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3D Printer Overview

Operations in Z-Print software

Justifying the Parts

• Once the file is imported, the parts need to be justified to the base (XY) plane. Select each part, right-click on it, and select justify>bottom. You may also access the justify controls through the Transform menu.

Clicking Transform -> Justify

Before justifying

After justifying

Note: Do not justify more than one part together to justify more than one part use 'justify group' option from transform menu.

Orienting the Part

• The parts can be oriented as wished in the Z-Print software. The commands like rotate, rotate group, translate help to orient the part as desired. The commands are located under transform menu.

Scaling Parts

• The parts can be scaled by selecting Transform>Scale.

Checking for the Continuity of Parts

• The parts must be checked for continuity. Any discontinuities in a model is visible in the form of a 'black area' once the part is imported into the Zprint software and this is due to non-agreeing normals in the model or if all the normals does not point outside the model. The printer will not print these 'black areas' and thus resulting in a part with compromised structural integrity. Viewing the model layer by layer will help detect any discontinuities. There are two different options available to view the model layer by layer - viewing them in 2D view and viewing them in 3D view. The thickness of each layer is 0.004 in.

Figure showing 'grey areas' in a model

• To view the layers in 2D view, select the '2D' button from the main menu. This view shows you how the part will be printed layer by layer in the machine. A layer is shown in black color and a discontinuity is shown in the form of a white patch in the layer. Press 'A' to move up through the geometry's layers, and 'Z' to move down.

• The layer number and the height are presented in the lower left-hand corner of the 2D screen. By dragging the yellow arrow in the XZ plane (below), you can quickly advance through the layers.

• To view the layers in 3D view, select the 'Display Layer in 3D view' button from the main menu. A layer is represented in the form of a blue water mark. A discontinuity in the watermark indicates a discontinuity in the part. The layers can be traversed using the layer up/down pointer shown above.

Figure showing a discontinuous water mark

Preparing Fixtures

• Fixtures are build to support the part is too fragile to support itself, or if it has overhangs and any geometry which will make it difficult to extract the part from the machine or hold the part.

• But there is an additional cost for building fixtures, and we always suggest changing the design if possible to avoid fixtures.

• For example breaking one single part into two which can be assembled after printing or if there is a long overhang (say a rod) extending out of the part which is making it difficult to handle, instead of using a fixture to safely print the part it is probably a good idea to print the part and the rod separately with a hole in the part for the rod so that they can be joined after they are printed.

Steps to make a fixture

• • Select part
  • Select make fixture under edit menu
  • Accept or override the values for clearance, top thickness, wall thickness, base grid height, wall grid, and accuracy coefficient.
  • A value of 2 for accuracy coefficient and clearance of 0.1 is good enough. Number of walls in x and y direction depends on the complexity and the size of the part. It is ok to keep the other values as they are.
  • Define area for fixture generation by moving the rectangular frame. Hold shift key down and drag to move the frame.
  • Check parameters and click 'OK'.

• Fixtures need not be generated throughout the whole part. It is acceptable to fixture only critical part.

• If the part has to be moved after the fixture is created use group transformation.

• Always check for collision after making the fixture to ensure that the fixture and the part do not intersect.