SOLVED "Generate Supports" option not really designed with PVA in mind

[ricko 0]

I am trying to print the following object with PLA+PVA on my Ultimaker 3 and cannot get Cura (v3.0.4) to generate any acceptable support structures.

It seems to me that none of the support algorithms take into consideration that I am using PVA that will totally dissolve and go away. I have played with some of the "advanced" options support pattern, etc. but still no luck.

Is Ultimaker looking into 'supports' with PVA in mind?

In the meantime does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

--Rick

Thingiverse link to model

[kmanstudios 1,120]

I am not sure I understand....

These are PVA supports with no issues.

[Dim3nsioneer 558]

Make sure you set the support extruder to the extruder with PVA - it's set to the first extruder by default. I once or twice suggested that Cura should switch to the second extruder for support automatically if PVA is loaded there but that suggestion seems somehow be lost somewhere in vast space of the Cura to do list or Universe.

[ricko 0]

You get exactly what I hoped I would get!

...except this is what I get.  I matched my support settings to your screenshot.  I am fairly confident I am using default settings everywhere else.  Any thoughts?

Edited November 15, 2017 by Guest

[kmanstudios 1,120]

You get exactly what I hoped I would get!

...except this is what I get.  I matched my support settings to your screenshot.  I am fairly confident I am using default settings everywhere else.  Any thoughts?

 

Ok.....I see what happened. Go to your support area, then click on the gear next to the down arrow. It will open up the settings dialogue box. Check all the boxes next to support. This will open up a lot of things that are normally hidden. The biggest difference I can see is that I put my support horizontal expansion on 0.25. It defaults to 3mm. This will give you a whole buncha support structure all around the object. This is a useful item to play with as sometimes, it does need the extra expansion width, and sometimes, not.

In this model, it just needed that tiny bit.

[ricko 0]

That WORKED!

Thank you for your help!

[kmanstudios 1,120]

That WORKED!

Thank you for your help!

You are quite welcome.