# Why are these supports needed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Form 3/3+\ **Created:** [January 1, 2023, 6:00am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431 "2023-01-01T06:00:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BRCHNdesignhouse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/brchndesignhouse/32/8949_2.png) [@BRCHNdesignhouse](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/BRCHNdesignhouse)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 6:00am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/1 "2023-01-01T06:00:41Z")
Cylinder has a rounded bottom with a hole in it to prevent cupping. I don’t understand why / if supports are needed so far up (both on the inside & outside? Seems like it should be a self supporting shape. It’s about 60mm in diameter and 120mm in height. Wall thickness is 1.5mm. Durable resin. It prints fine with the supports like this: ![Screenshot 2022-12-31 at 9.55.16 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/0/2/0261874feaf64716af82a6b9db9df4d4490bac5c.jpeg) But it seems to me that it should print fine with the supports like this?: ![Screenshot 2022-12-31 at 10.06.06 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/0/3/037c0e2f36399b0424ccac382993508e9cf31863.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![rybu](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/rybu/32/14917_2.png) [@rybu](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/rybu)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/2 "2023-01-02T19:27:28Z")
Probably it would print fine, I agree. You’ll want to have a good-sized hole at the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![rybu](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/rybu/32/14917_2.png) [@rybu](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/rybu)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 12:39am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/3 "2023-01-03T00:39:57Z")
I should add, you’d probably get just as good a print with the object oriented straight-up. At least, I’ve printed similar things straight-up (with no supports whatsoever) and it turned out well. I don’t see a way to print your object without supports. ---
**Author:** ![BRCHNdesignhouse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/brchndesignhouse/32/8949_2.png) [@BRCHNdesignhouse](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/BRCHNdesignhouse)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 2:20am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/4 "2023-01-03T02:20:03Z")
I think you’re right. Oriented as-is only reduces the peeling force really for the last handful of layers, I don’t think there’s much else to be gained with being tilted ~20° or so. I’m going to try printing it with supports only on the bottom. I have a 5mm hole which should be sufficient for cupping. ---
**Author:** ![Jesse\_K](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/jesse_k/32/18872_2.png) [@Jesse\_K](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Jesse_K)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/5 "2023-01-03T15:24:38Z")
Hi @BRCHNdesignhouse, Good question! I agree with @rybu that in this particular case, if fewer supports were to be used as shown in your second screenshot, printing vertically would be your best bet as the part would be more self-supported. Please keep us posted with the results! ---
**Author:** ![RD\_lab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@RD\_lab](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/RD_lab)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 5:24pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/6 "2023-01-03T17:24:26Z")
Good morning all I concur with @Jesse_K on the vertical print suggestion. I would tend to think that 5mm seems rather small for a vent hole, but as long as the air path is unobstructed, it should print successfully. ---
**Author:** ![BRCHNdesignhouse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/brchndesignhouse/32/8949_2.png) [@BRCHNdesignhouse](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/BRCHNdesignhouse)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:21am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/7 "2023-01-04T01:21:54Z")
Printed great! If I do it again, I will orient it vertically and increase the size of the plug as I was getting some cupping effect with the 5mm hole (maybe due to the density of supports around the hole). Thank you for the inout guys! ![IMG_5419](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/7/8/78fa9c647aed235f8436b7ac1005f08a6438a199.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![mwbarre1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/mwbarre1/32/14449_2.png) [@mwbarre1](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/mwbarre1)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/8 "2023-01-04T19:46:18Z")
I had something strange occur as well. We wanted to print with a specific surface as flat to the print plane as possible. This reduces the ‘step’ that occurs for each slice and gives a really smooth surface. The problem is that the surface I need is internal and it’s difficult to get that surface flat. So, I defined the base plane to that surface. It turned and faced the deck. Then I rotated the part so that it’s facing away from the supports. Then applied the supports (internal too) and wham! Strangeness. Anyone? I thought it would generate supports based on what’s closes to the print deck. Not what I had defined as the base. ![AFS_Supports odd](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/3/5/35d88c6b01980f6e05c21b1929e38c4c1e936653.png) I saved the form file and reloaded it with new supports but it does the same thing. I’m probably using the program wrong, but i’ve never seen this before. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Jesse\_K](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/jesse_k/32/18872_2.png) [@Jesse\_K](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Jesse_K)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/why-are-these-supports-needed/35431/9 "2023-01-05T14:42:00Z")
Hi @mwbarre1, Thanks for reaching out - this certainly doesn’t seem to be working as intended. I would recommend [getting in touch with our Support Team](https://support.formlabs.com/s/contact-support?language=en_US) and sharing the .form file with them. They’ll be able to narrow down what might be going on here and help set up your file.