6. Self-supporting designs

One example of a self-supporting structure is self-supporting angle, which is an angle relative to the build plate where the part can support itself as it slowly grows out. But the lower the angle, the less it can support itself. The actual angle value can change depending on material and orientation, but the concept is the same. As the angle gets lower, surface roughness will worsen and finally, it will fail. A 45 degree angle tends to work best for maintaining consistent surface roughness and creating a build situation less likely to fail.