# Supports on Shallow Angled Flat Face **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests & Ideas\ **Created:** [February 17, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711 "2015-02-17T16:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Charles\_Rogers](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/charles_rogers/32/2586_2.png) [@Charles\_Rogers](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Charles_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711/1 "2015-02-17T16:58:34Z")
I have had my Form1+ for about 2 weeks now, and one area that I have found is lacking is the PreForm auto generation of supports. Auto supports does well to find all the edges of the model, but when printing shelled parts (this one has a 2mm wall), I have had many issues printing flat surfaces because there are no supports to add rigidity to flat faces. One example is the part I have attached. The bottom face (in the bottom right quadrant of the picture) printed perfect with the supports shown in this image: ![](http://forum.formlabs.com/uploads/formlabs/2587/0c883bfe76697e30.JPG) I had to manually add in the supports shown touching the flat part of the face. PreForm only added the supports to edges. I suspect that what is happening during the printing process is that the flat faces have less rigidity then curved faces, so during the peal processes, they are being deformed and the next layer is not being formed correctly. This picture shows the same part printed without supports in that location: ![](http://forum.formlabs.com/uploads/formlabs/2588/4753eab595fd4326.jpg) The surface is porous and it seems that it isn’t curred all the way through. During rinsing after the printing, I can press on this area and see bubbles of cleaning solution and resin in the middle of the wall. It feels flimsy and hollow. Any other experiences with this? In summary, I would like to suggest that PreForm add support to thin (around 2mm) and shallow angled (less then 45 degrees) walls. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Johnstone](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/steve_johnstone/32/998_2.png) [@Steve\_Johnstone](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Steve_Johnstone)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711/2 "2015-02-17T17:12:26Z")
Hi @Charles_Rogers, this sounds very familiar to what I’ve been experiencing having - > [@Laser Flare & the effects on your print](http://forum.formlabs.com/t/laser-flare-the-effects-on-your-print/3489): > > This thread follows on from – [Trouble Shooting – Part cured resin (jello) after every print](http://forum.formlabs.com/t/trouble-shooting-part-cured-resin-jello-after-every-print/3313/64)[Form1+ laser flare issues illustrated – pic and video](http://forum.formlabs.com/t/form1-laser-flare-issues-illustrated-pics-and-video/3201/307) Previously it was my belief that cold resin was at the root of the major defects I was experiencing, with the laser flare compounding the effect. To some extent this is still true because the colder the resin is, the thicker it becomes. The effect of laser flare further thickens the resin whilst printing. It’s this part cured resin with the consiste… ---
**Author:** ![CraigBroady](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/craigbroady/32/6106_2.png) [@CraigBroady](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/CraigBroady)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711/3 "2015-02-18T15:17:38Z")
Charles, are you able to attach a form file? It would help us take a more detailed look. ---
**Author:** ![Charles\_Rogers](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/charles_rogers/32/2586_2.png) [@Charles\_Rogers](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Charles_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711/4 "2015-02-18T20:20:42Z")
I have attached the version that succeeded and the version that failed. I am almost certain that a lack of adequate support was the issue for this print, since the one where I added support to that face came out perfect. This is an image the one that printed perfect. Surface finish was impeccable! ![](http://forum.formlabs.com/uploads/formlabs/2617/5da91c3b5be19d2c.jpg) I cannot seem to attach the form files… So here is a link to where you can download them: [https://mega.co.nz/#F!AV4zUA7T!oCaQ-3kBLIufac\_rP2Jhvw](https://mega.co.nz/#F!AV4zUA7T!oCaQ-3kBLIufac_rP2Jhvw) ---
**Author:** ![CraigBroady](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/craigbroady/32/6106_2.png) [@CraigBroady](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/CraigBroady)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711/5 "2015-02-19T15:30:07Z")
Great! Glad you figured it out ---
**Author:** ![Ante\_Vukorepa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/ante_vukorepa/32/18125_2.png) [@Ante\_Vukorepa](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Ante_Vukorepa)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711/6 "2015-02-20T15:18:56Z")
> [@CraigBroady](#): > > Great! Glad you figured it out He hasn’t “figured it out”, he’s suggesting a change in the behaviour of auto support generation 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Charles\_Rogers](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/charles_rogers/32/2586_2.png) [@Charles\_Rogers](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Charles_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711/7 "2015-02-28T04:20:02Z")
Here is another example: ![](http://forum.formlabs.com/uploads/formlabs/2778/f81078d1d90380fe.jpg) I think PreForm is lacking in its intelligence to see this sort of need for support. The problem is the surface is too shallow and flat. Flat surfaces don’t have as much rigidity during the peel as a curved surface does. ![](http://forum.formlabs.com/uploads/formlabs/2779/0e7f2ce8dc4a92c3.JPG) Side Note: I can’t upload the Form file because its bigger then the 7MB limit. Why are the Form files so large? Or the attachment limit so small? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/5/b/5bc2bdf993ff27c2e0eecab5010b25626fbb327a.png) [@system](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/supports-on-shallow-angled-flat-face/3711/8 "2015-03-14T04:20:06Z")
Closed on March 14, 2015, 4:20am UTC This topic was automatically closed 14 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.