Importing Assemblies / Support Structures into Slic3r?

I'm currently setting up my RepRap for dual-extrusion with soluble support material, but I'm a bit stumped on the software side of things.

To have maximum control of my support structures, I would like to create them at the STL-level, most likely using Magics software by Materialise. I would then export the part(s) and the supports as seperate STL's. When importing the parts and supports into Slic3r however, they would need to retain their original position in relation to the origin, and the supported surfaces would need to remain coincident with the supports (This is the common practice with Stereolithography supports). However, It seems that Slic3r may be incapable of importing the files without doing it's weird auto-placement and messing with the original orientation. Saving the my supported platform as a single STL (or this AMF nonsense) isn't an option either, since the supports will need to be assigned to the second extruder, and I would most likely change the speed / acceleration parameters for the supports as well. In Slic3r's preferenences, ther is an "auto-center" parameter, but whether this is selected or not, my stl's still end up getting moved from their original position.

Has anybody found a workaround for this issue, or would I be better off looking into a different Slic3r to get this kind of functionality?

the Super Noob Authority advice post warning

Support structures? Slicer can support an entire model which is practical for building any shape... they use less plastic i think thank the main object.

If you attach your supports straight to the main structure with small scaffolds of material, then it should be fine and you can skim them off with a hot knife afterwards. why arent the supports attached to the structure?

I am not sure, but I think Cura might help you further. Never worked with support structures from a 2nd extruder though. In Cura it is very easy to rotate the object in every axis, the support cannot be moved manually but you can rotate the object quite easily and the supports will be recalculated after each move.

At my academy they use the makerbot software, I've seen they can manually place things like brims or 'feet' that allow objects to stick to the bed, maybe it's also possible to make support structures in certain places.

With Meshmixer I know you can also make advanced support structures, I've seen people work magic with meshmixer, however, this is pre-slice so it will output an STL that has support structures that will most likely be recognized as being one big piece.

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skynetprinter
Support structures? Slicer can support an entire model which is practical for building any shape

Although I love Slic3r for... well... slicing, its support generation features are fairly limited, and I'd hardly say they're suitable for any part.

Since I work with large-scale SLA printers for an additive anufacturing company, I have access to some pretty powerful support generation software that works at the STL level (Materialise E Stage), so I'd rather use that. With SLA, my workflow looks something like this:

1. Import all of my STL's to build into a Magics platform

2. Fix Files

3. Orient files in relation to the platform and eachother.

4. Run an automatic support generation procedure.

5. Manually add or remove supports as I see fit

6. Export all models and supports in STL format (with all files retaining their exact location in relation to the origin and eachother.

7. Import the oriented and supported models and supports into the SLA slicing program, and apply the appropriate build parameters to each stl.

This toolchain works beautifully, but it relies on the fact that the models and supports retain their correct placement through the process. I could also see this being extremely useful for printing multi-color overmolded parts. Currently, the Only way I could see accomplishing this with Slic3r would be to use the command line mode with something like the following:

slic3r -m  model.stl --load model_config.ini support.stl --load support_config.ini

model_config.ini and support_config.ini would contain the appropriate build parameters for their respective STL's. However, this seems a bit cumbersome, and I would be missing out on Slic3r's nice GUI.

I've started using Simplify3D which gives you control over editing support structures, and it also gives you much more process control, including precisely specifying the position and orientation of objects. It is real $$$, but it removes a lot of the frustrations I've had with Slic3r. That said, I still switch back to using Slic3r sometimes for a number of features (like hexagonal infill) that Simplify3D does not yet have.

It should be possible to do what you are trying to do in slic3r. From your original post I belive you have 2 or more STL,s one the main object and the others your self created support structures.

It sounds like from your description you are using the add button in slicer to load the STL files and slicer is auto arranging them on the build platform rather than overlaying them, this is because slic3r thinks they are separate objects. To get them to load as you want them to, add the first stl as normal then click on it and click the settings button in the top bar. This will open a new window, you will see two buttons here load part and load modifier. Click load part and pick your second stl it should now look as you want with the two parts overlayed. Slicer will still not know which of the two objects you want to be support. But you can modify each object in this screen to use whatever extruder etc... You like so just specify the extruder infill type etc on the obj you want to be used as your support.

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richokarl
It should be possible to do what you are trying to do in slic3r. From your original post I belive you have 2 or more STL,s one the main object and the others your self created support structures.

It sounds like from your description you are using the add button in slicer to load the STL files and slicer is auto arranging them on the build platform rather than overlaying them, this is because slic3r thinks they are separate objects. To get them to load as you want them to, add the first stl as normal then click on it and click the settings button in the top bar. This will open a new window, you will see two buttons here load part and load modifier. Click load part and pick your second stl it should now look as you want with the two parts overlayed. Slicer will still not know which of the two objects you want to be support. But you can modify each object in this screen to use whatever extruder etc... You like so just specify the extruder infill type etc on the obj you want to be used as your support.

That's precisely what I've been trying to accomplish! Thanks!

I was unaware that Slic3r had a concept of "Objects", which are further broken down into individual STL's, or "Parts". I can't wait to experient with all kinds of overmolds and soluble supports once I get dual-extrusion implemented.