Design your own supports instead of slicing them
Slicer supports are generic, wasteful, and scar the surface. When a part genuinely needs support, model it into the part so you control exactly where it sits and how it breaks away.
Applies to
- Process
- FDM / filament
- When
- Steep overhangs & bridges that can’t be reoriented
- Goal
- Predictable support that snaps off clean
Why it matters
Slicer supports are decided by an algorithm, not by you — they over-build, waste filament and time, and leave a torn finish where they touch the part.
A modeled support is part of the CAD, so it lands exactly where you want, uses only the material you draw, and you tune the contact so it peels away without damaging the surface.
What good looks like
- First choice is always to reorient or redesign so no support is needed
- Where support is unavoidable, it’s a thin modeled feature you can see in CAD
- The contact point is a small, deliberate area that breaks cleanly
How to apply it
- Try to reorient the part or add a chamfer/fillet so the feature self-supports first.
- If you still need support, model a thin wall or web under the overhang.
- Neck the contact down and leave roughly one layer-height gap so it snaps off, not tears off.
- Slice with slicer supports OFF and confirm your modeled support does the job.
Why to model supports into the part instead of using slicer-generated supports — Stop Using Slicer Supports | Design for 3D Printing ↗.
Summarized and independently edited by Start Here. Starting values and cautions are our editorial notes, not a quotation from the creator.