From cool figurines to intricate industrial models, 3D printing gives us the freedom to create all sorts of unique parts. Unfortunately, 3D printers can’t defy gravity or print over thin air. Most entry-level 3D printers work by extruding material, and while this has lots of cost and safety advantages, it does come with some limitations. Creating a part with extreme overhangs, arches, or shallow angles can be a challenge. Supports make printing these geometries possible.
Properly configured, supports will easily detach from a finished print, leaving little to no evidence they were ever there. Read on to learn how to do an overhang test and discover a simple way to automatically generate supports with Simplify3D.