Newbie question about supports

[boardkov]

Hello,

This is an extreme newbie question about the need for supports in printing my first 3D object. I am printing a simple belt buckle. I have placed it on it's back for printing. There is an arch in the buckle, causing it to be about 1/4" raised off the platform in the middle. Do I need supports to print this successfully? Is this the best orientation for successful printing?

[Roxy]

Yes, you will need support material. Pretty much... any angle more than 45 degrees is difficult to print without support material. The good news is, because the support material is on the back side, nobody will see the marks when you peel it off of the buckle. I would probably use rectilinear support on this.

Also, you can generate the object with support built in as part of the design. I would be tempted to do this on the buckle.

[boardkov]

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my question, I appreciate it very much. I never thought of designing in supports, I'm assuming there is a trick to making them easily removable. I'll try to find a good tutorial.

Yes, you will need support material. Pretty much... any angle more than 45 degrees is difficult to print without support material. The good news is, because the support material is on the back side, nobody will see the marks when you peel it off of the buckle. I would probably use rectilinear support on this.

Also, you can generate the object with support built in as part of the design. I would be tempted to do this on the buckle.

[Roxy]

If you are doing the work in OpenScad, I can give you some code that I've used to support weird things I was doing. But it probably is worth while for you to try some of the support options that Slic3r gives you. For that buckle, I would lean towards rectilinear support. It wouldn't hurt for you to print it with each type of support however.

You also get to pick how many interface lines there are in the support and their spacing. Once you understand what type of support you are going to use, it is worth playing with the other parameters.

Incidentally, the shape of that buckle from the bottom is kind of a worst case scenario. No matter what kind of support you choose, you will be trying to bridge out with limited support on each new layer. That is why I think rectilinear (grid) will be best.

[old man emu]

I can give you some code that I've used to support weird things I was doing.

Does your mother know that you support yourself by doing weird things?

OME

[boardkov]

If you are doing the work in OpenScad, I can give you some code that I've used to support weird things I was doing. But it probably is worth while for you to try some of the support options that Slic3r gives you. For that buckle, I would lean towards rectilinear support. It wouldn't hurt for you to print it with each type of support however.

You also get to pick how many interface lines there are in the support and their spacing. Once you understand what type of support you are going to use, it is worth playing with the other parameters.

Incidentally, the shape of that buckle from the bottom is kind of a worst case scenario. No matter what kind of support you choose, you will be trying to bridge out with limited support on each new layer. That is why I think rectilinear (grid) will be best.

Thank you, I will check out Slic3 and do some more learning, you've given me a good start of what to look for. Would you recommend a different orientation for placing the buckle, perhaps on it's back is not the best? My though was that any defects caused by the supports would be hidden on the back.

[Roxy]

Thank you, I will check out Slic3 and do some more learning, you've given me a good start of what to look for. Would you recommend a different orientation for placing the buckle, perhaps on it's back is not the best? My though was that any defects caused by the supports would be hidden on the back.

I think you do want to print it with the back pointing down for exactly that reason. Any defects will be hidden. And after you print one with each support option, you will have a much better understanding of the issues!

[DBFIU]

Does your mother know that you support yourself by doing weird things?

OME

lol

Why not print it upside down, the top side of this thing seems flat? Show me an iso view