Removed Supports still being generated and printed

[ServiceXp]

To be clear, there is a different between "I removed some supports" and "I removed all of the supports for my entire model". As it says, if you enable support generation, it's going to make sure that there is SOME support for the model. The only way to stop that is to either add your own supports manually or disable support generation all together. So if you are trying to stop support from being added, then just disable support generation.

If you're still having trouble, post your factory file and explain exactly what steps you are taking.

Ah now I understand; So S3D doesn't distinguish (record) between removing all existing support with a model that has not had any existing support. I think the reason why I've never seen this behavior before is that I don't think I've ever had 2 models, where one didn't need any support while the other did on the same print session, using one process.

For the sake of my sanity, please show me in the above mentioned tutorial that "As it says, if you enable support generation, it's going to make sure that there is SOME support for the model.". is located, because I can't find it anywhere, so I must be missing it.

Thanks for your help.

[dorsai3d]

It likely doesn't say it directly in the tutorial because it should be relatively obvious that if you have the option labeled "Generate Support" turned on, the program will....generate support!

Fortunately you can both do it the hacky way outlined above, or just copy your process and assign the one model to each process and have support turned on for the one that needs supports and not turned on for the one that doesn't. Multiple processes in one print is also useful for all sorts of other things, and is one of the main reasons that I like S3D!

[ServiceXp]

It likely doesn't say it directly in the tutorial because it should be relatively obvious that if you have the option labeled "Generate Support" turned on, the program will....generate support!

Fortunately you can both do it the hacky way outlined above, or just copy your process and assign the one model to each process and have support turned on for the one that needs supports and not turned on for the one that doesn't. Multiple processes in one print is also useful for all sorts of other things, and is one of the main reasons that I like S3D!

Thanks for your reply, I was thinking I was missing this altogether, but I guess I'm not very smart though, as I would not call it at all obvious. S3D will not generate ANY support, regardless if added or partially removed if that option is not selected, to the point where it throws a warning (it forces the option or it's not generated)

S3D seems to remember the area's of removed support ONLY when there are some support remaining. IMO it's not inconceivable to think the code would retain this removal data also when all support have been manual removed. This is the precise point of failure in my own understanding and is based on the information, or lack thereof in the documentation.

There is simply no mention of the scenario that I've presented in this thread anywhere in the help system, although probably a rare scenario.

So I'm thinking for us not so smart people they should probably present it in the support documentation or change the behavior of the code.

[ganner918]

I realize I'm bumping a rather old thread, but I just ran into this problem and found this in search.

I have multiple parts on a single process, auto generate support, and then manually remove supports as needed. I have one part where I manually remove all support, and when I "prepare to print," S3d places all auto support back on this part. So, for each individual part, I can remove support as I wish down to a single support pillar, but if I remove ALL from ANY one part, the software automatically puts all support back on that part. That's most certainly a bug. I know I can make a separate print process for that part, without support, but that shouldn't be necessary.

[CompoundCarl]

If you tell it that you want support enabled for a certain model, then that model is expected to have support. If you don't place any manual ones, then it is going to add automatic ones. Seems pretty logical to me. If you don't want any support at all, then you have to turn off support generation for that part.

So I definitely see it works the way that it does. It really doesn't matter if you manually remove the support or use the "clear all supports" button, they're going to have the same affect. If you remove all the support for the part, but tell the process settings to add support, then that's what it's going to do.

[dkightley]

I think I've just stumbled across the explanation for the OP's issue where removed support is still being generated.........and it's a good one!

Here's what I did:
1) I was preparing to print a model of a stone railway viaduct....and to model it, I created a single arch section, and then duplicated this one arch and lined the many arches up to make up a multi-arch viaduct section. When I exported the resultant section of viaduct, I knew I would have to use the "Separate Connected Surfaces" option to break the combined meshes into separate models in S3D so they would print solid...and not have voids where the separate meshes overlap.

2) I loaded the (combined) model straight from my CAD package and set about creating manual support definitions underneath the arches. I didn't want auto-generated supports as there would be a lot of wasted plastic. I sliced....and the supports were exactly what I wanted.

3) I then did a few tweaks to the profile and used the "Separate Connected Surfaces" option as described above.

4) I rechecked the slicing preview......and one arch had supports as defined manually, and all of the other arches had auto-generated supports!!!!

Okay.....what has gone wrong????

Simple, really! Here's what's happened.....
When I defined the manual support, it was attached to the model I imported...."Arches1". I then separated the model out into the separate bits....I now had "Arches1", Arches1(1)", "Arches1(2)", etc.... When the slicer comes to resolving support, it finds manual support for "Arches1" and generates the manual support underneath where "Arches1" is being sliced. It looks for manual support for "Arches1(1)"....finds none, and generates automatic support. It does the same for "Arches1(2)"...and so on.

So....the bottom line! Separate the meshes out first....then add manual supports. Not the other way round!!!

Told you it was a good one!

[DForbes]

Just because the software doesn't behave the way you believe it should, it doesn't mean there's a bug!

The way to manually adjust the generated support is as follows:

1) Set the support to auto-generate support....but set the resolution to a high value so that no support can be generated.
2) Open the support generation pane
3) Set the parameters for auto-generation of support using a realistic pillar resolution.
4) Hit the Generate auto support button...this generates the basic support
5) Use the tool to remove and/or add support as required, setting the pillar resolution to add support at the required resolution
6) When you're happy, exit the pane.

When you slice the model, as the auto-generation pillar resolution is set too high for meaningful support to be generated, none will be created....and the support you want, and only the support you want, will exist. This all works...no bugs!

I had the same issue when trying to generate supports for multiple items. I think its horrible you have to define a value that is outside its window to get something to work, very confusing. It should be simple, 2 buttons, DEFINE MANUAL or DEFINE AUTO, no in between.

[brian442]

I don't think those steps are required at all. If you don't want supports for a given model, then just setup a second process for those models and disable support generation. That way you have 2 processes - one for models that need support, and one for the remaining parts. I use this all the time with my prints and it works great.

[dkightley]

I don't think those steps are required at all.

I'll agree to disagree with you on whether the steps I've described are necessary.

I'm referring to one model that is split into two or more meshes where a single process is used. You are referring to two or more separate models....where it does make sense to have separate profiles.

[brian442]

I'm just trying to help out, since I know I've done tons of prints where some parts needed support and others didn't. I never had to do all those steps above.

So maybe to clarify, can you post a factory file with an example where you think you need to use the steps above? When you said "one model that is split into two or more meshes", that makes me think that you have multiple entries in the model list in S3D, so you should be able to just assign different processes to whichever sections need support. But again, maybe if you post a file it will make more sense.