How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)  

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

Have you tried a support enforcer?, add a rectangle but size it narrower than the model and high enough to support what you need.

You will have to play around with size and use the layer preview until you get the support right.

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

That sounds rather fussy. It could work.

Isn't there a more direct and long-term maintainable solution such as a setting that specifies a minimum distance from a model?

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

Yes the settings are contact distance which sets the space between the support and the layer aboves and x/y spacing which sets how far away from the model on a layer.

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

@neophyl

Where can I find this "Contact Distance" setting? I see the "Z-Contact Distance" not not the setting you are referencing. Can you help me find it?

Thank you.

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

Note that the problem isn't in the Z-direction. The problem I am having is in the X & Y directions.

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

First of all you must be using slicer in at least Advanced mode (so the yellow tagged items are available).

Its under Print Settings > Support Material > XY separation between an object and its support.   On the defaults its set at 50% but you can alter that.  Its located under Contact Z distance which is also an advanced setting so if you can see that then you should be able to see the XY separation as its in the same block of settings.

The usual cause of supports that are difficult to remove is the Contact Z distance though.  The 0.1 used on the defaults is too close (its the distance for soluble supports).  For a 0.2mm layer height then 0.2 or larger is better and makes them much easier to remove.

Another trick is to alter the pattern angle of the supports to offset them from the layer direction, so something like 30-45 degrees.

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

Neophyl beat me to it whilst I was downloading PS onto this machine I'm at 🙂

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

The specific setting for XY distance is XY separation. Here are the settings I use for support:

• 0.25mm contact z distance
• 3mm pattern spacing
• 4 interface layers
• 0.2mm interface pattern spacing
• No interface loops
• 75% XY separation between object and its support

Try tilting the model to a degree that reduces the need for support if possible. 

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

Dang it @bobstro - I am running out of space to take notes.

Do you have a "The way I do it" document somewhere you can link?

Meanwhile - I need to keep this topic open until I incorporate those...

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

Posted by: @robert-rmm200

Dang it @bobstro - I am running out of space to take notes.

Do you have a "The way I do it" document somewhere you can link?

Working on it!I added a "Techniques" section for specific challenges that incorporating a lot of different settings. I've got the mini pics but just need to write the text.

I believe the latest profiles collection has all these set. 

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

Well I modified all my profiles with these support notes. Not just blindly copied - I like what you did.

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

I'm having good results with:

• 3 mm pattern spacing
• 0.2 mm contact Z distance but this is when pattern angle is at 45 Deg to the print layer lines
• 2 interface layer lines
• Interface pattern spacing of 0.4 mm
• XY contact distance I have set at 80%.
• No Interface loops

So there is some room for variance and still get working results.

This is for PETG.

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

Posted by: @robert-rmm200

Well I modified all my profiles with these support notes. Not just blindly copied - I like what you did.

Let me know what results you get. I should mention, these settings work well with the filament extruder multiplier well calibrated. Any over-extrusion makes support removal a nightmare.

RE: How to keep Support further away from model (Is touching and difficult to remove)

They work better than the Prusa defaults. They work well for me. Thank you.