Predefined Support

Identifies a support structure that was imported with your part geometry for Additive Manufacturing simulations. Supports are modelled as elements between the Build Geometry and the Base Plate Geometry.

Additional Related Information

Object Properties

The Details Pane properties for this object include the following.

Category	Properties/Options/Descriptions
Scope	Scoping Method: Options include Geometry Selection (default) and Named Selections. Geometry: Displays when the Scoping Method is set to Geometry Selection. Named Selection: Displays when the Scoping Method is set to Named Selection. Select a desired Named Selection from the drop-down menu.
Support Material Settings	Support Type: Options include User Defined (default) and Block. When you select the Block option, the following properties become the only visible properties. Wall Thickness: Enter a thickness value (illustrated by T length below). Wall Spacing: Enter a spacing value (illustrated by L length below). Multiplier Entry: Options include All (default) and Manual. Material Multiplier All Setting When the Multiplier Entry property is set to All, the Material Multiplier property displays. The Material Multiplier property applies the same value to all of the material multipliers listed below. The multiplication factors are homogenization factors and, in each direction, reflect the ratio of the support area projected onto the area of a fully solid support. Manual Setting When the Multiplier Entry property is set to Manual, the following multiplier properties display: Elastic Modulus Multiple in X/Y/Z Shear Modulus Multiple in XY/YZ/XZ Density Multiple Thermal Conductivity Multiple in X/Y/Z
Statistics	Volume: Read-only property that displays the volume of the added finite element body.

Category

Properties/Options/Descriptions

Scope

Scoping Method: Options include Geometry Selection (default) and Named Selections.

Geometry: Displays when the Scoping Method is set to Geometry Selection.

Named Selection: Displays when the Scoping Method is set to Named Selection. Select a desired Named Selection from the drop-down menu.

Support Material Settings

Support Type: Options include User Defined (default) and Block. When you select the Block option, the following properties become the only visible properties.

Wall Thickness: Enter a thickness value (illustrated by T length below).
Wall Spacing: Enter a spacing value (illustrated by L length below).

Multiplier Entry: Options include All (default) and Manual.

Material Multiplier

All Setting

When the Multiplier Entry property is set to All, the Material Multiplier property displays. The Material Multiplier property applies the same value to all of the material multipliers listed below. The multiplication factors are homogenization factors and, in each direction, reflect the ratio of the support area projected onto the area of a fully solid support.

Manual Setting

When the Multiplier Entry property is set to Manual, the following multiplier properties display:

Elastic Modulus Multiple in X/Y/Z
Shear Modulus Multiple in XY/YZ/XZ
Density Multiple
Thermal Conductivity Multiple in X/Y/Z

Statistics

Volume: Read-only property that displays the volume of the added finite element body.

Tree Dependencies

Valid Parent Tree Object: Support Group, which is under AM Process object.
Valid Child Tree Object: This object does not support any child objects.

Insertion Methods

Select the Support Group object and then select the Predefined option from the Supports group of the AM Process Context Tab.
Right-click the Support Group object and then select the Insert > Predefined Support.

Right-click Options

In addition to common right-click options, relevant right-click options for this object include:

Insert
Suppress/Unsuppress

API Reference

See the Predefined AM Support section of the ACT API Reference Guide for specific scripting information.