Printing Process

This section describes the printing process, from powering on the machine through to starting a print job.

Power Button

The power button on the printer not only powers the printer on, but also:

Uses LEDs of different colors to indicate different system conditions
Allows the operator to perform printer functions through combinations of pressing and holding down the button. Pressing the button will allow you to scroll through different options. Holding down the button for three seconds will allow you to select/confirm different options. You will see examples of these controls throughout the rest of this guide.

CAUTION: Holding down the power button for eight seconds at any time will cause the printer to shut down. Ensure that during normal printer operations, you are only holding down the power button for three seconds to advance screens.

Power Button LED Indicators

Blue		All printer functions
Red		Error - the printer's LCD screen will alert you to the type of error

Begin Your Print Job

HARMFUL IRRITANT WARNING: Wear protective clothing, disposable nitrile gloves, and goggles while following these steps.

NOTE: Ensure that the elevator is at its upper-limit position before beginning this procedure.

CAUTION: If a leak/spill occurs inside the printer, do not run the machine. The projector's UV radiation will harden material on the glass print base and any other surface it touches, making it very hard to remove. A long cleaning swab and Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) will help clean up any spilled, uncured material.

NOTE: The printer will only hold one build file at a time in its memory. If you try to load another build file from 3D Sprint, it will overwrite the most-recent build file written to the machine. Once the printer begins printing, you will not be able to submit any print jobs via 3D Sprint or via USB.

Print via 3D Sprint

For instructions on preparing a build file in 3D Sprint, please open the 3D Sprint Help Menu by clicking the help icon new.png icon in 3D Sprint. Once you have sent the print job to the printer:

NOTE: If this is the first time you have used the printer, you will see a message on the printer screen asking you to activate your printer. In 3D Sprint, fill out your information and click Submit.

	Printer Message	Translation
Once you have sent the job to the printer, you will see the message at the right on the printer. Press the power button to continue.		Printer ready [IP Address]
You will see the screen at the right. Hold down the power button and the printer will look to see if a build file was sent to it.		Print job Hold button to continue
The printer will display the name of the file you sent from 3D Sprint. If the filename is longer than 20 characters, it will scroll across the screen to show you the complete name. Hold down the power button to confirm you want to print the file.		My-print-job.pxl Hold button to continue
The printer will verify the build file and then you will see the screen at the right. Retrieve the material bottle you wish to use for this print job.		Please scan material cartridge
Hold the bottle's QR code under the QR-code scanner. Wait until you see the message at the right before pulling the bottle away from the scanner. Please see the gray box below for other messages you might receive when scanning a material bottle.		Add material. Hold button to continue

You must go through the QR code-scanning process before each print, even if you are using the same bottle as your last build. The printer will not begin a print job unless a QR code has been scanned. This is so that the system can detect certain conditions:

Printer Message

Translation

If the system detects that the material bottle is empty, it will ask you to scan another bottle. You will see the message at the right.

Cartridge empty
Please scan another

If the system detects that the material bottle you scanned does not match the material in the print-job data, it will ask you to scan another bottle. You will see the message at the right.

Incompatible material
Verify material type

If the system detects that the material bottle you scanned is past its expiration date, you will see the message at the right appear for three seconds. You will, however, still be able to print with the expired material. If you decide NOT to print with expired material, you may abort the print process by pressing the power button. Hold down the power button to confirm print cancelation.

CAUTION: If you use expired material of any kind, the integrity of the build might be compromised. 3D Systems is not responsible for failed builds or damage to equipment resulting from expired print-material use.

CAUTION: If you are disposing of the expired print material, do so according to all local, state, and federal regulations. Be sure to also dispose of expired print material that remains in the print tray and catch tray in the same manner.

Warning material expired
Hold button to continue

If the system detects an invalid QR code, you will see the message at the right. This could mean the QR code is damaged or did not scan properly.

Invalid barcode
Please try again

Before pouring the material into the print tray, be sure you do the following:

Shake the bottle vigorously in an up-and-down motion for 2-5 minutes (1) OR mix the material on the NextDent^® LC-3DMixer (2). Which mixing method to use for a material, as well as how long it must be mixed, can be found in the material's Instructions for Use. If the best-possible uniformity in the part is desired, using the LC-3D Mixer is recommended.

CAUTION: Failure to sufficiently mix materials before each build may result in color deviation and/or print failure.

If you are using a different material than your previous build used, be sure that you follow the material changeover instructions in the section Change Material Type.

CAUTION: Failure to properly switch materials will result in reduced reactivity of the new material, even when only very small amounts of different material(s) are mixed in. This will result in build failure and wasted material.

If you are using the same material as in your previous build, be sure that the print platform and print tray are completely clean of debris (such as dust), partially cured material residue, and any other materials that are not the same as the material you are about to print with.

CAUTION: Failure to clean the print tray and print platform of debris may affect the material's reactivity and the printed part's ability to adhere to the print platform.

shake-bottle v2.gif

Pour material into the print tray. Use the steps etched in the side of the print tray as a guide, with the bottom step being the minimum fill amount and the top step being the maximum fill amount. It is best to make sure the material is filled to the middle limit before starting a build. Starting a build with only the minimum fill risks the printer running out of material during the build. Filling to the max level, or beyond, risks spilling material during a build and/or when removing the print tray. 3D Sprint will also provide an estimated material usage and recommended fill level in the tray.

NOTE: You may have enough material in the print tray from a previous pour. In this case, it is okay not to pour more material in the tray. Simply follow the instructions as if you did pour.

Close printer door. Hold down the power button to begin your print job.

	Printer Message	Translation
Your print job will now begin. You will see a countdown timer on the printer screen. Printing times will vary depending on the scope of the build. The time format for the printing timer is HR:MM.		Printing 4H:10M remaining
When the print job is complete, you will see the screen at the right. Please proceed to the section Post Processing.		Print complete Clear platform

Print via USB Drive

If the printer is not on a network, you will need to send print jobs via a USB device. This section assumes you have prepared the build file in 3D Sprint and transferred the file to the USB device.

NOTE: The printer will only hold one build file at a time in its memory. If you try to load another build file from the USB device, it will overwrite the most-recent build file written to the machine. Once the printer begins printing, you will not be able to submit any print jobs via 3D Sprint or via USB.

Printer Message

Translation

Insert USB drive into the USB port on the left side of the printer. You will see the message at the right. You may cancel the job submission at this point by pressing the power button once. Hold down the power button to confirm job cancelation.

Submit job via USB?
Hold button to continue

Hold down the power button to detect print jobs on the USB device.

Cancel USB submit?
Hold button to exit

If the printer does NOT detect build files, you will see the screen at the right. Please try loading your build files onto the USB again. You may cancel the job submission at this point by pressing the power button once. Hold down the power button to confirm job cancelation. If the printer does detect build files, skip to Step 4.

No jobs detected
Hold button to exit

If the printer detects build files, you will see a message like the one at the right on the printer screen, with your build file's name on the first line. If the filename is longer than 20 characters, it will scroll across the screen to show you the complete name. At this point:
1. Hold down the power button to load this build file on the printer's memory.
2. Press the power button to skip over this build file and look for the next file on the USB device. Repeat this process until you have found the print job you wish to submit. Hold down the power button to submit the print job.

myprintjob.pxl
Hold button to continue

If you go through the whole list of print jobs on the USB device without selecting one, you will see the message at the right on the printer screen. Holding down the power button at this point will bring you back to the printer's Idle screen.

NOTE: The maximum storage the printer has for build files is 1GB.

End of jobs list
Hold button to exit

If you submitted a build file in Step 4a, this will begin the printing process. You will see the screen at the right.
Continue with Step 4 from the previous section Print via 3D Sprint.

Job ready
Hold button to start

Abort the Print Job

You may manually abort the print job at any time during the build.

	Printer Message	Translation
Press the power button once. You will see the message at the right on the printer screen.		Abort job? Hold button to abort
Hold down the power button to confirm print job cancelation.		User stopped print Aborting

HARMFUL IRRITANT WARNING: After aborting the print job, you must dispose of the partially printed part as you would any uncured material and according to all local, state, and federal regulations. Always handle the partially cured part and the print platform with 100% nitrile gloves. Clean the print platform as you would after any print job.

Print Tray Material Cross-Usage

You may clean the print tray with recommended solvent between builds, enabling you to use different materials in the same print tray (not at the same time). However, since residual elements of print material cannot be reliably fully removed from the print tray, there are only certain materials that may be swapped out per individual print tray. The chart below shows which materials can share the same print tray. Mark your print trays with letters, numbers, or other notations to help you remember which tray is which.

Tray 1

NextDent^® Surgical Guide
NextDent^® Model
NextDent^® Ortho Rigid

Tray 2

NextDent^® Model 2.0

Tray 3

FabPro™ Proto GRY

Tray 4

FabPro™ JewelCast GRN

Tray 5

FabPro™ Tough BLK

Tray 6

FabPro™ Elastic BLK

Tray 7

FabPro™ Flexible BLK

Stir the Material

Before printing with all materials, you must mix the material bottle on the NextDent^® LC-3DMixer. Before printing again with those materials, you must stir the material in the print tray using the Resin Mixer, as seen in the next section. The chart below describes each compatible material's requirements for: bottle mixing time, stirring time in the print tray, and post-curing time. The curing time is included so the chart may be a quick reference guide for stirring and curing materials. Please read your material's label to be sure whether or not the material requires mixing and stirring.

If material has spilled or dripped down the print-material bottle, clean the bottle with Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) and paper towels. IPA will clean the material off without ruining the bottle label.

CAUTION: Your material bottle's QR code must be able to be scanned by the printer. Using another solvent besides IPA to clean the bottle risks damaging the QR code. If this happens, call your authorized print-material provider for further guidance.

WEAR 100% nitrile gloves whenever handling liquid FabPro/NextDent material and/or ipa.

Material Stirring and Curing Chart

CAUTION: Failure to sufficiently mix materials according to this chart may result in color deviation and/or print failure.

Name	Bottle Mixing Time Required (LC-3DMixer)		Stirring Time Required (in print tray)		Curing Time in LC-3DPrint Box
	Before 1st use	Before 2nd use	In tray less than 3 hrs	In tray more than 3 hrs
NextDent^® Surgical Guide	5 min.	5 min.	no stirring required	no stirring required	10 min.
NextDent^® Model	2.5 hrs.	1 hr.	30 secs.	60 secs.	10 min.
NextDent^® Model 2.0	2.5 hrs.	1 hrs.	30 secs.	60 secs.	10 min.
NextDent^® Ortho Rigid	5 min.	5 min.	10 secs.	30 secs.	10 min.
FabPro™ Proto GRY	1 hr.	10 min.	30 secs.	30 secs.	60 min.
FabPro™ JewelCast GRN	1 hr.	10 min.	30 secs.	30 secs.	30 min.
FabPro™ Tough BLK	n/a	n/a	30 secs.	30 secs.	150 min.
FabPro™ Elastic BLK	1 hr.	10 min.	30 secs.	30 secs.	45 min.
FabPro™ Flexible BLK	1 hr.	10 min.	30 secs.	30 secs.	60 min.

NOTE: If your print-material bottle has been sitting unused for more than one month, treat it like a new bottle and mix it according to the "brand new bottle" column above.

NOTE: Instead of using the bottle mixer, you may opt to mix the material bottle by hand, shaking it vigorously in an up-and-down motion. Shake it for five minutes for a new material or for one you are treating as new (see above note). Shake the bottle for two minutes for a recently used bottle. Please see the section Begin Your Print Job for more information. You MAY NOT hand-mix NextDent Model 2.0 material. This technique will not sufficiently mix the material.

NOTE: Ensure that you place the build in your UV curing oven in the same orientation it was printed in, as if the bottom of the oven is the print platform.

Resin Mixer

Material that is left in the print tray between builds needs to be stirred periodically with the Resin Mixer. Refer to the Material Stirring and Curing Chart and/or your material's Instructions for Use for information on stirring print materials.

CAUTION: Failure to sufficiently mix materials before each build may result in color deviation and/or print failure.

CAUTION: Ensure that the mixer is clean before each use. To clean the mixer, wipe it with a nonabrasive cloth and the recommended solvent.

Run the mixer through the material, with the sharp end (1) facing down. Grip the mixer on the indented gripper (2). Do this for five minutes. Please see the images below for the proper stirring technique.

Do not move the Resin Mixer's blade across the print-tray film like a knife. Rather, move it up and down similar to using an ice scraper.

Holding the mixer slanted, run it back and forth through the material, careful not to put too much pressure on the print-tray film. Do this for the time prescribed in the Material Stirring and Curing Chart.

CAUTION: Putting too much pressure on the print-tray film can dent or puncture the film, rendering the tray unusable. The film cannot be replaced by itself; if the film is damaged, the whole print tray must be replaced.

CAUTION: Puncturing the print tray will force a full tray's worth of print material into the catch tray. Use extra caution when handling a full catch tray.

CAUTION: If the print tray gets punctured, discard it in the same way you would other materials that have been in contact with liquid material.

CAUTION: Take care not to slosh material out of the print tray while stirring. If this happens, you will have to clean the parts of the printer that the material got on.

After stirring, allow the mixer to drip material back into the print tray and then wipe excess material off the mixer with a nonabrasive cloth.
Repeat this process before every print job.

CAUTION: Be sure to clean the mixer with IPA between uses. Failure to do so risks mixing unstirred material or different material in with material currently in the print tray.

Printing Process

Power Button

Power Button LED Indicators

Begin Your Print Job

Print via 3D Sprint

Print via USB Drive

Abort the Print Job

Print Tray Material Cross-Usage

Stir the Material

Material Stirring and Curing Chart

Resin Mixer

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