New to this world - Support material
Hi,
I'm happy to just have ordered a new shinny Prusa, and reading a lot of stuff during the wait.
There is something I haven't found clear information about. When you want to use HIPS as print support material to help to print complex piece, is it possible with the prusa out of the box, or is a dual extruder modification mandatory ?
I found some example on thingiverse, but what dual extruder modification do you personnaly recommand ? It's not on my short term todo list, but I begin to think about.
I'm like Jon Snow, I know nothing.
Re: New to this world - Support material
Hi Christophe
Sorry, but it seems that I am the one who will disappoint you on this one.
To print 2 materials, you will need a dual extruder setup. However, the mini-RAMBo supplied with the Prusa original is only capable of running a single extruder, so what you are looking to do is not possible without upgrading the electronics first.
For dual extrusion, you would ideally require a Bowden setup and again, this is not shipped as standard with Bowden tubes etc.
I think you have purchased and exceptional value-for-money printer which which will teach you almost every thing you need to know before progressing on to a more expensive and more capable printer.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: New to this world - Support material
Hi Peter,
thanks for the very clear answer, that explains why I didn't find much information about the dual extrusion.
I was misunderstanding reading this example here http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?151,224451,250198 that it could be easier.
Anyway it's not a show-stopper, I'll take the time to learn a lot first, then maybe go to the DIY road to expand the capacities.
I'm like Jon Snow, I know nothing.
Re: New to this world - Support material
Christophe
There are many different "Prusa I3's" out there, but there is only one "Prusa I3 Original". Printers based on Josef's design are labelled as "Prusa I3", but are basically "clones" - and that includes the Chinese versions as well.
The "original" is, of course, highly modifiable and can be converted to dual, triple or even quad extruders with upgraded electronics.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: New to this world - Support material
You can still use a single extruder with support material, Ive printed alot of complex objects with this printer using standard support settings,
Granted its a little more work that just disolving away the supports, but with good slicing the supports usually break away really easy (ive recently got Simplify3D, and ive been blown away how good the support feature is with it)
Re: New to this world - Support material
As Erron says, support can be very easily removed. I use both Cura and KISS. With the latter, support is very easily changed and there are many parameters to suit what you are printing.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: New to this world - Support material
That's exactly what I was about to ask !
I presume that using the same filament for printing object and support at the same time will build some kind of pillars with a kind of spike at the top to minimize the contact and ease the removal of support, using a cutter ?
I just can't wait to receive my kit, planned for tomorrow by UPS tracking 🙂
Just wondering, is there any use of the support once removed ? Any recycled usage possible ?
I'm like Jon Snow, I know nothing.
Re: New to this world - Support material
Hi Christophe
Depends on slicer and settings used as to how the support works. I like the platforms under supported parts, with about 0.1mm gap.
However, you don't need to use supports quite as much as you would expect. I have them set to produce for overhangs over 75 degrees with PLA, but they are not always required fro bridging - depends on other settings.
Regarding re-use; not really possible unless you build yourself a filament extruder. You will have bad prints as well as support. For me, I just throw it away. Filament is not expensive - you can print many models with 1Kg.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: New to this world - Support material
That's exactly what I was about to ask !
I presume that using the same filament for printing object and support at the same time will build some kind of pillars with a kind of spike at the top to minimize the contact and ease the removal of support, using a cutter ?
I just can't wait to receive my kit, planned for tomorrow by UPS tracking 🙂
Just wondering, is there any use of the support once removed ? Any recycled usage possible ?
Yea, most of the time, if you have a model that needs support, the slicing software will place a little pillar in the overhanging area (which is configurable in the software)
An extreme example of support 😛 (a chess set im working on) http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:952393
