maker2
Posts: 142
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 9:05 am

how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

If I have multiple parts in a process and generate support automatically on all of them, then remove ALL the support material from just one of the parts, when generate the G-code the part from which supports were totally removed always has a full complement of support attached to it. However if I remove just SOME OF the support from that part then the changes are respected.

Is there a way to specify that a single part (amongst many) have no support at all, WITHOUT creating a separate process for it?
wirlybird
Posts: 1374
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2016 1:32 pm

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

I find the same thing so what I do is remove all of the supports then add just one manually where it is the easiest to remove and won't make any difference to the part.

I think there is a way to get it to stop adding the supports but I don't recall.
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dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

One of the tricks I do for such parts where I want a mix of auto-generated and manually defined supports is to set the support pillar resolution to 99.9 in the process.

Then, where I want auto supports, I use the Customise Support Structures window, and set the support pillar resolution to something sensible and click the "Generate Automatic Supports" button. I can then delete out any supports I don't want......and add manual supports, etc.

When the part is then sliced, there will be no further auto-generation of supports....and you get exactly what you want!
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
wirlybird
Posts: 1374
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2016 1:32 pm

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

Great tip. I knew you had a trick!
grue19
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2019 12:06 pm

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

thanks i'l lhave to remember this!

generally speaking, do process support settings override or combine with the support tool settings? or just the settings that are in the process that are not present in the support tool?
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dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

There's no "generally" about it! There are simply facts and logic!

The support settings in the Support Generation window are used for support application actions kicked off from within the window.

The support settings in the profile are enacted upon by the slicer when it goes through the pre-slice auto support generation.

And one rule for the pre-slice auto support generation...if a part has any manual support...and that includes any auto support applied from the Support Generation window....then the auto generation does not run for that part.

And one thing to bear in mind.....you may have two or more parts making up what you are slicing...as indicated by multiple items in the Models list.....and they are treated as separate parts by the auto-generation routine.
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
maker2
Posts: 142
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 9:05 am

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

Many thanks for the help. Most useful.

There may be a feature suggestion in here somewhere?
Ayres3D
Posts: 97
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 1:15 pm

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

Perhaps I've misunderstood, but as using a separate process is arguably the simplest and the "correct" way to achieve this, why is that you specifically want to avoid doing this? It seems a little like saying you'd like the quickest way to get from A to B but not want to use a straight line.
maker2
Posts: 142
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 9:05 am

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

I understand your argument.

Creating new processes is not something I'm averse to (typically do so for different layer heights and extrusion widths) but it is not innocuous since a new profile is a duplication of all the parameters one might wish to set. And if one decides to make changes in Profile 1 then one might well have to go into Profile 2 and make related changes too (especially if related parts). So as a rule I'd create as FEW profiles as possible, not just to reduce workload but because if I come back to it 24hrs later there's every chance won't remember all the details of what was done.

Now in the case of support, S3d already provides a very good way of managing support within a profile and for different bodies. It allows you to generate automatic support (something I like to do because it reminds me where support probably should be) and then to add further supports, or to prune until you have just ONE support block left. It then saves your choices. But if you were to prune ALL the supports from a given body then your selection WILL NOT BE REMEMBERED by S3d: when you prepare to print it will assume you want a full complement of automatic support. If the programmers simply allow the number of support blocks "n=0" to be a valid selection, well problem solved. No need to multiply processes.
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dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: how to prevent support on just one of the parts in a process

You've both obviously decided to ignore my advice! Very amiss of you both!

Allow me to modify the last paragraph of the previous post:
Now in the case of support, S3d already provides a very good way of managing support within a profile and for different bodies. It allows you to generate automatic support (something I like to do because it reminds me where support probably should be) and then to add further supports, or to prune SOME OR ALL OF THE SUPPORTS AWAY. It then saves your choices. But if you were to prune ALL the supports from a given body then TO STOP S3D FROM RECREATING THE AUTO-GENERATED SUPPORTS, SIMPLY GO TO THE SETTINGS AND CHANGE THE PILLAR RESOLUTION TO 99. WHEN YOU SLICE, THE AUTO GENERATION ROUTINE WILL NOW NOT BE ABLE TO GENERATE ANY SUPPORTS BECAUSE THE PILLAR IS FAR FAR TOO BIG!...AND NO MORE SUPPORTS WILL BE ADDED..
No code changes....no bug fixes....no software enhancements.....just a very very simple utilisation of EXISTING FUNCTIONALITY! And you get the print you want....

Still don't believe me? Try it!
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net

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