<p>Yes, this is perfectly possible to do in UltiMaker Cura. The technique to use is described in question <a href="https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6522/different-infill-in-the-same-part">Different infill in the same part</a> and explained in <a href="https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6523/">this answer </a> for 2 separate slicers this answer focuses on the Ultimaker Cura slicer per the question.</p>
<p>Considering the following example geometry based on the sliced image from the question (disregarding the linked test file to better comply to the question at hand):</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/YYWi3.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/YYWi3.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>In Cura this model can be sliced using a support blocker that has the <code>Per Model Settings</code> configured with the <code>Cutting mesh</code> option:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/KZHfV.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/KZHfV.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>It is key to use the <code>Cutting mesh</code> option and add properties you can change for <code>Wall Thickness</code>, <code>Wall Line Count</code>, <code>Top/Bottom Thickness</code>, <code>Infill Density</code>, <code>Infill Pattern</code> and <code>Infill Line Directions</code>. If these are not visible, you can add the settings through the <code>Select settings</code> button.</p>
<ul>
<li><code>Wall Thickness</code>: you don't need to change this option, this is overruled by the  <code>Wall Line Count</code> setting</li>
<li><code>Wall Line Count</code>: set to 0 (you do not need walls in the small area)</li>
<li><code>Top/Bottom Thickness</code>: no top or bottom shells are required</li>
<li><code>Infill Density</code>: set to 99.9 %! beware to not set this to 100 % as this triggers Cura to use the <code>Lines</code> infill pattern while you are interested in the <code>Zig Zag</code> line style</li>
<li><code>Infill Pattern</code>: set to <code>Zig Zag</code></li>
<li><code>Infill Line Directions</code>: [90,90] (or [0, 0] depending on the orientation of the print object sliced in Cura); this determines the alternating pattern of the <code>Zig Zag</code>, if the values are the same, each layer is sliced equivalent otherwise each other layer is rotated 90°</li>
</ul>
<p>Upon slicing this print object you will get the requested results:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/jEb9N.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jEb9N.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><strong>So, yes, you can change the direction of the small area you are interested in making clever (mis-)use of the options Cura provides.</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-28T07:34:31.483Z
2024-06-19T21:03:25.680Z
2024-06-19T21:03:25.680Z
0scar
<p>Using Cura, I'm trying to change the direction of just a section of my print. I want it to print zig zag instead of straight lines. Just the way my part is intended to be used it'd be much better to do it like that. Is this possible?</p>
<p>I tried using a cutting mesh, and changing the top/bottom line direction, and many other things with the word direction in the name, I also tried rotating the part (not that I thought it would make a difference).</p>
<p>It was requested I add a file to test with. It's not the same model in the picture, but should work just the same for testing purposes. It should be oriented so that there is an overhang.</p>
<p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VYD8XFabdnMYThQ-8RAK1scLrQ2zaNnI/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Test File</a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/CHwzE.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/CHwzE.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-06T09:48:19.970Z
Can you link to the model? E.g. is it freely available? Otherwise, create a model with this specific problem you can share. We can then try to work it out, I have some ideas to solve this.
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-28T07:21:14.257Z
The test file is different in that the overhang is much thinner on the example image shown in the question. I've made an example based on the shown image which I use in my [answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/21551/).
0scar
<ultimaker-cura><slicing><print-orientation>
Is it possible to change slicing line direction/type for small geometries?
Vandel212
# Is it possible to change slicing line direction/type for small geometries?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-10-06)

Using Cura, I'm trying to change the direction of just a section of my print. I want it to print zig zag instead of straight lines. Just the way my part is intended to be used it'd be much better to do it like that. Is this possible?

I tried using a cutting mesh, and changing the top/bottom line direction, and many other things with the word direction in the name, I also tried rotating the part (not that I thought it would make a difference).

It was requested I add a file to test with. It's not the same model in the picture, but should work just the same for testing purposes. It should be oriented so that there is an overhang.

[Test File](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VYD8XFabdnMYThQ-8RAK1scLrQ2zaNnI/view?usp=sharing)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/CHwzE.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/CHwzE.png)

**Tags:** ultimaker-cura, slicing, print-orientation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you link to the model? E.g. is it freely available? Otherwise, create a model with this specific problem you can share. We can then try to work it out, I have some ideas to solve this.  
> **username_1**: The test file is different in that the overhang is much thinner on the example image shown in the question. I've made an example based on the shown image which I use in my [answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/21551/).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-10-28. Score: 2

Yes, this is perfectly possible to do in UltiMaker Cura. The technique to use is described in question [Different infill in the same part](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6522/different-infill-in-the-same-part) and explained in [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6523/)  for 2 separate slicers this answer focuses on the Ultimaker Cura slicer per the question.

Considering the following example geometry based on the sliced image from the question (disregarding the linked test file to better comply to the question at hand):

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/YYWi3.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/YYWi3.png)

In Cura this model can be sliced using a support blocker that has the `Per Model Settings` configured with the `Cutting mesh` option:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/KZHfV.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/KZHfV.png)

It is key to use the `Cutting mesh` option and add properties you can change for `Wall Thickness`, `Wall Line Count`, `Top/Bottom Thickness`, `Infill Density`, `Infill Pattern` and `Infill Line Directions`. If these are not visible, you can add the settings through the `Select settings` button.

* `Wall Thickness`: you don't need to change this option, this is overruled by the `Wall Line Count` setting
* `Wall Line Count`: set to 0 (you do not need walls in the small area)
* `Top/Bottom Thickness`: no top or bottom shells are required
* `Infill Density`: set to 99.9 %! beware to not set this to 100 % as this triggers Cura to use the `Lines` infill pattern while you are interested in the `Zig Zag` line style
* `Infill Pattern`: set to `Zig Zag`
* `Infill Line Directions`: [90,90] (or [0, 0] depending on the orientation of the print object sliced in Cura); this determines the alternating pattern of the `Zig Zag`, if the values are the same, each layer is sliced equivalent otherwise each other layer is rotated 90°

Upon slicing this print object you will get the requested results:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/jEb9N.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/jEb9N.jpg)

**So, yes, you can change the direction of the small area you are interested in making clever (mis-)use of the options Cura provides.**


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