When it comes to additive manufacturing, many part defects start long before a single layer is printed, they begin in the slicer. One of the most common yet avoidable issues is placing critical surfaces too close to support structures. While supports are essential for overhang stability, they also become contact points that can damage the surface finish of your part during removal. For functional surfaces like sealing faces or mating interfaces, even slight imperfections can compromise performance and require extensive post-processing.
Smart part orientation in the slicer is key to protecting these surfaces. By rotating the model to move critical faces away from support-heavy regions, designers can minimize contact and preserve surface integrity. When reorientation isn’t possible, designers can use pads, sacrificial layers, or chamfers to buffer these areas. These strategies help avoid unwanted marks and reduce the need for secondary machining or hand-finishing.
It’s also important to recognize how different technologies respond to support proximity. For example, metal 3D printing processes like LPBF generate stronger thermal bonding between support and part, making removal more aggressive. This raises the stakes for accurate planning. Investing the time to tag key surfaces in the CAD model and adjust slicer settings accordingly can pay off significantly in downstream cost and quality.
Ultimately, printing smart isn’t just about making a part that looks good, it’s about building it in a way that minimizes effort and maximizes performance. A few minutes in the slicer could save hours in post-processing. That’s the kind of engineering efficiency that sets leaders apart in additive manufacturing.