Any way to use support AND bridging?

[Warriorclub 1]

Hi everyone. 

I am still learning the ropes on Cura and was wondering if it was possible to use bridging and  support.  It seems like you can only do one or the other.  For instance I have an object that has supports for overhangs but when printing it only goes on support mode.  Is there a way to also make cura do bridging mode on top of the support for extra straight lines?  

I don't want to leave a small gap for supports because they are hard to remove yet they are still needed because some parts don't have two columns between for bridging, but that would leave alot of sag where the layers would droop down.  BUT I also wish cura would be able to do bridging mode when the object starts printing above the finished support.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Warriorclub

[Framar 38]

In Cura 4.7 you can manually add support where it is needed.

CHEP has a nice video on how to use the feature

 

 

[gr5 2,167]

@Warriorclub - a sketch or screenshot of what you are describing would be helpful.  I read it twice and not sure what you mean.  You can add support wherever you want or remove it wherever you want in cura (video above).  You can also add supports in CAD especially if you are the one designing the part.  There are also a huge amount of bridging features that are in an alternate version of Cura but I hesitate to tell you about those without understanding your question better.

[Warriorclub 1]

Thanks. I know its a bit confusing. The question is basically can cura go into bridge mode while printing on top of a support. 

[gr5 2,167]

I think cura will consider it still a bridge even with support (if it the support was generated by Cura and not in your CAD).  Did you just try it to see what happens?  It's easy to do a quick test in cura and then look at the result in layer view.

[ahoeben 1,948]

20 minutes ago, gr5 said:

I think cura will consider it still a bridge even with support

 

I don't think it does. Help us out, @burtoogle

[Warriorclub 1]

Yeah. I tried bridge mode on top of support but it doesnt do that. Only bridges on top of infill. I know some people had "problems" with cura going on bridge mode on top of supports but that is exactly what i want to do. 

[gr5 2,167]

Our expert, @burtoogle, has been missing from the forum for 3 weeks.  He's probably very busy with other things.  This wouldn't be the first time he "disappeared" for a month.  I'm in a slack group with him and ahoeben and he hasn't spoken there in a while either.  Hopefully he is fine.

[wokao118 2]

i have the exact same need. my problem is that the print doesn't stick to support well enough, the skin right above the support is always really bad, the infill tangle up and make a mess. but, if i adjust z distance too close then the support won't separate.

i've found a kind of hacky way to get the behavior i want due to how it's calculating the bridge.

1. set bridge skin support threshold to 99%

2. set the support horizontal expansion to -0.1mm

3. set the support interface horizontal expansion to -0.1mm

 

hope this helps.