3D printing support is essential to the successful design of your 3D printed part. Once 3D printing is complete, you need to remove these support structures from your printed model. Cults shows you how to do this.

There are different techniques for removing 3D printing supports. In order to get a quality printed part that is free of debris, find out here the techniques for removing unnecessary 3D printing support.

Manual removal of 3D printing support structures

This is the easiest technique to remove support material that is detrimental to your 3D printed model. All you need are your hands and small, sharp tools at hand to process your printed parts. To do this, you need to go through a few different steps.

Removing the print bed

Using a cutter or a thin blade, gently remove the print bed from your printed model.

Removing the media

Once the print bed is removed, it is easier to remove the support material from your 3D print. However, you must be careful not to damage your 3D printed part, as it becomes more fragile without the print bed. The best way to do this is to cut the support structures at the various contact points. The cutting pliers, which come with your 3D printer, are essential in this operation.

Removing imperfections

You now have your part, but with debris from the support structures and imperfections. To get better access to some parts, use your cutter or another smaller sharp tool and remove any remaining print supports.

Sanding

Once the excess print media is removed from your printed piece, you should already see its shape, but still look rough. To perfect your printed design, it is necessary to polish it. To do this, you can use ordinary files or sandpaper. If you choose the latter, first use low grit sandpaper (150). Then continue with higher grit sandpaper if necessary.

Regardless of the tool you use, you should do the sanding in small areas on your printed piece. Once filed, the part of your printed model becomes more fragile.

Finishing the part

After sanding, a layer of dust may still remain on your printed object. Use a soft cloth or microfiber cloth to remove it. You can also clean the dust layer with mineral oil. The advantage of this technique is that it instantly makes your printed design shine. However, be careful not to overuse the mineral oil. A few drops are more than enough.