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3DGence Material Management System | version 1 | 03.2022
the filament (e.g. on a small hub) can make it difficult to use. Once opened, the filament is best stored in a dark, dry place with
a moisture absorber.
NOTE: Using materials outside of the 3DGence Certified Materials Database prevents you from using the SMM system.
Firmware
–
the 3D printer's internal software. It is responsible for interpreting commands contained in machine code (G code).
Its effect is the basic signals for heaters, motors and fans. It is responsible for the interpretation of accelerations, temperature
adjustment tables and many other factors. Well-tuned firmware is an essential part of a machine's calibration as it is
responsible for adjusting breakaways, acceleration and other key parameters for good performance.
Loss of steps
–
in abnormal operating conditions of the motor and the printer driver (e.g. too high temperature, mechanical
resistance) the motor steps may be lost. The symptoms can be seen by moving the print plane in the axis where the motor has
lost steps. The visual effects of this fault depend on the path in which the head moves relative to the table. To visualise this
better, let's assume that the printout is a cube and the printer has lost its steps halfway through the printout. The printed solid
would look as if it had been cut in half in the XY plane and glued together with a displacement.
HIPS (High-Impact Polystyrene)
–
polymer styrene. It is used in 3D printing mainly as a material for printing support structures
in ABS plastic. Soluble in d-limonene. It is characterised by high impact resistance and low elasticity.
Normal
–
a common name in 3D modelling for a vector normal to a plane. A normal vector is a vector perpendicular to a plane
or, in the case of other surfaces, perpendicular to a plane tangent to the surface at a given point. In 3D modelling, its turn
defines the interior and exterior of a solid. In most cases it is assumed that the normal correctly faces the outside of the solid.
Nylon (PA)
–
a group of polyamides developed by DuPont. Nowadays, they are also used to produce robust 3D printing
filaments. The main advantage of such prints is the high mechanical and chemical resistance, the possibility of processing and
colouring with knitting dyes. The prints are also characterised by a certain flexibility and resistance to tearing.
OBJ
–
a popular format of 3D files. It may contain an additional MTL (Material Template Library) file, which is irrelevant to FFF
printing, containing information about the material libraries defined for the model. OBJ files, in addition to geometry
description, vertex placement and normal turns, contain information about UV coordinates for textures. It is read by the
3DGence SLICER 4.0 software.
PLA
(polylactide, a polymer of lactic acid) - produced in industrial quantities using ecological methods. Cereals, e.g. maize meal
or bacterial cultures are the main sources of starting materials. It is the basic material for 3D printing in FFF technology. Low
cost, no thermal shrinkage, good adhesion to the work platform and a multitude of fill and colour variations make PLA the most
versatile and widely used filament. It gives off a faint, neutral odour during printing, emits no harmful substances and is fully
biodegradable. More fragile and susceptible to mechanical failure than ABS, making its use for functional prototypes of
mechanical devices limited.
Overhang
–
the characteristic shape in the printed model from the point of view of FFF printing. An overhang occurs where
the plane of the model forms an overhang above the work table or other part of the model. The 3DGence SLICER 4.0 software
recognises these surfaces and analyses the overhang angle relative to the work table. If the angle exceeds a limit angle defined
in the software, 3DGence SLICER 4.0 will automatically generate support structures under such a surface.
PVA
(polyvinyl alcohol)
–
water-soluble vinyl alcohol polymer. Water-soluble filaments are produced from it, making it ideal
for printing support structures in two-material printing. The actual model is printed from an insoluble material (usually PLA),
which allows it to be thoroughly cleaned in a water bath. Using an ultrasonic cleaner speeds up the process considerably.
Raft
–
a method to increase the adhesion of the print to the work table. A raft is a base (platform) thick in several alternating
layers that is generated by the slicer under the model. The raft is larger than the outline of the model which increases the
adhesion of the print to the table and also prevents the effects of thermal shrinkage (plastic-plastic bonding). The advantage
of the raft is its ability to level out any unevenness of the table. Raft also makes it easier to print models that do not contain a
flat surface to serve as a base. Brim, described earlier, and raft should not be used simultaneously.
Stepper motor
–
is an electric motor that has the ability to move by a strictly defined angle. This is made possible by the specific
positioning of pairs of electromagnets A and B around a metal pinion connected to the motor shaft. Stepper motors, due to
their ability to control the position very precisely, are the main drive of the 3DGence INDUSTRY F350 printer.
Skirt
–
an additional material printed at the very beginning of the print around the model at a distance of a few millimetres
from it. The skirt is not an integral part of the model. A function designed to initiate and stabilise the flow of plastic through
