There are times when you want to add a mechanical part to a model where a portion of the part hangs down below the model. If we had the ability to offset the model to a fixed Z height whereby supports are applied to provide the Z offset, then no additional mods would need to be added to the model to ‘fake’ a Z value.
It could be a simple checkbox in the positioning tool that allowed a Z value to be set and filled with the chosen support strategy.
An example of this is 3D printing a tool handle where a bolt is inserted into the print partway through the print. The bolt would drop into the opening of the partial print and then be covered by subsequent layers. The Z offset would need to be slightly larger than the length of the bolt extending below the handle model.
In this example, I want to elevate the base of the model by the ‘blue’ amount. With supports this is easy. Then, pausing at the ‘green’ layer, I can drop the bolt into the print, continue, and have a very nice handle with a threaded rod that won’t come loose!
Just in the way I described above. I added very narrow posts to the original design and placed it on the plate so the posts were down against the plate. That forced supports to be added all around the skinny posts giving me the raised support I wanted with easy to break away legs.
You do need to use ‘Snug’ support style so that the opening, for whatever material you are adding during the pause, is not also filled with support material. DAMHIKT!
