I used Simplify3d and it does a pretty good job of adding support. Can be manually edited and customised to generate automatically at a certain overhang threshold (angle in degrees). Kind of like the look of this: https://3dprinterchat.com/2016/03/3dprinting-supportonmeshmixer/ Remember hearing that there's a slicer which, when a second extruder is present with a specialist support material, generates "support" the bulk of which is printed with the primary filament material (to save time and money) and only the "contact layers" where the support touches the model use the expensive scaffold material. Anyone know which slicer that is?
The only one I've heard of is MatterControl. This page http://www.mattercontrol.com/articles/slice-settings-explained-part-2 mentions that capability. I've not tried it, so couldn't say how well it works.
Yes, that's it exactly. I'll use that link to start lobbying for the feature in Simplify 3d. (Indeed just made a post in their feature suggestion forum.) Thanks!
You're welcome If you try it I'd be interested in knowing how well it works. I'll probably get around to it eventually, but so many other things to play with....
Looks like your lobbying may have worked! Simplify3D say that feature has been added to V4.0 (not tried it, so can't say how well it works). https://www.simplify3d.com/software/release-notes/version-4-0-0/
It was a no-brainer for them - and easy to implement - because all they had to do was to enable the selection of a second extruder on their existing dense infill feature (which allows one to create most of the support out of eg 5% infill and then make the last few layers before contact say 50%).
But my request to automatically turn of the second extruder when not used for a certain time was ignored, go figure
Never give in. You might need to explain WHY it's important. Eg to prevent filament cooking in the nozzle. And then explain what can go wrong if that happens. I wouldn't assume that the coders spend a lot of time printing, much less with dual. Failing all else, tell them it's all about reducing carbon emissions.
@Falc.be I added some waffle (English, not Belgian) to your post. @A Dragon In A Pie Costume couldn't find anything in the Slic3r documentation about this but if you have something why not post to the S3d forum?
As far as i know, only cura has this setting, but it might be a full shutdown after each toolchange, not sure