The surface above the support material of my 3D print is uneven

The surface above the support material of my 3D print is uneven

How do you improve the surface quality?

• Decrease the layer height

  When you reduce or even halve the layer height, twice as many layers are printed. This allows your printer to take smaller steps when creating overhangs. This makes the entire structure sturdier, smoother and reduces the amount of support material required. In addition, it reduces the total printing time and significantly increases the quality.

• Adjust the support infill percentage

  As with choosing the 'regular' infill structure of your 3D print, you can also adjust the density of the 'support infill'. The usual percentage is between 20% and 40%. Is the 3D print dropping? Then there is too little support and you need to increase the support infill percentage.

• Prevent adhesion of the support material

  Although your print must have sufficient support at overhangs, you want to avoid adhesion of the support material at all times. It is therefore essential to set the correct space between the support foundation and the print bed. You do this by adjusting the 'vertical separation layers' and 'horizontal part offset' settings in your slicer software.

  • Vertical separation layers

    Do you print with the same material? Then it is wise to adjust the vertical separation layers to one or two. If you enter zero here, the two parts will most likely merge, making them difficult to separate. However, if you print water soluble PVA filament, this is no problem.

  • Horizontal part offset

    This setting ensures the correct distance on the sides. Values ​​of 0.2mm and 0.4mm are common, but the exact settings depend on the type of extruder and filament you are using.

• Use a second extruder

  When you have a dual extruder printer, printing with specially developed support material such as PVA becomes child's play. With this type of printer, it is possible to print with two different filament types. When using a printer with only one extruder, you are forced to use one type of material. Are you a true 3D pro or tech-savvy? Upgrade your existing printer by mounting a second extruder yourself.

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