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Making Your Own Support

Posted: 13 Jul 2015, 06:47
by inventabuild
I don't want support everywhere, just where there is a long horizontal overhang. Any tips on making my own support w/ my CAD program? I happen to be using Inventor.

Layer thickness = 0.42, Extrusion Width = 0.5. What size gap s/ I create between the part and the support? Should I create a tic, tac, toe pattern at the interface to minimize surface contact?

Re: Making Your Own Support

Posted: 13 Jul 2015, 13:51
by metaldrgn
Check out meshmixer

Re: Making Your Own Support

Posted: 13 Jul 2015, 14:12
by inventabuild
Yes , thanks . I don't like their support structure , even when I use it to add my own supports...I'd like to figure out best way to add supports in my CAD program .

Re: Making Your Own Support

Posted: 24 Jul 2015, 10:31
by Mikk36
It depends highly on the particular part you're trying to print.
For example on one specific part where I needed a very precise horizontal overhang (open from bottom side) I made a horizontal plate for full fill and then between the part and the plate I put down vertical posts that were just thick enough for Kiss to put down small dots of plastic. I put down enough of those dots to get myself a nice smooth bottom layer of the overhang. Afterwards the removal of that part was easy enough with peeling it away with a flathead screwdriver.

Re: Making Your Own Support

Posted: 28 Jul 2015, 15:55
by de_kaminski
Why not use 85degree support angle and for example 10mm gap?
Image

Usually I process STL-files from clients and use either Rhinoceros 3D or Solidworks when possible to do Feature Recognition (turn STL into parametric Solidwork Part)
Meshmixer is also effective.