Indicative conversions, not bank transaction rates.
Before searching for an ideal support setting, identify the surfaces to preserve and the removal path. Supports that generate successfully in a slicer may still be trapped inside a cavity. First ask what needs supporting and how the support will be removed.
Define the intended result
Identify visible surfaces, functional dimensions and areas that will become inaccessible after printing. Keep a screenshot of the initial orientation. Avoid comparing a different orientation, material and profile at the same time: you will not know which change explains the outcome.
PrusaSlicer documentation distinguishes supports everywhere, supports from the build plate and enforced or blocked areas. It describes support interfaces and contact Z distance as separate settings. These features support planning; they do not guarantee a surface finish.
Inspect the preview in five passes
- Check the first layer: do the part and support bases start where intended?
- Inspect layers where overhangs first appear.
- Locate every support/part interface, especially under functional surfaces.
- Examine narrow passages and consider real removal using permitted methods.
- Compare material/time summaries with an unsupported version where that comparison makes geometric sense.
| Question | Preparation | Reason to stop |
|---|---|---|
| Support in a cavity? | Check removal access | Trapped support with no planned method |
| Supported functional face? | Record required finishing and inspection | Unevaluated tolerance conflict |
| Unsupported region? | Examine the relevant layers | Unexplained start in mid-air |
| New orientation? | Repeat the complete inspection | Reliance on an outdated preview |
Separate interface settings from the main support
Changing several parameters at once makes comparison difficult. Keep the initial project and duplicate it for a targeted change. Record the parameter name, unit and surface you hope to improve. A distance in millimetres is not read like a percentage.
No universal contact distance is recommended. Consider the material, profile and geometry. The FDM settings guide explains the wider context.
Estimate cost without confusing model and consumption
Use the post-slicing mass, including supports, in the cost calculator. Theoretical example: an extra 20 g at EUR 24.00/kg costs EUR 0.48 in filament, excluding electricity and labour. This does not predict removal time or success rate.
The file analyzer can read selected declared statistics in compatible G-code; an STL alone cannot provide this summary. Retain the project, orientation, profile and summary before starting. No support-printing tests performed by LayerBench3D are claimed.
Sources consulted
- Support material — Prusa Research
Accessed