[ADDED] Please add brim for support

[lboucher26]

I agree, please add Brim for supports.
Annoying to drop 150 buck on Simplify3d and find things Slic3r does better.
Overall Simplify3D still appears like a better slicer, but its the little things that bug a person.

1 workaround, is making the brim massive, such that it covers the whole build plate. but thats annoying, and for certain geometries could make a brim that extends past the build plate... wonder how that would work out.

[brian442]

Personally, I much rather prefer the brim being attached to the actual model, since that's what I care about most. On some of my prints with other programs, if the brim was placed on the outside of the supports, the model actually ended up lifting from the bed since it didn't have anything directly attached to it. So I actually prefer how the S3D brim works right now.

That being said, I've also seen the issue where the support structures have trouble sticking on the first layer. I found what I think is a much better solution for helping the supports stick to the bed, while still maintaining a good brim on the part. You can setup the software right now to print a completely solid first layer of the support structures. That gives you a much larger surface for the first layer of the supports, which helps them stick to the bed. I think that's the best of both worlds, since I still want the brim holding down my actual part, but this helps get the supports sticking better too.

Again, you can do this already with the current software. Just use 2 processes, where the first process is used only for the first layer of the print (i.e. stop printing at 0.2mm or whatever your layer height is). Then change the support infill to 100% for that first layer process.

I've done lots of prints using this exact method and it works really well!

[georgei]

+1 from me. I had supports unstuck from the table very frequently in big prints.

[Konky]

Since I know about this software people ask for this MUICH NEEDED feature.
Sadly no reactions.

I am not sure if devs read the forums at all

[dkightley]

I am not sure if devs read the forums at all

They say they do......see these recent posts:

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3471&start=80

[S3D-Jason]

Hi Konky,

I know we have several people here that read every single post on the forum, so you can be assured that if you post something, we have definitely seen it! As for this specific request, have you tried the suggestion mentioned here:
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5475&start=20#p29116

That would actually provide BETTER adhesion compared to a brim that just went around the outside of the support structures. It creates a completely solid layer below the support structures which gives it a much better chance of sticking. I've used this several times myself and it works quite well.

[le_avion]

How about splitting into two processes, setting the 1st one to the 1st layer and for it set the support infill to 100% and then set an extra inflation distance to something like 5 mm? I just tried it an it created a wide, 1 layer thick, dense raft for the support structure to stick on. Probably better than brim for support.

[Criso]

+1
I usually put a flat square piece under tall supports, but I find the idea of the 2 processes the best, because it doesn't disrupt any other setting and you don't need to re-arrange the models if you move the main one. The suggestion is to make it a tick-box option on the lines of:

[✓] dense base support layers
[#] number of dense base layers
[#] infill of dense base layers

Maybe even using the same settings of the top dense support layer to save space.

[JvdP]

I've actually requested this before (through S3D support) and I will repeat myself here since this is a great topic.

After printing for many years on many different machines, materials and bed types I can conclude that this would be a key feature. It's just so annoying having a print going perfectly, only for the support to loosen from the bed half-way through. It would be so simple for avoid it and such an easy feature to implement!

For this exact reason I'm sometimes forced to print an object with a raft simply because then the support material has a solid ground.

I suggest to have a "Support Material Raft" option so you can add a raft under the support material only (not under the entire model).

[brian442]

You can already create a solid layer below the support structures to hold them down. Just follow the instructions here:
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5475&start=20#p29116

I've used it several times and it works great