Preform latest update problems

Support & Troubleshooting
1

I just loaded the latest Preform update. I have two problems:

  1. I cannot edit certain support positions. When I am in support editing, only one end of the support dots appears. The other end dot is gone. If I try to add a support, the program will not allow me to pick both start and ending dots - only one dot is showing.

  2. Whenever I try to install a Preform update, I close the Preform program first. I still get a message saying that Preform is still running and it will not allow the update to install. If I go into Task Manager, I see that the program IS still running. When I use “End Task” for the Preform program, I can install the update with no problem.

The model I am trying to edit the supports on is large, but fairly simple. It fits the Form2 build window easily.

Any ideas?

Bill Box

2

I’ve been using PreForm for about 2 years now and I never noticed a feature that allowed you to edit both ends of the support. When you go in to “edit supports” the existing base and support structure disappears and all you see is the object with the dots designating support contact points. Preform figures out where the base of the support needs to go as a function of the contact point on the model.

I’ll feel like an idiot if you say yes, but are you sure you were previously able to edit the support’s anchor point on the base?

I just fired up PreForm loaded a model, uploaded it to the printer, and then exited PreForm. Watching it all in SysInternals task manager, I can confirm PreForm was not running, then it was running, then it was not running. SysInternals highlights processes in red when they exit. PreForm definitely went away.

Are you using USB or Ethernet or WiFi to connect to your printer?

3

Being able to edit the supports at the base is a feature we have been waiting for. It has not been released yet, assuming FL is going to implement it in the future.

4

Thanks for the information. The supports I am talking about are supports the go from one part of the model to another part of the model. They are not going to the base.

The problem is that the bottom of the support is in an area that could cause surface finish issues.

I have never needed to do this type of surface to surface support editing before so it has probably been like this forever.

Again, thanks for the info. I will figure some sort of work around.

Bill Box

5

Positioning the model to minimize the number of those kinds of supports takes some trial and error. Also, you should step through the layers around where the support makes contact. I have noticed that PF sometimes puts supports where they really aren’t needed.

6

Sometimes it also puts it inside a part if the part is made up of separate pieces that aren’t welded together.

For the supports that attach to another part of the model rather than the support base, the only way to adjust where it attaches is to mess with the original support point and move it around and see what the result is. In some cases you’re not going to get it quite in the position where you want it. Remember if you really need to, you could model a support into the print rather than using the support generation system in Preform.

7

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