Hey guys…last night I printed a ring on the Form 2, and printed three different versions. On one version, I let PreForm create the supports, and the other two, I created my own supports and bases. I used the recommended 50 micron setting for the castable V2.
The PreForm version of the model came off the build platform early in the process and is lost in the resin tank. I saw a post on the forum acknowledging that this is more of an issue with the new castable resin (V2), so it appears that Form is addressing it.
For anyone else playing with their own supports, these are 1.5mm in diameter with a 0.3mm contact point, created in ZBrush with ZSpheres. The base I thought I made 2mm thick, but I just used a caliper to measure and they are 1.6mm with angled sides…a little more difficult to remove than the PreForm ones, but perhaps that’s what’s making them stick so well? These two ring prints came out FLAWLESS…I think I’ll try and cast one tomorrow!
But I noticed something that might be potentially useful. The bases that I create with a large hole NEVER come off the build platform. Perhaps it’s the combination of a larger area, thinner base, and a large hole? I did it originally thinking that it would speed up printing in the beginning of a print and use a little less resin.
Anyway, perhaps something to explore with the guys who work on the PreForm software? Just thought I’d offer it up to the powers that be. Could this be the solution?
A few users in earlier threads have noticed that Castable V2 has a bit more trouble adhering to the build platform than some of the other resins. You implemented pretty much exactly the fix we’ve been recommending until we get a better understanding of the adhesion issues some users are having
The larger rafts seem to help the parts stick to the platform and the holes in the center are a neat idea to help combat against warping. Your prints are looking great!
Nice job @katkramer.
One thing I’ve been wondering is how well would supports would work if each post had it’s own small disk raft. If the disks were close they could merge, but otherwise would be independent. Where the post emerged from the disk would be a radius, (kinda like a Bugle flare) rather than a sharp corner, to strengthen against sideways loads. The disks could be say 3.5mm, and the posts would be very thin, say 1mm, with a very small contact point[1], say 0.15mm, but their would be a lot of them, like a forest, with no angular intra-post interconnections between posts, but posts themselves didn’t have to be vertical - they could angle from disk to part such that you can gain structural rigidity overall. This would let one create a basic post object, and copy and stretch it to the point of contact. Removal of part from support forest would feel like tearing a check out of a checkbook along the perforated line, and you would not need to wrangle around with cutting the supports off.
[1] The post diameter of 1mm would taper toward the contact point from about 3mm away from the contact point. It would taper to a 0.1mm diameter about 0.2mm away from contact, then get larger to a 0.15mm diameter at actual contact. This way, the fracture of the post would occur 0.2mm away from the part, leaving a small bump that’s easily sanded off, and not a divot into the part that’s a PITA to fill…
@ChristopherBarr, interesting solution…I did have a print fail recently that looked like the whole ring shifted sideways, and I think it was that my supports were too thin and moved laterally. Your solution might help with that…
I do know that the laser on the Form 2 is listed at about 0.15mm, so that’s why I bumped up a little more than that. I have also been experimenting with the point size…I’m having good success with a 0.3mm point. Less failure and still small enough to remove cleanly. I’m casting tomorrow morning for the first time with my Form 2. On the models, I’ve removed the support but left a tiny bump, thinking it will be easier to file that down after casting. I’m using Castable V2, and my efforts at sanding have left rough areas, or if I break off the supports too close, in some cases it leaves tiny divots. So that’s what I’m trying to avoid.
On my next model, I’ll try the flared bases…I can see the forest for the trees!!
