Less is More with NoSupports
Metal Powder-Bed Printing Without Support Structures
Support structures are unwanted within enclosed structures where support removal is impossible. NoSupportsTM allows you to:
- Print large internal channels and cavities without supports
- Improve surface homogeneity in downfacing overhang zones
- Reduce the risk for dimensional variation caused by manual finishing.
Powered by 3DXpert® software, NoSupports expands the design envelope, accelerates design cycles and unlocks new applications.
Apply NoSupports to Your Advanced Application
NoSupport build strategies are available for:
- DMP Flex/Factory 350 (Dual) using LaserForm Ti Gr23, LaserForm Ni718
- DMP Factory 500 using LaserForm Ni718
Find out how 3D Systems' team of application experts can help you apply NoSupports on your application and benefit from reduced cost, shorter delivery time and accelerated design cycles.
An optimized DMP build design with NoSupports strategies. The reductions achieved using NoSupports were 69% fewer supports, 14% shorter print time, 69% reduction in labor cost.
DMP build design using traditional supports.
Get a FREE trial license to try NoSupports™
With the free trial license, NoSupports™ is available within 3DXpert’s support manager and can drastically reduce the self-supporting angle while maintaining a high-quality surface finish.
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Key benefits of using NoSupports
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Eliminating supports in direct metal printing (DMP) improves part production efficiency without compromising on part quality.
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Reduce Time and Costs
Eliminating supports accelerates part production and delivery. Reduce the cost of labor and minimize material waste. Less supports means less scrap and post-processing which expediting build times.
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Improve Repeatability
NoSupports strategies improve dimensional repeatability and surface homogeneity while empowering expanded design freedom and advanced print capabilities such as nesting.
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Unlock New Applications
Discover new possibilities such as complex geometries, and enclosed channels not previously possible. Less supports means quicker builds and faster turnaround on design iterations.
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Expedite Post-Processing
If no supports are used, you eliminate the need for their removal during post-processing, significantly reducing the time to delivery.
Real-World NoSupports Applications
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Acetabular Cups
NoSupports build strategies make acetabular cup production even more cost-effective by using a supportless stacking configuration. This approach saves time, reduces labor cost and minimizes material waste, while improving dimensional repeatability.
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Turbo Pump Casing
The turbo pump casing with a diameter of 455 mm was printed seamless in 75 hours on the DMP Factory 500. This cost-competitive solution was achieved by combining the high-productivity Ni718 parameters with 3D Systems NoSupports build strategies.
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VSP® Fibula Guide
NoSupports strategies combined with design for AM (DfAM) practices enable you to rapidly produce mass personalized devices—such as this titanium 3D printed fibula cutting guide—without compromising on part quality.
Design Guide: Printing with NoSupports
Metal AM makes it possible to produce high performing components that defy conventional manufacturing limitations. Every manufacturing process has its nuances, and for metal AM this is the need for certain geometries to be printed with support structures. However, the need for supports is not universal. The strategies within this guide offer ways to print successfully without them.
Webinar: NoSupports™ Metal Printing
Past methods for supporting metal additive manufactured (AM) parts have imposed limitations on part design. The increased complexity associated with removing supports has added cost and lead time to the process, and some parts and applications have even been disqualified from AM due to support-based issues.
Together with 3D Systems’ leading expertise and machine platforms, our 3DXpert software package has advanced metal AM capabilities to help expand your design envelope with features such as multi-exposure and thermal blades to help you realize the goal of no supports. Multi-exposure can drastically reduce the self-supporting angle while maintaining a high-quality surface finish, and thermal blades provide a structure to transfer heat and control the weld process for the lowest-angle features without welding to the part.
Topics covered in this webinar include:
- The historical challenge of minimum support angles
- 3DXpert tools for advanced segmentation and parameter assignment
- Multi-exposure strategies
- Thermal blades strategies
3DXpert
The 3DXpert software package has advanced metal AM capabilities to expand your design envelope with features such as multi-exposure and thermal blades to print without supports. 3DXpert is an all-in-one integrated software for the entire AM workflow. It provides the ultimate combination of automation and full user control.
- Parametric and history-based hybrid (b-rep and mesh) CAD tools
- History-based approach facilitates changes at any stage
- Built-in simulation speeds up design verification
- Optimize print strategies to ensure quality at reduced printing time