Introduce new bridging strategy in supports

[designfactore]

Hi,

I would love to see the software save both support material and printing time by knowing when it can effectively use a bridging strategy in supports themselves.

Instead of a continuous vertical wall of support from the build platform up to every overhang point, the support generator could know when it could essentially use a "legged table" strategy; it would build legs up to a certain height, then bridge across those legs at that height, and continue generating supports as normal across those bridges from then on.

The time savings would be HUGE! I would pay just for this feature all by itself. Seriously.

Would be cool if you could define the minimum number of layers the legs were, and the minimum number of layers that follow the bridges.

Everyone please second this request, let's see it happen! Another way that S3D remains on top!

[JoeJ]

The dense supports in S3D do something very similar. You print very sparse supports on the bottom and then the denser support at the top bridges between those sparse supports that are spaced so far apart. If you watch it print, it basically does the bridging you are describing.

[tri-lite]

I agree that the sparse/dense support feature is the preferred method (using dense material only at the top of the support).

I always advise people to view their supports as a network, and NOT as a table leg. When I started out, I placed supports around my prints like table legs, but they were prone to topple over or become unstable. With unstable supports, I ended up with failed prints.

So I endorse maintaining a support network, using dense material only at the top of your supports when you want to save time. The sparse/dense support option is a GREAT feature!