Support material complete guide for 3D printing

[@wilkoslavakia]

let me address the elephant in the room, where did you get the support "pry" tool from?

[@Dark0Storm]

For xy gap it would be useful to see what effect this has when you are supporting overhangs that are sloped. I found it had quite an effect on removability of the supports, but not really sure what the actual relationship was or when the slicer was using xy, or z gap to determine support location on these kinds of overhangs.

[@23Kolobok]

Great! FIRST detailed video about supports! I can't manage my supports so i cut objects for printing without them XD. Otherwise my print will fail or supports sticks to the object too much...

[@TechnologistAtWork]

Hey Michael! Would you please link us to your support prying tools? Those look really nice and handy.

[@WillBendick]

I guess it's a secret

[@hyperspeed1313]

Something critical to know is that the air z gap will always be a multiple of your layer height when supporting a flat surface. If printing 0.2 mm layers, a 0.28 mm gap will print the same as a 0.20 mm gap or a 0.16 mm gap.

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

Well that doesn't seem to be the case anymore, at least not in Prusa or Orca

[@GeorgeWells00]

Your video has helped me resolve a LOT of issues I've had with supports lately - I have literally printed a dozen iterations of one model and each time it was a failure (usually the supports completely fused to the model, even organic ones). You covered the bases of what is important and how I was very confused with what should be selected for several options in Prusaslicer. Thank you Michael!😁

[@TeachingTech]

You're very welcome!

[@photelegy]

❓ 17:07 Is there a way to block the path of the supports? (Support-blockers don't do what I want) E.g. I have a model like your red sketch (10:39) with a small hole in the bottom roof (circle of the hole being horizontal). Now the support would go through the small hole making it difficult to remove. With support-blockers I can try to find the area on the top roof exactly over the hole. What I want would be, that I could insert a "support-path-blocker" (my suggestion for the naming) as a cylinder inside the hole, so that there wouldn't go any support through (doesn't mather if traditional or organic/tree support). For my easy example the way with the normal support-blockers (or paint-on-supports) can work somehow but with more difficult parts such "support-path-blocker" would really help. Maybe they exist and I just don't know where. PS: I'm using SuperSlicer and sometimes PrusaSlicer.

[@grantdavies6081]

great video, I'd love to see a similar video focussed on support for some of the more challenging materials like ABS, PC, and Nylon.

[@Diceman83]

@TeachingTech There's a Cura 5.3.0 psudo-Alpha that has a critical difference from the current 5.2.1. It is the "Minimum Support Area" setting - in the regular release, this is disabled for tree mode (and defaults to a value too high for me), but the special 5.3.0 release allows it. This was important for me, as I had a small lip that couldn't droop, and I couldn't get the tree or traditional support to go to it due to the part geometry. This version also has a ton of settings for tree mode that help with material usage and strength. Great addition to the tool box if Cura is your slicer of choice.

[@gugman9684]

With the first object shown it would have been easier to print it on its side not needing any support at all or the best thing to do with that shape is to print it upside down.

[@johannchopper5139]

On my Bambu Lab X1C I load PETG into one of the AMS slots, and use it as a support interface when printing with PLA. Works very well, I can set the top Z distance to zero, and the prints come out perfect

[@mpark0]

Can the same be done with ASA and PETG? Or is there another material that can be used to support ASA?

[@MumrikDK]

Don't you end up purging tons of waste?

[@digital0785]

​@@MumrikDKwouldn't be that bad for only the interface

[@new.one.1307]

I tried the same but I had a lot of jamming in extruder when PLA was removed. Did you have similair issues?

[@dammitmatt6426]

Very interested in this because I'm currently Z-stacking some PLA to get multiple flat models in 1 go. The bottom layer doesnt matter too much but because it's printing in black, the top layer has a few blemishes where the connection points were. So basically I'm wondering, how clean does PETG leave the top surface when printed on PLA? Since I'm stacking I'm basically just looking to replace the 1 layer gap between models with 1 layer of PETG and then pull it off after.

[@genegreiner7766]

Great video, Michael! Very helpful information. One setting in Cura that is worth using is “Enable Conical Support.” It modifies traditional supports to use less filament by starting with a narrow base on the build plate and building the supports up at an angle until it reaches the full size before the transition layer.

[@TeachingTech]

Thanks for the info!

[@somerando8409]

Great thorough explanation. The supports are definitely a significance when building odd shaped structures. Thanks for the tips.

[@darrennew8211]

The paint-on is good for putting supports in someplace that will be hard to reach. Like, if you're printing a cylinder open on the bottom, you can paint-on supports in a ring in the middle of the cylinder, and it leaves plenty of space around the edge and up the middle to get needle-nose pliers to grip the support stuff. Also, if you add extra triangles when you're modeling it (e.g., adding extraneous edge loops in blender) you can very easily paint on the triangles of a large flat area to drop supports right where you need them, not too close to edges and etc.

[@Dark0Storm]

The exclusion painting can also be really handy too if you have small areas that you don't want support material in at all as it'll be impossible to remove.

[@johnthumble5154]

Hey mate you mentioned a flat scalpel around the 12 minute mark. Where did you find them? Do they go by another name? I'm having trouble finding them. Thanks.

[@gugman9684]

A painter's knife is another option as they come in various sizes and are great for even removing prints off the build surface.

[@theycallme_nightmaster]

hard to believe you haven't used tree supports before. I found them within a month of getting my printer and use them all the time, I find they are better than normal supports 60% of the time

[@TeachingTech]

It's the truth. With resin printing, they are closer to tree and I have used them extensively, but not with FDM. I don't ever use Cura unless it's for a video like this or I'm reviewing a machine that needs it. With that in mind it was never really an option for me.

[@theycallme_nightmaster]

@@TeachingTech ah that makes sense, didn't know it was only in cura. Thanks for the videos btw you are one of the first 3d printing channels I found and I know most of what I know thanks to you!

[@shawnhicks619]

@@theycallme_nightmaster yeah prusa slicer has it now on the alpha, as mentioned in the video, and it’s much nicer then traditional supports on most items. However Bambu studio tree supports are very nice. I’m sure I could match the results with prusa slicer with some tweaking but I don’t use my older printers as much as I used to so won’t unless I have to. All that being said supports have been the bane of my existence since I started 3D printing. I even kept the first model I printed that is embedded inside support material as a reminder to double check settings. I like the idea that petg and pla don’t play nice and you can use one for supporting the other. I need to try it some time.

[@mururoa7024]

You don't need supports for counter-sunk holes if you design them slightly differently. The STL files for the Voron parts illustrate how to do this.

[@Marv3D]

I also like closing them with one layer height, so it's just a bridge and you can simply push the screw through

[@alejandroperez5368]

That's an easy way to design them. But there's an even better design approach out there that doesn't cover the hole and doesn't require supports.

[@Hanzi2u]

Damn no comments? I must be early 🤣

[@theycallme_nightmaster]

I might switch to prusa slicer for that paint on feature. making support blockers in Cura is the bane of my existence

[@MAGA_Patriot2024]

Glad you mentioned the paint-on option in PS, Michael! I'm very much looking forward to trying this out once my lab renovations are completed! 😊

[@DennisMurphey]

You do a great job and i have learned much. Today I am in new territory. Maybe you have some ideas. CR 10S Pro V1 modified a lot, Pi 4B with Klipper, Mainsail and Orca slicer. Struggling to get clean parts with support. Setting are there but what does what is not transparent. I see weeks of trial and error to learn how to use all the knobs and dials available. Would like to very much shorten that learning curve and try hard to get the best possible part in the fastest print time on this old but much loved Bed Slinger. Any help you can offer would be wonderful, Dennis in Virginia I forgot to mention horizontal holes, I need them for assembly and some are countersunk and some are threaded but that all need to present a round hole not oblong which is most common. I am adding a second part cooling fan to help balance the hardening of filament once extruded. Not installed yet. Should help. D

[@shanematthews1985]

So what is the option to wrap supports with a wall called in prusa and its derivatives, you seem to have missed those

[@maaboo7379]

Hi, Michael. I have a solution for perfect supports for the single material. The only downside is the number of support top and bottom surfaces which are limited to one's patience (i.e. how many times you want to intervene the print process). The method is simple and kind of derivative of old known method of using marker. I changed the usual marker to the custom one filled with sunflower oil (I purchased empty marker on Aliexpress if someone interested). Then you have to set pause after finishing the topmost interface layer, "paint" the surface with oil and continue to print. I even was able to separate well known calibration cube printed with 100% infill just using pause in the middle, which confirms that 0 mm gap works perfect. Hope, this can help in some difficult cases where you have to print with supports and the surface above support must be the same quality as bottom or top.

[@TeachingTech]

That sounds effective. On angled face, do you pause it after each layer to apply the oil? I guess those break away easily by comparison anyway.

[@maaboo7379]

@@TeachingTech Well, technically speaking it's the same downside since angled faces have too many surfaces to support. But, yes, you have to apply oil every layer to make perfect supports.

[@danhenderson1637]

Title should be Support Settings Guide. If you’re looking for info on support MATERIALS, don’t waste 20 minutes of your life like I did.

[@Dreddpool82]

Do you have a video explaining how it the AMS feeds the support material while printing, like does the printer have to stop every so often and unfeed the colour your using and then feed the support in and then back to the print material.my P1s has only one feeder going into the hot nozzle. I'd like a video showing/explaining this process, as i can't find any with actual footage of a print in progress.

[@Tome4kkkk]

After a year with Cura I'm diving into this... Because I have to after switching to Orca slicer/Bambu Studio. With Cura I got close to perfect results with barely any tweaking.

[@kkuenzel56]

I'm curious. In the video you showed a soluble support material that was quite flexible. We use Ultimaker PVA soluble support and it is very stiff and brittle. It breaks frequently in the bowden tube and jambs. What soluble support were you showing?

[@rogerwilson7971]

I'm quite new to running my own printer having been at it now for 4 days, I found this super helpful. Thank you, if you ever get a chance to offer your thoughts with Creality's slicer program I'll look forward to it!

[@tech10k14]

Hi. Going off topic, can you please help me with an screen update issue with my CR10s Pro? The DWIN files do not flash to my board. I just get a list of files trasnferred: 0000s. Can you suggest what is going wrong?

[@MidMadn]

Since my first 3D printer you have been my go to for knowledge. Your video's are amazing and have taught me so much. I thank you sincerely for all of your contribution to this industry. I might be a bit simple though as I found this video just to hard to follow with all of the jumping back and forth from one slicer to another.

[@MegaAfiss]

Michael, do you have the power to suggest that SuperSlicer's authors add tree support? I am so sad we still don't have it...

[@gizmofactory]

Nice video, would love to see a follow up video for creating designed-in supports with CAD

[@oSBNo]

Good video but you kinda skipped over the most important part - Support Z distance in Cura and S3D (I think) can only be whole layers. 🤔

[@EduardoJrKo]

Hi do you have a firmware for anycubic kobra plus wherein it can pause and resume prints during filament change. Thanks!

[@denislajoie63]

Thank you Michael, Would you share what pry tool you use? Thanks again, Denis

[@dev-debug]

Not new to printing or supports but always learn something from you, Going to try some of the tweaks, thanks!

[@shokdj1]

I had to go hospital Friday because I had to use a raft which I never usually use. I turned it on left it as default and it was really flipping stuck to the point I needed to use something sharp. Unfortunately I slipped now I have a massive bandage on my finger. So I need to check these settings in future to save on hospital trips lol .

[@theglowcloud2215]

On your first example model, why not just rotate it 180 degrees and print it with the solid face down so you don't need supports at all? lol?

[@roysigurdkarlsbakk3842]

I couldn't find the support shief in OrcaSlicer. Anyone that knows if it's there at all?

[@smorrow]

Is that really what scaffolding does? I thought scaffolding was for the men?

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

Did not know about that wraparound thing for the supports, I'll have to see if I can find that

[@markrobinson7831]

Really enjoyed since this has been such a problem for me.

[@rickseiden1]

If you choose "Smart" instead of "Brush" when applying support enforcers in Prusa Slicer derivatives, you can just click on a surface and the slicer will automatically paint the entire surface.

[@TeachingTech]

Great tip, thank you.

[@bipolarmorgan]

Such a helpful explanation, thanks !!!!

[@roysigurdkarlsbakk3842]

Thanks a lot for this one. Testing/tuning on my Bambu Lab X1C a bit now. I've mostly used tree supports with this printer so far, so I'll do a tst with regular and tree on the first model you suggested (but didn't try).

[@roysigurdkarlsbakk3842]

Apparently, the tree support wasn't very good for this model. The normal support (tuned a bit after what you did) worked well, though.

[@captivenut4122]

Extremely useful! Thank you!

[@dmcarpman]

i have not long switched to super slicer and getting much better prints now

[@bucklogos]

For parts I design myself I have gotten into a habit of designing my own supports into the actual part. It's a lot more efficient than automatic supports and yields great results.

[@learnthrivecompassion422]

So you add them manually in cad software or in the slicer program?

[@Gepstra]

Is there a stand out reason anyone would use Cura as their preferred slicer?

[@smorrow]

Can you interleave parts so one of them acts as the other's support?

[@nobocks]

On my printer adding 0.2 to support and next layer do the jo b for peel. For mecanical shit most off the time i made my own in fusion. Fun fact about bridging, i managed to make a stencil for airbrush with a hole in it, and some bridge to hold them. Work like a fucking charm ! Next gen stencils !

[@RayRangel]

Where did you get that awesome pry tool you used in the video?

[@PatrickLangendoen]

You should have said thanks to my support - ers

[@thebrain2302]

Would it work for slicers to have a mode in wich you could print two layers of, let's say, 0.16mm just walls and on the second layer the infill is printed at 0.32mm? This could allow for nice details on the outside and saving some time for infill printing. Also this could already be a thing and I don't know about it. :D

[@lshallo106]

Yes I've heard of that. Look for "combine infill every n layer". Your should find settings for your slicer.

[@greenman360]

I just wish I could get Prusa Slicer to print supports like Cura. I prefer almost everything about Prusa, but when I print things with supports, even using "organic" supports and tweaking the Z distance and X Y separation, they are still harder to remove, much less cleanly. With Cura they almost fall off.

[@matteoo3923]

Thanks for your video, really interesting. A thing you should do tough is to focus on just one slicer (Prusa for example? by chance the one i use :D) Switching continuosly from one slicer setting to another makes the video difficult to follow

[@aklef]

Nobody’s commented yet that he’s wearing a MightyCarMods chopped shirt! Very cool

[@onlineshaman]

Thank you so much, I am printing big parts right now, on a CR-10 Max. Supports can cost a lot, time- and moneywise if not well set! I am trying out some of your suggestions on Prusaslicer! 🙏

[@minhtue32]

I found this video that displays the PETG and PLA printing you showed, it seems he only has the top support layer printed in PETG and it works wonderfully! His bottom layers on the supported layers legit looked like the dissolvable supports you showed. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5LXl2SDo8ZlsKs&ab_channel=Manbo

[@huntliba]

I would add my favorite tip for supports - for PS and similar (I don't know about Cura or S3D) do not over look "support material extrusion width" - I use much much lower/thinner/smaller width for supports, because then they are much much more easier to remove... for example I use 0.6 nozzle and my support material width is 0.4-0.45 (depends on material - silks need little more) and you use less material also :D so win-win

[@Nussbub]

Exactly what I was locking for. 👍🏼 I had some problems with the 0,6mm nozzle

[@iamprinceba]

I was curious to know which materials supports adding support to it's prints, from my testing TPUs, PETGs filaments are the hardest and you can't add support at all, this is because of the nature of the material.

[@the4thj]

Thank you I can finaly figure out why my suports are so hard to get of with my Prusa slicer, been trying for a while. VERY VERY useful topic! Thank you

[@shannim5]

Michael, yet another excellent video! Do you mind posting your traditional support settings for Prusa Slicer derivatives? I realize that each printer is different, but I feel like this would give me and many other viewers a good starting point to experiment with. Thanks in advance if you're willing!

[@TeachingTech]

It's not something I've tuned a great deal but you can see the thins I have in this video. 150% XY separation and I found a Z gap of 0.28 pretty good for top and bottom.

[@shannim5]

@@TeachingTech Much appreciated. I did see these settings in the video and played around with it a bit over the weekend. The top separation seemed to work fine, but no matter what I always got fusing on the bottom. Any suggestions? How much does temperature, cooling, and print speed play into supports?

[@stephenf98]

Thank you for a great video. Very educational for this noobie. I took my son's Geeetech A20M since he wasn't using it (just got married working on house) and I'm learning. I would like to learn the different properties for these filaments and how to program into the slicer. Of course there are lots of tuning involved but just the general idea. I would also like to find/told what slicer to use that I can see the G-coding after slicing, so I can edit a few things in like auto bed leveling and/or keep the setting in the EPROM.

[@yiyozarco]

more videos orcaslicer pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[@gkaruk]

Do you have like to you removal tool list please?

[@Enjoymentboy]

This is really great information. Thank you !!! TBH I'm not sure how I never came across this video before today but I am sure glad I did. I have a LOT of work to do now.

[@Marv3D]

I can get the best supports by bumping up the bridge flow rate quite a bit, like 1,5. This applys also for the first layer from the overhang printed on the support material. The distance can still be 0,2 mm but with the bigger flow rate the material ist pressen more against ist but still not bonding very well because of the initial 0,2mm "gap". If ther are also real brides in the model I only apply the bigger flow rate with modifiers where the supports contact area is. (PusaSlicer)

[@beaugesteraynard]

Please try arc overhanging.

[@muratgozu5146]

Thank you very much for this great explanation about the supporting material in 3d printing

[@rubendariovelez]

great video, i would add something, when you are removing the support materialwith smaller Z gap/distance, its easier break the support and then remove the interface support, the interface surface will look cleaner and will be easier than remove all the chunk in unoe move.

[@gonegliding2966]

Thanks Michael. Great video. I'll update prusa slicer to the latest version and give tree support a go. Looks like a good function!

[@mikejones-vd3fg]

Great info on all the supports. Ive been useing them to my advantage lately, when printing some L brackets for shelf, the little 45 degree diagnal bit gets filled with support adding to the strength of the brakcet, i imagine anyway. Not sure where the compression forces are going to be honest, but more mass in that area cant hurt. Printing the bracket on the side allowed for no support but I was getting warping issues even with a brim because of the small contact and long surface area lifted corners easily (ABS) printing the other way solved that, but gave me unwanted supported which turned out to be wanted! The conicoildal supporst are nice looking too so add an artistic touch to the bracket. Ive also printed some pieces in mid air to be purposely supported which gives a cool effect.

[@taza99]

I've been using the "snug" supports in prusaslicer, just saves some more filament :)

[@dariansutton5503]

Where can i find that little pry tool?

[@TimsBitsnPieces]

A very interesting video... as I am still a noob to all of this 3D printing stuff, it was very informative to know this and helps me for when I need to do this I will come back and review this video to recap what I need to know in Cura when I am about to print something with an overhang.

[@cr0ss0ut]

Thank you for this video! Can you please do another on bridging?

[@D4rKiTo]

Wow Simplify3d in 2023. 1:18

[@TinaDanielsson]

I had no idea that you could resize and move the support blocks 😮🤯

[@GmoLargey]

Thank you so much, been having some grief with the supports. Where it's needed inside a shell like object, these settings make more sense now.

[@TheNightShiftt]

I swear you’ve already made this video before like almost identical

[@danko6582]

I can't believe Prusa Slicer still doesn't have tree supports in the stable release version. It's been years.

[@coltenmeredith8899]

I've found no issues in Alpha 5

[@beermkr]

I have been watching your videos for a while and always found then outstanding. I continually refer my son (35) to your channel when he calls me with a problem. This video changed my whole world when it comes to supports. I have fought using them and after looking at some of the settings you suggested I seriously pulled a part off the build plate and the supports stayed behind. Thanks!

[@grathado28]

I'm happy you are still making videos

[@bitbizsydney7463]

Turn it upside down

[@olafschermann1592]

Great video, thank you for explaining so well!

[@crazyblazeX]

Thank you, I really needed a support video guide

[@mrb2843]

Exactly the info that I needed, today. Brilliant.

[@jake-b3n1i]

I've used tree supports for everything. I found that they were much easier to remove as compared to the standard.

[@mlefe09]

Good job explaining all of this! :)

[@brianfox340]

This is an easy subscribe. So well laid out.

[@crispycritter9163]

Thank you , very helpful , and well done .

[@ah64tom]

Thanks!

[@Thatbrownguy454]

Thanks a bunch for all the info.

[@vlfreak]

✌👌

[@jzbreezio]

Thanks for this video!

[@ac808]

Excellent video Michael!

[@andycrask3531]

Thanks for the support.

[@WEEDTHEHABIT]

going to try, thanks!!