Break away support for 3d printing

Abstract

In one example, a 3D printing system includes a support structure generator to identify a breakaway support to temporarily support part of the object, to design a wedge shaped groove between a portion of the object and the support, the groove ending at a line along which the support intersects the object, and to generate a digital object model that includes the support and the groove. The system also includes a 3D printer to print the object, support and groove based on the object model.

1 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
 identify a breakaway support to support part of an object; 
 to design a groove between a portion of the object and the support, the groove ending at a line along which the support intersects and is integral or directly connected to the object; 
 generate a digital object model that includes the support and the groove; and 
 cause a 3D printer to print the object, support and groove based on the object model. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the groove is a wedge-shaped groove. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the 3D printer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further:
 generate multiple slices from the object model with each slice defining those portions of a layer of build material to be printed to form the object, support and groove.   
     
     
         5 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a 3D printing system to:
 analyze a digital model of an object;   identify a breakaway support to support part of the object;   design a structural feature, including a shaped groove, to concentrate a breakaway force along a line where the support intersects and is integral or directly connected to the object;   modify the digital object model to include the support and the structural feature; and   print the object, support and groove based on the modified digital object model.   
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the groove is a wedge-shaped groove. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the 3D printing system to generate multiple slices based on or within the modified digital object model, with each slice defining those portions of a layer of build material to be printed to form the support and the structural feature. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further case the 3D printing system to:
 design the breakaway support integral to the object; and   design, as the structural feature, the shaped groove between a portion of the object and the support, the groove ending at the line along which the support intersects and is integral or directly connected to the object.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is part of the 3D printing system, the 3D printing system including the processor. 
     
     
         10 . A method for 3D printing an object, comprising:
 identifying, by a processor, a span;   designing, by the processor, a breakaway support to support the span;   designing, by the processor, a groove to concentrate a breakaway force along a line where the support intersects the span and is integral or directly connected to the span;   generating, by the processor, digital object slices to print the span, support, and groove; and   printing, by the processor, the object using the digital object slices.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the groove is a wedge-shaped groove. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 analyzing, by the processor, a digital model of the object to identify the span;   modifying, by the processor, the object model to include the support and the groove; and   generating, by the processor, the digital object slices using a modified object model.   
     
     
         13 . A physical object comprising:
 a span;   a breakaway support to temporarily support the span; and   a structural feature, including a groove, to concentrate a breakaway force along a line where the support intersects the span and is integral or directly or directly connected to the span.   
     
     
         14 . The physical object of  claim 13 , wherein the groove is a wedge-shaped groove. 
     
     
         15 . The physical object of  claim 13 , wherein the groove is between a portion of the span and the support, the groove narrowing to the line along which an inner portion of the support intersects the span. 
     
     
         16 . The physical object of  claim 13 , wherein the groove is configured to initiate a break along the line in response to a force, below a threshold force, exerted on the breakaway support.