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Z Corporation ZPrinter 310 User Manual

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TM
ZP
310 U
M
RINTER
SER
ANUAL
P
N
09508
R
C, S
2003
ART
UMBER
EV
EPTEMBER

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Summary of Contents for Z Corporation ZPrinter 310

  • Page 1 310 U RINTER ANUAL 09508 C, S 2003 UMBER EPTEMBER...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    ABLE OF ONTENTS 1 - O ............................. 4 HAPTER VERVIEW ..........................5 ANUAL VERVIEW ............................ 6 OW IT ORKS ........................... 9 YSTEM OMPONENTS 310 S ......................10 RINTER UBCOMPONENTS 2 - Q ........................14 HAPTER UICK TART UIDE ......................... 15 RINTER REPARATION ..........................
  • Page 3 ........................48 HECKING UILD ETTINGS ......................49 ETTING OWDER ARAMETERS ....................49 NISOTROPIC CALING ALUES ....................... 50 ATURATION ALUES ..........................50 RINTING THE UILD 6 - P ........................51 HAPTER ROCESSING ....................... 52 EMOVING THE RINTED ........................53 EPOWDERING THE ..........................

  • Page 4: Chapter 1 - Overview

    HAPTER VERVIEW HIS CHAPTER WILL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE RINTER YSTEM FAMILIARIZE YOU W ITH THE TERMI NOLOGY WE WILL USE TO DESCRIBE THE AND INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THE FEATURES OF THIS MANUAL O R ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE...

  • Page 5: Manual Overview

    250 powder with instructions on how to prepare your printer, print and post-process the part. 4. Preparing the ZPrinter 310 to Print. This section guides you through putting powder and binder solution in the Printer, and cleaning the Service Station.

  • Page 6: How It Works

    0.003" – 009" (0.0762 - 0.2286 mm) thick. The ZPrinter 310 then prints these cross-sections one after another from the bottom of the design to the top. Inside the printer there are two pistons. The feed piston is represented in the diagrams below on the left and is shown in the ‘down’...
  • Page 7 Because the powder layers support the structures being printed above, the ZPrinter 310 prints parts without support structures of any kind and can print parts with complex geometries that are impossible for other systems. There are several important characteristics of the ZPrinter 310 that will help you print the best parts for your intended purpose.
  • Page 8 z-axis Less Strong x-axis Strong Strong y-axis Accuracy. The accuracy of the system depends on the materials you choose. You can employ the anisotropic scaling feature in the ZPrint Software to adjust for expected shrinkage and bring your parts into true scale. More information on anisotropic scaling factors is found in Chapter 4, Preparing the 3D Printer.

  • Page 9: System Components

    YSTEM OMPONENTS ZPrinter 310 System ZD4i Depowdering Station www.zcorp-users.com...

  • Page 10: Zp Rinter 310 Subcomponents

    310 S RINTER UBCOMPONENTS Top Cover Binder Bottle (on the Top Cover) Gantry Service Station Feed Piston Build Piston Control Panel Overflow Bin Waste Bottle ZPrinter 310 System service@zcorp.com...
  • Page 11 Power Switch (on side) Mouse Connector (not used) Power Entry Ethernet Video Connector Connection Serial Connector Voltage Switch Keyboard Connector Back Panel View www.zcorp-users.com...
  • Page 12 Cable Cover Squeegee Scraper Rear Snowplow Fast Axis Rails Carriage Latch Carriage Plunger Oil Filler Holes Carriage Assembly Front Snowplow Gantry (Top View) service@zcorp.com...

  • Page 13: Control Panel

    Parking Cap Wash Fluid Reservoir Squeegees Wick Service Station (Top View) Feed Up/Feed Down. Allows Spread. This button allows you to the user to raise or lower the move the gantry from left to right piston in the feed box. A light and allows you to spread powder tap raises or lowers a small over the build box.

  • Page 14: Quick Start Guide

    HAPTER UICK TART UIDE HIS CHAPTER PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE PART REMOVAL AND PART POST PROCESSING STEPS REQUIRED TO PRINT A PART OR A DETAILED STEP STEP GUIDE TO RINTER PLEASE REFER TO HAPTER 4; U SING RINT OFTWARE IN HAPTER ART REMOVAL AND POST PROCESSING IS COVERED IN...

  • Page 15: Printer Preparation

    RINTER REPARATION 1. Fill the feed box with powder. Remember to use any powder in the overflow bin. Add fresh powder as needed. 2. Spread powder over build area. 3. Vacuum any remaining powder on the top deck. 4. Clean and wipe the squeegees and parking cap on the service station with distilled water.
  • Page 16 6. Check binder level and fill if necessary. Fill the binder fluid to the neck of the tank. 7. Check the waste bottle. Remove and dispose of liq- uid in accordance with local disposal regulations. 8. Put printer online. service@zcorp.com...

  • Page 17: Part Printing

    RINTING 1. Launch the ZPrint Software application. Open or import the file for the build. 2. Check 3D Print Setup. Make sure the software is communicating with the printer by selecting ‘Select Printer’. Then choose either serial or network depending on how the printer is connected to the computer. The printer should show up as an option if the software is properly communicating with the printer.
  • Page 18 3. View build in 2D View and examine the cross-sections of the build. It is also recommended that collision detection be processed, found under the View menu in the ZPrint System Software (if the build contains multiple parts) before beginning your build. 4.

  • Page 19: Post Processing

    ROCESSING 1. Remove excess powder from the part and remove it from the build box. 2. Depowder the part in the depowdering station. 3. Strengthen the part with the infiltration of your choice. See Chapter 6, Post-Processing. www.zcorp-users.com...

  • Page 20: Useful Tips

    SEFUL ETUP AND ROCESSING ETUP RIENTATION RINT ETTINGS • Do not tightly pack parts into the build. Keep in mind that you will need to depowder and remove them from the build box. Allow a little room around the part so you can vacuum the powder away and get your fingers around or under it.

  • Page 21: Oven Dry The Part

    • If you choose to use the removable build plate keep in mind that you want to orient the parts so that the part does not collapse when powder flows out from the sides of the part after the removable build plate is lifted from the build bed.

  • Page 22: Chapter 3 - Material Systems

    HAPTER ATERIAL YSTEMS HIS CHAPTER COVERS DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ® ON HOW TO USE AND ZP POWDER SYSTEMS T DESCRIBES HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE CHANGES NEEDED TO BUILD PARTS SUCCESSFULLY WITH THESE MATERIAL SYSTEMS F YOU ARE NOT USING AST OR P O W D E R PLEASE PROCEED TO 4, P 3D P...

  • Page 23: Using Zc Ast Tm Powder

    Temporary Scraper Blade Removal When using ZCast powder on the ZPrinter 310 Printer, the scraper blade should be removed. Failure to remove the scraper blade when running ZCast powder will result in excessive wear on the scraper blade and require replacement.
  • Page 24 4. Remove the cable enclosure. 5. Disconnect the ribbon cable. 6. Disconnect the head power card. 7. Twist and disconnect fluid supply fluid tubing. service@zcorp.com...
  • Page 25 8. Remove the snowplow from the front of the printer mod- ule. Slide the snowplow away from the edge of the build box until it disengages from the retaining tab. Press on the top edge of the snowplow until it pops off the spreader roller. 9.
  • Page 26 12. Pivot the front of the printer module up while lifting from the rear and remove. Place the printer module on a flat area. 13. Using the 3/32 hex wrench, remove the three hex screws holding the scraper blade retainer and scraper blade onto the printer module.
  • Page 27 15. Replace the printer module onto the printer. 16. Tighten the mounting screws on both sides of the motor assembly. 17. Replace the snowplows in the front and back of the printer module. 18. Reconnect the fluid line, ribbon cable, and head card power cable.

  • Page 28: Loading Zc Ast Powder

    ETTING UILDS Follow best practices for setting up a build in Z Corporation 3D Printers found in the ZPrint Software User Manual. For more information, please refer to the ZCast Direct Metal Casting – Design Guide. ROCESSING Unlike other Z Corp. parts, ZCast parts require no infiltration. However, ZCast molds must be thoroughly baked in a vented oven at sufficient temperatures to burn out organic materials.

  • Page 29: Material Ordering

    ATERIAL RDERING You can order ZCast consumables either directly from Z Corporation or through your local reseller. The item list for ZCast powder is as follows: Part # Description Denominations 06091 ZCast 500 powder 15 kg pail ~ 500 in...

  • Page 30: Using Zp 250 Powder

    • Fill the feed piston with zp250 powder. ZPrinter 310 users may use the removable build plate (Z Corp. part number 06302) to aid in the removal of the 3D printed part after the build is completed. Place the...
  • Page 31 • To change the default values in the “Make Fixture” window, select “Preferences” from the ZPrint Edit menu and select 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.

  • Page 32: Part Removal And Post Processing

    • Go to the “3D Print Setup” window under the File menu and select zp250 powder as the powder type. EMOVAL AND ROCESSING 1. When printing parts that can be manually handled, allow the part and fixture to dry in the build bed for at least 2 hours before removing. If printing parts that cannot be manually handled, please refer to the Infiltration Addendum of this set of instructions.

  • Page 33: Infiltration Addendum

    4. Apply a silicone mold release (such as IMS Paintable Neutral Oil Mold Release – www.imscompany.com or Hapco GREASE-IT FDG - www.hapcoweb.com) liberally onto the top surface of the fixture where the part will make contact with the fixture. This is done to prevent the infiltrated part from adhering to the fixture during the infiltration process.

  • Page 34: Reparing The 3D Printer

    HAPTER REPARING THE 3D P RINTER HIS CHAPTER IS A STEP STEP GUIDE ON 3D P PREPARING THE RINTER FOR PRINTING T COVERS PREPARING THE BUILD AREA CLEANING THE SERVICE STATION FILLING THE BINDER BOTTLE AND REMOVING THE WASTE BOTTLE OR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE AND INFORMA TION PLEASE CONTACT THE...

  • Page 35: Turning The Printer On

    URNING THE RINTER If the Printer is off, you will need to turn it on in order to prepare the printer. We recommend that you leave the printer on at all times. The Printer periodically exercises the print head for optimal operation. 1.

  • Page 36: Preparing The Build

    Warning: Use only powder supplied by Z Corporation. Use of any other material may impact the performance and/or safety of your ZPrinter 310 System and will void warranty and service contracts. 2. Check the overflow bin to see if there is powder to be recycled.

  • Page 37: Removing Air From Powder And Packing The Feed Box

    EMOVING IR FROM OWDER AND ACKING THE 5. Insert the powder scoop repeatedly a few inches into the loose powder to compact it. Continue for about a minute until it feels firm. Repeat steps 5 for every two scoops of powder. 6.

  • Page 38: Preparing The Build Area

    REPARING THE UILD 7. Press and hold the feed up button until the surface of the powder is even with the top deck. 8. Press and hold the build up button until the build piston stops. 9. Make sure the build area is clean. If using a build plate, see directions below: The build plate is a useful tool in making the most out of your 3D Printer.

  • Page 39: Cleaning Up

    The build plate will project above the top of the build box. In this position, the gantry would hit the build plate if you tried to spread powder. Lower the build piston so that the top of the build plate is slightly below the top of the build box. WARNING: If the gantry or the spread roller hits the build plate, you may damage your printer.

  • Page 40: Cleaning The Service Station

    LEANING THE QUEEGEES AND ARKING 1. Choose the ‘Unpark’ option under the ZPrinter 310 Service menu. The gantry will move away from the service station exposing the squeegees and parking cap. (The printer must be online with the top cover closed).
  • Page 41 Parking Cap 6. Rinse parking cap with distilled water. Squeegees 7. With a clean and dry paper towel, wipe residue off the squeegees. 8. With a clean and dry paper towel, remove standing water in the parking cap. Parking Cap www.zcorp-users.com...
  • Page 42 9. Locate the squeegee scraper located in the back of the printer assembly. 10. Using a damp paper towel, wipe off the top and bottom surfaces of the squeegee scraper. Wipe Here 11. Close the top cover. 12. Press ‘OK’ on the ZPrint Software to repark the gantry. service@zcorp.com...

  • Page 43: Efilling The Inder Ottle

    Refill until binder fluid reaches the neck of bottle. Warning: Use only binder supplied by Z Corporation. Use of any other material will impact the performance and/or safety of the ZPrinter 310 System and will void warranty and service contracts.

  • Page 44: Emptying The Waste Bottle

    ZPrinter 310 System will clog the internal plumbing system and the print head. UTTING THE RINTER NLINE Press the online button. The green online indicator light will illuminate. The ZPrinter 310 System is now ready to print. service@zcorp.com...

  • Page 45: Chapter 5 - Using Zp Rint Software

    HAPTER SING RINT OFTWARE HIS CHAPTER WILL EXPLAIN HOW TO SET UP 3D P THE BUILD CHECK THE RINT ETTINGS AND PRINT OR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FEATURES IN THE PRINT OFTWARE PLEASE REFER TO THE RINT OFTWARE ANUAL OR INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE ON SOFT WARE FEATURES PLEASE CONTACT THE ORPORATION...

  • Page 46: Opening Or Importing A File

    PLEASE NOTE: Verify that the ZPrint Software has been installed. Installation instructions are located in Section 1.2 of the ZPrint Software Manual. PENING OR MPORTING A 1. Launch the ZPrint Software application. The open dialog box will appear. 2. Choose the file you wish to open. 3.

  • Page 47: Part Containing Overhangs

    ONTAINING VERHANGS Unsupported overhangs should be placed on the left hand-side of the build. The plaster powder, being extremely fine, is more fluid in the build box. Placing a fixture underneath overhanging surfaces will reduce the movement of the overhang. For information on generating fixtures, refer to the ZPrint Software Manual. Cylindrical features will be more accurate when their axis is parallel to the z-axis.

  • Page 48: Checking Build Settings

    HECKING UILD ETTINGS ALWAYS check build settings before printing: 1. Choose the ‘3D Print Setup’ option from the File menu (or toolbar). 2. Check that the printer, powder type, and powder settings for the build are correct. 3. If the settings need to be changed, select ‘Override’. Press ‘OK’ to confirm. See Section 5, Changing Powder Parameters.

  • Page 49: Setting Powder Parameters

    • It is also strongly recommended that slice viewing and collision detection (if more than one part is being printed) be used before start the build. These features are found under the View menu. • Slice viewing allows you to view the cross sections of the part to identify any slice errors.

  • Page 50: Saturation Values

    ATURATION ALUES The saturation values determine how much binder is placed on the powder to print the part. The part is made up of two areas, the shell and the core, as described in Chapter 1, Overview. Thus, there are two saturation values, one each for the shell and core.

  • Page 51: Chapter 6 - Post -Processing

    HAPTER ROCESSING HIS CHAPTER WILL EXPLAIN HOW TO REMOVE 310, A PART FROM THE RINTER REMOVE EXCESS POWDER BY DEPOWDERING INTRODUCE T H E U S E O F INFILTRATION MATERIALS O R I N F O R M AT I O N A N D GUIDANCE O N NFILTRATION MATERIALS PLEASE CONTACT THE ORPORATION...

  • Page 52: Removing The Printed Part

    WARNING: When performing any vacuuming operation, use the vacuum provided as part of the ZPrinter 310 System. Vacuuming powder can generate static electricity, and use of a non-grounded vacuum hose will create static charges, which may affect the operation of the printer and harm the operator.

  • Page 53: Depowdering The Part

    EPOWDERING THE 1. Place parts inside the depowdering unit. 2. Using the compressed air system included in the depowdering station, remove any excess powder that remains on the part. TECHNICAL TIPS…. The air pressure on your depowdering station is adjustable. For bulky parts, turn the air pressure up.

  • Page 54: Infiltrating The Part With Z-Kote Resins

    For additional information on how Z Corp. customers are utilizing our line of infiltration products, call us at Z Corporation, or visit our user group website at www.zcorp-users.com. Here you will find a variety of application stories and technical tips that describe the many ways that our system can benefit your operation.
  • Page 55 Spraying Instructions 1. Use a Gravity Feed High Volume/Low Pressure or HVLP Sprayer. We recommend a DeVilbiss Sprayer with 14 – 18 mm tip. The DeVilbiss Sprayer is available from Z Corp. with disposable canister liners and will minimize the amount of cleanup.

  • Page 56: Using Zb Ond Tm 100 Cyanoacrylate

    SING YANOACRYLATE Z-Bond cyanoacrylate is an extremely fast setting, low viscosity, general-purpose infiltration resin. This resin is designed to rapidly strengthen parts. Z-Bond is a one part, user friendly, no-odor, non- blooming resin that may eliminate the need for special ventilation. This resin is easily sanded and enhances the vibrancy of color parts.

  • Page 57: Using Z-Snap Tm Epoxy

    SING POXY Z-Snap epoxy is a flexible, toughened epoxy infiltration system specifically formulated for Z Corporation for use ® with zp 250 powder. Parts made from zp250 powder and infiltrated with Z-Snap epoxy exhibit the appearance and snap fit characteristics of plastic. These parts can be easily sanded and finished. For detailed instructions on how to use Z-Snap epoxy with zp250 parts see Chapter 3, Using zp250 Powder.

  • Page 58: Using Paraplast X-Tra Wax

    X-TRA W SING ARAPLAST Paraplast X-Tra is a low viscosity, general purpose, infiltration wax formulated to melt at very low temperatures (122°F or 50°C) and strengthen both starch and plaster powder parts. This material cures rapidly and enhances the vibrancy of color parts. Paraplast is available in a case of eight 2.2 lb. (1 kilogram) bag of chips. AFETY RECAUTIONS •...

  • Page 59: Chapter 7 - Applications

    HAPTER PPLICATIONS N THIS SECTION YOU WILL LEARN VARIOUS WAYS TO MAXIMIZE THE VERSATILITY OF YOUR 3D P ORPORATION RINTER THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION ADVANCED PART PROCESSING TECHNIQUES LEASE VISIT THE ROUP EBSITE AT W W W ZCORP USERS FOR MORE INFORMATION F YOU HAVE AN APPLICATION YOU WISH TO SHARE OR HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING ANY OF THESE APPLICATIONS...
  • Page 60 service@zcorp.com...

  • Page 61: Gluing Multi - Piece Parts

    LUING MULTI PIECE PARTS Instructions: 1. Remove, depowder, and dry parts out of printer as described in Chapter 6, Post Processing the Part. 2. Sand seams prior to gluing and check fit of any assemblies. Sanding small parts or parts with curved surfaces can be made easier with a small, air-powered glass air etching/sanding kit.

  • Page 62: Painting Parts

    AINTING ARTS This procedure reduces the amount of sanding needed to produce a nice, smooth surface on Z Corporation parts. 1. Depowder and dry the part. 2. Hand sand the part with 230 grit sand paper lightly. 3. Mix BCC Proto-Kast (BC8163 Proto-Kast - White) urethane. Proto- Kast is a 2-part urethane.

  • Page 63: Polyester Resin

    OLYESTER ESIN Many types of transportation equipment require the use of geometri- cally complex ducting for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) of the interior space. Prototype ducting produced on the Z Corporation 3D Printer can be used for form and fit testing, as well as air-flow testing across a range of temperatures and humidity.

  • Page 64: Electroplating

    LECTROPLATING Parts printed on the ZPrinter 310 can be easily prepared and electroplated for the look and feel of a metal part. Preparation Preparation is the most important step in producing a good electroplated surface. 1. Both starch and plaster-based powder parts can be used as the base parts for electroplating.

  • Page 65: Rinting

    Immersion Printing, 3D Printing, or Cubic Printing. Process Description Part preparation: Print the chosen part using any Z Corporation plaster series powder. The part should be infiltrated with cyanoacrylate or epoxy resin. Sand the part prior to dip printing. For an improved finish, the part can be sprayed with a spray-filler (such as Plasti-kote Sandable Primer or Spraila AutoK) and sanded again.
  • Page 66 Spreading Film: The film is spread out on the water surface of the dipping basin. The water bath is heated and kept at a constant 30°C. The film dissolves and only the ink image remains floating on the water. Activating: The ink is sprayed with an activating material so that it becomes adhesive.
  • Page 67 Typical Site Requirements (from www.dips-n-pieces.de) • sufficiently sized and ventilated room with a humidity of less than 60% and with a waterproof and solvent agent resistant floor • dip printing system with suitable power requirements • water supply for filling and refilling the basins •...

  • Page 68: Investment Casting

    Patterns can also be infiltrated with resin for increased strength. Surfaces should be sanded to their desired finish after this step. Then coat with wax. Casting 1. Z Corporation patterns can be assembled on standard wax gates and runner systems. They should be coated with the normal 6-8 shell layers of slurry. service@zcorp.com...
  • Page 69 2. When using wax patterns assembled on wax runners, the tree assembly should go though an autoclave process for 10 minutes before being put in the firing oven. The autoclave should be 380 F (193 C) and 130 psi (9 bars).

  • Page 70: Flexible Parts

    LEXIBLE ARTS Material Por-A-Mold 2030 Preparation • Read and understand the Material Safety Data Sheet, as well as any directions. • zp15e parts should be used. • Be sure the parts are completely dry. • Wear impervious rubber gloves, glasses, and a lab coat. •...

  • Page 71: Thermoforming

    Making light gauge (plastic less than 0.060" or 0.15 mm) 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.plasticsindustry.org/ index.htm where you can search SPI’s Membership Directory &...
  • Page 72 The instructions below are specific to molds produced on Z Corporation Printers. It is assumed that the user currently owns a thermoforming system and is familiar with using molds created from other techniques for creat- ing thermoformed parts. The process for making molds is straightforward. Good design of the molds will be the first and most important step in the process.

  • Page 73: Rtv Molding

    RTV molding requires the production of a single master pattern, which is encased in low durometer silicone rubber. Using a part printed on a Z Corporation 3D Printer is the fastest and least expensive method for creating a pattern for RTV molding. Once the silicone rubber, encasing the pattern, cures (2 – 48 hours depending on chosen material) the master is cut out, leaving a cavity.
  • Page 74 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 finishing process and is not easily sanded.
  • Page 75 Choosing a Silicone There are several aspects to consider for the novice mold maker when choosing a mold material. The foremost aspect should be whether to use a silicone with a tin or platinum-based catalyst. A catalyst is a substance that initiates or accelerates a reaction.
  • Page 76 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.

  • Page 77: Chapter 8 - Maintenance

    HAPTER AINTENANCE CHAPTER COVERS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE STEPS AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED TO KEEP THE RINTER OPERATING IN OPTIMAL CONDITION INCLUDES PROCEDURES ON CHANGING THE PRINT HEAD OILING THE FAST AXIS FILLING THE WASH FLUID RESERVOIR AND GREASING THE SLOW AXIS AND PISTON SCREWS T WILL ALSO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING BINDER FLUID...

  • Page 78: Changing Print Heads

    HANGING RINT EADS The life of a print head usually exeeds 30 billion pixels. If you begin to see striping on your part or if your part is weak, it is time to change the print head. The ZPrint Software will also alert you if the print head may not last through the complete build.
  • Page 79 10. Fill up the binder bottle. 11. Make sure waste bottle is empty. 12. To purge the print head of HP ink choose the ‘Purge Print Head’ option under the ZPrinter 310 Service menu. When the purge cycle is completed. The printer will stop beeping.

  • Page 80: Cleaning Pogo Pins

    LEANING In general, there is no need to clean the pogo pins upon replacing the print heads. At times, they may need to be cleaned due to errors in communication between the print head and printer (such as when receiving Head ROM errors) or when it is dirty.

  • Page 81: Oiling The Fast Axis

    ILING THE The ZPrint Software will alert you when it is time to oil the fast axis if the maintenance reminder feature has been enabled. Warning: DO NOT use grease on the fast axis. 1. Select the ‘Unpark’ option in the ZPrint Software under the 310Service menu.
  • Page 82 6. Lift the carriage cover to expose the two oil wicks, located on the right side of the print head. 7. Using the oil canister supplied in the toolbox that accompanies each ZPrinter 310 System, squeeze oil onto the wicks until saturated - approximately 10 seconds.
  • Page 83 9. Using the oil canister supplied in the ZPrinter 310 toolbox, squeeze oil into the two holes found in the carriage above the fast axis rail for about 10 seconds. 10. Close top cover. Two tiny holes are located in the front and back of the carriage.

  • Page 84: Refilling The Wash Fluid Reservoir

    EFILLING THE LUID ESERVOIR Refill the wash fluid reservoir with zc10 wash fluid when alerted by the ZPrint Software, or refill if the wick on the service station has dried out. One bottle of wash fluid will fill up the entire reservoir. The ZPrint Software will alert you when it is time to refill the wash fluid if the maintenance reminder feature is enabled.
  • Page 85 6. Refill the reservoir using the wash fluid supplied in the toolbox. One bottle will fill up the reservoir. Remember to reorder zc10 wash fluid. 7. Close the top cover of the printer. 8. Put printer online. 9. Press ‘OK’ on the ZPrint Software to re-park the gantry. www.zcorp-users.com...

  • Page 86: Greasing The Slow Axis

    REASING THE The slow axis will need to be greased occasionally to prevent slow axis errors. The ZPrint Software will alert you when it is time to grease the slow axis if the maintenance reminder feature is enabled. If this is the first time greasing the slow axis, assemble the grease gun.

  • Page 87: Greasing The Piston Screws

    REASING THE ISTON CREWS The ZPrint Software will alert you when the build and feed pistons need to be greased if the maintenance reminder feature is enabled. More information on this feature can be found in the ZPrint Software Manual. 1.

  • Page 88: Changing Binder Tank

    HANGING INDER At times, you may choose to change material systems. You may use a second binder tank to facilitate the change over. 1. Carefully lift and move the binder bottle towards the front of the printer. 2. Press release latch and pull the tubing out. 3.

  • Page 89: Changing Binder Color

    OLOR Add the following mixtures of color binder to the ZPrinter 310 feed bottle (3/4 full with clear binder) to achieve your desired color. These ratios are based on the 1.5 liters of clear binder in the feed bottle prior to adding any color.

  • Page 90: Bleeding Air From The Fluid Lines

    LEEDING IR FROM THE LUID INES If air gets into the tubing due to inadequate supply of binder or through removing the binder bottle, bleed the air to prevent damage to the print head. 1. Select the ‘Unpark’ option in the ZPrint Software under the 310Service menu.

  • Page 91: Machine Status

    5. Insert syringe into septum and remove the air and 10 cc Syringe of liquid. Septum 6. When completed, re-insert print head, close carriage cover, close the top cover of the printer, and press ‘Done’ on the ZPrint Software to re-park the gantry. ACHINE TATUS www.zcorp-users.com...

  • Page 92: Chapter 9 System Details

    HAPTER YSTEM ETAILS HIS CHAPTER COVERS THE SYSTEM DETAILS AND MATERIAL STORAGE PRECAUTIONS MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE ORPORATION ERVICE EPARTMENT AT (781)852-5050 (877)88- REE AT R VISIT THE ROUP EBSITE AT WWW ZCORP USERS service@zcorp.com...
  • Page 93 Operating Conditions: 68 to 85ºF (20-29ºC), 20 to 60% Relative Humidity, non-condensing. Lithium Battery: Internal to the ZPrinter 310 is a lithium coin cell type battery. This may be any one of the following: Type: CR2032, either Maxell, Panasonic, Renata, Sanyo or Sony.
  • Page 94 ATERIAL TORAGE RECAUTIONS Carefully read the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) before using any Z Corporation materials. service@zcorp.com...

  • Page 95: Ndex

    NDEX Symbols Lift 78 Collision Detection 49 3D Print Setup 48 Control Panel 13 Anisotropic Values 49 Saturation Values 50 Depowdering 53 Air Pressure 53 Accuracy 8 Drying Time 53 Anisotropic Scaling 49 Plaster Material System 49 Anisotropic Scaling Values Electroplating 64 ZCast Powder 49 Apollo 5005...
  • Page 96 Overflow Bin Removal 23 Emptying 36 Septum 91 Service Station 13 Cleaning 40 Slice Viewing 49 Painting 62 Slow Axis Painting Parts 62 Grease 86 Parking Cap Spread Powder 39 Wipe 41 Squeegee Scraper Part Clean 42 Accuracy 8 Squeegees Depowdering 53 Clean 40 Drying Time 53...
  • Page 97 ZPrint Software 3D Print Setup 48 Build Settings 48 Collision Detection 49 Import 46 Open 46 Printing 50 Slice Viewing 49 ZPrinter 310 Back Panel 11 Components 9 ZD4i Depowdering Station 9 Gantry 12 Online 44 Service Station 13 Subcomponents 10...
  • Page 98 Appendix I ZCast Direct Metal Casting DESIGN GUIDE September 2003 09521 ZCast Design Guide Rev A...
  • Page 99 Appendix I Table of Contents Introduction...................4 Cautions & Warnings..............5 CAUTION........................5 WARNING ........................5 ™ ZCast Advantages..............6 The Materials........................ 6 Design Freedom ......................6 Locating a Foundry...............7 Foundry Trial Parts ....................... 7 Designing with ZCast – Mold Design ...........8 Sources of Mold Design Information ................8 Selecting a Design Method ...................
  • Page 100 Appendix I Pour............................22 Pouring Metal ................23 Metal Types.........................23 Material Handling................23 Storage ........................23 Disposal ........................23 Powder Recycling......................24 10 Finishing ..................24 10.1 De-molding ......................24 10.2 Secondary Operations....................24 10.3 Ovens ........................24 11 Foundry Consumables ...............25 11.1 Sand Casting Glossary.....................26 11.1.1 Cope and Drag......................26 11.1.2 Cores ........................26 11.1.3...

  • Page 101: Introduction

    ZCast. But it also covers some of the basics of sand casting to help familiarize those with less casting experience. Z Corporation is dedicated to your successful application and usage of this product. Please contact Z Corporation directly to schedule a free online training session at (781)852-5005. Ask for the ZCast applications engineer.

  • Page 102: Cautions & Warnings

    Appendix I 2 Cautions & Warnings 2.1 CAUTION § MOLD MUST BAKED DRY PRIOR TO POURING § DO NOT INFILTRATE THIS MATERIAL WITH RESIN OR WAX!! ZCAST PARTS IN ITS UNTREATED (RAW) STATE CONTAINS ABOUT 10% MOISTURE UNIT WEIGHT. CASTING MOLTEN METAL AGAINST...

  • Page 103: Zcast Advantages

    Either the sand mold can be created with machined patterns, or, to keep the time to casting to a minimum, the patterns can be ® printed on a Z Corporation 3D Printer using zp 100 series materials. ZCast Design Guide - 6...

  • Page 104: Locating A Foundry

    If you have trouble finding a foundry in your area, contact your Z Corporation sales manager to help you locate an experienced foundry.

  • Page 105: Designing With Zcast - Mold Design

    Appendix I 5 Designing with ZCast – Mold Design ZCast offers flexibility and simplicity in mold design. Because of its simplicity, the engineer or designer can spend more time focusing on the design of the part rather than on the design of the mold.

  • Page 106: Direct Pour

    Appendix I Direct Pour 5.2.1 A mold designed by this method incorporates the cavity of the casting and the entire gating system, including risers and vents. This keeps the mold setup simple by minimizing parts. It is most handy for small molds: up to 5 lbs in aluminum or 15 lbs in bronze. Larger castings can be feasible if the gating system is kept simple, for example, a short sprue leading to a single gate.

  • Page 107: Combination Method

    The pattern can be machined from a variety of materials or the pattern can be printed on a Z Corp. 3D Printer. If printed, the patterns would be made with one of the Z Corporation plaster based materials (zp100 series), infiltrated with an epoxy and mounted to a board. A zp100 series pattern can be used multiple times.

  • Page 108: Direct Pour

    Appendix I 5.3.1 Direct Pour Before addressing the mold design specifics, we will consider the basic steps of designing a mold using a standard CAD package. Most middle to high-end CAD packages such as Pro/E, SolidWorks, Catia, Unigraphics, and Autodesk Inventor, etc. as well as some tooling packages such as Magics Tooling will contain the tools you need to create a mold.

  • Page 109: Combination Method

    Appendix I 5.3.3 Combination Method The combination method is slightly more process oriented and is not represented in the context of this document. Users familiar with the conventional sand casting process that incorporates the use of a pattern will find this technique to be desirable using ZCast.

  • Page 110: Design Techniques With Zcast

    Appendix I 6 Design Techniques with ZCast 6.1 Direct Gating Conventional methods of runner design are based on having a flat pattern that must be drawn out of a sand mold. This forces the runners and gates out sideways resulting in a mold that covers a larger area.

  • Page 111: Venting

    Appendix I Arching is a phenomenon that occurs on the first few layers printed. It diminishes as the part continues to build. To minimize arching, print the non-critical faces of your mold facing downwards. Figure 8: Arching Figure 7: Addition of stiffening ribs printed in the shelled mold 6.5 Venting...

  • Page 112: Venting Cores

    Appendix I 6.5.1 Venting Cores Follow these guidelines to obtain best results when designing vents for your cores: • The cores should be shelled in by approximately .250” (7mm) wall thickness where possible. • Any single wall of the core should be no thicker than .500”...

  • Page 113: Parting Lines

    Appendix I 6.6 Parting Lines The process for creating a mold in CAD software typically involves taking an object (the casting) and subtracting it from a larger, encompassing object (the mold). The mold must then be split along a generated surface or a plane. Traditionally, the parting line is very carefully chosen to create a pair of patterns to form the cope and drag without undercuts, and minimize the number of cores necessary.

  • Page 114: Mating Surfaces

    Appendix I 6.8 Mating Surfaces The mating surfaces of the mold should be offset to accommodate for surface imperfections. A total gap of 0.020” (0.5mm) should be created, in the model, at all mating surfaces. The offset can be created on either side of the parting surface or split between them. Even with an intentional gap, there will likely be some portion of the mold or core that rubs against another part when the mold is assembled.

  • Page 115: Wall Thickness Guidelines

    Appendix I 6.10 Wall Thickness Guidelines As indicated in the section 6.3 ‘Shelling Your Mold’, thinner sections bake quicker and more efficiently. Maintain the following guidelines for modeling your mold with thin walls: • Any mold wall that is in contact with metal should be no less then 0.5” (12mm) thick, and no more then 1”...

  • Page 116: Machine Settings

    Appendix I • Using “Bleed Compensation” is recommended. This will improve the accuracy so parts will fit together better • Orient parts so that the most critical faces are facing up in the build. For example, when possible, put the outside of the mold components (non-molding surfaces) facing down in the build.
  • Page 117 Appendix I Accumulated slag on the top of the crucible should be removed prior to pouring. ZCast Design Guide - 20...
  • Page 118 Appendix I 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 ZCast Design Guide - 21...

  • Page 119: Mold Preparation

    Appendix I 7 Mold Preparation After the mold is designed and printed in a Z Corporation 3D Printer, there are only a few necessary steps before you are ready to pour metal: Mold Wash – Mold wash is used in traditional sand casting to improve the surface finish of the castings.

  • Page 120: Pouring Metal

    ZCast powder is a non-toxic substance. Please consult the Material Data Safety Sheet for product details. Dispose of ZCast powder according to local and state regulations. ASM metals handbook, 4 edition Heine & Rosenthal Foseco foundryman’s handbook Consult Z Corporation prior to pouring ZCast Design Guide - 23...

  • Page 121: Powder Recycling

    The surface may be bead blasted or sand blasted. Castings may be heat- treated. 10.3 Ovens You can bake your parts in one of the ovens offered through Z Corporation, or any other oven º that will reach temperatures up to 400 F.

  • Page 122: Foundry Consumables

    Appendix I 11 Foundry Consumables You can purchase foundry consumables through a wide offering of vendors. This includes items such as core wash, pouring sleeves, filters, core paste, etc. Prominent foundry consumables that are commonly used are: Ceramic filters – These disposable items are inserted into either the pouring sleeve, or they are often placed in the drag in a cavity in line with the runner channel.

  • Page 123: Sand Casting Glossary

    Appendix I 11.1 Sand Casting Glossary Cope 11.1.1 Cope and Drag Molds are typically made up of two halves encapsulating the outer surfaces of the casting. The two parts are called the cope and drag; the cope being the “top” section and the drag being the “bottom.”...

  • Page 124: Pouring Cup

    Appendix I Core prints (light areas) 11.1.4 Pouring Cup The pouring cup, as the name implies, is where the molten metal is poured into the mold. The pouring cup can take many different forms, each to better optimize the feeding of metal into the mold and minimize the amount of turbulence produced...

  • Page 125: Ingates

    Appendix I 11.1.8 Ingates The metal enters the mold cavity through the ingates. Ingates typically feed thicker sections of the casting, which subsequently, feed thinner Runners sections. Thick sections, where the metal will be slowest to cool, should be Ingates allowed to feed thin sections that cool more quickly and may freeze off before the entire casting is filled.

  • Page 126: Conclusion

    If you or your foundry has questions about any of the information contained herein, or need additional information, please contact us: North America: Howard Rhett North American Sales Engineer (ZCast) Z Corporation 20 North Avenue Burlington, MA 01803 1 781 852 5005 phone hrhett@zcorp.com...
  • Page 127 Click below to find more Mipaper at www.lcis.com.tw Mipaper at www.lcis.com.tw...

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