# Experience with third party support-generating software?
**URL:** https://forum.formlabs.com/t/experience-with-third-party-support-generating-software/8451
**Category:** Form 2
**Created:** [June 3, 2016, 11:05pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/experience-with-third-party-support-generating-software/8451 "2016-06-03T23:05:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Junpei](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Junpei)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2016, 11:05pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/experience-with-third-party-support-generating-software/8451/1 "2016-06-03T23:05:46Z")
I began using the Form2 last week, and it’s amazing… except for the branching supports that in some cases use more material than the parts. Previously, our office had a 3D Systems Projet 7000, and the native support-generator was very efficient; dipping the supports into IPA for 15 minutes and they peel off the parts with barely visible contact points. I understand that it’s unfair to compare industrial-grade to consumer-grade SLA printers, but I feel that this is a bottle-neck for the Form2.
Does anyone have experience with third-party software that create efficient supports? Maybe Netfabb? Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Randy\_Cohen](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Randy_Cohen)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/experience-with-third-party-support-generating-software/8451/2 "2016-06-04T02:38:48Z")
There’s no way to generate CAM data for a Form printer except with PreForm. But if you’re not happy with the density of the supports, turn the density down before you click “GENERATE”. I do this all the time. Smaller parts in particular can be printed with a lower support density.
I also generally reduce the support point size to the minimum. They seem to work as well, I don’t get separation of the supports during printing, but the entire “raft”, the base plus the supports, can usually just be twisted off of the model to separate the print. I haven’t used the Flush Cutters for as long as I can remember…
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### Author:  [@KBS756](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/KBS756)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2016, 6:42am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/experience-with-third-party-support-generating-software/8451/3 "2016-06-04T06:42:01Z")
I generate my own supports manually in Matrix but I have been toying with the idea of seeing how well Netfabb and similar generate supports without destroying model detail areas
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### Author:  [@Zachary\_Brackin](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Zachary_Brackin)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2016, 8:51am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/experience-with-third-party-support-generating-software/8451/4 "2016-06-05T08:51:28Z")
I haven’t seen any other tools for making supports that does as well as what you get in Preform
I always place the supports myself, but the main advantage is how it branches the supports together so you can have thin supports but they are structured very well together.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2016, 8:51am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/experience-with-third-party-support-generating-software/8451/5 "2016-06-19T08:51:30Z")
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