2500 Wax Jewelry Best Practice: 3DSPrint

ProJet® MJP Printer Series Applications Guide to:

2500W Jewelry Best Practice: 3DSPrint.

STL Health/File Type

3D Files are the first step to take to insure a good print.

STL files are preferable, all the major cad software are able to export this file type, other 3D files are not recommended: SLC IGES (SLC example below).

Triangle-Resolution keep in mind that an STL too big is not good to manage, also it can be a problem if the resolution is less than the machines output, 0.016mm can be a good starting point, every 3rd party software to cut the number of triangles is strongly advised against.

3DSprint fix tool is strongly recommended to avoid any issues during the print. In the prepare section you can also use the triangle reduction tool if needed (90% remaining ratio may be ok).

STL problems can cause:

1. Artifacts and extra material.
2. Roughness.
3. Sharp edges/lines on the surface.
4. Machine slicer errors as well and build abort errors.
5. If lower then minimum printable detail machine may not print.

Again, the first step is having a good STL file properly exported.

PART ORIENTATION

Do not use the auto orientation (picture) from 3dsprint, the software will just orient the parts in order to achieve less build-time. This can sometimes affect part quality by giving certain geometries layer lines or other surface quality issues.

Best ring orientation is always vertical. If the front and back sidewalls are too rough, then turn it 45°. Printing rings laying down will save time, but will have a visible surface discoloration on the two sides. One side will be covered by support and the other side will not. In this case we can't guarantee a uniform surface.

Flat surface if showing an unacceptable "RASTER" line pattern, a good practice is to build with a 20° angle. With this orientation, the layer lines will be less evident than the raster lines.

Good practice is to perform some tests before the production to evaluate what orientation gives you the best result. Unfortunately with the extremely complicated designs, only a comparative test can let you know the best option.

PLATFORM DESIGN

Platform management is important to increase the machine reliability, machine is working on 3 lanes. Using one lane consistently instead of alternating lane will reduce the planarizer roller's life, as it will show wear on that specific part of the roller over time. Again, the best option for orientation is to print rings standing up on all of the platform area to keep the roller properly lubricated.

If there are tall parts, try to copy on all 3 lanes. If this is not possible and the build needs to be repeated, be sure to have 2-3 different jobs with taller parts located on the other lanes,this will prevent non-uniform roller consumption. Still, it is not recommended to have a really tall part on a small platform build. Remember to distribute the pattern uniformly when possible.

SHRINK COMPENSATION

Shrink compensation is important for the proper dimension output, normally a default standard compensation will be applied automatically from the software. Just in case you need a different setting, the customer can create their own profile settings to recall when they design the platform.

To manage this number we suggest to keep the calibration with a similar simplified geometry with similar dimension, example, ring-taurus, flat pendant-thin cylinders/flat box etc. Verify also that the vertical orientation calibrates properly with "Z" compensation as well. When the build is complete, decide which orientation to use by using measurements. Measure and correct it, repeat until the "simplify" geometry matches with the original measurement after the post processing.

STL FIX WIZARD

3ds print preparation tab has a useful FIX wizard tool, this will help if the file is showing a yellow or red outline. Attempt to fix prior to building. If not fixed properly the file may not print with the desired outcome.

TRIANGLE REDUCTION

Stl files tend to be really heavy if exported with too many triangles, especially with a 3rd party/customer design. In this case the triangle reduction tool on the 3dsprint preparation tab can be really useful. In the picture on the right, the reduction lost the surface shape and the result was not good.