Easy to Remove Supports in Cura: Best Settings

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For easy to remove supports in Cura optimize the following settings: Support Pattern, Support Density, Support Z Distance, Support X/Y Distance, Support Interface Density and when needed also activate Conical Support in Experimental Mode.

Support structures are what ensure that the protruding sections of a model are formed correctly. However, removing these supports after printing can sometimes be a difficult and time-consuming task.

In this article, I will walk you through the best settings in Ultimaker Cura, a popular slicing software, to make supports easier to remove.

Why is it so difficult to remove Cura supports?

The most common reason is improper configuration of the support structure settings..

When the supports are too dense or too close together, they can strongly fuse with the model, which makes it difficult to separate them.

Additionally, supports that are too thin or lack sufficient connection points with the model can easily break or leave behind unwanted remnants.

Finally, using the wrong support settings for your specific printer and nozzle size can lead to excessive material usage or improper support adhesion.

How to make supports easier to remove in Cura

To make supports easier to remove in Cura, it is essential to optimize several settings.

• Support structure
• the placement of the support
• The Support Pattern
• The cantilever angle of the support
• The strongest support
• Best X/Y distance in Cura
• What Is a Good Support Density?
• Support Z distance
• Support interface density
• Enable conical support in experimental mode

Let's explore the key parameters and their impact on support removal:

Best support structure

There are two types of support structure in Cura, and these are the “Normal” mode and the “Tree” mode.

Choose the type of structure “normal” for simple and basic models, and the support in “tree“ for the most difficult and complex.

Choose the best placement of the support

Proper placement of supports can significantly influence the difficulty of removal.

The available options are: “Touching the printing plate” and “Everywhere”

Avoid placing supports directly under areas that require a smooth or highly detailed finish (although sometimes it's unavoidable).

Sometimes, by rotating your 3D model in Cura, you can avoid using supports and print a perfectly clean and neat model without any unwanted plastic residue.

Place brackets strategically, focusing on critical protrusions, to minimize the number of contact points and facilitate removal.

The best support pattern

In Cura, the “ZigZag” support structure often provides the easiest removal compared to other options like “Grid” or “Cross”.

The “ZigZag” support structure provides strong support while allowing for easier separation due to its shape.

The best overhang angle in Cura

By default in Cura, From 45° onwards supports will be placed in those models that exceed this angle. But if you want you can modify this value.

you can print an overhang test to study up to what angle your 3D printer can print the overhangs without having problems.

With this you can avoid using supports in places that may not be necessary, as for example in some circular shapes .

Stronger support in Cura

When it comes to support strength, Using the “Zig Zag” pattern in Cura is often beneficial.

This pattern provides a sturdy support structure while allowing for easier removal as the zigzag design creates natural breaking points that aid in removal.

Best XY distance in Cura

The XY distance determines the separation between the model and the supports. Increasing this distance slightly will make it easier to remove the supports.

Sometimes the supports stick to the walls of the 3D printed model, and that´s because you don´t leave a gap configured in the settings.

This adjustment will allow you without a doubt, to leave a space between your supports and the walls of the model.

Normally by default, Cura will assign a distance based on the thickness of the line width, which will always be determined by the size of the Nozzle your printer is using. But that space may not be enough.

Leave at least a space that is twice the size of your nozzle. For example, if you use a 0.4mm nozzle then leave an XY gap of 0.8mm to ensure the supports don't stick to the walls of the model.

Experiment with different values based on your 3D printer to find the optimal balance between support stability and removal convenience.

What is a good support density?

An optimal support density ensures effective support, but also facilitates removal.

A density between 10% and 20% is usually sufficient, but fine-tuning may be necessary depending on your specific project.

Adjust the support density in Cura depending on the complexity of your model.

All the tests you can see in the images have a support density of 12%

Best Support Z Distance

The Z distance defines the space between the support and the model's surface.

Increasing this distance slightly may make removing the bracket easier.

This setting is one of the most important ones you need to consider. If the Z distance is too small, the support will merge with the roof of the model you are printing..

Cura chooses this value based on the layer height, but this value may not be suitable in all cases, especially if you use different nozzle diameters.

Therefore, You should always choose a multiple of the layer height value you are using.

For example, if your layer height is 0.2 mm, the Z distance configured by Cura will be 0.2 mm, which means that there will only be one layer of difference (empty space) between the support roof and the model.

Another important thing is to know that Cura rounds the parameters based on the layer height, which means there will be no intermediate Z distances.

For example, if you choose a distance of 03 mm Cura will round it to 0.4 mm, and you can check this in the preview.

A Z distance of around 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm usually yields good results, but it may be necessary to experiment to find the ideal value for your prints.

A distance in Z of 2 mm may be effective with a 0.4 mm nozzle, but With a 0.8 nozzle it will be impossible to remove it, or at least it will cost you a lot of work.

Think of it this way, always choose at least 2 layers of difference between the support roof and the model's base..

How to change the Z distance of the support in Cura

To change the support distance in Cura, follow these steps:

1. Open Ultimaker Cura and load your model.
2. Navigate to the “Support” section in the Print Settings panel.
3. Adjust the “Support Z Distance” parameter to increase or decrease the distance between the supports and the model surface.
4. Preview your changes in the 3D viewer and make sure they match your desired results.
5. Proceed with slicing and printing your model.

Increase the support interface density.

Make sure to check “Enable Support Interface” to create a roof between the support and the model.

For this interface to be more effective and to detach from the model more easily, it must have sufficient density on both its roof and its floor.

In addition to this, you will also need to choose the “Zig Zag” Support Interface Pattern to make the roof more effective.

Configure the following settings:

• Support Interface Density: between 90% and 100%
• Support Roof Density: between 90% and 100%
• Support interface pattern: Zig Zag

You will need to perform your own tests to check the results.

Activate the conical supports

“Activate conical support” is a setting hidden in the “Experimental” section from Cura Ultimaker and its function is to make the support areas smaller at the bottom than in the overhang parts.

You can activate the conical support to save time and material, in addition, reducing the support area of the supports will have the benefit of leaving less marks and material.

Better Cura settings for easy-to-remove supports

Let's explore the recommended support settings for the different nozzle sizes commonly used in 3D printing:

Easy to remove supports in Cura for 0.4mm nozzle

Easy to remove supports in Cura for 0.8mm nozzle

Youtube video: ImpresoEn3D

Are tree stands better?

Tree supports are an alternative to traditional linear supports. They feature a branched structure that offers better accessibility for post-processing, reducing the need for extensive support removal.

Although tree supports can be advantageous in certain cases, such as complex and organic models, they do not always provide the same stability as traditional supports.

I recommend experimenting with both options and evaluating performance based on your specific project requirements.

Better tree support setup in Cura

When using tree supports in Cura, the following settings can help optimize your printing process:

• Tree Support Structure: Enabled
• Bracket angle: 45 degrees
• Support pattern: Zigzag
• XY Distance: 0.8mm
• Support density: 10% to 20%
• Support Z Distance: 0.2mm to 0.4mm
• Support X/Y distance: X/Y over Z
• Density of the support interface 90%
• Support interface pattern: Grid

In future posts I will go into more detail about tree supports, testing them and posting the results.

Youtube video: ImpresoEn3D

Conclusions:

As I said before, not all supports are going to be the same for all models. Some models are going to be simple and easy to print with normal supports, while others are going to be more complex models and will need equally complex supports, such as tree supports.

This guide may not be useful for every model you want to print, but it can help you experiment a bit with some Cura settings you may not have known about.

Test and experiment with small tests first, and then draw your own conclusions about what works and what doesn't.

Optimize Z Distance, X/Y Distance of Brackets, Bracket Interface Density and other parameters to achieve the right balance between bracket stability and removal convenience.

Please note that fine-tuning of these settings may be necessary for each specific model, so feel free to experiment and adjust accordingly to achieve the best results.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: What is the easiest support to remove in 3D printing? Supports printed with a “Zig zag” structure tilted at a 45-degree angle are usually the easiest to remove in 3D printing.

• Q: How can I make supports easier to remove in Cura? To make supports easier to remove in Cura, consider adjusting parameters such as support structure, angle, pattern, XY distance, support density, and Z distance.

• Q: What is the strongest support in Cura? Cura’s “Zig Zag” pattern often provides a strong support structure, while allowing for easier detachment during support removal.

• Q: Are tree supports easier to remove? Tree supports can be easier to remove in some cases, especially on complex and organic models. However, their stability can vary compared to traditional linear supports, so it is important to assess their suitability based on the specific needs of your project.

• Q: What are the best PLA support settings in Cura? The best PLA support settings in Cura usually match the recommendations provided above for each nozzle size.

• Q: What is the support Z-distance in Cura? The support Z-distance in Cura refers to the space between the support structure and the model surface, which affects the ease of support removal. Adjusting this distance can make support removal easier.

If you want to know more about the support settings in Cura and their meanings, I recommend reading the post “Cura Support configurations” as it may be of interest to you.