Support action options reference

Options and their function explained

Jump to:

• Cluster Detection
• Edge with Polyline Support
• Area with Volume Support
• Area with Bar Support
• Area with Polyline Support
• Down-oriented Point Bar Support
• Surround Volume by Polyline
• Skeleton with Polyline
• Delete support
• Base plate
• Adaptive Lattice Bars

Cluster Detection

A cluster is an area formed by contiguous triangles that are determined to require support by a set of parameters. You can adjust cluster detection individually for each area-based support action.

Note: You should specify the angles first. All other settings affect criteria to exclude clusters that do not match any of these criteria.

Parameter	Description	Notes
Minimal, Maximal area	The size of a detected cluster's area must be fully within the range specified here, or it is disregarded for the respective support action.
Critical angle	Areas of down-facing triangles angled at least this much away from the horizontal, highlighted in red, must be, and at minimum are, supported. Adjust this to meet your machine's and material's requirements.	0-90 °
Noncritical angle	Areas of down-facing triangles angled at least this much away from the horizontal, highlighted in yellow, may be supported if they border on enough critically or non-critically angled triangles. Adjust this to smooth the support contour or to merge small clusters of critical angle.	0-90 °
Cluster type	The Type classifies clusters by the angle between triangle normals along their borders. If more than 75 % of a cluster's border length is formed by bordering triangles with converging normals, a cluster is considered concave. If more than 75 % of bordering triangles have diverging normals, the cluster is considered convex. In between, they are considered neither. Tip: To restrict supporting to those areas which are neither convex nor concave, support the convex and concave ones first and follow up with a catch-all while disallowing duplicate support.	All, Concave, Convex, Non-concave, Non-Convex
Duplicate support	With this option you can control whether triangles of a cluster should get supported with the respective action even when a previous action in the script has already applied support to the same triangles. By overlapping supported areas like that, you can create stepped support density that is stronger where the downskin's angle is particularly shallow, for example. This sphere was supported with a script that included two actions with different values for cluster detection each. The smaller cluster was determined first (with a critical angle smaller than the larger cluster's). Left: Duplicate support tolerated. Right: Avoided. Note: Technically, this compares the detected clusters first before generating the actual supports. This means that if you have two support actions that both detect the same clusters, the second action (set to avoid duplicate clusters) does not generate any supports even when there would be space in the cluster to fit. For such cases, set this to tolerate duplicate support and also set Keep distance to support to Yes.	Avoid, Tolerate
Cluster inside or outside	Clusters are considered inside when they belong to a fully enclosed cavity (a hollowing shell) with no connection to the outer skin.	All, Inside, Outside
Keep distance to support	When the clusters detected by separate support actions overlap each other, the supports generated by actions further down in the listing keep a distance to supports generated by earlier actions.	No, Yes
Distance to other support	When distance to other supports is requested, this amount is kept as the distance.
Minimal, Maximal area above part	A detected cluster's down-projected area must only be intruded into by other mesh (same or different part) to a fraction specified by this range, or it is disregarded for the respective support action.	0-100 %
Minimal, Maximal z height	Any point in a detected cluster's area must lie within the z height range specified here, or the entire cluster is disregarded for the respective support action.
Respect CAD face groups	When a cluster is found to intersect with one or more face groups, every section thus created is handled as if it were a separate cluster.	No, Yes

A half-cut hollow sphere which contains a concave and convex cluster. A script can include several cluster types with different actions, like polyline supports or bar supports.

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Edge with Polyline Support

Parameter	Description	Notes
Minimal, Maximal edge length	Edges beyond the range of lengths specified here are disregarded for applying supports.
Maximal polyline curvature	Sets the curvature that a polyline may have at most. If this maximum value is exceeded, a new polyline begins.	0-180 °
Maximal edge angle to XY-plane	Describes the maximum angle between an edge and the XY-plane. If the maximum angle is exceeded, the edge is disregarded for applying supports.	0-90 °
Create anchor on curvature	Defines on which curvature of the edge a new anchor point is added. The anchor points are created around the edge.	0-180 °
Neighbor area angle		0-90 °
Anchor distance	Sets the distance between two anchor points.	1-100 mm
Contour offset	Sets the distance between an anchor point and a clear area.	0-5 mm
Startpoint distance	Sets the border distance between the edge and the start of the support structure	0-5 mm
Reinforcement lines per side	Adds additional polyline supports parallel to edges for reinforcement. (This parameter was called differently in the previous version.)	0-5
Reinforcements distance	The additional parallel polyline supports will be this far apart. (This parameter was called differently in the previous version.)	0.01-10 mm
Support properties	See Polyline Supports reference.

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Area with Volume Support

Parameter	Description	Notes
Cluster	Refer to the Cluster Detection section.
Contour accuracy	Specifies maximum permissible deviation when following a cluster's contour	0.01-0.50 mm
Contour offset to wall	Enforces a distance between a cluster contour and a wall (a concave border).	0.01-5.00 mm
Free contour offset	Enforces a distance between a cluster contour and the next edge (a convex border).	0.01-5.00 mm
Support properties	See Volume Supports reference.

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Area with Bar Support

Parameter	Description	Notes
Cluster	Refer to the Cluster Detection section.
Anchor distance	Defines the space between two anchor points or bars.
Anchor alignment	Switches between rectangular and hexagonal anchor placement.
Contour offset to wall	Anchors will keep a distance from a cluster contour that borders a wall (a concave border).
Free contour offset	Anchors will keep a distance from a cluster contour that does not border a wall.
Add bars to medial axis	Adds a single row of bar supports to a stretch of supportable area where that stretch would otherwise be too narrow to be eligible under the given, regular contour offset.
Medial axis contour offset	Adds the bars to eligible area stretches only if the stretch is at least twice this wide.
Z range limitation	Even when a downskin cluster spans a greater height range, only those anchors sprout bars that lie within the minimum and maximum values specified here.
Connection to bouquet-structure	When active, bars are merged into trunks before reaching their lower end on part or platform.
Diameter of bouquet-structure	Defines the maximum diameter of single bouquet structures. Smaller diameters cause creation of more, and smaller, bouquets.
Height of bouquet-structure	Enforces a minimum distance between the first branch of a bouquet structure and the part.
Recursive depth of bouquet-structure	Sets the limit of branches per bar between the first branch and the part.
Bouquet-structure type	Netfabb knows two methods to bundle bar supports together. The classical one picks one main bar and grows additional bars from it or from other bars that originate on the main bar themselves ("side branching"). The other, newer method uses proper iterative splitting of bars into ever thinner ones to ultimately cover the cluster's entire surface area with supports ("split branching"). Side branching The entire bouquet can be shifted at once by moving its singular bottom termination point, and all attached bars adjust "organically". Anchors where bars terminate on other bars can only be moved along those bars. This makes editing less destructive, but also somewhat limited. All bars have the same diameter regardless how many or few bars terminate in them. This can limit their use where actual load-bearing is a determining factor. Split branching When bars split (or merge), the cross section area is distributed (or combined) accordingly, too. Anchors where splits happen can be moved individually in all directions, and the segments between anchors are individual bar entities. This allows more freedom but at the same time requires more attention to positioning. Since anchors are independent, they do not move proportionately. All selected anchors move by the same amount and in the same direction. Side branching (left) and split branching (right). Note how the selected one on the left goes all the way from the part surface to the bottom, and how other beams "sprout" from it, whereas on the right, the branches split evenly.
Root system	When active, the bottom of the bars are multiplied to form a tree-root-like structure that reinforces the adherence of individual bars.
Number of legs	The count of legs includes the center one.
Height	At this height above the platform or the bottom part surface, measured along the center leg, the side legs merge with the main bar.
Diameter	The side bars terminate at a circular contour of this diameter parallel to the build platform. If the bars meet a suitable surface before or beyond this imaginary circle, such as when they terminate on an uneven part surface, the bars are shortened or extended appropriately to maintain the side bar angle.
Project bar	Controls angling bar support entities to preferrably hit or avoid part surface. Options No projection: No part-to-part avoidance is attempted To platform: Bars that would hit part surface are angled to hit platform surface instead, if possible. To opposite surface: Bars are projected from the downskin to hit any surface, part or platform. To selected anchor: Bars are projected from the downskin to preferrably hit selected anchors. Note: This option can only be used manually, by executing the script action from the Scripts listing, as a fully automatic execution deletes and regenerates all anchors freshly. To upskin: Bars are projected from the downskin to preferrably hit surfaces automatically determined as upskins. These areas are determined by using the same angles that are used for determining downskins. Tip: To project volumes to manually marked surface areas, generate them first, then choose Upskin projection from their context menu.
Maximum projection angle	When a bar support entity is eligible for angling, Netfabb attempts to angle (up to a specifiable maximum) and pan the bar to terminate it on the desired part or platform surface. If no suitable angle or panning is found, the bar is projected vertically as usual.
Surface normal for direction	To find the final angle of a bar support entity, the surface angles on both ends of the bar are taken into account. Using this percentage value, you adjust the weighting of either surface angle in the calculation of the bar's angle. between 0 % (the vertical) and 100 % (downskin angle). Note: The maximum projection angle still applies.
Support properties	See Bar Supports reference.

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Area with Polyline Support

Parameter	Description	Notes
Cluster	Refer to the Cluster Detection section.
Anchor distance	The detected area will supported with polylines. The anchor distance defines the space between two anchor points for each polyline.
Hatch distance	Sets the distance between two polylines.
Rotate by Z	Rotates the arrangement of the polylines by the entered value.
Wave amplitude	Defines the distance between every intermediate anchor point from a polyline. A value >0 creates a wave (if polyline is smoothed) or a zig zag pattern (if polyline is not smoothed).
Offset to border	Enforces a distance between the cluster contour and the end points of the polylines.
Support properties	See Polyline Supports reference.

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Down-oriented Point Bar Support

Parameter	Description	Notes
Cluster	Refer to the Cluster Detection section. Results of cluster detections are the blunt tips you may filter for with the switch Supported tip shape.
Anchor distance	Sets the distance between two anchor points or bars. In this way, support between two bars close to each other can be avoided.
Supported tip shape	Both single vertices ("sharp tips") as well as convex clusters ("blunt tips") may be eligible for receiving bar support. With this switch, you can restrict bar support creation to either of them.	All, Sharp, Blunt from cluster detection, Sharp outside cluster.
Support properties	See Bar Supports reference.

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Surround Volume by Polyline

Parameter	Description	Notes
Minimal, Maximal edge length	Edges beyond the range of lengths specified here are disregarded for applying supports.
Border type	The settings help to prevent the polyline from merging with any part wall, if it's set to free border. Border to wall will only place polylines when there is a wall next to the edge.	All, Free border, Border to wall
Contour type	The action can also be performed on inner contours where it is not the outer edge of the cluster.	All, Inner contour, Outer contour
Support properties	See Polyline Supports reference.

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Skeleton with Polyline

Important: For this action to work properly, it is necessary to turn the cluster setting Duplicate Support to Tolerate Duplicate Support, otherwise the action may fail.

Parameter	Description	Notes
Cluster	Refer to the Cluster Detection section.
Minimal edge length	Defines the distance between the cluster's contour and the cluster's volume supports that is required for a skeletal polyline to be created.
Contour offset to wall	The anchor points along the contour can be moved further apart from the edge. The offset describes the distance from the edge to the next wall.
Free contour offset	Describes the distance between an anchor point and the next edge.
Offset to border	This determines the length of the skeletal reinforcements in narrow cluster sections. The skeletal polyline is extended towards the wider portions of the cluster until its end is at least this distance away from the closest point in the cluster's contour.
Support properties	See Polyline Supports reference.

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Delete support

Parameter	Description	Notes
Above z value	Supports entirely above this value get deleted.
Below z value	Supports entirely below this value get deleted.
Entity type	Restricts the support deletion to the desired type.	All, Entity bar, Entity polyline, Entity volume.

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Base plate

Parameter	Description	Notes
Offset	Determines the margin to generate the contour of the base plate. The margin is added to the shadow area of the part as well as to any contours of solid volume support structures at their termination on the build platform.
Height	Determines the thickness of the base plate.
Fill inner contour	If the shadow area and the area occupied by solid volume support produces fully enclosed areas, this switch determines whether they should also be covered by the base plate. Note: Enclosed areas are only tested for before the margin is applied. This switch therefore ignores any areas that (would) become enclosed by overlapping offsets of neighboring shadow or support areas.

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Adaptive Lattice Bars

This is an area-supporting action. It subdivides the determined support into unit cells which are then filled with lattice topology. From the scaffolding thus created, individual bars support the respective downskin clusters. If possible, and desired, whole groups of eight cells (2×2×2) are collapsed into single cells.

Parameter	Description	Notes
Cluster	Refer to the Cluster Detection section.
Anchor distance	Defines the space between two anchor points or bars on the cluster surface. This is independent from the lattice cell size.
Anchor alignment	Switches between rectangular and hexagonal anchor placement on the cluster surface. This is independent from the lattice cell topology which has always a quadratic cross section.
Contour offset to wall	Anchors will keep a distance from a cluster contour that borders a wall (a concave border).
Free contour offset	Anchors will keep a distance from a cluster contour that does not border a wall.
Cell width and Cell height	Determines the size of the smallest cell, and indirectly the angle of diagonal support bars. You should keep the ratio of width to height above a certain value so as to keep the diagonal bars printable.
Adaptive steps	The rule of collapsing multiple fully intact lattice cells into the next larger cell size is applied up to this many times. Note that this is only the permissible maximum. If there aren't enough intact cells in a contiguous 2×2×2 arrangement, no collapsing is performed.	Comparison of adaptation. Three adaptive steps lighten the lattice considerably more than just one step.
Distance part to lattice	This minimum distance is enforced between lattice and part surface when hugging the surface contours with the lattice scaffolding.
Lattice go around the part	If enabled, a wider volume in a pyramid-like fashion is created and filled with lattice. This fills even more volume with rigid support but consequently consumes significantly more buildspace on the platform. When disabled, only as many cells are used as is necessary to cover the part's shadow area. Depending on part geometry, this can mean that downskins higher up are supported only with regular bars that themselves connect part-surface-to-part-surface.
Single down point tips	With this switch, this support action can also see to supporting downward-facing protrusions whose sides do not qualify for cluster detection such as when they are steeper than the critical and non-critical angles. This is off by default.
Sharp edges	Toggle to support down-facing edges with a line of additional bar supports each
Maximum edge angle to XY plane	Specify a "critical angle" for the edge itself below which an edge is eligible to receive edge support
Neighbor area angle	Specify a "critical angle" for the surface that itself is not critical but terminates in an edge you still want to have supported.
Support properties	See Bar Supports reference.

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