I have big trouble printing many "print in place" designs. Sometimes there is some layers, then a gap, and then an object on top of that gap, as if you could print mid-air. As a floating bridge with no support and no ends. And somehow it works sometimes! Somehow the next layer sticks a bit so it's not blown away by the printer blower but later it can be separated as the union is lower than actually glued layers... But sometimes it's a strong union. It might depend on the filament composition or who knows.
Let me show you with images. I have this layers...
...and then there is this other layer:
That square is supossed to float there or something.
I want the layer printed on top of the gap to be supported in it's place somehow, over the gap and with a small adhesion. I thought about a thin breakable bridge net layer when that's possible, when there's somewhere to anchor it, or tiny pillars when that can't be made.
Maybe like this:
Or maybe like this:
The net might need to be repeated every N layers in order to support the weight of the growing piece and preventing it from being moved by the 3D printer blower.
I tried that kind of tiny pillars in my own designs and they work but you can't add them to an stl just like that, and even with your own design it's tedious. I didn't try a breakable thin bridge net.
I have big trouble printing many "print in place" designs. Sometimes there is some layers, then a gap, and then an object on top of that gap, as if you could print mid-air. As a floating bridge with no support and no ends. And somehow it works sometimes! Somehow the next layer sticks a bit so it's not blown away by the printer blower but later it can be separated as the union is lower than actually glued layers... But sometimes it's a strong union. It might depend on the filament composition or who knows.
Let me show you with images. I have this layers...
...and then there is this other layer:
That square is supossed to float there or something.
I want the layer printed on top of the gap to be supported in it's place somehow, over the gap and with a small adhesion. I thought about a thin breakable bridge net layer when that's possible, when there's somewhere to anchor it, or tiny pillars when that can't be made.
Maybe like this:
Or maybe like this:
The net might need to be repeated every N layers in order to support the weight of the growing piece and preventing it from being moved by the 3D printer blower.
I tried that kind of tiny pillars in my own designs and they work but you can't add them to an stl just like that, and even with your own design it's tedious. I didn't try a breakable thin bridge net.