In Part 1 of the Support Material series, we covered why support material is needed, and how to use the Quickprint menu in APEX to generate easy support for your models. In most cases, APEX does a great job with generating support material, but there are always those instances where support material settings could be tweaked in order to achieve even greater results.



The Quickprint menu in Apex will generate support material automatically and for most models can be removed easily.


In order to change multiple support material settings, you will need to enter the Full Settings in APEX. Got to EXPERT -> FULL SETTINGS. For this first example, we are going to use a Clutch Cover model. The Clutch cover is a great example of where support could be adjusted to make it easier to remove and take less time to print.



The clutch cover model shown here is a great example of how adjusting the support material settings could benefit the printed part.


If using just the Quickprint Menu for the Clutch cover, the support material would most likely fill the entire part with support, and it would be difficult to remove after due to the contour on the inner roof of the model. The goal here would be to only put support in the very middle in order to support the top of the part only, as the rest can support itself. There is a way to do this using the Full Settings. You may also want to change the Support Type, as LINES support may be easier to remove from a contoured part.


This diagram show how the Quickprint would generate support material for this part, basically filling the entire inside with support material.


After changing some of the advanced support settings, the part has much less support generated inside, making it cleaner and easier to remove after printing.


In FULL SETTINGS, go to SUPPORT, then click on the … button. This will bring up the advanced SUPPORT MATERIAL SETTINGS. We will cover the main settings that could be tweaked, how they affect the support structure and which settings are usually left alone.



The Expert Configurator for the Advanced Support settings can be opened by clicking the button next to the “Support Type” marked with “...”


STRUCTURE TYPE


The first setting in the EXPERT CONFIG SUPPORT MENU is the STRUCTURE type. This will define the type of support structure APEX creates for the model.


String: String is connected sets of lines with solid interface layers. String Support should be used when the support lines are scattered and are breaking prematurely throughout the print.



String support connects each line almost in a zig-zag pattern.



A solid interface will print between the main support structure and the part. This will remove easily with the support structure, and will create a smoother surface.


Grid: Grid should ONLY be used with dissolvable support material, like Hydrofill. It will create a very strong grid pattern with solid interface layers.


Grid support should only be used with Hydrofill support material as it is extremely difficult to remove, unless dissolving.



Grid should be used with Hydrofill dissolvable support material, as this support structure provides the best quality for the part, but is the most difficult to remove with single-nozzle support structure.


Lines: Lines are single-walled lines that break off one at a time. These are not as strong as other support types and work well on tricky prints. Lines also work well for areas that require a lot of support in areas that will be hidden in the finished print. A helmet is a great example of where to use lines. Contoured prints also benefit from Line support, as the contour can make support material with interface layers difficult to remove.


Lines support generates unconnected lines with no interface layers. This support is the easiest to remove, but creates a poorer quality interface between the part and support structure.



Helmets are a great type of part for lines support, as you will not be able to see the support area after printing, and the lines will be easier to remove under the contoured surface.


Lines+: Lines+ are a set of two lines with solid interface layers. This is a great choice if you are not sure of what type of support material you should use.



Lines+ is a versatile support structure that features “Lines” support with interface layers.


STRUCTURE PRECISION


Structure Precision controls whether or not the support is placed in tighter areas. In many cases, you may only need to support larger areas of the print. PRECISE will place support in all of the tighter areas, while DRAFT will only put in in the more “open” areas.



Structure precision will affect whether support is placed in “tighter” areas of the print or leave it out.


STRUCTURE STRENGTH


Structure Strength controls how strong the support structures are. A high-strength support structure is more difficult to remove, but is also more reliable throughout the print. A low-strength support structure is much easier to remove, but is more prone to falling over or other issues throughout the print.



Support strength will directly affect how easy support is to remove after printing.


SOLID INTERFACE LAYERS


Solid Interface layers are only generated on Lines+, String and Grid. The number of solid interface layers can determine how easy the support structure is to remove. This number must be based on a multiple of the overall layer height. It is not recommended to change this setting, as the default setting in APEX works very well.



This diagram shows the solid interface layers generated in Apex. The benefit to interface layers is that the part quality will be better where it mates to the support material.


OVERHANG ANGLE FOR SUPPORT(deg)


This is one of the single most important settings within the EXPERT CONFIG SUPPORT MENU. This angle defines how much support the print will receive, and where APEX will place it. The higher the angle, the less support will be used. A helmet is a great example, as you only want support under the very top of the helmet. If you are unsure of what setting will work best, use the LAYER VIEW MODE to view the single layers within the print job. Look to make sure the model is being supported where it needs to be. 45-50 is usually a great starting point, whereas a helmet might be better off using 55-65.



Adjusting the OVERHANG ANGLE FOR SUPPORT by increasing the angle removed much of the unnecessary support material. With a contoured print like this, support is not needed everywhere, as it can support itself until the top of the helmet.


FILL AMOUNT (%)


The FILL AMOUNT defines the  amount of infill structure in the support material. Less material gives weaker support, which is easier to remove. 15-20% is generally preferred.



The image on the left shows a FILL AMOUNT of 15%, while the image on the right shows a tighter fill of 20%.


DISTANCE X/Y


Distance XY sets the distance from the part to the support structure along the X and Y axis. This settings can be useful in eliminating print time and the amount of material used for support, but also can make it much easier to remove the support structure after printing.


Imaging printing a figure holding its arm out. Since the printer has the ability to bridge from a point A to B in shorter distances, support is not needed all the way up under the arm of the figure. The support can be spaced away from the body. The printer will bridge the gap from the part to the support material. Setting the DISTANCE XY to something greater than the default settings can sometimes be helpful. Again, it is important to use the LAYER VIEW MODE to view the individual layers before printing.



The DISTANCE XY setting will determine the spacing distance in the X and Y axis.



A figure is a good example of a type of geometry that could benefit from adjusting the DISTANCE XY setting.


DISTANCE Z


The gap between the support material and the part on the vertical, or Z axis is called the DISTANCE Z. Adjusting DISTANCE Z can greatly affect how easily support removes from the part, so it is suggested to leave this setting at default. This setting MUST be a multiple of the LAYER HEIGHT in APEX.



This diagram shows the Z GAP between the support structure and the  part. This setting will affect how easy it is to remove the support material, in trade for quality on the mating surface of the part.


Using the default support material usually provides a good trade between quality and being easy to remove. Not all default support settings are ideal for every model, so this guide should provide some insight into how the individual support settings affect the print.