Printing suport structures.

[fingerpuk 0]

Hello.

I wondered if anyone had any tips on printing support structures? I managed to get Meshmixer to accept my files and let that generate some supports, but they were very odd and weak looking. So I added additional supports to the supports. These are sort of printing ok but some of them have gone very strange, I wonder if they are too thin for the height.

Mine were set to print 3.2mm diameter with no greater than 45 degree angle. I wonder if we should be printing larger, say 8-10mm supports that then break of to the smaller type for contact with the print? If so I wonder the best way to achieve this?

Is anyone aware of a nice, even paid for, software solution for making supports?

 

[xeno 108]

These sort of supports are normally used with SLS machines, but some UM users have had success with using them,

you might want to try older versions of Cura, there was a version that had really great support with a kind of printed mesh,

and was very easy to remove, but Daid removed it as it was causing problems in newer versions of Cura.

I really hope Daid has Support high on his agenda

 

[andwew 0]

Yo. I posted a similar question. Not sure if you know zbrush or any other modeling software, but I thought this was pretty interesting:

http://www.3dprinterworld.com/article/mold3d-showcases-diy-supports-with-zbrush

 

[gr5 2,172]

meshmixer can do very well. I like 8 to 10mm supports. You can specify this in meshmixer. Also you can specify the taper at the tip of the support if you want it to taper down very gradually to a point.

Meshmixer is really the best support out there in my opinion. If you can do this dragon wing you can do anything:

http://www.extrudable.me/2013/12/28/meshmixer-2-0-best-newcomer-in-a-supporting-role/

 

 

[fingerpuk 0]

Meshmixer refuses to run on any of my Macs so currently it's not an option. I do use ZBrush and so build my own, same with Modo, but it takes some time and I'm being lazy

I'll keep at it until Meshmixer is made more stable or Cura adds better supports. Cheers

 

[qmaker 29]

I too am unable to get meshmixer to run on my Mac. Any solutions to this? I made my own supports in zbrush on the last model, but I think I will need to get a feel for where and how best to support a structure. It would really help to see how meshmixer creates them on complex objects to begin to understand where and how to place them.

 

[gr5 2,172]

I'm pretty sure Illuminarti has used it on his Mac. I'll message him...

 

[illuminarti 18]

It works fine for me on a MacBook Pro running Mavericks. What problems are you having?

 

[fingerpuk 0]

Screen glitches c can see nothing then it crashes .

[qmaker 29]

Hi guys any other feedback or opinions about using meshmixer on a mac? The link above from Andwesw for making supports in zbrush is very helpful.

For me Meshmixer appears to open, but hangs and then crashes.

 

[fingerpuk 0]

In the end I just made my own in CAD.