | 70–85°C | Hotter than PLA, stringing risk |
| ABS | 230–250°C | 90–110°C | Needs enclosure |
| ASA | 240–260°C | 90–110°C | Similar to ABS |
| TPU | 220–240°C | 30–60°C | Print slow, no retraction or minimal |
| PA (Nylon) | 250–280°C | 70–90°C | Dry filament critical |
| PC | 260–300°C | 100–120°C | Needs all-metal hotend |
Retraction
| Setting | Notes |
| Distance | Direct drive: 0.5–1.5mm. Bowden: 4–7mm |
| Speed | 25–60mm/s — too fast = grinding |
| Enable combing | Keeps travel inside the model — reduces stringing without retraction |
Pressure Advance (Klipper) / Linear Advance (Marlin)
Reduces corner bulge and start/stop artifacts. Tune with a tuning tower:
- PLA: typically 0.02–0.08
- PETG: typically 0.05–0.1
- TPU: typically 0.1–0.2
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