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The only other option in this section is the support pillar resolution, which determines the size of each individual support pillar. The actual print will still use the same back-and-forth webbing pattern that you saw earlier in the G-Code preview. Note that the pillar shape is simply a preview. This will produce a preview of the recommended support structures based on the overhang angle that you specify. You can also change the Support Type from Normal to From Build Platform Only, which will only generate supports that are touching the build plate, which can be useful if the supports generated will be trapped within the part or otherwise difficult to remove. This can save a lot of time by giving you a starting point for any later modifications.
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The top section contains all of the automatic support generation options that allow the software to give you a recommendation about where it thinks support material is needed. The support generation toolbar consists of several sections. To do this, first we need to return to the model view. If you could remove the support material from this location, it would give you less to clean up at the end of the print. While the software makes this process extremely easy, it also offers additional options if you want more control over where the support material is placed. To add support material for this model, open the settings for your FFF process and enable the Generate Support Material option. When looking at this model, it is clear that there are several areas that will probably violate our 45 degree overhang angle limit.
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The performance of these overhangs will depend on your layer height, temperature, material, and several other factors, but this test part will help establish a useful baseline of what types of angles your machine can support. If you try to print this part on your machine, you will probably notice that the degree sections will not be as smooth as you would like. The Massive Overhang Test by thingster can help identify what types of angles your printer can smoothly produce. If you go to steeper overhang angles, you might start to notice the edges of your layer begin to deform, and that is when you might want to consider adding support material to the part. At these shallow angles, the majority of the plastic layer is supported by the previous layer below it. When do you need supports? A general rule of thumb is that most extrusion-based printers can support overhang angles less than 45 degrees. The supports appear as individual pillars in the software, but are constructed as a network of interconnected pieces for easy removal from your model. These thin, break-away structures are used to support steep overhangs and cantilevered sections of your model. In this tutorial, we will explain everything you need to know about support structures.