Simplify3D is generating unsupported floating structures

[Dorian]

Hi,

I just got started with Simplify3D and my new Wanhao Duplicator 4S 3D printer. Now I wanted to print myself a fan duct http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:537918. Upon slicing the file I noticed that unsupported floating structures seem to be generating as you can see on this picture:



What is there that I can do to fix this?

Regards
Dorian

[JoeJ]

Works fine for me. The little area in your picture that needs support has a ledge that is only about 1mm wide, so just make sure that your support pillar resolution is 1mm. If it's something really large like 8mm, it won't be able to accurately cover these small features.

If you're still having trouble, just post your factory file

[Dorian]

I am not sure if I fully understood. Are you saying that I should add support structures manually where there are now these floating rings? On the thingiverse page I linked it seems like it should be printed without any support structures. Shouldn't there be an option to kind of build these overhangs from the outside so that these rings are printed last?

[JoeJ]

In my opinion, those cutouts definitely need support. That's far too large of an overhang to print without any support if you want it to look good.

And no, you don't need to manually add support. You just need to make the pillar resolution smaller (see the Support tab in process settings).

If you still don't understand, just post your factory file and I can show you the one change you need to make (File > Save Factory File)

[Dorian]

Hi, if I set pillar resolution to 1 mm, I also get supports inside the vents where I definitely don't want them as I cannot remove them. Could you maybe perform the needed changes in the attached factory file?

[CompoundCarl]

If you're trying to use the "automatic" support placement, then I don't know how you can avoid getting supports in some of those other areas. There's a bunch of other places in that model that have 90 degree overhangs, so they would need support too. But the beautiful thing about S3D is that you can customize it however you want.

So if you want to try to stuck with the initial "automatic" placement, just go to Tools > Customize Support Structures, and choose a pillar resolution of 1mm with an overhang angle of 45-60 degrees (depending on what your printer can support). Then click "Generate Automatic Supports". That will place support in all the areas that have extreme overhangs that exceed that value. You can then click on "Remove Existing Supports" and click on any support structures that you don't want.

However, if you really just want support on those 2 tiny areas from your screenshot, then it's probably easier to click "Clear All Supports" and then go to "Add New Support Structure" and just start adding them in those 2 areas.

If you've never done this before, this video was also really helpful when I was first learning this stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tlrCpwAV4M