Removing layers

[printingWhiz 0]

Hi,

I am curious on if there are any non stick surface materials that I can apply to my structure. Basically, I want the structure to "pop-up" to resemble something like this:

The issue is that I want to print this structure in one step, so I was looking into ways that I can 3D print this without support materials. A solution I was thinking was to separate the structure into two layers as shown below:

After printing L1, I wanted to know if it was possible to apply some sort of material that would allow me to print L2 on top of it and give me the "pop-up structure." If not, are there any other methods I can pursue? For reference, I am using TPU on an Ultimaker S5.

Thanks

[johnse 31]

You could print a layer or two of PVA (water soluble) or Breakaway between the pieces. They're not "non-stick" but breakaway has lower layer adhesion and PVA will dissolve.

[geert_2 557]

Even if you find a material, it is not going to pop up automatically, if printed flat. On the contrary: even if you would pull it up manually, it will tend to snap back into the flat shape as when printed, because that is how the molecules were solidified.

 

You would have to print it in the upright position, and then manually push it down to make it pop up again from itself (if the material is flexible enough to survive this).

 

You could do this by designing a custom support structure that does not consume too much support material.