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Kobus du Toit

Support generation

Updated: Jul 15, 2020


We have a video on YouTube explaining how to create supports. This post will add more information about support generation as we learn more about how to do it well.

This part of the post will explain the values that we use.

The values that seem to work well at the moment:

Angle Threshold

This is the angle where we need to start adding supports. Enter a value of 25 or 35 for safety.

Y-offset

The part will be lifted by this value off the build plate. Good for when you auto generate supports. Make it 10mm.

Max Angle

The maximum angle that the supports are allowed to bend at. Set it to 70.

Density

Start with 0 and see what it produces. Sometimes MeshMixer might produce thousands of supports even at density 0.

Layer Height

Doesn't seem to make any difference to us.

Post Diameter

Start with 3mm. Longer posts need to be thicker.

Tip Diameter

We change between 0.1 and 0.5, but start with 0.3. If you use the margin feature when printing solid parts you will need to increase this value or the tip might never reach the part.

Base Diameter

This depends on how many supports there are and the build plate you are printing on. Use 5mm and see how it works. You need to make sure there is always resin flowing so don't block all the holes with the supports.

Under Advanced Support

Tip Height

Make it 3mm to 5mm. We normally use 4mm. After the supports have been generated you could cut off the bottom 5mm of the supports, that is what we did with the part in the screenshot, but see what works for the part you are printing.

Examples

This model was angled in two directions. When it was printing flat it came lose from the build plate. Maybe it has to do with heat being generated. At this angle the model actually also needed supports on the back of the wall. The print came out but you could see a little bit of layer shift so the weight of the model probably moved the print. Having extra supports stopping it from falling would have stopped that. The model was usable, just not perfect.

Support size guide

This is just a guide to help you with support generation.

Using the Acer projector

< 100mm wide projection area

3mm base, 1mm pillar, 0.5mm tip, 4mm tip length

100mm - 200mm wide projection area

3mm base, 2mm pillar, 0.5mm tip, 4mm tip length - DIDN'T ATTACH TO PRINT

4mm base, 3mm pillar, 1.5mm tip, 4mm tip length

200mm - 300mm wide projection area

4mm base, 3mm pillar, 1mm tip, 4mm tip length

300mm - 400mm wide projection area

5mm base, 4mm pillar, 1.5mm tip, 4mm tip length

400mm - 500mm wide projection area

6mm base, 5mm pillar, 2mm tip, 4mm tip length

Using HD UV projector

< 100mm wide projection area

3mm base, 1mm pillar, 0.5mm tip, 4mm tip length - Very fine, needed more support, some didn't extend to the top fully

2mm base, 1.5mm pillar, 0.5mm tip, 4mm tip length - Printed well with an override of "wall margin colour = black" and "wall margin thickness = 0.05". This override can be stored in the profile. Supports did make some marks. Nothing that sanding for 10 seconds won't remove.

100mm - 200mm wide projection area

4mm base, 3mm pillar, 1.5mm tip, 4mm tip length

200mm - 300mm wide projection area

4mm base, 3mm pillar, 1mm tip, 4mm tip length

300mm - 400mm wide projection area

5mm base, 4mm pillar, 1.5mm tip, 4mm tip length

400mm - 500mm wide projection area

6mm base, 5mm pillar, 2mm tip, 4mm tip length

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