I made some bad prints when I had my B9 creator, and the prints came out like soft jello (not enough curing time from the settings), and I wonder if its possible to use that our advantage in developing a better support system.
- To make the software cure (or undercure) just the support tips to make support removal easier and smoother, without leaving nasty bumps an bruises.
And after the print is done, the alcohol could maybe dissolve or loosen the supports off of the print?
- To emerge/surround the entire model in a barely cured cube of resin, supporting the entire model (like suspended in jello) and then dissolving it in the alcohol bath to free up the model. This is similar to what WAX 3d printers do, only they use different wax for the support part that dissolves away.
What do you guys think? Would it be possible?
@Monger
wow, that would be absolutely fantastic. Like an Objet machine for 1/10th the price. Formlabs would have a real advantage with that technology. I hope Formlabs can taake this on board.
That’s a great idea!
Hopefully some stupid troll doesn’t have a patent on this.
I have to agree, that sounds like a great idea if technically possible? From what I have gathered so far, the support columns are quite brittle (after post curing in IPA and water) so snipping them with good and sharp diagonal cutters doesn’t appear to be optimum. Not to mention the ‘nubs’ left behind might be less of an issue? Hopefully no 3ds troll is lurking about if this is a possibility! 
Oh my god this sounds perfect, i hope its possible
Awesome concept Monger! I was wondering about the possibility of resin additives that react to various laser wavelengths in a way that would cause a color change so that full color prints could be possible some day. So maybe rather than just curing less how about an additive that chemically reacted to a different wavelength so as to harden into a different compound that will dissolve in a chemical that will not dissolve the rest. Its all way beyond what I would have a clue of how to do it, but I can dream.
Vince I thought of that too, but more in concept of changing the color of the resin based on intensity or wavelength, thus “full color” 3d printing Maybe one day it will be possible.
I would just like to see an easy way to add/subtract and move individual supports.
I just had a failed print because my supports failed from being to small. This brings up the exact reason why uncured/partially cured supports are not physically feasible, the supports need to be strong enough for the peel process from the bottom of the tray. Gel tips just won’t work.
@Kevin
There’s a correlation between strength of support and size i.e. softer supports that are bigger may work just as well if not better than hard but small (I’m having difficulty wording this without courting sniggers). It’s all about how well they separate but I do believe that this is a direction worth exploring that would give real benefit to Formlabs technology.
Instead of larger less cured supports I wonder more about just a single solid yet barely cured support as suggested by Monger but IDK if it would be at all possible without somehow turning the whole process upside-down because I dont see how it would hold up.
I noticed a similar printers supports to have supports which are all joined with a lattice, perhaps by doing that we could at least reduce the number of needed supports?
& @ Alan > That’s what she said!