Wall and Print Speed Settings Explained
A slicer profile splits "print speed" into several independent numbers — outer wall, inner wall, top surface, travel — and each protects a different kind of quality. Turning one global speed slider up or down is the blunt-instrument version; knowing which number actually governs the defect in front of you is the useful one.
The stock split, and why it isn't one number
| Speed | Stock value (0.20mm Standard) | What it protects |
|---|---|---|
| Outer wall | 200 mm/s | Visible surface quality — the one you see and touch |
| Inner wall | 300 mm/s | Structural strength — hidden, so speed matters more than finish |
| Top surface | 200 mm/s | Flatness and pillowing resistance on the last visible layers |
| Travel | 1000 mm/s | Non-printing moves — as fast as the machine allows, since nothing is extruding |
| Initial layer | 50 mm/s | Bed adhesion, far slower than everything else |
Inner walls print roughly 1.5× faster than outer walls in the stock profile precisely because nobody sees them — the same logic that makes travel moves (1000 mm/s) the fastest number on the sheet by a wide margin, since a travel move carries no melt at all.
Which speed actually fixes which symptom
- Ringing/ghosting after sharp corners: outer wall speed (and acceleration) — see the ghosting guide and the acceleration guide. Slowing inner walls won't touch visible ringing.
- Rough or grainy visible surface with fine walls that measure correctly: outer wall speed too high for the material's cooling window, not a dimensional problem. See the rough surface guide.
- Weak parts that look fine: raising outer wall speed won't help strength; wall loop count and inner wall bonding matter more. Lowering outer wall speed for strength alone is usually the wrong lever.
- First-layer adhesion problems: initial layer speed, not general print speed — the stock profile already runs it at a fraction of normal speed for exactly this reason. See the first-layer guide.
A speed change that doesn't help
Slowing every speed value uniformly to "be safe" mostly just adds print time — it does nothing for ringing (an acceleration/mechanical problem), doesn't fix warping (a thermal problem), and can actually hurt surface quality on materials that rely on quick, even cooling between layers. Change the specific speed that maps to the specific defect.
Frequently asked questions
What are the stock print speeds in Bambu Studio’s 0.20 mm Standard profile?
Outer wall 200 mm/s, inner wall 300 mm/s, top surface 200 mm/s, travel 1000 mm/s and initial layer 50 mm/s. Inner walls print roughly 1.5× faster than outer walls precisely because nobody sees them, and travel is the fastest number on the sheet by a wide margin, since a travel move carries no melt at all.
Which speed setting causes ringing and rough surfaces?
Outer wall speed. Ringing and ghosting after sharp corners are governed by outer wall speed and acceleration — slowing inner walls won’t touch visible ringing. A rough or grainy visible surface whose walls still measure correctly means outer wall speed is too high for the material’s cooling window. First-layer adhesion problems map to initial layer speed, which the stock profile already runs at 50 mm/s.
Should I just slow down all print speeds to be safe?
No — slowing every speed uniformly mostly adds print time. It does nothing for ringing (an acceleration and mechanical problem), doesn’t fix warping (a thermal problem), and can actually hurt surface quality on materials that rely on quick, even cooling between layers. Change the specific speed that maps to the specific defect — outer wall for visible quality, initial layer for adhesion.
Not sure which of these fixes applies to your print?
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- OrcaSlicer vendor profiles — SoftFever/OrcaSlicer (GitHub)