having too many minima.
Post your stl or form file.
I linked a dropbox
I feel the points are going to have to be much smaller and a great many.
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No dropbox links that I can detect.
I absolutely LOVE your ring design, @Alexkanji, with the different snowflakes. Nicely done. What app?
I would suggest a slight redesign of a solid band with the raised snowflake. I would usually print something like this “flat” or at a slight angle, but everywhere that you have a branch, the supports will distort it.
I tried to make a mandala last Christmas as a gift, and it had a lot of unsupported parts. The redesign of the same object on a solid surface with a patina was as pretty. I also have a flower ring that I create that had a jagged edge, and I found it caught in my hair, on sweaters, and everything else.
I notice that this is blue…are you casting this yourself? Or is the final piece going to be out of resin?
Yes this is blue for casting. I am making this into a jewelry 
Here’s my suggested layout, but it involves a redesign of the ring to put a “backplate” behind it. I would also mention that my design is not ideal, because the points of the snowflake might be uncomfortable and will probably catch in hair (I have to remove my flower ring when I wash my hair…).
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If anyone wants the .obj file for this ring, here’s the link. I just made this to illustrate the layout, but it should be printable and castable.
The interior diameter is 17.68mm, so about a woman’s size 7 US. If you import it into PreForm, the size will be accurate without resizing. Knowing the interior diameter, you should be able to resize to other sizes. (Use 17.68 x 100 / (desired diameter in mm) to get the scale factor. Here’s a link to the Wikipedia Ring Size chart…use the second column, diameter in mm. I usually add about 0.3 mm to the diameter to make it slightly larger.
The thickness of the main part of the band is 0.9mm (close to that) and the raised design is about 0.65mm, so it should show up fine. I have not printed this one yet, but the supports should be good—I’ve been doing my supports in ZBrush for awhile and have not had any support-related failures for awhile.
Anyway, enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
Here’s one other thing I’ve tried recently to try and preserve the bottom edge of rings or pendants. I make a very thin plane or hollow cylinder that’s maybe .2 mm thick, and run it on the inside of the ring or back of the pendant. As I understand it, the laser point size is 0.14 mm…don’t take my word for it, but I know when I design around that limitation with supports and such, it works.
Since this cylinder is very thin, it can be sanded away with a sanding drum from the print before casting, revealing the openwork of the ring. (My version of the ring here is NOT printable because the snowflakes don’t overlap at all…they need to be connected). I’ve also been adding a sprue system to the print instead of trying to attach one by hand.
I left the base off of this one to show the cylinder.
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Oh God, I’m so sorry for all the replies…hopefully the information is helpful.
I’ve found on my eternity bands that if I orient them like a ferris wheel that the design at the bottom will be destroyed because of supports on the face, and the design at the top of the ferris wheel will not print with enough of a raised design, so the depth of the design is different than the sides. I made some notes on your original image. Orienting it like a merry-go-round will fix the problem, but you’ll still need to support the “minima” (is that what they’re called?).
However, with that in mind…PreForm will tell you that everything’s fine…I see it’s only got a few red areas, but despite PreForm’s happy report, you WILL end up with flakes in the tank and incomplete prints. PreForm is GREAT for larger prints, but for jewelry I don’t use it anymore, instead opting for my own supports. I would also highly suggest using the slice preview function to see if you have any unsupported areas. I’ve actually started doing this for every new jewelry design I do.
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Hello Katkramer. You are so gracious for all the information you have provided me. It has broaden my view of what I have to do to make it work.
I do like the thin cylinder idea and sanding it. 
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Please let me know how it turns out.
I’m adding a little bit of personal information…I don’t usually share. My mom passed away this afternoon after falling out of bed last night. She is the person who is my biggest jewelry fan, and I always give her pieces whether they turn out perfectly or not. She never cared…she was always thrilled to get them and bragged about them to everyone.
I don’t feel inspired to design anything right now, and I know it will pass. She was one of the world’s gifted teachers, and I got a love of learning and passion for teaching from her.
It’s totally unrelated to this forum, but this holiday season, grab the people you hold dear close and give them a heartfelt hug. And make the people you love something beautiful. I made my mom a flower pendant on my Form 2 and cast it for her for Christmas; she was so excited to get it. I think it made her last day on this earth something special. It’s only been about three hours, but I miss her so much already. 
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Kat, God Bless you and your mother. You are in our prayers.
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Hey Katkramer,
I’m so sorry hear she passed away. My heart and sorrow goes out to you and your mother because I also know how it is to lose someone you love…
I understand that your mother was an inspiration to making jewelry… I honestly felt like I lost the purpose to do anything as well… but I think my love one that passed away would’ve wanted me to keep doing better and make her proud in this life and as well as afterlife when I go see her… I am now inspired to do good and happy things for her, myself, and others because I believe that’s what she would’ve wanted as well because she loved me.
I understand the pain you are going through… and it will take time to heal your pain and wounds.
I hope time will heal your wounds and hope you continue your jewelry passion because that is what your mother would’ve wanted as well. As you continue your journey of life with her inside your heart and as she is watching over you and protecting you.
God bless you and your mother. My prayer goes out as well.
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Such kind words…thank you so much. She was a lover of science, and was fascinated by snowflakes…I think I might go ahead and print this experimental ring in her memory. Thank you for that gift. I will see her again.
Hey, did you ever print the ring? I’m curious if the sanding of the inner ring actually worked?
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