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Only printing the support structure


Kulkun

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Posted · Only printing the support structure

I have a large object I cut in half using the bisect tool in Blender. I exported the file as an STL and imported it into Cura. Cura loaded the piece properly. I chose my settings, included support, and then saved the gcode file. I load it onto my printer and the printer only prints the SUPPORT structure. No object. Just the zigzag support in the general shape of the object. Any ideas on what happened?

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    Posted · Only printing the support structure

    Is it still a solid?  I suspect somehow you turned a solid object into something not manifold.  Maybe a picture would help.  Try looking at it in xray view.  Anything red or brown is a problem (probably the whole part).

     

    Manifold means all the triangles in the STL connect together into a surface that encloses a solid.  Whereas maybe when you cut it you don't stitch it up?  Or maybe the part's walls are too thin to print?  A think a picture would help us understand what is going on.

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    Posted · Only printing the support structure

    Oh - and NEVER print anything before looking at it in slice view in cura.  That would have saved you a lot of wasted time and filament.

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    • 2 years later...
    Posted · Only printing the support structure

    One way that  I found to get around this issue was to use TinkerCad.  I imported the STL that wasn't printing the model, only the support, into a new TinkerCad project.  Then I simply exported that project to another STL file.  Then I loaded the exported STL file into Cura (4.6.1) and Viola! It prints!

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