ZPrinter
®
650 Hardware Manual
Setup And Print The Build
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All Rights Reserved
10/21/08
2 Setup And Print The Build
This section will show you how to use ZPrint to get your part ready to build, including adding fixtures and
transforming the part. Then it will show you how to get your ZPrinter 650 ready and actually print your part.
2.1 Overview To Printing Speed, Part Strength, And Part Accuracy
There are three important characteristics to 3D printing that will help you print the best parts for your
intended purposes. Keeping these concepts in mind, you have the basis for becoming an expert 3D printer
operator.
•
Part Placement = Printing Speed
. The ZPrint Software automatically positions parts in the Build Bed
for maximum build speed by placing parts with the smallest dimension in the Z-Axis.
•
Strength
. The ultimate strength of an uninfiltrated part will be somewhat affected by its orientation
within the Build Bed. The part will be strongest along the X-Axis and Y-Axis and less strong along the
Z-Axis. This is because the cross sections are printed in continuous strips along the Y or the “fast” axis
(the print heads’ direction of travel); in bands across the X or the “slow” axis (the fast axis direction of
travel); and in laminated layers along the Z-Axis. Once a part is infiltrated, it uniformly takes on the
strength characteristics of the infiltrating product.
•
Accuracy
. The accuracy of your part depends on how clean the printer is, your printer/powder set-
tings, and the materials you choose for post-processing. You can also employ features like Aniso-
tropic Scaling to adjust for expected shrinkage and bring your parts into true scale. More
information on Anisotropic Scaling can be found in the
ZPrint™ Software Manual
.
2.2 Overview - Part Orientation
Parts that lie in the X-Y plane will be stronger than those aligned on the Z-Axis. If a part has a particularly
delicate feature, especially one shaped like a thin rod, align that feature in the X-Y plane for the greatest
strength. If a part has particularly delicate features that are supported only by unprinted powder, build a
Fixture for the part to reduce the chances of breaking the feature during powder removal. See
Section 2.9
for instructions on how to create a Fixture.
Do not tightly pack multiple parts into the Build Bed. If multiple parts are tightly packed, it may be difficult to
lift them out of the Build Bed with proper support. If a delicate part is being built with other more solid parts,
add a Fixture to the delicate part to protect it during powder removal.
