Z Hop in Cura: A Complete Guide

When it comes to 3D printing, Z-Hop is one of those little-known slicing details that may make or break your pieces. The printer's nozzle is less likely to accidentally knock over or damage your prints with a properly adjusted Z-hop setting.

Z-Hop settings are frequently one of the causes of stringing or Z-banding problems, even if they appear to be minor parameters. Therefore, this article attempts to explain this function and provide guidance on how to enhance print quality.

The Z-hop parameter is the focus of this post, which aims to provide a detailed explanation of the parameter and its many values.

What Is Z-Hop?

As the printer retracts, the Z-Hop slicer setting slightly elevates the print head a few millimeters. By activating this feature, the nozzle will "hop" up a certain distance before passing over the build plate's printed component(s).

It takes more than one step to execute the Z-Hop motion. A printer's first step is to wind the filament around the nozzle. After that, it advances to the next spot by a tiny amount, usually the height of one layer. It all ends with lowering the nozzle to its original Z height, and printing goes ahead as normal.

Instead of the nozzle moving up, the print surface moves down in CoreXY and non-bed-slinging 3D printers. Just like before, the idea is to keep the print head at a constant vertical distance from the nozzle and the printed components.

Having some space between the nozzle and the printed component mitigates a number of potential issues with print quality. However, unless you adjust the Z-hop setting precisely, this clearance could cause further problems like stringing and Z-banding. Down below, we'll show you the ropes.

What are the Benefits of Z-Hop?

For 3D prints with a lot of retraction motions, Z-Hop is a great choice. Particularly useful in models using intricate mesh patterns such as chainmail, Voronoi patterns, or jewellery components. Also, it helps when printing multiple little models simultaneously.

Using Z-Hop in your 3D prints is beneficial for the following three reasons:

1. Decreases the Probability of Crash

Suppose you've disabled the Z-Hop feature in the slicer. The 3D printer's nozzle retracts the filament and advances to the next area to print while you're printing.

In that instance, the nozzle might have to go through sections of the print that aren't exactly at the same Z-height. To illustrate, the nozzle will need to pass through a section of the print that has curled up slightly, such as an overhang.

This could cause damage or even tip over your 3D-printed component as your nozzle collides with it. You may greatly lessen the likelihood of this happening by using Z-hop to create a tiny vertical gap between your print and the nozzle.

As it moves from A to B, the nozzle can move freely thanks to the Z-Hop configuration. With Z-Hop, all you have to do is raise the nozzle a specific amount—typically half the nozzle size—as it moves about. This ensures that the nozzle may move freely and avoid obstacles with relative ease.

2. Prevent Scarring on Upper Layers

The nozzle tip may come into contact with the top layer's surface when it moves between spots if there isn't enough space between the two. This results in surface damage, such as scratches or scars, which significantly alters the part's aesthetics.

You should stay away from this when making objects for 3D printing and selling. When you have to tell the customer that their 3D printed parts are imperfect and contain blemishes, it becomes much more difficult to turn a profit.

Z-Hop mode eliminates the need to worry about these surface scars. With its nozzle elevated above the layer height, the printer is unable to damage the print's surface. A flawless, nozzle-mark-free top layer is the end product.

3. Inlays Made using 3D Printing

One common method is to make a depression in a 3D model and then fill it with a material that is different in color or texture; this process is known as a 3D printed inlay. Utilizing Z-Hop may prevent the nozzle from making contact with the printed component.

Making sure the nozzle doesn't touch the section of the print that has to remain a different color or texture is similar to preventing scars on the top layer; only here you're actually making sure it doesn't.

Get cleaner, more accurate inlays by momentarily raising the nozzle when it reaches a section of the print it has already done. This will prevent damage and improve accuracy. Mastering this technique requires more practice and testing than standard 3D printing, but the payoff is the ability to create stunning multi-colored prints.

Configuring Z-Hop in Cura

We will now go into how to enable the Z Hop setting in Cura and modify its parameters now that you know about it. Although Z Hop is available in different slicer programs, we will focus on Cura configuration control since it is the most often used. Fortunately, the parameters of the other Z Hop slicers are somewhat similar, so the data should transfer quite well.

As a first step, we'll review the steps to enable Z Hop in your slicer profile; by default, it isn't. Here are the detailed steps to follow in Cura:

• Start up UltiMaker Cura.
• To access the more detailed settings, go to the Print settings tab and choose "Custom".
• Pick "All" from the drop-down menu that appears when you look for the three dashes in the upper right corner of the Print settings page.
• In the list of settings, scroll down until you see the Travel area.
• Ensure that the Z Hop When Retracted setting is enabled if it is not already.

After you've activated the Z Hop feature, a few sub-features should show up beneath the primary one. Listed below are the controls that affect various parts of the Z Hop function, along with brief descriptions and suggestions for each:

1. Z Hop Height

This setting regulates the amount by which the printer raises the nozzle during each Z Hop, as the name implies. A larger number ensures that the printhead will not collide with the model by providing greater room for the print. Nevertheless, if you set it too high, the print time will increase dramatically, and the Z-axis motor will have extra work to do. Most users will find that the 0.2 mm default value for the Z Hop Height in Cura is sufficient.

2. Z Hop Only Over Printed Parts

Instead of using Z Hop for every retraction motion, the printer will only use it for travel moves that traverse over printed areas if you use this optional mode for Z Hop. It is also not utilized during typical travel moves unless the printhead is traversing a distinct model within the print region. We recommend leaving this parameter disabled since it is the default in Cura.

3. Z Hop Speed

Our print settings allow you to adjust the speed of the Z-axis motor, which moves the printhead up, by locating this last parameter under the "Speed" tab. For most 3D printers, traveling vertically isn't as important as moving horizontally or across the X or Y planes, therefore you should keep this speed quite modest. In addition, we recommend sticking with Cura's 5 mm/s Z Hop Speed by default and only making adjustments when issues arise or when you need even faster prints.

Best 3D Printing Software

There are many 3D printing software available that can prepare designs for 3D printing, and a good example is SelfCAD. SelfCAD is an easy-to-use 3D design software that you can use not only to create 3D models but also to edit meshes and slice designs. It comes with interesting 3D modeling tools like freehand drawing and sketching that you can use to create designs from scratch. 

https://youtu.be/HR0gMg6wpDw?si=cuuUt20Bkyu9Ittf

There are also easy-to-use selection modes as well as various modification tools to help you modify your designs based on your requirements. It also comes with an image-to-3D feature that makes it easier to turn photos to 3D models. You can also import STL files and modify them based on your needs. 

The software also comes with an in-built online slicer that one can use to prepare designs for 3D printing. 

Achieve Flawless 3D Prints with Z Hop in Cura

Z-Hop is a game-changer for 3D printing. You can utilize it to effectively 3D print inlays and prevent your produced parts from accidental collisions and scars. You'll have a great time using this feature. If executed correctly, it can enhance the quality and experience of your prints.

In the extremely unlikely event that it fails to function, adjust the Z-Hop and retraction parameters as needed. If you want to cut down on print times and stringing, tweak your print parameters and adjust the retraction slider.

Improve your 3D printing outcomes by "Hopping" on this post's instructions for Z-Hop settings. Leave a comment and tell us what you think we've omitted or would want to see added.