Support structure for an object made by means of a rapid prototype production method

A support structure for supporting a three-dimensional object during additive manufacturing of the object with the support structure on a layer by layer basis on top of a platform, the support structure comprising:

• a support mesh for the object, the support mesh comprising a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of edges, the support mesh being configured to be positioned between the platform and at least a portion of the object not supported by an underlying layer in a direction perpendicular to the platform, wherein at least some of the plurality of edges comprise a plurality of vertical edges oriented perpendicular to the platform and a plurality of diagonal edges that form a plurality of quadrilaterals, wherein each of the plurality of quadrilaterals is formed by four diagonal edges of the plurality of diagonal edges that intersect at four nodes of the plurality of nodes and includes a vertical edge along a diagonal of the quadrilateral that intersects two of the four nodes;
• and
• a connection edge between the at least the portion of the object and a first node of the plurality of nodes of the support mesh, the connection edge being oriented downwardly from the at least the portion of the object toward the platform.