Generate Support
Generate Support refers to selecting which structure for overhang part.
Figure 1: Selecting support structure for overhang part.
The None setting refers to no support structure for the model.
The Touch Platform Only setting refers to only adding support structure which can touch the build platform. Those located from one surface of the model to another surface of the model will not be created.
Figure 2: Sliced with "Touch Platform Only" supports.
The All setting refers to adding support structure to all the overhang part of the model.
Figure 3: Sliced with "All" supports
(1) Support
Support Extruder refers to selecting which extruder to print support. (If you have set number of extruders to be 1, then it will only show Primary Extruder; if you have set it to be 2, then it will show then it will show two functions: Left Extruder and Right Extruder.).
Support Type refers to the structure of support.
Normal refers to the support which is computed based on locality which may cause random hang.
Pillar refers to the support which is entirety based on and computed based only pillars.
Figure 4: Select a support structure for your model.
Support Infill Type refers to the infill pattern for the support structure.
Figure 5: Select a Support Infill pattern for your model.
Figure 6: "Support Infill Type"is set to "Lines".
Figure 7: "Support Infill Type"`is set to "Grid".
Figure 8: "Support Infill Type" is set to "Concentric".
Figure 9: "Support Infill Type" is set to "Rectilinear".
Figure 10: "Support Infill Type" is set to "Triangles".
Figure 11: "Support Infill Type" is set to "Gyroid".
Figure 12: "Support Infill Type" is set to "Cubic".
Figure 13: "Support Infill Type" is set to "Honeycomb".
Support Infill Outlines with this function enabled, ideaMaker will print some shells surround of the support as Figure 14.
Figure 14: “Support Infill Outlines” is enabled.
Support Infill Outlines Extruder refers to which extruder is selected to print support infill outlines. (If the number of the extruder is set to 1, then it will only display Primary Extruder; if it is set to 2, then two functions will be displayed: All, Left Extruder and Right Extruder).
Infill Ratio refers to the density of support structure.
Max Overhang Angle defines which parts of the model will have support added.
When the real overhang angle on model is greater than this set value, support structure will be generated. Overhang Angle refers to the angle between the overhang surface and Z axis as Figure 15. (Set 0 means all overhang parts of the model will be added with support. Set 90 means no support will be added to the model).
Figure 15: The Overhang angle.
Horizontal Offset refers to the distance between the support structure and the model parts in X/Y direction.
Vertical offset Top Layers refers to the offset between the top of support structure and the model parts in Z direction.
Vertical offset Down Layers refers to the offset between the bottom of support structure and the model parts in Z direction.
Support Flowrate refers to the flow rate of printing the support structure.
Horizontal Expansion refers that with this function enabled the support would be larger in the Horizontal direction and it can be removed easier.
Figure 16: "Horizontal Expansion" is set to 0.
Figure 17: "Horizontal Expansion" is set to 2.
Note:
With the Horizontal Expansion function enabled, the angled support will be generated as Figure 18.
Figure 18 "Horizontal Expansion" is set to 2.
Solid Base Layer refers to increasing adhesion of support structure of below layers as Figure 19.
Figure 19: "Solid Base Layers" set to 5.
(2) Interlaced Support Infill Angle
Interlaced Support Infill Angle refers that you can define the direction of each layer of the infill structure which can decrease the potential of hangs in corners due to all support at the same direction. If you add 30, 60, 90deg, the angle of the first layer of support will be 30deg.The second layer will be 60deg. The third layer will be 90deg. The fourth layer will be back to 30deg and the angle of the following layers changes in the order.
Angle refers to the directional angle of infill structure.
Add Infill Angle refers to adding a value.
Remove Infill Angle refers to removing the selected value.
Figure 20: "Interlaced Support Infill Angle" set to 30 degrees.
Figure 21: "Interlaced Support Infill Angle" set to 0 degrees.
(3) Other
Figure 22: The Support Tab.
Pillar Size refers to the size of each support pillar. This value is also used to determine where supports should be placed.
Add Sparse Connection means that with this function enabled, ideaMaker will disable retraction between support structures, which will cause some oozing strings to connect and strengthen support structures.
Generate Support under Small Floated Features means that with this function is enabled, ideaMaker will automatically add support structures to hold the small floating features.
Figure 23: “Generate Support under Small Floated Features” is enabled.
Support Expansion under Small Floated Features means that when this function is enabled, the support structures for small floated supports would be larger in the Horizontal direction to increase stability.
Figure 24: “Support Expansion under Small Floated Features” is enabled.
Recreate Support after Modifier Boolean Operation with this function enabled, ideaMaker will auto create new support structures for the result meshes after performing the mesh Boolean operations by the modifiers.
Note: With this function enabled, the existing manual support pillars will be ignored.
For example: set Modifier type as Keep the overlap regions only (experimental) as Figure 24.
Figure 25: Keep the overlap regions only (experimental).
Figure 26: The function Recreate Support after Modifier Boolean Operation is disabled. As shown in the picture, it only prints the existing manual supports that are generated before slicing, and the support will not be re-adjusted according to the final model structure.
Figure 27: The function Recreate Support after Modifier Boolean Operation is enabled. As shown in the picture, the support structures are regenerated according to the final model structure and the existing manual supports are generated before slicing is ignored.
(4) Dense Support
Figure 28: The Dense Support tab.
Dense Support Layers refers to the number of layers for dense support structure. It will only exist in the layers approaching to the model surface which can make the support connecting points smoother after removing the supports.
Dense Support Bottom Layers with this function enabled, you can define the quantity of dense support bottom layers. Note: if not enable the number will match the top
Dense Support Infill Ratio refers to the infill density of the dense support layers.
Dense Support Infill Type refers to selecting the infill pattern for the dense support layers.
Figure 29: Select a Dense Support Infill Pattern for your model.
Figure 30: Set "Dense Support Infill Type" is set to "Lines".
Figure 31: "Dense Support Infill Type" is set to "Grid".
Figure 32: "Dense Support Infill Type" is set to "Concentric".
Figure 323: "Dense Support Infill Type" is set to "Rectilinear".
Dense Support Infill Outlines with this function enabled, ideaMaker will print some shells surround of the dense support.
Figure 34:"Dense Support Infill Outlines" is set to 2.
Dense Support Infill Outlines Extruder refers to which extruder is selected to print support infill outlines. (If the number of the extruder is set to 1, then it will only display Primary Extruder; if it is set to 2, then two functions will be displayed: All, Left Extruder and Right Extruder).
Dense Support Extruder selecting which extruder to print dense support. (If you set number of extruders to 1, then it will only show Primary Extruder; if you set it to 2, then it will show Left Extruder and you can switch to Right Extruder).
Figure 35: Selecting an extruder for dense support.
Dense Support Inner Horizontal Expansion with this function enabled the dense support would be expanded in XY direction to avoid narrow dense support regions and it can be removed easier.
Note: This function only works for inner dense support structure is located in the middle of support structure.
Use Lines Pattern in High Density Grid Dense Support Infill Pattern with this function enabled, when using grid dense support infill pattern and infill density is greater than 25%, ideaMaker will change the dense support infill pattern to Lines automatically.
Dense Support Flowrate refers to the flow rate of printing the dense support structure.
Figure 36: "Dense Support Inner Horizontal Expansion" is set to 2mm.
Figure 37: "Dense Support Inner Horizontal Expansion" is set to 0mm.
(5)Adaptive Support
Adaptive Support generates denser support near the model surface, providing a more stable support structure.
Adaptive Support Reduction Count refers to the number of times the support infill ratios will be reduced. Note: Each reduction will half the infill ratio of support structure.
Infill Ratio Range refers to the minimum and maximum range of the support structure infill ratio. Note: when the dense support is enabled the maximum infill ratio will be set as Dense Support Infill Ratio.
Adaptive Support Layers refers to the number of layers before reducing the infill ratio of support structures.
Adaptive Support Inner Horizontal Expansion with this function enabled the adaptive support structure would be expanded in XY direction to avoid narrow support regions and make the support easier to remove.
Adaptive Support Minimal width refers to the minimal width of the adaptive support structures. If it is less than the value you set, it will be merged into other support regions with different support infill ratio.
Note 1. Support Infill Ratio and Dense Support Infill Ratio settings in Per-layer settings will be ignored if adaptive support is enabled.
Note 2. Support Infill Type, Support Infill Ratio, Dense Support Infill Type and Dense Support Infill Ratio settings in modifier settings will be ignored if adaptive support is enabled.
Figure 38: The Adaptive Support tab.
Figure 39: The Support Tab.
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