<p>What is your source model?  Typically this "missing layer" effect happens if the source has a wall thickness less than the size of the extruder nozzle selected. Cura will view that part of the model as non-printable.  </p>

<p>Meshmixer and TinkerCad (among many others) will allow you to set and change thicknesses in the model. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-02T14:23:36.553Z
It came from TinkerCad, its just solid letters, and a solid base with a cutout (to get the perimeter wall). So I'm expecting a wall thickness of 1mm (and a 0.4mm nozzle). So, yes, I guess the question is if I want 0.8mm+0.2mm void, or a 50% over-filled centre.
Sean Houlihane
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-02T14:19:20.797Z
2016-12-02T14:19:20.797Z
Carl Witthoft
<p>Try Cura 2.4.0-beta2: there is option named "Fill Gaps Between Walls" under "Shell" settings, set it to "everywhere". In  stable Cura 2.3.1 this option is missing.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T13:42:54.387Z
Yes, I already noted that 2.4 beta gives some improvements in my answer...
Sean Houlihane
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T13:13:12.713Z
2017-02-21T13:13:12.713Z
lz42
<p>What is happening here is that Cura is struggling with the quantised extrusion width. This behaviour can be improved in the slicer, they have a issue tracked here <a href="https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/1303" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/1303</a> and 2.4 beta has improved it.</p>

<p>There are some pictures in this <a href="https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/3581/4927">answer</a> which show how Cura 2.3 slices a rectangle of increasing width. I got nothing at the nozzle width, then a pair of overlapping lines up to twice the width (which I assume will be over-extruded due to the overlap). For anything wider than simply two sides, the result depends on the number of walls requested.</p>

<ul>
<li>One wall results in 100% infill for small regions (regardless of the infill setting). This is good, but maybe 1 wall is not apropriate for the whole model.</li>
<li>Multiple walls seem to prevent the infill untill there is space for pairs of walls. So width of 3x nozzle has a gap. Small tweeks to the nozzle size can maybe push this quantisation point about, if 1 wall is not a good workaround.</li>
</ul>

<p>For rectangular geometry, it's worth trying to quantize small parts in 0.8mm increments. For curves, setting 1 wall shell might be better.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-17T11:14:12.100Z
2017-02-17T11:14:12.100Z
2017-04-13T13:00:58.447Z
Sean Houlihane
<p>I've just tried to make some small labels with embossed lettering. Base is 1.5 mm, with letters and a perimeter protruding by another 1 mm. After printing, I realised that Cura is not giving me a top layer, all I get is an inner and outer wall for the perimeter and the lettering:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Hri17.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Hri17.png" alt="Screenshot showing missing infill in top layer"></a></p>

<p>The base is OK, with 4 layers, but there is no infill at the top. Presumably there is a setting that I've missed (I can appreciate that maybe this is a detail to the slicing which is model dependant). Layers are 0.2 mm, top and bottom set to 4 layers.</p>

<p>I had walls set to 1.6 mm, (4 layers) and the wall features here are 1 mm (i.e. 2.5x the nozzle). The features are solid so far as I know, not drawn as a hollow.</p>

<p>I found a relevant bug for Cura: <a href="https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/1303" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/1303</a> (and I also understand a workaround now, just need to write up an answer).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-02T22:41:30.430Z
Did you activate "vase mode" or something similar?
Tom van der Zanden
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-03T00:00:46.527Z
Not seen any options looking like that. Other prints are OK, it's just narrow walls.
Sean Houlihane
<slicing><ultimaker-cura>
Missing top layers in Cura
Sean Houlihane
# Missing top layers in Cura

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-12-02)

I've just tried to make some small labels with embossed lettering. Base is 1.5 mm, with letters and a perimeter protruding by another 1 mm. After printing, I realised that Cura is not giving me a top layer, all I get is an inner and outer wall for the perimeter and the lettering:

[![Screenshot showing missing infill in top layer](https://i.sstatic.net/Hri17.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Hri17.png)

The base is OK, with 4 layers, but there is no infill at the top. Presumably there is a setting that I've missed (I can appreciate that maybe this is a detail to the slicing which is model dependant). Layers are 0.2 mm, top and bottom set to 4 layers.

I had walls set to 1.6 mm, (4 layers) and the wall features here are 1 mm (i.e. 2.5x the nozzle). The features are solid so far as I know, not drawn as a hollow.

I found a relevant bug for Cura: <https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/1303> (and I also understand a workaround now, just need to write up an answer).

**Tags:** slicing, ultimaker-cura
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Did you activate "vase mode" or something similar?  
> **username_0**: Not seen any options looking like that. Other prints are OK, it's just narrow walls.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2017-02-17. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

What is happening here is that Cura is struggling with the quantised extrusion width. This behaviour can be improved in the slicer, they have a issue tracked here <https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/1303> and 2.4 beta has improved it.

There are some pictures in this [answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/3581/4927) which show how Cura 2.3 slices a rectangle of increasing width. I got nothing at the nozzle width, then a pair of overlapping lines up to twice the width (which I assume will be over-extruded due to the overlap). For anything wider than simply two sides, the result depends on the number of walls requested.

* One wall results in 100% infill for small regions (regardless of the infill setting). This is good, but maybe 1 wall is not apropriate for the whole model.
* Multiple walls seem to prevent the infill untill there is space for pairs of walls. So width of 3x nozzle has a gap. Small tweeks to the nozzle size can maybe push this quantisation point about, if 1 wall is not a good workaround.

For rectangular geometry, it's worth trying to quantize small parts in 0.8mm increments. For curves, setting 1 wall shell might be better.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-12-02. Score: 3

What is your source model? Typically this "missing layer" effect happens if the source has a wall thickness less than the size of the extruder nozzle selected. Cura will view that part of the model as non-printable.

Meshmixer and TinkerCad (among many others) will allow you to set and change thicknesses in the model.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: It came from TinkerCad, its just solid letters, and a solid base with a cutout (to get the perimeter wall). So I'm expecting a wall thickness of 1mm (and a 0.4mm nozzle). So, yes, I guess the question is if I want 0.8mm+0.2mm void, or a 50% over-filled centre.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-02-21. Score: 1

Try Cura 2.4.0-beta2: there is option named "Fill Gaps Between Walls" under "Shell" settings, set it to "everywhere". In stable Cura 2.3.1 this option is missing.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Yes, I already noted that 2.4 beta gives some improvements in my answer...  

---

