josgc
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 3:13 pm

Improvement Request: Generate Raft only under supported area

Hi everyone! first post here :)

I'm using simplify3d with a Prusa i3, which is my second printer after an up!mini. I'm still getting to know the software, so I activated the raft to test it with the following model: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:430112. To my surprise, the raft covered a rectangle the size of the object, even though most of it doesn't support anything, which looks like a waste of time and material. The up! software generates rafts only in areas that actually support something, and so I think it would be a good improvement if the same could be done by simplify3d.
PrCTRL
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:12 am
Contact: Website

Re: Improvement Request: Generate Raft only under supported

+10 :)

ultimatively helpful
especially for SLA use too !!
dennisjm
Posts: 343
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 9:51 pm

Re: Improvement Request: Generate Raft only under supported

Yes, I've wished for this too. A few parts I printed recently took longer to print the raft than the part. I needed the raft because the supports by themselves wouldn't stick well to the print bed.
JFettig
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:13 pm

Re: Improvement Request: Generate Raft only under supported

Definitely something I'm interested in as well, I have made some rather large parts with big open areas in the center that if I used a raft, it would take 1-2 hours just to print the raft!
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AK_Eric
Posts: 103
Joined: Thu Dec 25, 2014 4:48 pm
Location: Belmont, CA
Contact: Website

Re: Improvement Request: Generate Raft only under supported

+1
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turbocharged110
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:45 pm

Re: Improvement Request: Generate Raft only under supported

+1, this would be very helpful.
Printer: Rostock Max w/ E3D V5 hotend and lots of upgrades/modifications
JFettig
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:13 pm

Re: Improvement Request: Generate Raft only under supported

I ended up drawing my own raft due to bugs in the latest version not allowing me to print close enough to the raft to make it stick, it just strings all over it more than a full layer above the raft, so I drew it hollow. Here is an example:

I print at .25mm layer height, and I wanted the first layer to be 150% thick and wanted 3 layers so the raft is .875mm thick. The part sits on top of it and that starts at 1mm so it has a .125mm raft separation gap. Even with the current software I cannot fully control the height of the first layer, I just happened to get lucky and it worked. I have printed a part yesterday on the custom raft(diff part) and it stuck well and came off my PEI build plate easily.
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raft test.factory
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BaronWilliams
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:30 pm

Re: Improvement Request: Generate Raft only under supported

+1, this is a very useful feature. I normally try to print without a raft, but sometimes support is so thin that the support falls over without a raft, so in those cases I need to either add a raft or modify the model to have it's own built in raft for the support area.

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