I'm trying to write the first stage of a script that generates support structures for 3D printed objects and could really use some help

Hello, I’m a university student and am in a situation where I have to create the g.code to 3d print my own support structures.

Basically, as the image shows, the first step is to generate a brep under the overhangs and undersides of objects. There have already been point based versions of this, for example here: Volume between two surfaces – Grasshopper where a series of points is projected. However, rather than just a rough series of points, I would like to create precise regions within which I can ‘trim’ my support structure (which will be another problem I’ll eventually have to deal with).

The second stage, if we can work out the first (i’ve tried searching for 3 hours and came up with nothing) is to further divide this region and create a buffer zone between the support and precise printed object (shown in the second part of the illustration).

Thank you so much for your help.

Mikail

MShadow (Mesh Shadow)

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JOSEPH THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I can’t begin to expressive how appreciative I am of the time you took from your day to help a random stranger. Will just test this script out right now!!

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Well, don’t get too excited, it’s only an idle doodle showing how the base perimeter curve cast by MShadow might be used to create “support structures”. It is far from a definitive solution to the general problem of creating low density lattice supports for 3D printing.

Now that I think about it, a lattice is similar to this scaffolding model structure I did three years ago on the old forum:



If you had posted a model of your own I would have used your shape instead of a cube and replied with a working model instead of just an image.

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What is BANG! ???

Explode tree

Scaffolding_2017Mar13d.gh (35.2 KB)
Scaffolding_2017Feb17e.gh (28.0 KB)

Many thanks :slight_smile:

How should I reference my object? Pt? Crv? What are the for?

This code is seven years old, I remember nothing about it so would have to do what you must do: understand it :exclamation: :wink:

OK. No problem for me if you yourself don’t understand it :slight_smile:

It’s been seven years since I understood it. More important really is if you understand it?

Obviously it still works so what’s the problem? I have no incentive to even try. :zzz:

It works, no doubt - if you now how to connect it to the object.
I have no clue, so I give up.
I does not matter.
Thanks :slight_smile:

I can easily change the object in both models. What’s the trouble?

Two slider values will need to be adjusted if the object is a different size:

  • Spacing ‘D’ and
  • ‘minLen’

The trouble is in what component is the model set (set one geometry?)

In both of these models, the geometry (vase) is created from scratch, then rotated and moved a bit. So in Scaffolding_2017Feb17e.gh, it would be the output of Move in the “dark pink” (fuchsia) group.

So this:

Becomes this:

If necessary, post your geometry and I’ll make it work. But it really isn’t that hard to understand it.

Thanks! I’ll try to replace your object from the pink area with a real mesh from Rhino.

Mesh :question: Looking… might work OK with a mesh, though the object you are replacing is not a mesh. Be sure to remember the slider values. If your mesh is substantially larger, small slider values could create too many scaffold “rays”.