Each model has individual needs to address. Configuring support structures to anticipate problems maximizes the chances of a successful print. Use Advanced Settings in PreForm to gain greater control over the amount, size, type, and height of supports generated.

Touchpoints are areas of contact where the support structure and model meet. Decrease the diameter of a touchpoint for easy removal of supports, or increase the diameter for more security during printing.

To adjust the Touchpoint Size value:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. To adjust the size of a touchpoint, do one of the following:
• Enter a number into the Touchpoint Size field.
• Click an arrow in the Touchpoint Size field.
• Hover the pointer over the Touchpoint Size field and use the scroll wheel.
3. Supports V2 only: Select whether or not you want PreForm to use Adaptive Touchtip Diameter when generating supports.
• With Adaptive Touchtip Diameter enabled, PreForm may deviate from the input Touchpoint Size to better support your models.
• With Adaptive Touchtip Diameter disabled, PreForm will only use the input Touchpoint Size when generating supports.
4. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. Supports are added to the selected models.

Starting with PreForm 3.51.0, you can control whether or not PreForm generates supports for minima, overhangs, additional minima stabilization, and bulk model reinforcement. These options are only available for supports settings marked Supports V1.

To control where and how PreForm generates supports:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Click the checkbox to enable or disable a particular support type.
• Minima: Enabling support generation for Minima adds touchpoints to the lowest points of the model to prevent print failures from unsupported geometry.
• Overhangs: Enabling support generation for Overhangs adds touchpoints to downward-facing, low-angle surfaces.
• Adjust the Angle parameter to control the threshold from the horizontal for placing overhang touchpoints. Surfaces at a lower angle than this value will receive support touchpoints.
• Stabilization: Enabling support generation for Stabilization adds touchpoints to stabilize minima by placing additional touchpoints around them.
• Reinforcements: Enabling support generation for Reinforcements adds touchpoints to improve the overall rigidity of the model, preventing shifting or warping during printing.
3. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. Supports are added to the selected models.

You can also control the density of Overhangs, Stabilization, and Reinforcements touchpoints separately. For more information, see the section on controlling touchpoint density below.

Touchpoints are areas of contact where the support structure and model meet. Changing the density of those touchpoints can affect print accuracy and success rate but also how easy or difficult the printed part is to post-process. Note that each density value is relative to other settings and may not start at 1.0.

To adjust the Density value:

Controlling touchpoint density through print settings

With PreForm 3.48 or later, you can also reduce touchpoint density for certain resins with the Reduced Supports print setting. This can be useful if you want to optimize for surface finish without manually adjusting support parameters.

This print setting is available for Form 4 generation printers and the following resins:

• Grey Resin V5
• Clear Resin V5
• Black Resin V5
• White Resin V5
• Tough 1500 Resin V1.1
• Tough 2000 Resin
• Durable Resin

One factor that affects post-processing is the distance between each main support pillar and the surface of your printed parts. Increasing this distance creates a larger gap, easing support removal. To adjust this distance:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Click Touchpoints. A set of parameters appears.
3. Adjust the Tooth Length Min parameter.
4. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. Supports are added to the selected models.

Internal supports are any supports with both ends touching the model, instead of one end connecting to the raft. Generate supports inside your model to secure overhangs and other hard-to-reach minima.

To add internal supports:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Click Touchpoints. A set of parameters appears.
3. Enable the Allow Internal Supports on Model toggle.
4. Adjust the internal support parameters.
• Bottom Diameter: Sets the diameter of the base of an internal support where it connects to the model surface.
• Number of Teeth Max: Sets the maximum number of base contact points that an internal support makes to distribute load on the model surface.
5. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. Supports are added to the selected models.

Pillars are the main portions of the support structure, reaching from the build platform to the touchpoint and printed part itself. Pillars can be supported by additional trusses.

To control the geometry of the pillars and supporting trusses:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Click Pillars. A set of parameters appears.
3. Select your desired Structure Type.
• Classic: Standard PreForm support structure.
• Lattice: Introduced with Supports V2 settings. Lattice supports are uniformly distributed along a grid. The crushable structure makes support removal fast, easy, and less likely to damage your part.
4. Adjust the available pillar parameters.
• Top Truss Width: Horizontal thickness of trusses at the top of the support structure, closest to the model.
• Truss Width: Horizontal thickness of truss elements between pillars.
• Truss Height: Vertical thickness of truss elements between pillars.
• Lattice Size (XY) (Lattice structure type only): Horizontal distance between support pillars in lattice structure supports.
• Lattice Size (Z) (Lattice structure type only): The maximum height of each lattice cell in lattice structure supports.
• Trussed Pillar Top Diameter: Sets the diameter of the upper part of a trussed (cross-braced) support pillar. Decreasing this value reduces support structure stability and can cause print surface artifacts or failures.
• Trussed Pillar Bottom Diameter: Sets the diameter of the lower part of a trussed support pillar, near the raft. Decreasing this value reduces support structure stability and can cause print surface artifacts or failures.
• Trussing Distance From Model: Sets the distance from the model where cross-bracing on pillars begins. Increasing this value can allow for easier tool access during support removal but reduces support structure stability and can cause print surface artifacts.
• Untrussed Pillar Diameter: Sets the diameter of support pillars for the portion between the model and the trussed section of the support pillar. Decreasing this value reduces support structure stability and can cause print surface artifacts or failures.
5. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. Supports are added to the selected models.

Bundled Supports are trussed in bundles to make them easier to remove. Bundled Supports are enabled by default for specific combinations of resins and layer thicknesses, but can be manually enabled otherwise.

To enable Bundled Supports:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Click Pillars. A set of parameters appears.
3. Select Bundled Supports. The box turns blue.
4. If desired, adjust the Bundling Diameter. This parameter sets the target diameter for a group of bundled support pillars.
5. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. PreForm generates bundled supports.

Choose between a Full Raft, Mini Rafts, or no raft by changing the Raft Type. Keeping the default Full Raft prints your model on a single, large raft. Selecting Mini Rafts creates multiple, smaller rafts—one for each vertical support. To print without a raft, select None to place a model directly on the build platform. 

To adjust the Raft Type value:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Click Raft. A set of parameters appears.
3. Click the Raft Type field. A dropdown opens.
4. Choose a raft type:
5. Select Full Raft to place the model above a large base with supports.
6. Select Mini Rafts to place the model on the build platform with supports.
7. Select None to place the model directly on the build platform.
8. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. The models are placed above the selected raft.

Depending on the Raft Type you select, you can control various aspects of that raft’s geometry. To adjust the raft geometry:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Click Raft. A set of parameters appears.
3. Adjust the available parameters for your chosen raft type:
• Full Raft
• Raft Thickness: Sets the thickness of the full raft.
• Height Above Raft: Sets the minimum distance between the model and the raft. Increasing this value can make supports easier to remove but also decreases stability of the bottom of the support structure and can cause print failures.
• Mini Rafts
• Raft Thickness: Sets the thickness of the mini rafts.
• Height Above Raft: Sets the minimum distance between the model and the raft. Increasing this value can make supports easier to remove but also decreases stability of the bottom of the support structure and can cause print failures.
• Raft Radius: Sets the radius of each individual mini raft. Larger rafts provide better adhesion to the build platform.
• Merging Distance: Sets the distance at which nearby mini rafts will merge into a single, larger raft.
• None
• Raft Thickness: Sets the thickness of the mini rafts, if any are required.
• Height Above Raft: Sets the minimum distance between the model and the raft. Increasing this value can make supports easier to remove.
• Raft Radius: Sets the radius of each individual mini raft. Larger rafts provide better adhesion to the build platform.
• Merging Distance: Sets the distance at which nearby mini rafts will merge into a single, larger raft.
• Early Layer Merge: Flattens the model's initial layers up to the selected value to create a solid base for printing directly on the build platform.
• Z-Compression Correction: Adds extra height to the initial layers to compensate for Z-axis compression, improving dimensional accuracy.
4. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. Supports are added to the selected models.

A model's file name is used as the raft label. By default, a model’s name is generated on the raft of the support structure.

To disable Raft Label on a model:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Click Raft. A set of parameters appears.
3. Deselect Raft Label. The box turns gray.
4. If you have no models selected, click Auto-Generate All. Supports are added to all models on the build platform. Otherwise, if you have one or more models selected, click Auto-Generate Selected. The label is removed from the raft.

Depending on your model, resin, and support settings, support structures may be difficult to remove. PreForm can generate breakaway support structures with geometric features that make them easier to remove.

To enable Breakaway Supports:

1. Select the model in PreForm. Manipulators are overlaid on the model.
2. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
3. Select Breakaway Supports. The box turns blue.

4. Click Auto-Generate Selected. The support structure is generated with breakaway supports.

To reset an edited parameter to its default value:

1. Click Supports. A dialog box opens.
2. Navigate to the edited parameter.
3. Click the Reset value to default arrow icon to the left of the parameter’s current value. The parameter resets to its default value.