Printing: Supports
It’s not always the case that a model can be printed on an FDM printer as it is. You already know that under certain circumstances, you can print things into thin air. But how to do it when it’s not a bridge?
One option is to print supporting structures under the object, supports, or more often in English support. Today’s exercise is about that.
To print with supports, this functionality needs to be explicitly enabled in Slic3r on the Support material page.
Slic3r can detect where support is needed by itself, you just need to tell it what our printer can still handle. This depends on various circumstances, such as print speed, printing material properties, ambient temperature, and active cooling.
Důležité:
For today’s exercise, download the general Config Bundle for Slic3r, so don’t use the one from the bridges exercise.
Varování:
Follow all safety rules from the printing exercise. Especially don’t eat superglue and don’t disassemble the printer power supply plastic cover.
Tasks
What Can It Do? (2 points)
Your task for two points is to prepare or find a suitable test model on which you’ll verify how large overhangs the printer prints without problems without support.
You can use, for example, the Thingiverse.com portal and search for "overhang test".
In case of Thingiverse.com portal outage, we have some models available here as well:
- Overhang Test by Gregori Max (CC BY 3.0): RR_Uberhangtest.stl
- Overhang Test by Knickohr (CC BY 3.0): Overhang_Test.stl
- Remixed Mini Overhang test by Adam Gibson (CC BY 3.0): mini_overhang_test.stl
Instructions
- Since you downloaded a model from the Internet, you should first check the mesh correctness.
- Scale the model appropriately so you have time to finish the task; know, however, that a too small model may affect the test.
- First print the model without support; if necessary, stop printing at an appropriate time.
- Then set the support angle so the model can be printed, but with as little support as possible; print the model again.
Důležité:
Before printing, always review the Gcode preview and check that support is actually located where you expect it.
Varování:
If the test model prints right the first time without supports, does it mean the printer prints anything, or that you performed an insufficient test?
How to Avoid Supports? (1 point)
Your task for one point is to print the bear without supports. You must cut it appropriately, print it, and then (optionally) glue it with superglue. You can use Slic3r for cutting; before a longitudinal cut, you can rotate the object.
Instructions
- For a longitudinal cut through the object, use the Cut button. You want to keep both parts (Keep: Upper part, Lower part) and use the Rotate lower part upwards option.
- To rotate the object along an axis other than Z, use the object’s context menu (right-click on the object on the 3D tab).
Důležité:
Gluing is quite demanding; try to cut the bear into as few parts as possible.
Varování:
When working with glue, exercise increased caution and don’t damage classroom equipment.
Cleanup (mandatory)
Those who don’t clean up after themselves don’t get any points.
Credits
Models appeared in images and tasks:
- Bear by Christophe Caranchini (CC BY-NC 3.0)