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Z Corporation Z810 System User Manual Download Page 98

Z 

Corporation 

       Z810 

System 

User 

Manual 

www.zcorp-users.com 

98

11.2  USING ZP250 POWDER 

 
zp250 powder is the newest powder system formulated for Z Corporation 3D Printers utilizing the 
Hewlett Packard print head technology -  the ZPrinter™ 310, Z

®

406, and Z810 3D Printers.  

Specifically formulated to have an open matrix to absorb infiltration resins, zp250 powder is an 
extremely versatile, composite-based powder used to fabricate models with plastic flexural 
properties which are ideal for snap fit applications.  It can be used as your sole powder to fulfill a 
number of application needs.  zp250 powder is best suited for monochrome parts. It is also 
recommended for parts that have a wall thickness that is greater than 0.06” (1.5 mm). 
 

11.2.1 MACHINE 

SETUP 

•

 

Remove all of the powder currently in the Z810 3D Printer (build piston, overflow bin).  
Consult the Z Corporation Service Department for documented instructions on changing 
a ZF8 Feeder from zp102 to zp250 powder. 

•

 

zb56 binder is the required binder system for zp250 powder. If you are not currently using 
zb56 binder, replace the current binder with zb56 binder then flush and purge the fluids 
system.   

•

 

Fill the ZF8 Feeder with zp250 powder.   

11.2.2 SOFTWARE 

SETUP 

•

 

ZPrint Software version 6.2 or higher should be used 
when printing with zp250 powder.  To check the 
version of ZPrint Software currently installed select 
“About Z Corporation Software” from the Help Menu.  
If ZPrint version 6.2 or higher is not installed contact 
the Z Corporation Service Department for an upgrade 
at 

[email protected]

.

 

•

 

You will also need firmware version 1.027 or higher. 
To check the firmware version you are currently using, 
choose the ‘Check Status’ option under the Service 
menu. 

 

•

 

Due to the nature of the open powder matrix of zp250 
powder, and its capacity to absorb Z-Snap or Z-Max 
epoxy infiltrant, the use of a fixture generated in ZPrint 
Software is recommended for parts with a wall thickness less than 0.375” (9.5mm) should 
be built with a fixture as well.  For a complete explanation of how to use the “Make 
Fixture” function in ZPrint Software refer to the ZPrint Software Manual.  Fixtures used as 
cradles for zp250 powder parts should be built with the following parameters:

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Clearance 

0.125” – 0.25” (3.175 – 6.35 mm) 

Top Surface Thickness 

0.1” – 0.25” (2.54 – 6.35 mm) 

Wall Thickness 

0.1” – 0.25” (2.54 – 6.35 mm) 

Distance Between Wall by X 

0.5” – 1.0” (12.7 – 25.4 mm) 

Distance Between Wall by Y 

0.5” – 1.0” (12.7 – 25.4 mm) 

Accuracy Coefficient 

High enough to avoid collisions between 
the part and the fixture 

Summary of Contents for Z810

Page 1: ...Z810 System User Manual January 2004 Copyright 2002 2004 Z Corporation Rev F Part Number 09505 Z 810 Color 3D Printer User Manual ...

Page 2: ...RRING THE PART TO THE DEPOWDERING UNIT 29 3 4 DEPOWDERING THE PART 30 3 5 TRANSFER TO OVEN 31 3 6 FINISH PART 31 3 7 USER TIPS 31 3 7 1 Set up and Post processing 31 3 7 1 1 Part Setup Orientation and Print Settings 31 3 7 1 2 Gross and Fine Depowdering 32 3 7 1 3 Oven Dry the Part 32 3 7 2 Part Infiltration 32 3 7 2 1 When Using Z Bond Resin 32 3 7 2 2 When Using a Z Snap or Z Max Epoxy 32 4 PREP...

Page 3: ...0 8 2 4 Curing Information 60 8 3 USING Z SNAP EPOXY 61 8 3 1 General Application Notes 61 8 3 2 Mixing Instructions 61 8 3 3 Curing Information 61 8 3 4 Clean Up 61 8 4 USING PARAPLAST X TRA WAX 62 8 4 1 Safety Precautions 62 8 4 2 General Application Notes 62 8 4 3 Curing Information 62 9 APPLICATIONS 63 9 1 GLUING MULTI PIECED PARTS 64 9 2 PAINTING PARTS 65 9 3 POLYESTER RESIN 66 9 4 ELECTROPLA...

Page 4: ...GE ZC3 WASH FLUID 103 12 2 FLUSH SYSTEM WITH DISTILLED WATER 105 12 3 CLEAN UNDER GANTRY 108 12 4 OIL SLOW AXIS RAIL 109 12 5 CLEAN FAN FILTER 109 12 6 CLEAN SPREADER ROLLER 110 12 7 CLEANING THE SQUEEGEE SQUIRTERS 111 12 8 BLEEDING AIR FROM THE FLUID SYSTEM 112 12 9 CLEAN POWDER SCREEN ON THE ZF8 POWDER FEEDER 113 12 10 EMPTY POWDER DRAWER ON THE ZD8 DEPOWDERING UNIT 113 13 Z810 SYSTEM DETAILS 11...

Page 5: ...D PRINTER TOP VIEW 13 FIGURE 6 Z810 3D PRINTER CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY 14 FIGURE 7 Z810 3D PRINTER SERVICE STATION 15 FIGURE 8 Z810 3D PRINTER CONNECTOR PANEL 16 FIGURE 9 Z810 3D PRINTER CONTROL PANEL 17 FIGURE 10 ZF8 POWDER FEEDER FRONT VIEW 18 FIGURE 11 ZF8 POWDER FEEDER REAR CONNECTOR PANEL 19 FIGURE 12 ZD8 DEPOWDERING UNIT 21 FIGURE 13 ZD8 AIR CURTAIN SELECTOR LEVER 22 FIGURE 14 ZD8 CONTROL PANEL 23...

Page 6: ...directly medical or other products that may require precise dimensions or tolerances to ensure the safe and effective operation of such products You agree to indemnify defend and hold Z Corporation and its officers directors and employees harmless from and against any and all claims losses damages costs and expenses resulting from any use of the Equipment other than for the production of early sta...

Page 7: ...Using ZPrint Software This section takes you through a few basics of how to set up your build in ZPrint Software also referred to as software For more details on the features available in the Software please refer to the ZPrint Software User Manual 6 Removing the Part This section will guide you through removing your part from the Printer and transferring it to the ZD8 Depowdering Unit 7 Depowderi...

Page 8: ...ter there is a build piston where the part is built see Figure 1 Also represented in the diagrams are the roller print heads build area and cleaning area The roller moves horizontally across the build area When beginning the 3D printing process the printer first spreads a layer of powder in the same thickness as the cross section to be printed The print heads then apply a binder solution to the po...

Page 9: ... infiltrants can be found in Section 8 Infiltrants There are several important issues to consider when preparing a build that will help you print the best parts for your intended purpose Part Placement The ZPrint Software will place the parts within the build box to maximize build speed the most important criteria for the majority of our users The ZPrint Software positions the parts with the small...

Page 10: ...nds on the materials you choose and the offset and scaling factors used You can employ the anisotropic scaling feature in the software to adjust for expected shrinkage and bring your parts into true scale More information on anisotropic scaling factors can be found in Section 5 3 1 1 Anisotropic Scaling Values z axis x axis y axis Strongest Less Strong Strong ...

Page 11: ... Air Clean dry air dew point 40o F 4o C or below Air Fitting Industrial quick disconnect or other quick disconnect with inch NPTM pipe thread Dimensions 46 5 inches 1 18 meters deep x 64 5 inches 1 64 meters wide x 54 5 inches 1 38 meters tall with top cover closed 111 inches 2 82 meters tall with top cover open PLEASE NOTE Left to right width dimensions are not additive for the System because the...

Page 12: ...ash Fluid Container Overflow Vacuum Receptacle Overflow Chute Electronics Enclosure Pump Enclosure Waste Container Clear Binder Container Color Binder Container Cyan Magenta Yellow Control Panel Top Cover Handle ZF8 Powder Feeder Power Switch Figure 4 Z810 3D Printer Front View ...

Page 13: ...vice 781 852 5050 887 88 ZCORP 13 Carriage Print Heads Removable Build Pallet Spread Roller Overflow Chute Service Station Print Head Spit Area Top Deck Gantry Moves along the slow axis Printer Assembly Rests on the Gantry Figure 5 Z810 3D Printer Top View ...

Page 14: ...orp users com 14 2 1 1 1 Z810 Carriage Assembly Carriage Cover Carriage Cover Latch Note One is located in the back of the carriage not shown Print Heads Numbered from 0 5 from front to back 0 1 2 3 4 5 Figure 6 Z810 3D Printer Carriage Assembly ...

Page 15: ...Manual Z Corporation Z Corporation Service 781 852 5050 887 88 ZCORP 15 2 1 1 2 Z810 Service Station Print Head Spit Area Wash Fluid Spray Nozzle Squeegees Print Head Parking Cap Figure 7 Z810 3D Printer Service Station ...

Page 16: ...rial Cable Connector provided Diagnostic Video Connector No connector provided Serial Input Connection Connector provided Network Connection Connector provided Diagnostic Keyboard Connector No connector provided Circuit Breaker Power Entry Module Air Connector Connecting hose provided Detailed Diagram Figure 8 Z810 3D Printer Connector Panel ...

Page 17: ...gantry from left to right allowing the user to spread powder over the build piston F i l l B e d Prepares build a r e a f o r p r i n t i n g b y s p r e a d i n g powder over the build area Load Unload Lifts build piston to allow for pallet placement and removal Build Up Down Buttons Allows the user to raise or lower the build piston Briefly pressing this button raises or lowers one layer thickne...

Page 18: ...The vacuum hose connects to these receptacles to allow for loading powder from container vacuuming up powder from the build area em ptying the overflow chute and emptying the ZD8 Powder Drawer Access Panel Allows a c c e s s t o t h e Z F 8 Screen which screens o u t p o w d e r c h u n k s from being deposited into the powder V a c u u m H o s e a n d A t t a c h m e n t S t o r a g e Holds vacuu...

Page 19: ...on Service 781 852 5050 887 88 ZCORP 19 2 1 2 1 ZF8 Rear Connector Panel Air Connector Connecting Hose provided Power Input Connector provided Power Switch Powder Feeder Serial Cable Connector provided Figure 11 ZF8 Powder Feeder Rear Connector Panel ...

Page 20: ...380 400 VAC 50Hz 5 3A IEC 60309 2 Plug Red 6h 16A 3p N E Plug Compressed Air Clean dry air dew point 40o F 4o C or below Air Fitting Industrial quick disconnect or other quick disconnect with inch NPTM pipe thread Requires a NPTM mate Dimensions 46 inches 1 17 meters deep x 40 inches 1 02 meters wide x 105 inches 2 67 meters tall Ceiling clearance of 120 inches 3 meters is needed to upright the De...

Page 21: ... reduce airbourne powder particles Tracks Allows for pallet trans f er from cart Control Panel Allows for ZD8 C o n t r o l a n d indicates self cleaning status Powder Drawer Collects loose powder Powder Drawer Handles Allows for easy pull out and mobilization of powder drawer B l o w O f f H o s e a n d N o z z l e s Located inside the depowderer Allows f o r r e m o v a l o f powder from part Fi...

Page 22: ...de of the machine The air curtain is useful for preventing the escape of powder particles and helping the window stay clean Stronger air curtains more effectively prevent powder jets reflected off the part from escaping the booth However since the air curtain recycles air within the machine a strong air curtain reduces the amount of net fresh airflow and allows for less visibility While the air cu...

Page 23: ... position Position Symbol Mode Left Powder Drawer Release Middle Stand by Right Power On Light Push Button The light push button serves two functions 1 Briefly pressing the push button will toggle the lights in the workspace On Off This feature is only available when the ZD8 Depowdering Unit is in Stand by mode 2 By pressing and holding the push button until the lamp goes on the user can initiate ...

Page 24: ...dle slide it all the way forward until it reaches the stop on the track Then lift the handle to a comfortable walking height Once the handle is deployed is can be used to tow push and maneuver the Powder Drawer to and from the emptying location The handle is returned to its stored position by pivoting the handle down to the floor and then sliding it back under the Powder Drawer For information on ...

Page 25: ...50 60 Hz For more information contact your Z Corp Sales representative For information on how to transfer parts from the ZD8 Cart to the Oven please see Section 7 Depowdering the Part PLEASE NOTE Mold preparation and metal pouring requires adequate ventilation to ensure that exposures to dust particulates fumes and vapors are controlled below occupational exposure limits Ventilation designs need t...

Page 26: ...oration Z810 System User Manual www zcorp users com 26 3 QUICK START GUIDE Here is a quick guide to printing a part in the Z810 3D Printer 3 1 PRINTER PREPARATION 1 Clean the top deck 2 Clean service station ...

Page 27: ... Z Corporation Z Corporation Service 781 852 5050 887 88 ZCORP 27 3 Spread powder over the build area 4 Empty powder overflow chute 5 Check fluid levels of binder and wash fluid Fill or replace if needed Empty waste container ...

Page 28: ...810 System User Manual www zcorp users com 28 3 2 SETTING UP THE BUILD 1 Set up the build on the ZPrint Software 2 Check 3D Print Setup for build settings and edit as needed 3 Press 3D Print to begin printing process ...

Page 29: ...ANSFERRING THE PART TO THE DEPOWDERING UNIT 1 Gross depowder the part in the printer leaving the powder underneath to support the model 2 Transfer build pallet to cart using track system 3 Transfer build pallet to depowdering unit 4 Turn depowdering unit on and leave part in the depowderer to dry ...

Page 30: ...zcorp users com 30 3 4 DEPOWDERING THE PART 1 Turn air gun on and adjust air pressure 2 Depowder part Leave supporting powder underneath plaster parts Depowder starch parts completely 3 Remove part from depowdering unit 4 Clean depowdering unit ...

Page 31: ...ed by unprinted powder the chances of breaking that small feature during depowdering is greatly increased When building delicate parts use the Fixture function to cradle the part Raising the part 0 25 6 4 mm from the bottom of the build and creating a fixture under the part will produce a cradle that can be handled The part inside the cradle can easily be transported to an oven or the depowderer D...

Page 32: ...rength when dried Placing the part in an oven at temperatures less than 200 F 93o C for 2 4 hours will increase the strength of the part This is only recommended for plaster based powders 3 7 2 PART INFILTRATION 3 7 2 1 When Using Z BondTM Resin Always infiltrate the most delicate features of the part first Z Bond resin gives almost immediate strength to the area of the part that has been infiltra...

Page 33: ...he pallet holes with the pegs Press the Online button to return build piston to printing position 4 2 CLEANING THE SERVICE STATION 1 Put the printer online Unpark the carriage through the software by choosing the Unpark option under the 810Service menu Open the top cover Once the service station is exposed remove the cover plate then use the wash bottle and nylon brush provided to remove any debri...

Page 34: ...how to assemble the grease gun please refer to the instructions on the grease gun packaging Push the grease gun onto the Zerk fitting and compress the lever on the grease gun once to inject grease Then pull the grease gun off the fitting It may be harder to remove the grease gun than to insert it You will need to lower the build piston unpark the carriage and move the carriage and gantry by hand o...

Page 35: ... snowplows are located near the back and front of the gantry at the outer edges of the spead roller There are two wicks found on each snowplow Place a few drops of oil into each wick 4 4 2 SLOW AXIS PATH Place oil on a paper towel and wipe the slow axis path on the deck Close top cover and repark by clicking OK on the software ...

Page 36: ...u The vacuum and vibrator located on the overflow chute will operate automatically 4 The vacuum and vibrator will stop when the overflow chute is empty To reduce airborne powder particles turn on the vacuum and remove the vacuum hose from both the overflow chute vacuum receptacle and feeder vacuum receptacle Then turn off the vacuum Vacuum Hose Feeder Vacuum Receptacle Overflow Chute Vacuum Recept...

Page 37: ... into powder feeder vacuum receptacle 3 Vacuum powder from powder container 4 The powder feeder vacuum will shut down when it is full Technical Tip Use a nozzle or vacuum at an angle when filling the powder feeder This will promote airflow through the vacuum hose PLEASE NOTE Never add powder from container until all powder has been vacuumed out of the build area and overflow chute has been emptied...

Page 38: ...h binder 3 Replace cap PLEASE NOTE Binder level sensors will indicate via the software when the binder level is low For color binder the sensors will indicate a low level when it reaches one liter of fluid For clear binder the sensors will indicate a low level when it reaches six liters of fluid These amounts are enough to complete a large build The warning will appear before the printer begins a ...

Page 39: ...4 8 2 CHECK WASTE CONTAINER The waste bottle should be emptied before each build To empty the waste container 1 Unscrew cap 2 Place paper towel around the float sensor located at the bottom of the binder cap to prevent drips 3 Remove bottle 4 Empty out waste fluid 5 Replace waste container ...

Page 40: ...NTAINER Over time zc3 wash fluid will evaporate or become contaminated with powder and will need to be replaced If the fluid level has reached 1 2 of the container it will need to be replaced For more information regarding replacing zc3 wash fluid see Section 12 1 Change zc3 Wash Fluid ...

Page 41: ...file will be brought into the software and sliced If you would like to open additional files choose the Import option under the File menu 5 2 ORIENTING THE PART We recommend that only one level of parts be printed All parts should be seated on the build pallet Place parts in the center of the build pallet by choosing either Justify or Justify Group under the Transform menu and select center justif...

Page 42: ... parallel to the z axis For example if you were to print a bottle the bottle would best be printed standing up with the mouth of the bottle facing the top of the printer 2 5 4 0 5 3 CHECKING BUILD SETTINGS ALWAYS check build settings before printing 1 Choose the 3D Print Setup option from the File menu or toolbar 2 Check that the selected printer powder type and powder settings for the build are c...

Page 43: ...ain new anisotropic scaling factors that are part specific print the part with scaling factors of one 1 in all axes Once the part is completed post process the part Measure the x y and z axes Divide the nominal value by the measured value For example if the printed part had a nominal value of 1 and had a measured value of 0 98 the scaling value would be 1 02 After calculating the anisotropic scali...

Page 44: ...ave lower shell saturation than a thin walled part Core saturation is dependent on the wall thickness of the part The thinner the wall thickness the higher the core saturation the thicker the wall thickness the lower the core saturation 3 ZCast Material System The shell and core saturation values for the ZCast material system are generally constant values meaning that there is only one value for a...

Page 45: ... Print Setup under the File menu or click on the icon located on the taskbar After all build settings have been confirmed 1 Choose 3D Print under the File menu 2 A dialog box will appear asking that powder and fluid levels be checked 3 Press OK to confirm that these have been checked to begin the build Once the build has begun a dialog box will appear reporting the status of the build Figure 17 Pr...

Page 46: ... powder Leaving the part in the build area for a longer time period may cause caking of the part Caking is characterized by adhesion of loose powder onto the printed part ZCast Material System 60 minutes or more Technical Tip To control the amount of time that starch parts sit in the build area use the print time delay feature in the ZPrint Software This will allow you to start your build at a lat...

Page 47: ...ING Gross depowdering is the initial removal of excess powder from the build 1 Put printer Offline 2 Turn on the vacuum 3 Insert the vacuum hose into a vacuum receptacle in the powder feeder and turn on the vacuum 4 Lift the top cover of the printer to gain access to the build area 5 Vacuum off the top deck ...

Page 48: ...build area to the inside 8 Raise the build piston as needed for easier access to the part Technical Tips Place the vacuum nozzle at an angle to facilitate airflow into the powder feeder and improve suction control Use the vacuum attachments to control suction and for ease of vacuuming powder in tight areas Use the second vacuum receptacle located in the back of the powder feeder to access the rear...

Page 49: ... surfaces 10 Carefully vacuum around the part to remove as much powder as possible 6 3 TRANSFERING THE PARTS TO THE DEPOWDERING STATION 1 Put printer offline Press the Load Unload button on the control panel to raise the build pallet Build Pallet Lifted Technical Tip Leave enough powder around the part to cradle the part during build pallet transfer ...

Page 50: ...p users com 50 2 Vacuum off any surrounding powder 3 Place the tracks on each side of build pallet Tracks 4 Secure the tracks to the top deck by interlocking the j shaped slots with the track pegs Peg for Cart Track Peg for Side Track Vacuum Nozzle ...

Page 51: ...2 5050 887 88 ZCORP 51 5 Place ZD8 Cart in front of printer and attach tracks from cart to top deck Cart Tracks Build Pallet 6 Press Online on the control panel to lower build pallet 7 Push or pull pallet onto cart Remove tracks and replace in storage position on cart ...

Page 52: ...ring unit 13 Detach tracks from turntable and move cart to a convenient storage location Track on ZD8 Depowdering Unit Track on Cart 14 Turn depowdering unit on and leave parts to dry for 45 60 minutes The circulating air will allow the parts to dry before depowdering the part PLEASE NOTE If the depowdering unit is on and the warning lamp is illuminated turn the machine off This will allow the dep...

Page 53: ...ing of the part 1 3 2 4 5 6 1 Wide Blade Utility Scraper This tool can be used for moving powder within the build chamber for quick removal of powder or top surface into the feed chamber 2 Polypropylene Scraper This tool can also be used for moving powder within the build chamber for quick removal of powder or top surface into the feed chamber It is thinner than the Wide Blade Utility Scraper and ...

Page 54: ... very stiff bristles which are useful for scrubbing caked powder out of tight areas of a part The brush is also very helpful when removing fringing from color part surfaces 5 Stiff Handle Brush This tool serves the same purpose as the Stiff Detailing Brush but is slightly larger and is more useful when working with a larger surface area 6 Soft Acid Brush This part can also be used to remove caked ...

Page 55: ...the nozzle 2 To connect a nozzle press the plug end of the nozzle into the quick disconnect socket until it clicks 3 Turn air gun on by opening the 1 4 turn valve at the end of the coiled blow off hose The valve is open when the thumb lever is in alignment with the valve body and closed when the thumb lever is perpendicular to the valve body Valve parallel with valve body Air flow is on in this po...

Page 56: ... 12 hours Drying times will depend on the volume and surface area of the part s and oven temperature The parts need to dry in an oven with a constant air temperature of 400o F 204o C If you would like to reduce drying time hollow Material System Drying Temperature Plaster 130o F 54o C Starch 100o F 38o C ZCast 400o F 200o C WARNING Mold preparation and metal pouring requires adequate ventilation t...

Page 57: ...more information refer to the ZCast Design Guide located in the appendix of this manual or found on the User Group Website at www zcorp users com Industrial Hygienists Industrial Ventilation Manual 8 Remove part from oven and complete depowdering for plaster and ZCast parts only 9 Remove part from depowdering unit 10 Clean depowdering unit by using the external vacuum to remove any debris ...

Page 58: ...n the next chapter Applications 8 1 USING Z MAXTM EPOXY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Wear lab coat gloves we recommend PVC Examination Gloves face shield or goggles Face shield is required if spraying Apply in ventilated hood Use specialized containers recommended for dispensing and application A system for avoiding spills includes Catch pan waxed paper or plastic drop cloth Label disposal materials Wear du...

Page 59: ...nd clean sprayer with ethyl alcohol or acetone Remove the tip and thoroughly clean by hand to avoid resin build up Cleanup takes approximately 15 minutes CURING INFORMATION Allow the part to cure for 1 hour at ambient temperature to avoid outgasing of part which can result in bubbling on the top surface of the part The resin can be cured at an accelerated rate in an oven The oven must be vented Ve...

Page 60: ...l heat up the part and produce gas that may be an irritant to the mucous membranes Material can be brushed dripped or sprayed Material will penetrate between 0 8 0 12 inches 2 3 mm Do not over apply the material as it will pool off the part during cure cycle 8 2 3 SPRAYING INSTRUCTIONS Always spray in a vented hood While wearing all protective equipment insert the spray trigger nozzle into bottle ...

Page 61: ...tic non porous container mix Z Snap Resin to Hardener in a 2 1 ratio by volume 100 47 by weight Mix the two parts thoroughly for 2 minutes stirring in a figure eight pattern being sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the container The material has a working time of 85 minutes in a 450 gram mass at room temperature Mix only what you need Please be aware that the mixed solution will increase to a ...

Page 62: ...ES Parts should be dried in an oven at 100 F 38 C prior to infiltrating with wax for deeper wax penetration If the part is bulky you may preheat it at 150 F 66 C for up to 30 minutes Soak part in the liquid wax tank follow all tank manufacturer s instructions Remove infiltrated part from dip tank Place part in an oven at 150 F 66 C until the wax has penetrated or melted off your part usually aroun...

Page 63: ...Z810 System User Manual Z Corporation Z Corporation Service 781 852 5050 887 88 ZCORP 63 9 APPLICATIONS ...

Page 64: ...can be made easier with a small air powered glass air etching sanding kit 3 Glue seams use of clamps can assist in the bonding process 4 Sand the seams after they have cured to blend and smooth the edges You may also fill the seams with loose powder 5 Priming filling and sanding before painting are critical steps in the process Achieving the best results sometimes requires application of two coats...

Page 65: ...er thinner This thins the mixture and retards the hardening process For example if you were to make 150 grams of the mixture take 50 grams of part A 50 grams of part B and 50 grams of lacquer thinner BCC products can be found at http www bccproducts com p3 html 4 Infiltrate with one coat of BCC Proto Kast urethane mixture by dipping dripping or brushing 5 Apply 10 light coats of Sher wood sanding ...

Page 66: ...ine grade thixotropic low viscosity polyester resin This resin is widely available at hardware stores and industrial supply centers Some common manufacturers are Evercoat Fibre Glast and or FiberLay Materials Required Polyester resin and catalyst Plastic container for resin Disposable brushes Fiberglass mat optional Kevlar E S glass mat CA or equivalent glue for joining assemblies Personal Protect...

Page 67: ... the entire part including the wire with a conductive paint There are a variety of conductive paints on the market such as Agri Systems Non Stick Graphite Paint or Dalmar Easyplate Copper Conductive Paint 6 The conductive coating is critical to good plating Spray all parts well and evenly Do not leave any surface un coated Be especially careful of where the part is held while you spray it Do a sec...

Page 68: ...pped from all directions to give a near continuous pattern on every surface of a part There is some equipment to purchase and set up to be able to perform this printing process in house however there are several service bureaus that will dip parts for a fee Any image can be transferred to the object however standard patterns and color combinations prevail at most service bureaus The process is als...

Page 69: ...ng The ink is sprayed with an activating material so that it becomes adhesive After spraying with activator the ink must sit for 3 minutes Transferring The parts are dipped into the water through the layer of liquefied ink The image is pressed to the parts evenly by the pressure of the water If there are several parts to be dipped they are mounted to a fixture and dipped simultaneously Washing and...

Page 70: ...varnishing the parts protective clothing such as breathing masks and gloves Suppliers Service Bureaus There are a limited number of companies that provide this service Below is a list of websites for several service bureaus and manufacturers around the world Many of these companies were found with an Internet search they have not all been qualified Dips n Pieces Located in Germany They manufacture...

Page 71: ... a standard wax pattern in the investment casting process The parts burn out well and do not have any expansion problems that would lead to shell cracking Investment casting of Z Corporation parts is a good way to get a final prototype or a near net shape part made of the specific alloy your application requires It can also be used for short run production when time is extremely important 25 of Z ...

Page 72: ...10 minutes before being put in the firing oven The autoclave should be 380o F 193o C and 130 psi 9 bars The pattern should then be put in the burnout oven Note this process has been omitted by some users to their satisfaction Patterns infiltrated with resin should skip the autoclave process and go directly to the burnout oven 3 Z Corporation patterns should be burned out at 1750 1800o F 954 982o C...

Page 73: ...tions 1 Material should be mixed well at an exact 1 1 ratio 2 Apply generously For thin parts use a brush or syringe Thicker parts can be dipped 3 If the material soaks completely into the part within a minute apply another coat Multiple thin coats of elastomer will enable the part to be best infiltrated 4 A vacuum chamber will help the material to soak deeper into the part but is not required 5 E...

Page 74: ...ion in the majority of forming applications Manufacturers can use all types of thermoplastic materials PVC polystyrenes polyesters acrylics etc in this process Making light gauge plastic less than 0 060 thermoforming molds for prototype parts is an ideal use for Z Corporation 3D Printers and plaster powder For more information regarding the process and the industry check out SPI s website www plas...

Page 75: ...arks in the part to act as guides for drilling but the process will require the use of a mechanical drill to fully incorporate the hole into the mold Drill diameters should be the same as used when creating molds from aluminum or other non permeable materials 4 Drying the molds will need approximately four hours minimum of drying time at 150o F 66o C to maintain a usable strength 5 It is often use...

Page 76: ...themoplastics Cast prototypes will have the look and feel of a production piece Additional Resources for the Novice Mold Maker www build stuff com 002book htm www bare metal com articles gremlins_how_to htm www smooth on com moldmaking htm www eagerplastics com intro htm www theminiaturespage com ref fgmolds html www micromark com part_mold html The quality of the pattern directly affects the qual...

Page 77: ... listed below Note that it is only necessary to follow these steps to achieve the appearance of an injected molded part with an ultra smooth finish Instructions 1 Remove post process and infiltrate the printed part from the Z Corporation 3D Printer Infiltration with cyanoacrylate or epoxy is recommended The use of wax is not recommended because the part will not accept a primer later in the finish...

Page 78: ...tern may require numerous vents The master pattern usually has the gate mounted to the highest feature and is almost always oriented in a manner such that air rising up through the mold will not be trapped If the pattern cannot be oriented to prevent trapping air additional vents will need to be added to allow the air to escape Gates and vents are usually attached permanently to the pattern using ...

Page 79: ...rs of Molding Silicone Hapco www hapcoweb com Dow Corning www dowcorning com General Electric www gesilicones com Innovative Polymers www innovative polymers com US Composites www shopmaninc com moldmaking html Ebalta www ebalta de Building the Mold Box The purpose of a mold box is to contain the silicone rubber after it is poured over and around a master pattern until the silicone turns to a soli...

Page 80: ...imately 3 times the volume of the mixed silicone Once the de gassing is complete pour the silicone mixture slowly into the mold box letting it run smoothly around the pattern Take your time to decrease the chance of air being trapped anywhere Best practice is to de gas the mold after the silicone has been poured to remove any air that was introduced Manufacturers of Vacuum Chambers and Casting Sys...

Page 81: ...scale applications Automated meter mix dispense equipment is usually used by small production facilities The use of hand pumping static mix dispensers is not recommended as they tend to produce off ratio mixtures Placing the mold in pressure pot after material has been cast into it to minimize any bubbles present is a common practice This will reduce the effects trapped air will have on the final ...

Page 82: ...on 2 Clean top deck 3 Repark the carriage by clicking OK on the dialog box 4 The printer should be online From the Service menu select Change Print Heads 5 Press the Start dialog box button to begin the process The front panel lights will flash rapidly and the gantry and print heads will move into position 6 Wait for the printer to finish moving and the front panel lights to begin blinking This in...

Page 83: ...erting new print head clean the contacts with an alcohol crush swab Z Corp part number 12073 11 Remove the print head from the packaging Remove plastic covering from the print head 12 Insert the new print head and push down firmly on top to make sure the print head is seated securely in the carriage Repeat for all print heads PLEASE NOTE All print heads are to be changed at the same time to ensure...

Page 84: ...www zcorp users com 84 13 Replace the carriage cover and tighten the clamps in the front and back of the carriage Press the Online button once to complete the process or click Done in the software The print heads will now need to be aligned ...

Page 85: ...Make sure there are no air pockets between the paper and the plate 2 Bring the build piston to the top open the top cover and place the alignment plate in the build area to the right and rear of the build area PLEASE NOTE After every print head change you must perform the alignment procedure Technical Tips When the alignment plate is too low on the build pallet the pattern will become blurred To p...

Page 86: ... Alignment option under the 810Service menu 5 Click on Print Test Pattern in the alignment dialog box It will take a minute to initialize the printer send the pattern and print 6 For each print head to be aligned there are two numbers to be chosen To do this look at the alignment pattern and decide which pattern looks best ...

Page 87: ...ow axis Notice how the lines are centered for the 0 choice These reticules are for the fast axis Notice how the lines are centered for the 0 choice This area warms up the print heads to get them printing evenly It does not factor into the alignment In this pattern a properly aligned set has four longer lines with three shorter lines centered between them Print head 0 is the reference print heads 1...

Page 88: ...s reticule The three short lines are interleaved with the long lines Fast axis to the right Slow axis too low Good slow axis reticule The three short lines are interleaved with the long lines Slow axis too high Examples of problem reticules The top short line is above the long lines The three short lines should be between the long lines Here the lines are overlapping instead of interleaved ...

Page 89: ...umbers for the best aligned pattern in each row into the corresponding boxes fast and slow axis F1 Head 1 Fast S1 Head 1 Slow F2 Head 2 Fast S2 Head 2 Slow F3 Head 3 Fast S3 Head 3 Slow F4 Head 4 Fast S4 Head 4 Slow F5 Head 5 Fast S5 Head 5 Slow Technical Tip If you have printed problem reticules and are not able to choose the best aligned pattern choose Set Defaults under the Edit Alignment optio...

Page 90: ...ine up at 0 13 Look at target drawings to confirm alignment of print heads All bull s eyes are centered All targets are evenly spaced 14 Purge print heads after alignment process with binder This will clear print heads of black ink and fill them will clear binder The process should take about 10 minutes The LCD will display Online when the printer has completed the purge process Technical Tip If y...

Page 91: ...of any HP ink residue as described in Section 4 2 Cleaning the Service Station Clean the deck and fast axis rails Oil the fast axis rails Technical Tip The first 50 layers of your part will have a tint of black HP ink You may place a flat brick such as the purge brick build 810purge stl under Sample files under your part to purge all black ink before printing your part ...

Page 92: ...t these hardware changes have been made before proceeding For information on how to design a ZCast mold read the ZCast Design Guide which can be found at the appendix of this manual or in the Applications section of the User Group Website at www zcorp users com To change material systems on the Z810 3D Printer use the following procedure 1 Remove all powder from the top deck and under the build pl...

Page 93: ...he 810Service menu in the ZPrint Software 5 Flush binder for two minutes if you have changed binder supply by choosing the Flush Binder option under the Service menu 6 Purge the print heads by selecting the Purge Print heads option under the 810Service menu 7 IF USING ZCAST POWDER remove scraper assembly by using the 0 25 nut driver tool IF USING STARCH OR PLASTER POWDER make sure scraper assembly...

Page 94: ...zcorp users com 94 8 Change ZF8 Powder Feeders with the desired powder system 9 Fill ZF8 Feeder with desired powder if necessary 10 Use the Fill Bed option under the 810Service menu to spread powder 11 Set up build in ZPrint Software and print ...

Page 95: ...52 5005 or via email at applications zcorp com 11 1 2 USING ZCAST ON YOUR Z810 3D PRINTER Before using ZCast on your Z810 3D Printer you will need to upgrade to metal snowplows remove the scraper blade and change powder feeders Metal Snowplows The ZCast upgrade kit for the Z810 Printer includes the permanent installation of snowplows designed specifically for the ZCast material set This is a field...

Page 96: ...ftware User Manual For more information please refer to the ZCast Direct Metal Casting Design Guide 11 1 5 POST PROCESSING ZCAST PARTS Remove and depowder the part as described in Chapter 6 Removing the Part ZCast parts require no infiltration However ZCast molds must be thoroughly baked in a vented oven at sufficient temperatures to burn out organic materials Additionally the user may apply a cor...

Page 97: ...wder can be recycled Recycle only powder that is unprinted and free of moisture as bonded or printed material will degrade printing performance 11 1 8 STORAGE ZCast powder should be stored in a cool dry environment See container labels for additional information 11 1 9 DISPOSAL ZCast powder is a non toxic substance Please consult the Material Safety Data Sheet for product details Dispose of ZCast ...

Page 98: ...ll the ZF8 Feeder with zp250 powder 11 2 2 SOFTWARE SETUP ZPrint Software version 6 2 or higher should be used when printing with zp250 powder To check the version of ZPrint Software currently installed select About Z Corporation Software from the Help Menu If ZPrint version 6 2 or higher is not installed contact the Z Corporation Service Department for an upgrade at service zcorp com You will als...

Page 99: ... the Fixtures tab Enter the new values and click OK To create a fixture that completely cradles the entire part raise the part in the z axis at least 0 5 12 7 mm from the bottom of the build plate in the ZPrint Software If the part is not raised it will not be fully support by the fixture after depowdering Go to the 3D Print Setup window under the File Menu and select zp250 powder as the powder ty...

Page 100: ...t 150 F 66 C for at least 2 hours or longer depending on the mass volume of the part a If a fixture was used during the printing process it should be used as a cradle for the part during the infiltration and curing steps as well 2 Depowder the part and the fixture 3 Remove part from build plate and place on a clean surface Then separate the part from the fixture ...

Page 101: ...act with the fixture This is done to prevent the infiltrated part from adhering to the fixture during the infiltration process 5 Gently apply Z Snap or Z Max epoxy to the bottom surface of the part and carefully place the part back onto the fixture 6 Apply Z Snap or Z Max epoxy to the rest of the part Do not apply excess epoxy as pooling will occur Several thin coats are better than one thick coat...

Page 102: ...ing Z Max parts should be oven cured for an additional 2 hours at 160 F 71 C 10 Let the part sit for 30 minutes at room temperature to cool before handling 11 2 4 INFILTRATION ADDENDUM Parts with large unsupported overhangs that are difficult to manually handle without breaking should be left on the fixture Remove as much powder as possible from the top and side surfaces while the part is on the f...

Page 103: ...or as needed 7 Cleaning the Squeegee Squirters If squirters become clogged 8 Bleed Air If you run out of binder or air enters the fluid system ZF8 Powder Feeder 1 Clean Powder Screen Once a week or after vacuuming up small parts ZD8 Depowdering Unit 1 Empty Powder Drawer Once a week or as needed 12 1 CHANGE ZC3 WASH FLUID The zc3 wash fluid will need to be changed when the zc3 wash fluid becomes c...

Page 104: ...uid when unscrewing the filter Unscrew the filter 5 Remove screen and clean under running water 6 Fill container with fresh wash fluid 7 Replace screen and filter cap and replace filter 8 Replace wash fluid container PLEASE NOTE The screen will feel slimy Rinse off the screen with water until it no longer feels slimy ...

Page 105: ...ll only be used in monochrome mode for more than two weeks only place distilled water in the color binder containers and flush in color mode Then change to monochrome mode 1 Open cabinet door 2 Remove primary color binder containers using the quick disconnect Disconnect the float sensor and the fluid system Float Sensor Disconnect Pull to Release Fluid Disconnect Push Silver Button to Release 3 Op...

Page 106: ...the quick disconnect Fluid Disconnect Float Sensor Disconnect 7 Pull out clear binder container 8 Unscrew binder cap with connections 9 Place binder cap into distilled water PLEASE NOTE When removing the clear binder container tilt the binder container as shown to prevent damage to the fluid connections ...

Page 107: ...fluid lines for three minutes Press Online to complete flush process 13 Remove the sensor and fluid connections Remove the distilled water Replace the float sensor into the binder container and replace the clear binder container Close cabinet door 14 When ready to use the Z810 Printer replace the distilled water with Z Corp binder and flush fluid system for three minutes PLEASE NOTE The printer wi...

Page 108: ...layers to be dragged when printing It is also good practice to clean under the gantry to prevent powder and binder build up once a month 1 Lower build piston 50 down by pressing the Build Down button on the control panel 2 Unpark the gantry by choosing the Unpark option in the 810Service menu 3 Push the gantry over the build piston 4 Using a moist paper towel wipe underneath the gantry ...

Page 109: ... control panel to distribute oil evenly along the slow axis rails 7 Repeat steps 1 6 12 5 CLEAN FAN FILTER The fan filter is located on the left side of the electronics panel It circulates and filters air into the electronics area The filter should be cleaned once a month 1 Turn off the printer 2 Open the front left cabinet door 3 Locate the filter on the upper right side of the waste bottle again...

Page 110: ...is after printing Cleaning the spreader roller will prevent uneven spreading of powder over the build pallet 1 Choose the Toggle Roller on off option under the Service menu or press F4 2 Using a moist paper towel wipe the spreader roller Dry spreader roller with a dry paper towel 3 To untoggle roller choose Toggle Roller on off option again or press F4 ...

Page 111: ...241 provided in the toolkit that accompanied the printer To prevent further clogs change the zc3 wash fluid as described in Section 12 1 Changing zc3 Wash Fluid H e x A l l e n K e y 3 3 2 S q u i r t e r C a p 1 Remove squirter cap using a hex allen key tool 3 32 found in the toolbox 2 Set the cap aside Jet Cleaning Tool T w o H o l e s 3 Insert the fine metal piece from the jet cleaning tool int...

Page 112: ...age and remove print heads 5 Select the Bleed Air option under the 810Service menu 6 Assemble the syringe part number 10674 and needle part number 13115 if needed from your toolkit by screwing on the needle at the end of the syringe Septum 7 Remove plunger from syringe 8 Insert needle into septum and wait until you do not see any air entering into the syringe characterized by bubbles in the fluid ...

Page 113: ...nal vacuum to remove any debris 3 Replace powder screen cover 12 10 EMPTY POWDER DRAWER ON THE ZD8 DEPOWDERING UNIT The Powder Drawer in the ZD8 Depowdering Unit collects the excess powder removed during the depowdering process The powder drawer should be emptied weekly If you are a heavy user or if your part geometry encapsulates large volumes of powder the powder drawer may need to be emptied mo...

Page 114: ...an emptying location The other handle option allows you to pull and push the powder drawer at the base 3 Remove powder If you are using two different material systems use the external vacuum or scoop to remove powder If you are using one material system and would like to recycle use the powder feeder vacuum to remove powder for reuse 4 Slide back powder drawer and replace handle 5 Return control p...

Page 115: ... the battery is in excess of five years Replacement will be handled by your Z Corporation customer service representative FCC Notice Note this equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a comme...

Page 116: ...p users com 13 4 ERROR CODES PLEASE NOTE d and x are place holders for numbers corresponding either to print head number or a value Error Code Error Description Front Panel Message 1000 Unknown head error HEAD ERROR 1001 Can t turn on head 5 12 V HEADS NO 5 12 V 1002 ROM read failed for head d HEAD d BAD ROM 1003 I2C read failed for head d HEAD d BAD I2C 1004 Head d fire voltage failed HEAD d VPP ...

Page 117: ...ad interrupt number 1608 COM d IRQ already in use 1609 COM d can t save interrupt vector 1610 COM d can t set interrupt vector 1611 COM d UART isn t 16550 compatible 1612 COM d input queue overrun 1700 STATUS spurious read event 1701 STATUS bad thread index d 1702 STATUS unknown system message d 1703 STATUS invalid state d 1704 STATUS unknown dispatch type d 1705 STATUS message queue overrun 1706 ...

Page 118: ...n t change acceleration 2307 MOVER axis d can t set filter 2308 MOVER axis d excessive speed 2400 REZERO axis d can t find end of travel 2401 REZERO axis d already over sensor 2402 REZERO axis d timed out looking for sensor 2403 REZERO axis d couldn t find sensor 2500 SHAKER can t read layer info 2501 SHAKER bad layer number 2600 HEAD bad ROM format 2700 DRAWSPAN bad bit number 2701 DRAWSPAN bad p...

Page 119: ...took too long 3300 TIMER unknown time unit 3400 SWITCHES switch d is undefined 3500 KEYPAD object already exists 3501 KEYPAD can t create event 3502 KEYPAD object not initialized 3600 BLINK object already exists 3601 BLINK object not initialized 3602 BLINK object has too many users 3603 BLINK undefined sequence 3700 LCD object already exists 3701 LCD object not initialized 3702 LCD object has too ...

Page 120: ...read 4201 ZDNS thread refuses to die 4300 NETWORK can t find ethernet device 4301 NETWORK can t get device configuration 4302 NETWORK can t set device configuration 4400 BITBUS object already exists 4401 BITBUS object not initialized 4402 BITBUS readback error 4500 FLUIDS object already exists 4501 FLUIDS object not initialized 4502 FLUIDS unsupported pump rate 4600 CARWASH object already exists 4...

Page 121: ...ystem User Manual Z Corporation Z Corporation Service 781 852 5050 887 88 ZCORP 121 50103 POWDER overflow full OVERFLOW FULL 50200 SERVICE failed head check BAD HEADS 02X 50300 PISTONS build piston is tilted ...

Page 122: ...Wash Fluid 103 Change zc3 Wash Fluid 103 Changing Material System 92 Clean Gantry 108 Spreader Roller 110 Cleaning Squeegee Squirters 111 Collision Detection 43 Contacts 83 D Depowderer See ZD8 Depowdering Unit Depowdering 55 Disconnect Binder Containers 105 Drying Time Plaster Powder 56 Starch Powder 56 ZCast Powder 56 E Electroplating 67 Empty Powder Drawer 113 Error Codes 116 F Fan Filter 109 F...

Page 123: ...nsfer 49 To Oven 56 Tracks 50 Polyester Resin 66 Post Processing Tools 53 Powder Drying Time 56 Fill ZF8 Powder Feeder 37 Level in ZF8 Powder Feeder 37 Saturation Values 44 Set Times 46 Settings 43 Anisotropic Scaling Values 43 Spread on Build Area 36 Powder Screen 113 Powder Settings 43 Print Heads Align 85 Change 82 Purge 90 Printing the Build 45 Q Quick Start 26 R Refill Binder Containers 38 Re...

Page 124: ...ng 92 ZD8 Cart Tracks 24 ZD8 Depowdering Unit 20 Air Curtain 22 Air Gun 55 Cart 24 Control Panel 23 Control Switch 23 Depowdering 55 Emptying Powder Drawer 113 Filter Cleaning 23 Light Push Button 23 Powder Collection Drawer 24 Powder Collection Drawer Handle 24 Selector Lever 22 Site Requirements 20 Warning Lamp 23 ZF8 Powder Feeder 18 Powder Level 37 Powder Screen 113 Power Entry Module 19 Refil...

Page 125: ...Appendix I 09521 ZCast Design Guide Rev B ZCast Direct Metal Casting DESIGN GUIDE February 2004 ...

Page 126: ...Pour 11 5 3 2 Shell Method 11 5 3 3 Combination Method 12 5 4 Printing Your Model 12 5 5 Conclusion 12 6 Design Techniques with ZCast 13 6 1 Direct Gating 13 6 2 Mold Parts Larger Than Build Volume 13 6 3 Shelling your Mold 13 6 4 Stiffening Ribs 13 6 5 Venting 14 6 5 1 Venting Cores 15 6 5 2 Venting the Mold 15 6 6 Parting Lines 16 6 7 Depowderability Fixed Vs Removable Cores 16 6 8 Mating Surfac...

Page 127: ...Powder Recycling 23 10 Finishing 23 10 1 De molding 23 10 2 Secondary Operations 23 10 3 Ovens 23 11 Foundry Consumables 24 11 1 Sand Casting Glossary 25 11 1 1 Cope and Drag 25 11 1 2 Cores 25 11 1 3 Core Prints 25 11 1 4 Pouring Cup 26 11 1 5 Sprue 26 11 1 6 Well 26 11 1 7 Runners 26 11 1 8 Ingates 27 11 1 9 Risers 27 12 Conclusion 28 ...

Page 128: ...lds Locate a foundry experienced with the sand casting process ZCast users range from individuals with little or no mold design to knowledgeable experienced pattern makers or foundrymen Since ZCast users possess a wide range of experience this guide has been written with all users in mind It is meant to be a guide to provide a framework for designing molds for use with ZCast But it also covers som...

Page 129: ...CAST PARTS IN ITS UNTREATED RAW STATE CONTAINS ABOUT 10 MOISTURE PER UNIT WEIGHT CASTING MOLTEN METAL AGAINST UNTREATED MATERIAL RELEASES LARGE AMOUNTS OF STEAM AND SMOKE RISKING SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH CAREFULLY READ THIS DOCUMENT BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE ZCAST POWDER 2 2 WARNING NO ATTEMPT SHOULD BE MADE TO POUR FERROUS METALS IN ZCAST MOLDS ...

Page 130: ...he Z 810 Large Format 3D Printer the Z406 3D Printer and the ZPrinter 310 3D Printers 3 2 Design Freedom In addition to reducing the time and cost to create a prototype casting the ZCast process also provides the freedom to produce complex castings that previously were difficult or impossible to produce using conventional tooling methods One of the powerful features of the ZCast process is the fre...

Page 131: ...st endure Molds and cores may be shipped even around the world but they must be packaged carefully Shipping molds long distances can add days to the development cycle and increase risk of damage due to shipping We recommended that you provide a copy of this design guide to your chosen foundry partner 4 1 Foundry Trial Parts Once you have a foundry you ll want to introduce them to the ZCast process...

Page 132: ...pic of designing castings There are numerous publications be the American Foundry Society as well as textbooks Among the best of these are Campbell J Castings Butterworth Heinemann 2000 Heine R W and Rosenthal P C Principles of Metal Casting McGraw Hill 1955 Ammen C W The Complete Handbook of Sand Casting Tab Books McGraw Hill 1979 Important aspects in good mold design are Even filling of the mold...

Page 133: ... for larger molds than the Direct Pour method and when the gating system would require very large ZCast components If the size of the mold exceeds the working volume of the printer the Shell Method is recommended These molds are more complicated to design than Direct Pour molds and require the designer to be familiar with tool design for conventional sand casting The designer must allow for the ZC...

Page 134: ...he same restrictions that apply to conventional mold components The advantage to using ZCast in this case is that cores and inserts can be made without any special tooling e g core boxes that would lengthen the time to produce the first casting A further enhancement of the sand casting process applies to both the Shell Cast and Combination Methods One can fabricate conventional patterns using ZCor...

Page 135: ... gating and core prints away from the larger block leaving the mold cavity 8 Generate a parting surface and split the mold block 9 Add mating features to help align the mold components These can be simple holes pegged with dowel pins or mating positive and negative features built into the model 10 Add venting to the mold cavity and to the cores 11 Add flanges or seats for prefabricated pouring cup...

Page 136: ... tutorial can be provided upon request to your Z Corp account representative 5 4 Printing Your Model Setting up your build using ZCast is the same as using other Z Corp powders Use the ZPrint software to optimize placement of your parts to be printed Be mindful that round objects are stronger printed in the X Y plane Use the make fixture command to support unsupported hanging features ZCast is den...

Page 137: ...mold hollow out the backside of your mold for better performance Take the following example Figure 6a illustrates a mold cavity surrounded by a solid mass of ZCast material Figure 6b shows the same mold with a section passing through it for clarity With a thick section of ZCast it becomes difficult for the heat to penetrate the depths at uniform levels Figure 6c illustrates the same mold with a se...

Page 138: ...t high points on the casting extending through the cope to the atmosphere These are often small enough 125 3mm is recommended to freeze off before the metal reaches the exterior of the mold Vents also must be used in cores figure 9 When molten metal comes in contact with ZCast compounds out gassing occurs If the cores were solid the gas would have nowhere to go but into the metal When gas passes t...

Page 139: ...hickness between the metal and the outside of the mold Around areas of the casting where low porosity is important or near thick sections in the casting there should be vents for gases to escape Vents should be approximately 0 125 3mm in diameter and open to the atmosphere Vents DO NOT need to break through to the casting surface If they pass to within 0 1 to 0 2 2 5 to 5mm from the casting surfac...

Page 140: ...lerated and or ground off putting the parting line across a complex region without room to grind will limit the possibilities of finishing the part Keep parting line as far away as possible from core vents since some metal can leak along the parting line be careful that it does not reach the openings for core vents Metal will potentially leak out of the mold and into the core preventing the vent f...

Page 141: ...l parting surfaces with core paste A bead of this material is placed around the outer edges of the mating surfaces of the mold and across the core prints to prevent leakage 6 9 Geometry Guidelines For the majority of metals that can be poured in ZCast 500 molds the following are the geometric limitations Minimum core size 3 5 to 4 0mm some distortion will occur of small cores project across large ...

Page 142: ...d be attached to the ZCast mold with a foundry adhesive or core paste For safe measure they can be clamped or wired in place to prevent shifting during pouring Additionally you can design a pouring sleeve to be integral as part of your ZCast mold Be sure to make allowances for filter insertion to help alleviate impurities when pouring 6 12 Chills Chills will be familiar to experienced foundrymen T...

Page 143: ...t them in the same orientation in the build 6 13 1 Machine Settings Use the following optimized print settings for printing ZCast 500 powder with zb56 binder Saturation Settings Shell 1 4 Core 0 7 Layer Thickness 0 004 Bleed Compensation Settings X 0 018 Y 0 018 Z 0 018 6 14 Degassing and Filtering Metal To help achieve improved part quality steps should be taken to properly prepare the metal for ...

Page 144: ...Appendix I ZCast Design Guide 20 Figure 13 a b c Horizontal filter orientation Metal rises up through filters maximum are achieved with horizontal placement d e f Vertical filter orientation a b c f e d ...

Page 145: ...tains about 10 moisture per unit weight Casting molten metal against untreated material releases large amounts of steam and smoke To use the ZCast mold properly it MUST be baked in an oven from 180 C 350 F to 230 C 400 F for between 4 and 8 hours depending on volume until it is bone dry and preferably medium brown in color on all cavity surfaces that contact molten metal THERE WILL BE SMOKE GENERA...

Page 146: ...Aluminum 390 1250 F 1450 F5 1156 F Bronze Silicon 1900 F 2150 F6 1880 F 1940 F Bronze Phosphor 1900 F 2150 F6 1830 F 1970 F Bronze Aluminum 1900 F 2250 F6 1915 F 1930 F Brass5 1900 F6 1850 F Zinc 750 F 800 F7 1090 F Magnesium8 1400 F 1500 F7 Flammable WARNING NO ATTEMPT SHOULD BE MADE TO POUR FERROUS METALS IN ZCAST 500 MOLDS 9 Material Handling 9 1 Storage Though ZCast powder has no special stora...

Page 147: ...ial from a finished casting 10 2 Secondary Operations Castings will often need secondary operations all of which are identical in process to traditionally cast parts At the very least the material formed in the gating system will need to cut off The flashing will probably need to be ground off Machining may need to be done on critical surfaces remember to add machining stock typically around 080 2...

Page 148: ...mizing flash Core paste can also be used to glue pieces together such as a sleeve to the mold or mold halves together Core wash Use core wash to improve surface finish and reduce gassing into the mold cavity Graphite paint Graphite paint is used as a non stick coating release that s applied to patterns when forming a mold from a pattern Green sand or Pepset Common foundry sand mixed with bonding a...

Page 149: ...efore must not contain undercuts in the pull direction Some castings will not have any cores others will need several as shown in figure 16 The mold in figure 15 has three separate cores In traditional casting for every core a tool called a core box must be made A core box is essentially a machined mold used to form sand cores on a large scale basis Complexity varies from simple to complex with se...

Page 150: ...th opens up to the well The well is typically a cylindrical opening with a diameter about 2 5 times bigger then the choke It directs the metal to the runner system The well often serves the dual purpose of housing a filter Filters are usually ceramic webs or open cell sponges used to help remove some of the dross metal oxides and dirt from the molten metal 11 1 7 Runners Runners are the paths that...

Page 151: ...g as it begins to shrink The riser is typically cylindrical and MUST stand as tall as the pouring cup Failure to do so will result in a significant loss of material as the level in the pouring cup reaches equilibrium with the level at the risers Aluminum alloys require extensive use of risers Often more than one half of the casting mass is in the risers For more on risering design see Basic princi...

Page 152: ... document the design and pouring of your prototype metal parts is only a step away If you or your foundry has questions about any of the information contained herein or need additional information please contact us the Z Corporation Applications Team at applications zcorp com ...

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