Problem with support printing  

Re: Problem with support printing

Your support Z distance of 0.4 is very high. I tend to make this the same as my layer height. If you think about it, 0.4 means you are just about air printing at that point. You have 2 full layers of nothing beneath you as you print. Its the equivalent of raising your Live Z by .4 on your first layer and that will definitely cause you issues.

Of course, this is assuming that you are printing with 0.2 layers.

Also, you might want to make the interface layer a bit more dense.

Supports will always have a trade off. The way you have them, they are likely easy to remove, but don't really support well. They make the object "print", but not "print well". You are never going to get a perfect print above supports, but you can make it better.

Re: Problem with support printing

Wow, when I though about it - it makes sense. I'm printing first layer at 0.2, and then (that print) was printed at 0.15 layer height.
So, should I change Z Layer Height - to 0, or to equivalent of one layer, in this example 0.15?

Do you mean Interface resolution option?

Re: Problem with support printing

I would change it to 0.15, the same as layer height. I always use 1or 2 interface layers as well. The interface is a grid that is placed on top of the standard support to give a better surface. The "interface resolution" is effectively how dense to make the grid. 0.15 is usually good.

In very crude terms:

MMMMMMM <- the model
xxxxxxxxxxx <- interface layer
| | | | | | | <- supports
| | | | | | |

Supports are all about balance. Make them too tight and you will never get them off without damaging the model. Make them too loose and the model will look bad. Unfortunately until we get water soluble supports and the MMU 2, there is no perfect answer, but you can make them look pretty decent with some good settings.

Heres a copy of my settings. They aren't perfect, but they work for me. Remember to change the Z distance based on layer height. I have a modified profile saved for each layer height so I don't forget. Also, if you really want to look at options, Cura does supports differently and has tree supports and Meshmixer has some interesting options as well. Having played with all of them, I still use good old Slic3r supports about 80% of the time and go to the others when there is a need. Identifying when to use the other options is an art, not a science. There are many, many times when Cura tree or Meshmixer supports will actually be worse. It's not that any one is better, they are just all different for different cases.

Re: Problem with support printing

I've applied your tips, thank you

One thing is bothering me, the layer height of support next to the layer height of a print. It seems bigger, but I don't know how to make it smaller. Also, isn't the support too far from a print?
Is there any way - to make it rarer all the way up to the print, but changing it to desired quality and density, right next to the print layers?
Is that "Gradual Support Infill Steps" option? I have it on 0 right now
Should the support density option stay at 20%?

Re: Problem with support printing

if you want the supports closer, lower the support X/Y distance setting. You currently have it at 0.7 which means that there is a 0.7 mm distance between your supports and the walls of your model. You don't want it too close or it will glue itself to the model. You can get it closer than 0.7, but in general you want to give it AT LEAST your nozzle width. So, if you are printing with a 0.4 nozzle, don't go below 0.4 or you are almost sure to have issues.

You can increase the density if you want. I tend to lower mine. Thats why I use the interface layers. The top layer will be more dense without wasting all the time and plastic on the support walls.

Again, it's a trade off between print quality, time, and ease of removal. Using supports well is an art form. Sometimes I choose that I want a perfect print so i increase all the support variables and know its going to take a half hour to properly remove everything very carefully. More often, I rotate the object so it needs less support or cut the object and glue it together later so I need much less support.

It's going to change per model you print and your final goals.

Can't wait to get the MMU 2 and water soluble supports. If that lives up to the videos, its going to change our 3d printing lives! 😀

RE: Problem with support printing

Hello guys. I had a similar problem with the printer, so I wrote to them and they replied that I need to send them a detail at their address by post. and when I began to fill out the envelope I realized that I didn’t know the postcode,