Supports

[ewd0001]

I am very new, so please pardon if this is a stupid question. I have imported a simple model for some testing essentially it is a cylinder flat on both ends. I oriented the model with one of the flat ends on the build platform. When I selected Generate supports I expected none. However, the software “lifts” the model off of the platform and creates supports for the elevated model. Is this required or can I print the object with one face one the build platform?

[FehlbO]

https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/What-Supports-Do

[sigmazero]

@ewd0001

When I selected Generate supports I expected none. However, the software “lifts” the model off of the platform and creates supports for the elevated model. Is this required or can I print the object with one face one the build platform?

It is possible to print direct to the platform without supports - I have not done it personally. The first ~20 layers will be “compressed” as this forms the base of the part and build plate adhesion is established

If you select “generate supports”, PF will add supports where it thinks it needs them - and will lift the model off the surface to do so regardless of surface orientation.

As for whether you need supports, the link FehlbO posted works, also take a look at this post:

Black Resin, version four; MAJOR FAIL

This is somewhat of a tangent but generally it’s advisable to avoid keeping your parts large surfaces parallel to the build plate. Resin issues aside supports and prints are much more likely to fail, in my experience, due to this than any other reason. [flat] Notice on the above example when the printer transitions from “supports” (red) to the first part layer. At that point it goes from a work area of ~Y mm^2 to like ~100 Y mm^2 in one resolution step. This leaves you with two major issues: a…

[ewd0001]

Thank you both for the responses. I understand now the issue with initial layer compression and the preference to do this on the supports vs the actual part. As I said I am very new to this so I appreciate the links to the more detailed information.