Some nice ideas on better bridging
Originally shared by Nicholas Seward
Can you bridge like this?
I am working on a new bridging algorithm. Here are some manual prototypes. I am super excited by the results. More info here https://github.com/Ultimaker/CuraEngine/issues/50
Impressive. Can you show a picture of the bottom side of the curved cutouts?
Pulled up the original post. Thanks!
Theres no way my printer can do that without supports, planning on release the program anytime soon? It looks amazing
@Nicholas_Seward good grief man, that algorithm is great but probably requires a super well calibrated printer.
@Justin_Nesselrotte I used a Printrbot Play with out of the box settings. The secret to bridging seems to be “go slow”. I printed the layer in question at 10mm/s. I suspect results would improve if I went even slower.
I suspect this would do well on almost any printer. I still need to figure out how to avoid stitching misses. If you have a long move before a bridge, the ooze will cause a stitch miss. That should be easily solved by an extra amount of extrusion or just a short pause to let the nozzle melt nearby plastic.
@lightshadown There is no program yet. I just enumerated an algorithm that a program could use. I am hoping to integrate this into Cura but it is an open question as to whether this will fit into its workflow and meet the efficiency requirements. On a sidenote, I am seriously considering making a testbed slicing engine that is student friendly. I would like to allow my students a way to do quick experiments.
I am quite certain that your printer could do this. I would be glad to share the gcode if you want to give it a try.
@Nicholas_Seward if you are so kind to provide the gcode, i will try it, im using a Craftbot + ABS + buildtak + Glass,
also ill sugest, if you really manage to make something like this really work, any company will buy it from you, so good luck my friend, something like this will improve alot the 3d printing enviroment. cheers
@Nicholas_Seward I’d be very interested in testing out the code. I can modify a lot of printing parameters directly while printing on my printer that could provide some valuable feedback.
@Jeff_Parish @lightshadown I emailed the gcode. Let me know if it didn’t come through. This is my first time trying to email using nothing but a G+ username.
I received a notification and I was already logged in but I’m not sure where it went. Send me a Hangout request instead.
Wow! That is a cool print to watch when the spans form. Very nice approach to this problem.
Nice! I always thought getting faster helped for bridging. Thanks for the tip.
I still wonder and beeing amazed how long Strings of very thin Material can go. Usually we don’t want them so I got the idea to use them to build a spidernet Bridge first with these now wanted stringing an then build on top of that…
@Nicholas_Seward nope, nothing on my side, just a side note, i print abs 260c @ 85c heatbed (i use buildtak) 
put more details on what you are bridging
what is bridging
@Kelvin_T_Mtemeri if you print in the air, for example between two parts that are apart from each other. Since a 3D Printer can’t normally print in the air it is like building a bridge
@Kelvin_T_Mtemeri In the image you see the two parts in the orientation they were printed in. The spans and overhangs were “Bridged” meaning there was no support material under them. The printer is spanning between two supports in open air. With conventional bridging techniques you need to use straight spans. Since there is nothing to stick the strand to in between, floating open holes and curves are typically not possible. The fact the image above shows both is the magic of this new approach to bridging.
