Supports not generating within a hollow model, Slic3R PE 1.42.0
Hi All,
I'm relatively new to 3D printing but enjoying learning all its details immensely. I'm working on a project that I could use some assistance on. I'd like to turn this statue ( https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2345957 ) of Yoda Buddha (Yoddha?) into a nightlight for my son. (who am I kidding? It's for me) I want to make it out of glow-in-the-dark PLA and have it be hollow with an open bottom so I can 1) remove the supports it will require, and 2) so I can sit it on a driftwood platform with an LED light inside. While asking questions in the 3dprinting forum of Reddit, someone wisely suggested making 4-5 perimeters, 0% infill, and 0 bottom layers and 4-6 top layers. That achieves what I'm trying to do but I can't get it to generate supports inside the statue. There are areas that will obviously require them, such as bridges that don't connect to anything on one side. I've attempted using support enforcement without any luck. I've tried checking and unchecking "Support on buildplate only" but I think the chin and nose will definitely require supports. No matter what overhang angle I set it to, it still doesn't generate any on the inside. The pictures linked at the end are of my support settings and what I have been getting so far. The last shows the sliced preview from underneath and the lack of supports inside.
Any help that can be provided would be greatly appreciated.
https://imgur.com/89k1XxA
https://imgur.com/LgaxERw
https://imgur.com/EZRy7F2
Re: Supports not generating within a hollow model, Slic3R PE 1.42.0
In Slic3r, set Bottom Layers to 0, and INFILL to 0, uncheck Ensure Vertical Shell Thinkness.
There are some sharp angles that will require some work. You may want to print at a small layer height.
To get supports inside, the model must not have a bottom surface. I usually use CUT to trim the lower 1 mm or so off the part. But there are times this doesn't work, and the part needs to be hollowed out using something like MeshMixer.
Re: Supports not generating within a hollow model, Slic3R PE 1.42.0
Here's an example of a Hollow Yoda slice... I'd upload the STL but it's too large; I dropped a remix up on Thingy.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3466629
Re: Supports not generating within a hollow model, Slic3R PE 1.42.0
That's really great of you to do! I'll go download it now. I also downloaded Meshmixer, which you mentioned, and am starting to learn that. Thanks so much for the suggestions!