Unwanted Supports

[calavera]

I am having a weird issue for a long time. I am on Mac.

There are two different objects, I add manual supports on one of them and leave the other one without supports. when I click the prepare to print button it asks me to confirm the generate support function which is off. If I don't confirm manual supports are gone if I confirm the other object that is not supported getting automatic supports.

Is this a bug or am I missing something? I have tried everything. I tried adding manual supports to the second object and deleted them one by one but it didn't help. It needs at least one manual support somewhere on the object in order to print the rest of it unsupported.

[parallyze]

There are two different objects, I add manual supports on one of them and leave the other one without supports. when I click the prepare to print button it asks me to confirm the generate support function which is off. If I don't confirm manual supports are gone if I confirm the other object that is not supported getting automatic supports.

Yes, Support Generation has to be enabled, even if you're trying to use manual supports only. When placing manual supports the parameters from the support tab will be applied to those spots (Support infill, Dense Layers, Separation Layers and so on).

There might be some workarounds (like setting overhang angle to something which won't be triggered by the object without supports). Adding a factory file might help others to have a look at this (File -> Save Factory Files as...).

Is this a bug or am I missing something? I have tried everything. I tried adding manual supports to the second object and deleted them one by one but it didn't help. It needs at least one manual support somewhere on the object in order to print the rest of it unsupported.

One thing you could do is add a second process with support generation disabled. Then assign the models to each process accordingly.

Edit:

Left -> Process1 -> Support Generation enabled
Right -> Process2 -> Support Generation disabled

[S3D-Jake]

Great tips for working around having supports added to your 2nd model! Thanks again for helping other users.

[calavera]

My walkaround was same, I have entered the default angle as 89 degrees but sometimes it adds supports with that angle as well. About the different process method, I think processes can be divided horizontally, which means layer-based. So you can not separate two models side by side. So the best method for me is to add single manual support somewhere harmless on the model and print.

As far as I understand this is a bug.

[parallyze]

About the different process method, I think processes can be divided horizontally, which means layer-based. So you can not separate two models side by side.

You can set up a process to start/stop at certain heights, yes. But you can also have different processes doing different models/settings side by side, that's what the "Select Models" dialog is for when editing a process...

As far as I understand this is a bug.

It's very simple to set up two processes with support on/off if there's different requirements for multiple objects... especially when adding/removing objects from the bed. Your proposal would mean one would have to edit/remove the automatic generated supports on each object not requiring them, just to make them work on another one.

[dkightley]

Just remembered how I resolved a similar support issue with auto-generated supports getting in the way.....a simple and slick solution...

By default, set the support pillar resolution to 99. Then, for the part you want to generate manual supports, before you add the supports, set the manual support resolution to a sensible value .

At this point, if there is a part that you want auto-generated supports, in the manual support window, set the pillar to a sensible value and click the Generate supports. This will auto-generate supports manually.

Then, when you slice, any part that would trigger auto-generated supports will see a pillar resolution of 99....and not create supports.

This way, you get manual supports when you want them, you get auto-generated supports (created manually, but that's no sweat cos its just clicking a button! ), and no spurious auto-generated supports.

EDIT....

Some screenies to illustrate.

Left cube has manual support, middle cube has Auto-supports manually generated....both with pillar resolution at 2.0
Right cube has no manual supports.

In the profile, Supports are turned on and the pillar resolution set to 99.0

And here's the result:

[calavera]

funny that I didn't know I was able to select different processes for seperate models. Very good feature thank you

About the different process method, I think processes can be divided horizontally, which means layer-based. So you can not separate two models side by side.

You can set up a process to start/stop at certain heights, yes. But you can also have different processes doing different models/settings side by side, that's what the "Select Models" dialog is for when editing a process...

As far as I understand this is a bug.

It's very simple to set up two processes with support on/off if there's different requirements for multiple objects... especially when adding/removing objects from the bed. Your proposal would mean one would have to edit/remove the automatic generated supports on each object not requiring them, just to make them work on another one.

[calavera]

What happens if I select .3 layer height for one object and .1 for the other object? As far as I see from the preview it prints them both. but howcome? Layer heights rarely are at the same height?

[parallyze]

What happens if I select .3 layer height for one object and .1 for the other object?

Each object will be printed at the layer height specified by it's according process.

As far as I see from the preview it prints them both. but howcome? Layer heights rarely are at the same height?

S3D does keep track of object heights. Layers/islands will be printed in an order which avoids hitting other objects on
travel moves etc.

Use "Preview by Line" inside the Preview and watch the Z position when scrolling through the movements.

And your Z axis is still usable while printing, so why should different layer heights be a problem at all?

OT and not S3D related - but if you want to see a completely different approach to "layer based printing", you might
find this one interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km1lvuva5mI (nonplanar layers in 3d printing).

[calavera]

Yes I know that feature, that's great. I hope something similar comes with the next releases of S3D. And also a surface ironing will be very nice. Many thank you for your answers.

What happens if I select .3 layer height for one object and .1 for the other object?

Each object will be printed at the layer height specified by it's according process.

As far as I see from the preview it prints them both. but howcome? Layer heights rarely are at the same height?

S3D does keep track of object heights. Layers/islands will be printed in an order which avoids hitting other objects on
travel moves etc.

Use "Preview by Line" inside the Preview and watch the Z position when scrolling through the movements.

And your Z axis is still usable while printing, so why should different layer heights be a problem at all?

OT and not S3D related - but if you want to see a completely different approach to "layer based printing", you might
find this one interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km1lvuva5mI (nonplanar layers in 3d printing).