Tree (dot) support models in 3D printing

This paper describes a personal experience of creation and application of tree supports printing of complex objects on 3D-printer.



Usually created with support 3D-printing software to generate gcode, such as Cura, right before generating gcode. The easiest way to 3D-printer prints objects in the shape of a pyramid. Then each successive layer rests on the previous one and is not hanging over the empty space. Support allows you to print the overhanging portion of the objects, but the standard of support is not always optimal in terms of plastic flow and ease their subsequent separation from the object itself, so in this article I will describe a personal experience of creation and application of tree-like supports.

Supports Creation of tree h5> Support Create graphics program, in the case of MeshMixer automatically.
For a program to generate code for a 3D printer, the result will be a continuation of work MeshMixer model itself.
You can manually create or edit an already generated (just).

Benefits Supports tree h5> 1. Full control over the process of creating supports.
2. Easy cleaning model.
3. Slight traces. When setting up a successful non-existent.
4. Save the plastic in certain cases.
5. Do not need a substrate «Raft»

Deficiencies tree supports h5> 1. The probability of failure is relatively high support.
2. the necessary skills to create supports (job, print the first time, do not leave unattended. So it is possible to save on plastic unsuccessful results).
3. Support horizontal planes requires a large number of support points that can negate the savings on plastic.

Supports Outlook tree h5> 1. There is a new feature in the printer, allows you to skip through the support without breaking them.
2. The code generator Slic3r does the same and by the order of movement of the extruder bypassing already printed in the plane of the press, without resorting to movement in height.

Applications h5> The question is not simple, and depends on both the model and the material.
Major trends that are currently able to identify:

1. By material
2. Supports height After the height of 35 mm generated better support to strengthen themselves in the very same program additional trunks.

3. The slope of the vertical
4. By surface detail
5. Proportions Although most of the comments and speculative, they should be going over in his mind, constantly gaining experience printing, and analyze their impact on the result, having before him clearly outlined the direction of dependencies and trends.

Supports Creation of tree h5> The tree is easy to build support in any graphics program independently and without generating program. But programmatically it is implemented in Meshmixer. www.meshmixer.com/index.html

The record of this function in the program is implemented in two different modes: the presence of the key "[2] Convert to Solid» or without it.
With the function Overhands can immediately establish "trees", analyzing the model in all respects compatible with 3D printing.

And you can go to the "Display Mode model in the working space of the printer" and there create support.
In both cases, regulation of more than enough. Influence of some of them the result is not yet revealed by experience clearly and convincingly.
But some regulators allow greatly accelerate the generation of support and preparation for printing.
The first thing to reduce it to the minimum number of sides = 3, then support will be triangular and experiments will go faster.
This is done in an expanding menu «Advanced Support» Value «Post side».

Creation - Supports generation occurs only after pressing the [1]. And the new settings will apply only after the removal of the old and new generating.

Multiple experiments can give a fairly clear idea of ​​the proposed change in the parameters.

Similar experiments were overlooked, only that the printer itself is not physically able to print: it supports the sharp ends. The model is simple to hang, and the tips of supports will not reach to the target surface.
In greater detail, it makes sense to raise the entire model on the table supports, it will give the opportunity to compensate for thermal shrinkage due to the flexibility of the supports. Detail, cooled down, it will collapse and not come off from the table in the printing process.

This effect is clearly expressed, mainly in the hollow frame and (wireframe) models.

Conclusion h5> This method - a simple but flexible in configuration tool that extends the printing capabilities, saving plastic and time to clean the parts. With a view to development. Provides the opportunity to combine.

P.S. Anticipating the question of the model in the photo. This is part of the plastic plaster for one of the internal projects Navigator campus .

Source: habrahabr.ru/company/navigatorcampus/blog/236913/