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Stratasys J826 User Manual

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User Guide
Stratasys J826
3D Printing System
DOC-28000 Rev. D

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  • Page 1 User Guide Stratasys J826 3D Printing System DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 2 (even if Stratasys has been advised of the possibility of such damages), resulting from: (i) the use or the inability to use the product or software;...
  • Page 3 7,991,498 7,996,101 8,219,234 8,278,866 8,323,017 8,469,692 8,781,615 8,865,047 8,932,511 9,017,589 9,020,627 9,031,680 9,227,365 9,576,079 9,662,834 9,662,836 9,688,021 9,718,238 9,724,879 9,738,033 9,744,720 9,962,882 10,016,944 10,099,406 10,335,994 10,363,729 10,632,678 10,632,679 Stratasys Ltd. www.stratasys.com   DOC-28000 Revision D August 2020 DOC-28000 Rev. D...

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Terms Used in This Guide 2  Safety Safety Features Symbols and Warning Labels Safety Guidelines Printer Installation Printer Operation UV Radiation Printer Maintenance Model and Support Materials UV Lamps First Aid for Working with Printing Materials Contact with Skin Contact with Eyes Ingestion Inhalation Waste Disposal 3  Introducing the Stratasys J826 3D Printer Basic Features Work Configurations Source Files Printing Materials Storage Shelf Life Exposure to Light Safety Considerations Disposal Work Environment Workstation Requirements 4  Operating and Maintaining the Printer Starting the   P rinter Loading Model and Support Cartridges Producing Models Preparing the Printer Starting Printing Printer Interface Color Key...
  • Page 5 Changing Model Materials Without Flushing 4-19 Advanced Settings 4-21 Keeping the Printer in Idle Mode 4-25 Shutting Down the Printer 4-26 Maintaining the Printer 4-29 Routine Maintenance Schedule 4-29 Maintenance Counters 4-30 UV Lamp Check 4-32 Pattern Test 4-32 Backing up the Printer Configuration 4-35 Improving Print Quality 4-35 Cleaning the Print Heads, Roller and Wiper 4-36 Cleaning the Roller Waste Collector and Inspecting the Roller Scraper 4-40 Replacing the Roller Scraper 4-43 Aligning the Print Heads 4-46 Cleaning the Print-Head Splash Shield 4-50 Optimizing (Calibrating) Print Heads 4-52 Replacing Print Heads 4-60 Testing and Calibrating the UV Lamps 4-70 Calibrating the Load Cells 4-78 Flushing the Print-block Heater 4-78 Replacing the Waste-Pump Tubes...

  • Page 6: Using This Guide Additional Resources Terms Used In This Guide

    About This Guide Using This Guide Additional Resources Terms Used in This Guide DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 7 Stratasys J826 User Guide 1 About This Guide Using This Guide This user guide provides instructions for installing, operating and maintaining  Stratasys J826 3D printing systems. It explains how to use features, and  provides practical examples to guide you as you use the system. The text and figures in this guide are based on the J826 3D printer, software  version D2- 82.61.0. This guide assumes that— • all the hardware, software, and network components of your   s ystem are  installed, configured, and operating correctly. ® • the operator has a working knowledge of the Windows  PC platform. Additional Resources Visit the Stratasys Support Center to download the latest revision of this  document. This document is also available there in other languages. If you have any questions or comments about the way information is  presented in this guide, or if you have any suggestions for future editions,  please send a message to c-support@stratasys.com. Stratasys encourages you to learn more about your printer and its capabilities  in real-world settings. A wealth of information is available at the Support  Center, your portal to thousands of knowledge assets, including information  on design, applications, materials and Web-based training. The site also has  links to "how-to" videos and the Stratasys blog. Another source of 3D printing tips is the Tutorials section of GrabCAD  Community.   If you are reading this off line, copy these Web addresses in a browser connected to the Internet: support.stratasys.com...
  • Page 8 Stratasys J826 User Guide 1 About This Guide Terms Used in This Guide Build tray In the print preparation application: The surface displayed on the  screen that represents the actual build tray in the printer. In the printer: The surface upon which models are produced. Cleaning fluid Cleanser for flushing material feed tubes and the printing block, used  to completely remove Model and Support material from the system  before loading another type of material in the printer and before  long-term shutdown. The cleaning fluid is supplied in material  cartridges. Client/user The workstation on which   s oftware is installed for preparing build  workstation trays for production on PolyJet printers. (There is no limit to the  number of client workstations.) GrabCAD A software application for preparing print jobs on a variety of 3D ...

  • Page 9: Safety Features

    Safety Safety Features Symbols and Warning Labels Safety Guidelines Printer Installation Printer Operation UV Radiation Printer Maintenance Model and Support Materials UV Lamps First Aid for Working with Printing Materials Contact with Skin Contact with Eyes Ingestion Inhalation Waste Disposal DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 10 Do not defeat (override) the safety lock. Doing so could result in serious personal injury. If the safety lock does not function correctly, do not use the printer, and contact your service provider. The transparent section of the cover blocks harmful UV  UV Screening radiation, allowing the operator to view models as they are  being made. Figure 2-1 Front view of the Stratasys J826 printer DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 11 Stratasys J826 User Guide 2 Safety Circuit Breaker The power to the printer is turned off in case of electrical  overcurrent.  Note: The circuit breaker is only accessible to service  personnel. UV-Lamp Overheating The power supplied to the UV lamp and the motion motors is  Protection turned off if the temperature around the lamp reaches 90°C  (194°F). A label on the UV-lamp cover indicates if the  temperature has exceeded 65°C (150°F).   Grounded Chassis The chassis of the printer is grounded, to prevent electrical  shock. Note: The power outlet must be grounded in accordance with  the local electric code to provide this protection. If the printer is not used as specified in this guide, these safety features may not provide adequate protection.
  • Page 12 Stratasys J826 User Guide 2 Safety Safety Guidelines The following general guidelines, together with the instructions provided  throughout this user guide, ensure user safety while operating and  maintaining the system. If the system is not operated as specified, the user's safety may be compromised. ➢  Installation and removal of the printer should only be done by qualified  Printer Installation service personnel.  ➢  Connect the printer (and the UPS unit) to the electric outlet using a power  cord that is safety-certified. ➢  The electric outlet should be easily accessible, near the printer. ➢  Never connect the power plug to an outlet that does not have a ground  (earth) wire, and never disconnect the ground. Doing so might expose the  operator to serious danger from electric shock. ➢  The following safety statement is followed by translations to Finish, ...
  • Page 13 Stratasys J826 User Guide 2 Safety ➢  Service operations should be performed only by qualified personnel who  Printer Maintenance have been instructed in relevant safety precautions. ➢  Notify co-workers and those who have access to the printer before  beginning non-routine and hazardous work. Report any potential dangers and safety-related accidents to your safety officer or to other appropriate authorities. Model and Support materials are made of chemical substances. Although  Model and precautions must be taken when handling these materials directly, all Model  Support and Support materials used by the printer are handled in sealed cartridges.  Materials Normally, operators of the printer should never be directly exposed to  hazardous materials. In the unlikely event of a leak or spill, follow the  instructions that are included with the material cartridges used.
  • Page 14 Stratasys J826 User Guide 2 Safety UV lamps used by the printer to cure printing materials contain a small  UV Lamps amount of mercury. In the unlikely event of lamp breakage, avoid inhaling  mercury vapor, and ventilate the room. If the lamp ruptures (breaks) during  operation, leave the room and ventilate it thoroughly for about 30 minutes.  Use protective gloves to prevent contact with mercury and other lamp  components. Carefully remove spilled mercury with a method that prevents  the generation of mercury vapor, such as a syringe, packing tape or paper.  Place the broken lamp, mercury and contaminated materials in an air-tight,  non-metallic container. Dispose of the container in accordance with  applicable regulations. DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 15 Stratasys J826 User Guide 2 Safety First Aid for Working with Printing Materials In general, try to avoid direct contact with uncured printing material. If skin  or eyes come into contact with it, wash the area immediately and thoroughly  with water, and follow these first-aid instructions. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that accompanies printing materials contains important safety information. Keep this in an accessible place where these materials are used and stored.
  • Page 16 Stratasys J826 User Guide 2 Safety Waste Disposal Fully cured printed models can be disposed of as ordinary office trash.  However, special care is required when handling printer waste (uncured  printing material). ➢  When removing the waste container from the printer, wear neoprene or  Printing nitrile gloves. Materials ➢  To prevent liquid waste from splashing into the eyes, wear safety goggles. ➢  Liquid waste from the printer is classified as hazardous industrial waste.  Therefore, printing-material waste must be packaged and disposed of in a  manner that prevents human contact with it and contamination of water  sources. ➢  Empty Model-material and Support-material cartridges contain residue of  their contents. Some leakage of this residue may occur through the broken  cartridge seal. Therefore, handle and store empty cartridges with care.  ➢  Do not attempt to reuse empty cartridges, and do not puncture them. ➢  Dispose of used cartridges and waste containers in accordance with local  regulations. ➢  Discard contaminated clothing, shoes, empty containers, etc., in  accordance with any applicable regulations. UV Lamps UV lamps used by the printer to cure printing materials contain a small  amount of mercury, and are considered “Universal Waste.” Recycle or discard  used lamps in accordance with applicable regulations.

  • Page 17: Basic Features

    Introducing the Stratasys J826 3D Printer Basic Features Work Configurations Source Files Printing Materials Storage Shelf Life Exposure to Light Safety Considerations Disposal Work Environment Workstation Requirements   DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 18 Stratasys J826 User Guide 3 Introducing the Stratasys J826 3D Printer Basic Features   Stratasys J826 printers offer the following options: • You can streamline and economize the process of producing models. ❒  Printing models made from different materials on the same build tray  (“mixed tray”), in the same print job, eliminates the time-consuming  need and expense of loading another material, flushing the system, and  sending a separate job to be printed. ❒  Alternating print jobs that use any of the Model materials (or material  combinations) loaded similarly does not require material  replacement—again, saving time and expense. • You can print objects with combinations of basic materials (digital materials), enabling you to choose from a wide range of possible  mechanical properties—from flexible to rigid.  • You can print parts (shells) of the same model—simultaneously—with  different materials (or material combinations) • You can print objects that have a “coating” made from a different material  than the main part of the object. • You can mix any combination of base materials, resulting in an extremely  wide range of available colors.  • If you designate colors for parts of a model at the design stage (with CAD  software) and save the model as a VRML file, the parts are automatically  assigned appropriate material combinations in GrabCAD Print for printing  the model with the desired colors. • You can choose the preferred Support material for your needs. GrabCAD Print supports many 3D CAD file formats, eliminating the need to ...

  • Page 19: Work Configurations

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 3 Introducing the Stratasys J826 3D Printer Work Configurations Stratasys J826 3D printing systems can be set up as single-station systems or  as multi-station systems. When connected to a local computer network, the  system can serve multiple users. In such configurations, each user (client)  prepares files   f or production. A software service, installed on the printer  computer, processes jobs and controls the printing. Figure 3-1 shows the printer set up in a multi-client configuration. Figure 3-1 Multi-client network configuration DOC-28000 Rev. D...

  • Page 20: Source Files

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 3 Introducing the Stratasys J826 3D Printer Source Files Stratasys J826 printing systems produce three-dimensional models designed  with most CAD tools and some other 3D applications.  GrabCAD Print supports STL, VRML, OBJ and 3MF files. In addition,  GrabCAD Print supports native CAD formats from these programs: Creo,  SOLIDWORKS, NX, CATIA and Inventor. To see the complete list of file  formats supported by GrabCAD Print, go to: help.grabcad.com/print/file- formats. J826 systems feature the capability of producing different types of model files  simultaneously.   DOC-28000 Rev. D...

  • Page 21: Printing Materials

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 3 Introducing the Stratasys J826 3D Printer Printing Materials Stratasys J826 printers produce models by jetting thin layers of printing  materials on the build tray, until the complete model is formed. Two types of  material are used in this process: • Model material—which makes up the finished model • Support material—which fills gaps and spaces in the model during  printing, and is removed after printing For up-to-date information about PolyJet printing materials and their properties, go to www.stratasys.com/materials/polyjet. Storage Materials used for printing models with J826 printers are made of resins,  which are composed of reactive monomers and oligomers. Although printing  materials are supplied in sealed, UV-proof cartridges, care must be taken  when storing and handling them. Follow these guidelines to protect operators  and the environment, and to ensure optimum results.  • To ensure product stability, do not allow these materials to come into  contact with metal. Plastics made from monomer-soluble substances (such ...

  • Page 22: Disposal

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 3 Introducing the Stratasys J826 3D Printer Before being cured, resins are hazardous materials. To prevent possible health  Safety hazards, follow these precautions regarding printing materials:  Considerations • Do not expose to flames, heat or sparks. • Prevent contact with skin and eyes. • Ventilate areas where they are handled.  • Keep them separate from food and drink. Cured plastic parts, however, are safe. They can be handled and stored  without precautions. You can find more safety information about resins in: "Safety Guidelines" on page 2-4 "First Aid for Working with Printing Materials" on page 2-7 Disposal Dispose of cartridges of model and support material in accordance with all ...

  • Page 23: Starting The   P Rinter

    Operating and Maintaining the Printer Starting the   P rinter Loading Model and Support Cartridges Producing Models Preparing the Printer Starting Printing Printer Interface Color Key Printing Indicators Resuming Production After Printing has Stopped 4-10 Changing the Printing Material 4-14 Changing Model Materials Without Flushing 4-19 Advanced Settings 4-21 Keeping the Printer in Idle Mode 4-25 Shutting Down the Printer 4-26 Maintaining the Printer 4-29 Routine Maintenance Schedule 4-29 Maintenance Counters 4-30 UV Lamp Check 4-32 Pattern Test 4-32 Backing up the Printer Configuration 4-35 Improving Print Quality 4-35 Cleaning the Print Heads, Roller and Wiper 4-36 Cleaning the Roller Waste Collector and Inspecting the Roller ...
  • Page 24 Replacing the Material Filters 4-91 Replacing the Odor Filter 4-94 Replacing the UV Lamps 4-94 Dynamic Nozzle Test 4-100 Built-in Tests 4-101 Replacing the Waste Container 4-106 Cleaning the Exterior Panels 4-108 Cleaning the UV Screen 4-109 DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 25 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Figure 4-1 The Stratasys J826 3D Printer Starting the Printer Caution Do not attempt to operate the printer before being trained by an authorized Stratasys representative. Observe all safety warnings and follow the safety guidelines described in Chapter 2.
  • Page 26 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 2.  After the printer-control computer boots, log in to Windows and launch  the printer-control program: ❒  On the printer-computer desktop, double-click the J826 printer icon. or— ❒  From the Windows Start menu, select (All) Programs > Objet > J826. A HASP plug containing a valid product activation key is required on the printer computer. This is supplied during printer installation or upgrade. If the application does not open and a HASP message appears, contact your Stratasys dealer or service provider.
  • Page 27 The material cabinet contains a module that identifies loaded printing materials. Tampering with this module will render the printer inoperable and may void Stratasys warranties and service contracts. Important: If you need to replace the printing material currently installed with another type, see "Changing the Printing Material"...
  • Page 28 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Producing Models Models can be printed after they are arranged on a virtual build tray in the  GrabCAD Print application. For information about preparing model files for  printing, see the GrabCAD Print online documentation. Before beginning to produce models, it is recommended that you check the  Preparing the current printing quality of the print heads by performing the Pattern Test. Printer To prepare the printer for producing models: 1.  Make sure that the build tray in the printer is empty and clean. If not,  remove cured material with the scraper, and clean the tray thoroughly  with a cleaning cloth soaked with 90% alcohol (IPA or ethanol). Caution Use protective gloves when cleaning the build tray, and be careful of the sharp edges of the scraper blade.
  • Page 29 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer You can monitor printer status by switching the printer interface display. To  do this, click the display toggle button on the printer interface screen. Figure 4-4 Printer status To begin printing: Starting Printing ➢  On the printer interface, click the red button to switch the printer to  online mode. The color of the button changes from red to green (see the figure on  page 4-4).   I f there is a job in the printing queue, it is sent to the printer. When switching the printer to online mode, a message is displayed if a maintenance activity is required to ensure optimum printing quality.
  • Page 30 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Printer   Interface Color Key The background colors in the printer indicator fields tell you at a glance  whether or not the value or item is suitable or ready for printing.  • Green—suitable/ready for printing For example, in Figure 4-4 on the previous page: ❒  Heads (°C)—The heads have reached the temperature required for  printing models. ❒  Ambient—The ambient temperature of the printing chamber is within  the acceptable range. ❒  Heads Liquid—The level of Model and Support material in the  print-block reservoir is OK. ❒  Heads Vacuum—The vacuum level in the system is within the  acceptable range. ❒  Pre-Heater—The Model and Support resins have been heated to the  required temperature before being supplied to the print block.   • Blue—not ready For example, in Figure 4-4 on the previous page: ❒ ...
  • Page 31 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The printer interface screen changes when you send a print job to the printer,  Printing if the printer is on line: Indicators • The mode changes from Pre-print to Printing.  • The specific activity being performed is shown in the “current activity”  field.  • Current job-printing information is displayed. • The printing progress bar is displayed. • The Stop and Pause buttons are enabled. When the weight of a cartridge drops below 100 grams, the display of the  material level in the printer interface is red.  Figure 4-5 Printer interface during printing DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 32 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Resuming Production After Printing has Stopped If the printing process is interrupted, the print manager stops sending slices  to the printer. This can happen, for example, if the printing material runs out  in the middle of a print job, and you do not replace the empty cartridge  immediately.  After the printer changes to Standby or Idle mode, you need to  resume printing from the print manager in GrabCAD Print. After printing stops, the printer goes into Standby mode, when heating of the print heads is reduced. About 10 hours later, the printer goes into Idle mode, when heating of the print heads is stopped.
  • Page 33 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 3.  Open the Schedule screen of GrabCAD Print. Figure 4-7 Opening the Schedule screen 4.  Locate the stopped job. Figure 4-8 Stopped job in the Schedule screen 5.  Click on the job to display the Job Status details, and click the Resume   icon  .  OR— Right-click on the job to display the pop-up menu, and select Resume job. 6.  In GrabCAD Print, make sure that the correct slice number is entered in  the   d ialog box.
  • Page 34 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer   Figure 4-10 Printer interface after interrupted printing 7.  If, for any reason, the correct number does not appear in the dialog box,  enter the number and click OK. You cannot continue printing the model if: • The number of the last slice printed does not appear in the printer  interface, even if the server computer displays the confirmation dialog box. • There was a relatively long interruption in printing, even if the “last slice”  and   i ndicators are correct. This is because the part already printed might  slightly deform or shrink before printing continues, causing a visible  difference between it and the part of the model printed later. The effects  of a printing stoppage depend on the model size and structure, the Model  material used, ambient temperature and the length of the stoppage. DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-12...
  • Page 35 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer If you cannot continue printing: 1.  Cancel the job. In GrabCAD Print, in the Schedule screen (see above):  ❒  Right-click on the job to display the pop-up menu, and select Cancel job. OR— ❒  Left-click on the job to display the Job Status details, and click the  Cancel   i con  .  2.  Remove the partially printed model from the build tray.  3.  Resend the job to the printer. ❒  Click  You can stop printing from either the printer interface or from GrabCAD Print.
  • Page 36 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Changing the Printing Material Before producing models using a different type of printing material than is  currently installed, run the Material Replacement wizard to flush the print  block and feed tubes. After using the wizard to change the Support material and certain Model materials, Head Optimization is required before printing models. You should carefully plan printing models with different materials to avoid unnecessary waste of the materials currently loaded.
  • Page 37 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 4.  Choose the configuration for producing models: ❒  7 Materials (High Mix / High Quality) ❒  3 Materials (High Speed) Figure 4-12 Material Replacement Options 7 Materials Each print head is loaded with two different materials.  Figure 4-13 Seven Model materials loaded in the print heads You can print with any single material, or with a combination of them.  High-speed printing is not available, but high-quality models can be  printed. DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 38 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 3 Materials Both sections of each print head are loaded with   t he same material.   Figure 4-14 Three materials loaded in the print heads Up to three Model materials are available, with high-speed printing. 5.  In the Required materials section of the wizard screen, select one or more  replacement materials cartridges. 6.  For Model materials, select Both if you need to load two replacement  cartridges. Loading one replacement cartridge is more economical because it  potentially requires less flushing of material currently in the system.  However, when one cartridge is not sufficient, loading two cartridges  enables continuous printing until the print job is completed. When one  cartridge empties and the other one is being used, you can replace the  empty cartridge with a new one. 7.  For Support material, select   t he number of cartridges to replace.
  • Page 39 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 9.  To flush out material currently in the system, choose the flushing cycle  that fits your needs: The default flushing cycle is the one used for the last material replacement. ❒  Economy. This cycle can be used when replacing a light-colored Model  material with a darker material (such as TangoBlack™ or VeroBlack™)  or if the exact color of the printed models is unimportant. Use this  cycle when replacing cleaning fluid with any Model material. The wizard flushes the system with the minimum amount of material  needed to ensure that models have the mechanical properties of the  new material. ❒  Full. Use this cycle when the printed models must have the exact color  of the new material. The wizard thoroughly flushes   t he feed tubes and print heads needed ...
  • Page 40 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 10. Click Next to begin the material replacement process in the printer. The Cartridge Positioning screen appears, showing you the new location  of all cartridges in the material cabinet. Figure 4-15 Cartridge placement Symbols:  The correct cartridge is in this slot.  No cartridge (or the incorrect cartridge) is in this slot.  The cartridge in this slot has insufficient weight to complete the material  replacement process.  The expiration date of the cartridge in this slot has passed. 11. Replace material cartridges as necessary, according to the instructions in  the wizard screen. 12. Click Start. 13. Read the warning message, and click OK. If you continue, you must complete the material replacement process before you can produce models. To replace material cartridges at another time, click Cancel.
  • Page 41 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Before printing models, you need to run the Head Optimization wizard in these cases: • after changing the printing mode • after replacing Vero with ABS-like or Agilus30 Model materials (and the reverse) •...
  • Page 42 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 3.  When the Material Replacement Options screen opens, select the Replace materials without flushing check box and click Next. Figure 4-17 Replace materials without flushing 4.  In the confirmation message that appears, click Yes to continue.    Figure 4-18 Replace without flushing confirmation message DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-20...

  • Page 43: Advanced Settings

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 5.  In the Cartridge Positioning and Process Progression screen, click Start.   Figure 4-19 Cartridge Positioning and Process Progression screen 6.  Read the Warning message that appears, and click OK to continue.   Figure 4-20 Warning message Material replacement begins. The Advanced Settings dialog box enables you to configure the Material  Advanced Replacement wizard for special purposes. If necessary, click Advanced Settings Settings in the Material Replacement Options screen before clicking Next.
  • Page 44 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer To select the slots for the cartridges manually: 1.  In the Material Replacement Options screen, click Advanced Settings. 2.  In the Advanced Settings screen, select Manual slot selection, and click  Apply.   Figure 4-21 Manual slot selection 3.  In the Material Replacement Options screen, Both cartridges is selected ...
  • Page 45 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer When printing in High Speed mode (three materials), the same material is  used in both sections of each print head. The material selected for one of  the cartridge slots is also used in the other print head channel. Figure 4-23 Manual cartridge selection—3 Model Materials 4.  After selecting the materials for the appropriate cartridge slots, the  Cartridge Positioning screen appears. Place the cartridges in the materials  cabinet as shown in this screen. Figure 4-24 Cartridge Positioning screen (High Speed mode) DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-23...
  • Page 46 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The flushing cycle you select in the Material Replacement Options screen  Additional determines how thoroughly to flush out material currently in the system.  Flushing Cycles After selecting the Economy cycle and completing the wizard, you might  decide that you require a more thorough flushing, to ensure accurate model  color. Or, you may notice that printed models are not satisfactory because  they contain traces of the previous material. If so, you can flush out more  material, so that the next models will be printed with pure material. To perform additional flushing cycles: ➢  In the Advanced Settings screen, select Enable "flush again" options and  click Apply.   Figure 4-25 Enable flush again options selected The Material Replacement Options screen appears, where you can select the ...
  • Page 47 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Keeping the Printer in Idle Mode Between printing jobs, the printer can be left unused for up to one week. If  the printer will not be used for more than a week, use the Shutdown wizard  to automatically perform the procedures that must be done before turning off  the printer (see "Shutting Down the Printer" on the next page). When the printer stops producing models, the printer software automatically  reduces the temperature of the print heads, as follows: After printing stops Mode Change in heating of print heads first 15 minutes Standby 1 no change next 1 minute...
  • Page 48 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Shutting Down the Printer You only need to shut down the printer if it will not be used for 30 days or  more. Otherwise, the printer can remain on, in Idle mode. However, if there  is a need to turn off the printer sooner, use the Shutdown wizard to  automatically perform the necessary processes before turning off the printer The Shutdown process flushes printing materials from printer components. To avoid flushing out valuable material, make sure to print models at least once a week.
  • Page 49 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 3.  Select the option corresponding to the length of time that the printer will  not be used—less or more than 30 days. Note: Before selecting More than 30 days, make sure that cleaning-fluid cartridges are available. Figure 4-27 Shutdown options 4.  In the next screen, verify that the tray is empty and click Next.                        ...
  • Page 50 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 6.  When the final wizard screen appears, close the printer-control  application and shut down the printer computer. Figure 4-30 Final Shutdown wizard screen 7.  After the printer computer shuts down, turn off the main power switch at  the back of the printer   ( see Figure 4-2 on page 4-3). DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-28...
  • Page 51 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Maintaining the Printer Performing routine maintenance tasks is essential for getting satisfactory  results from your printer. Perform the tasks at specified intervals. Frequency Task For More Routine Information Maintenance Schedule Before printing Clean the UV lamp lenses. Before / after printing Check the UV lamp overheating indicator.
  • Page 52 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Frequency Task For More Information Monthly Remove and clean the print-head splash See "Cleaning shield. the Print-Head Splash Shield" on page 4-50. Monthly Clean debris from the Z-axis shaft with a vacuum cleaner.
  • Page 53 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer If there is a maintenance task due, this is indicated on the main interface  screen.   Figure 4-32 Maintenance Required indicator If this indicator appears, you can display the Maintenance Counters screen by  clicking on it.   Figure 4-33 Maintenance Counters screen The Maintenance Required indicator appears by default for most operator- performed maintenance tasks. The check box under “User Warning” controls whether or not it appears when a particular task is due.

  • Page 54: Pattern Test

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer A heat-sensitive label is fixed to the UV lamp covers as a warning against  UV Lamp overheating. Its center changes from white to black if the temperature of the  Check cover reaches 65°C (150°F). If this occurs, do not use the printer, and call  your service provider. As a precaution, it is recommended that you check the  label before and after printing.  Figure 4-34 Heat-sensitive label on UV lamp cover If the UV lamp continues to overheat, and the temperature around the lamp reaches 90°C (194°F), a heat fuse turns off the electricity to the power to the UV lamp and the motors for the X, Y, and Z axes.
  • Page 55 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Figure 4-35 Selecting Pattern Test 5.  Click Yes in the Confirm dialog box to begin. Figure 4-36 Pattern Test confirmation 6.  If the build tray is not clear, click No in the following dialog box. Figure 4-37 Build tray confirmation If you click No, the Pattern Test is canceled to prevent damage to the  printer.  If you click Yes, the printer prints a series of lines on the test paper. DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-33...
  • Page 56 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Figure 4-38 Sample Pattern Test 7.  Carefully inspect the test paper to see if there are missing lines.  Too many missing lines, especially if they are in the same area, indicates  that the quality of printing when producing models will be poor. If this is  the case, see "Improving Print Quality" on the next page. Note: Acceptable model quality is subjective, and depends on the type and scale (size) of the models produced. As a rule, however, more than 10 missing lines in one area of a column is considered unacceptable.

  • Page 57: Backing Up The Printer Configuration

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer It is recommended that you periodically back up the printer's configuration  Backing up the files. In case of printer malfunction or the need to re-install the software on  Printer the printer computer, parameters can be restored from the backup. The  Configuration backup also saves the printer's log and the calibration and maintenance  history. To back up the printer configuration files: 1.  From the Options menu, select Collect Service Data. or— Press F2. Figure 4-39 Selecting Collect Service Data from the Options menu 2. ...

  • Page 58: Cleaning The Print Heads, Roller And Wiper

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer If the results of the pattern test are still poor: 1.  Carefully clean the print heads again, making sure there is no residue left  on them. 2.  Perform the purge sequence. 3.  Perform the pattern test. If the results of the pattern test are still poor: ➢  Optimize the print heads and replace faulty print heads, if necessary (see  "Optimizing (Calibrating) Print Heads" on page 4-52).
  • Page 59 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 3.  Make sure that the build tray is clear (empty), and close the cover.  Confirm this in the wizard screen and click Next. Figure 4-41 Preparation check The printer moves components to the cleaning position. 4.  When the following screen appears, open the printer. Figure 4-42 Wizard screen during cleaning tasks Warning: Hot Surface The print head orifice plates (bottom surface) may be hot. Do not touch them with your bare hands, and proceed with caution.
  • Page 60 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 8.  Clean the orifice plates, with a back-and-forth motion. Use the mirror to  make sure that you have removed all of the residue material. Figure 4-43 Cleaning the heads Once a month, remove and clean the print-head splash shield. (See step 4 on page 4-51.) 9.  Clean the glass lens on the UV lamps.  10. Using the alcohol-soaked cleaning cloth, remove any material remaining  on the wiper and the surrounding area.  11. Remove any pieces of waste material collected in the purge unit. If  necessary, remove the waste collector to clean it. Wipe the rubber seal.
  • Page 61 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 12. Inspect the wiper. If the wiper is scratched, torn or worn, or if you cannot clean it  completely, replace it. a.  Grasp it and pull it up and out of its bracket.  b.  Insert the new wiper blade, making sure that it is straight and secured  well on both sides.  13. Select the confirmation check boxes in the wizard screen (see Figure 4-42)  and click Next. 14. Activate the roller, so that it rotates while you clean it. Figure 4-45 Roller-rotation activation 15. With a cleaning cloth soaked with alcohol, clean the roller surface, as it is  rotating. Caution Use caution when cleaning the rotating roller. Use a cleaning cloth or the supplied UV cleaning pad.
  • Page 62 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 17. Remove the cleaning materials from the printer and close the printer  cover. 18. Select the confirmation check boxes in the wizard screen and click Next. The head-purge cycle begins. When this is complete, the final wizard  screen appears. Figure 4-47 Cleaning wizard—final screen 19. Click Done to close the wizard. The roller waste collector removes waste material scraped from the roller.  Cleaning the Suction removes this waste to the printer’s waste container. Roller Waste Collector and This assembly should be cleaned weekly to prevent a blockage in the tubes  Inspecting the leading to the waste container, so that waste material does not overflow into  Roller Scraper the printer. To clean the roller waste collector: 1. ...
  • Page 63 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 3.  Remove the right UV-lamp assembly: a.  Disconnect the UV power cable and the fan power cable. Figure 4-48 Disconnecting the right UV assembly b.  Remove the screw that secures the right UV lamp, and then pull and  lift up the UV lamp. 4.  Loosen the two screws securing the suction tube on the print block. Figure 4-49 Lifting the suction tube 5.  Lift the suction tube to secure it in a raised position. DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-41...
  • Page 64 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 6.  Remove the two screws securing the covering of the roller waste collector  and remove it. Be very careful to save the covering screws. These are special screws; if they are lost, you need to order replacements. Figure 4-50 Removing the roller waste collector screws 7. ...

  • Page 65: Cleaning The Roller Waste Collector And Inspecting The Roller Scraper

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 6.  Before returning the roller waste collector to the print block, make sure  that the pins are clean.  Figure 4-52 Roller waste collector pins To re-assemble the components: 1.  Return the roller waste collector to the print block and screw on the  covering (see Figure 4-50 on the previous page). 2.  Loosen the screws securing the suction tube. Figure 4-53 Positioning the suction tube 3.  Lower the suction tube so that the hole in the panel behind the tube is  visible, and tighten the screws to secure the tube.  4.  Attach the right-UV-lamp assembly to the print block and reconnect the  UV power and fan cables.
  • Page 66 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer To replace the roller scraper: 1.  Prepare— ❒  a new roller scraper blade ❒  a Phillips 1x75 mm screwdriver ❒  a 2.5-mm and a 2-mm hex (Allen) key 2.  Remove the right UV lamp and the roller waste collector covering (see  steps 3 to 6  on page 4-41). 3.  Loosen the two screws securing the roller waste collector and pull it out. Figure 4-54 Removing the roller waste collector 4.  Remove the screws that secure the roller scraper assembly.  Figure 4-55 Removing the roller scraper screws 5. ...
  • Page 67 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 6.  Place the new scraper blade onto the pins in the holder, as shown.  Figure 4-57 Inserting the new roller scraper blade 7.  Insert and tighten the roller scraper blade screws. Important: Tighten the screws in the order shown in Figure 4-58. Use the new screws supplied in the replacement kit Figure 4-58 Tightening the roller scraper screws 8. ...
  • Page 68 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer You should check the alignment of the print heads—  Aligning the Print Heads • once a month • after replacing one or more heads • if model quality is not acceptable even after cleaning the orifice plate on  the bottom of the print block (see "Cleaning the Print Heads, Roller and  Wiper" on page 4-36). This procedure takes about 20 minutes. To check the alignment of the print heads: 1.  Prepare— ❒  a transparency sheet, about half of the standard   A -4 or Letter size ❒  any type of adhesive tape, to fasten the transparency sheet to the build  tray 2.  Start the Head Alignment wizard from the Options menu.

  • Page 69: Aligning The Print Heads

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 7.  If the printer is currently loaded with seven Model materials, (High Mix /  High Quality mode), select the mode for aligning the print heads. Figure 4-61 Mode selection When you click Next, the printer prints the head alignment test on the  transparency. When printing is finished, the following screen appears. Figure 4-62 Head Alignment wizard—steps 8–10 8.  Open the printer and remove the transparency. The transparency sheet is printed with sets of vertical lines in seven  columns, each showing the results from a different print head. Figure 4-63 Sample head-alignment test Note: There is no column for head H7 because its alignment is used as a reference for aligning all other heads.
  • Page 70 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 9.  For each column of lines, use a magnifying glass or loupe to inspect pairs  of consecutive rows printed on the transparency to see where the vertical  lines align. Figure 4-64 Comparing rows of alignment lines Note: It does not matter which pair of lines you inspect, since they were all printed by the same head. Choose a pair of clearly printed lines for the inspection.
  • Page 71 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer When you have finished aligning all of the heads, the following screen is  displayed. Figure 4-66 Parameter update confirmation 13. Continue as follows: ❒  To make the alignment changes in the printer, make sure that Update system with new parameters is selected, and click Next. ❒  To recheck the alignment test results before making the alignment  changes in the printer, click Previous. ❒  If you do not want to make alignment changes in the printer at this  time, select Keep previous parameters, and click Next. 14. In the following screen, you can choose to either repeat the head  alignment procedure or close the wizard.  Figure 4-67 Repeat head alignment option ❒ ...

  • Page 72: Cleaning The Print-Head Splash Shield

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer To prevent excess printing material from accumulating around the print  Cleaning the heads, a splash shield is installed on the bottom of the print block. Remove  Print-Head the shield and clean it once a month, when cleaning the print heads (see  Splash Shield "Cleaning the Print Heads, Roller and Wiper" on page 4-36). To remove the print-head splash shield: 1.  Run the Cleaning wizard from the Options menu. When the printer moves components to the cleaning position, the  following screen appears. Figure 4-68 Wizard screen during cleaning tasks 2.  Open the printer and place a mirror on the build tray. 3.  Put on cleaning gloves.
  • Page 73 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 4.  Using a 2-mm hex (Allen) key, remove the screws to remove the splash  shield. Figure 4-69 Print-head splash shield installed on the print block Figure 4-70 Removing the print-head splash shield Warning: Hot Surface The print head orifice plates (bottom surface) may be hot. Do not touch them with your bare hands, and proceed with caution.

  • Page 74: Optimizing (Calibrating) Print Heads

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The condition of the print heads directly affects the quality of printed models.  Optimizing To maintain optimum printing, you should routinely test the print heads, and  (Calibrating) calibrate them to the best working configuration possible by running the  Print Heads Head Optimization wizard every 300 hours of printing. You also need to calibrate the print heads in these cases: • after changing the printing mode between High Mix / High Quality and  High Speed • after replacing Vero with ABS-like or Agilus30 Model materials (and the  reverse) • after changing the type of Support material (SUP705/706) • after replacing the Support material with cleaning fluid (and the reverse) During this procedure, you place a scale on the build tray and connect it to  the printer. Printing material (resin) is jetted from each head and its weight is  automatically recorded and the wizard determines how to optimize the print  heads.  If, during the optimization process, the wizard determines that a print head is  faulty—or that it is negatively affecting layer uniformity with the current head  configuration—the wizard instructs you to replace it. If this happens, you can  continue the wizard to replace the print head, or abort the wizard, to replace  the head at another time.  Run the Head Optimization wizard every 300 hours of printing or whenever...
  • Page 75 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 2.  Start the Head Optimization wizard from the Options menu. Figure 4-71 Starting the Head Optimization wizard 3.  In the opening wizard screen, click Next to begin. The Wizard Conditions screen appears. 4.  Read the conditions, select I Agree and click Next. 5.  In the following screen, select Continue with Head optimization if you have  recently cleaned the print heads. Otherwise, cancel the wizard and run the  Cleaning wizard. Figure 4-72 Clean print heads screen DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 76 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 6.  In the following screen, make sure Optimize all print heads is selected,  and click Next. Figure 4-73 Procedure selection screen 7.  Select the printing mode for which you want to optimize the print heads  and click Next. Figure 4-74 Printing mode selection Note: The mode options depend on the materials loaded in the printer.
  • Page 77 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 8.  Make sure that the build tray is clear and clean, and confirm this in the  wizard screen.  Figure 4-75 Preparing for head optimization (1) When you click Next, a frame is printed on the build tray. 9.  When the following screen appears, open the printer and tape a sheet of  pink paper to the surface left of the build tray. Figure 4-76 Preparing for head optimization (2) When you click Next, the Pattern Test is printed on the pink paper. 10. When the following screen appears, open the printer and remove the  Pattern Test paper. Figure 4-77 Enter Missing Nozzles screen DOC-28000 Rev.
  • Page 78 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 11. Carefully inspect the Pattern Test paper with the Missing Nozzles Ruler to  see if there are missing lines. Figure 4-78 Inspecting the Pattern Test Each missing line represents a faulty nozzle in the print head. 12. In the Missing Nozzles screen, enter the number of missing nozzles for  each print head and click Next. 13. The wizard continues according to the number of missing nozzles you  entered.  ❒  If there are too many missing nozzles for acceptable printing, the  wizard instructs you to replace the defective print head(s). You can do  this now, or abort the wizard. If you are prepared to replace print heads now, the wizard guides you  through the procedure when you click Next. Make sure you have  replacement heads and the required tools (see page 4-61). Then,  continue with "Preparing the Print Block" on page 4-62. Figure 4-79 Head replacement due to missing nozzles ❒ ...
  • Page 79 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 14. Set up the scale in the printer by performing the steps listed in the wizard  screen. Figure 4-80 Setting up the Head Optimization scale 15. After confirming all of the items listed in the wizard screen, click Next. Printing material (resin) is jetted from each head and its weight is  automatically recorded. Then, the following screen appears. Figure 4-81 Emptying the resin container 16. Open the printer. Carefully remove the resin container from the scale and  empty it into the purge unit. Then return the container to the scale. Caution: The resin in the container is uncured To prevent contact with skin, wear neoprene or nitrile gloves.
  • Page 80 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 18. When the following screen appears, open the printer and remove the  scale.  Figure 4-82 Remove Scale confirmation screen 19. Confirm the items listed in the wizard screen, and click Next. 20.  W hen the following screen appears, open the printer and clean the build  tray. Figure 4-83 Clean Tray confirmation screen DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-58...
  • Page 81 Figure 4-84 Final wizard screen, after optimizing print heads ❒  If the wizard determines that a print head is faulty—or that it is  negatively affecting model quality with the current head  configuration—you need to replace it. Indicate whether or not you  want to do so now. Figure 4-85 Defective print heads found •  Select Replace defective head(s) if you are prepared to replace the  print heads now (see below).  or— •  Select Abort wizard if you want to replace the print heads at  another time. Replace print heads only after consulting with an authorized Stratasys service provider. DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-59...
  • Page 82 The condition of the print heads directly affects the quality of printed models.  Replacing You may need to replace a print head if one or more of the following  Print Heads symptoms occurs: • The Head Optimization wizard determines that a print head is defective.  (See "Optimizing (Calibrating) Print Heads" on page 4-52.) • There are noticeable grooves in the surface of printed models. • Visual inspection of the head reveals that its surface is damaged—peeling  or bubbles in the nozzle area. • The printer interface displays a warning or malfunction message relating  to a print head— ❒  Head Heater temperature timeout ❒  Head Heater thermistor open ❒  Head Heater thermistor short Replace print heads only after consulting with an authorized Stratasys service provider. The Head Optimization wizard guides you through the procedure of replacing  a print head, and configures printer components to enable you to perform it.  Only replace a print head with the aid of the wizard. DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-60...
  • Page 83 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The entire print-head replacement procedure takes about 45 minutes, and  consists of the following phases:  A.  Identifying the head(s) needing replacement.  This is normally done by the Head Optimization wizard. Otherwise,  evidence of physical damage to the head surface or a malfunction message  indicates which head needs replacing. B.  Preparing the print block for head replacement. This is done automatically when you run the wizard. C.  Removing the defective print head.  D.  Installing a new print head. E.  Optimizing the print heads (done automatically by the wizard). F.  Performing head alignment.                 To replace a print head: 1. ...
  • Page 84 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 5.  In the following screen, select Continue with Head optimization if you have  recently cleaned the print heads. Otherwise, cancel the wizard and run the  Cleaning wizard. Figure 4-86 Clean print heads screen 6.  In the following screen, select Replace faulty heads, and click Next. Figure 4-87 Procedure selection screen Preparing the 7.  Select the print head(s) needing replacement, and click Next. Print Block Figure 4-88 Head selection screen The printer heats and empties the print block, and prepares the printer. ...
  • Page 85 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The following screen appears when the printer is ready for you to replace  print heads. Figure 4-89 Printer ready for head replacement 8.  Put on the protective gloves and open the printer cover. Note: The printer disconnects power to the heads for your safety. Removing the 9.  On the front of the print block, loosen the screws that secure the cover  Defective Head protecting the print-head driver cards.  Figure 4-90 Loosening the driver-card cover screws 10. Lift up the cover.
  • Page 86 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 11. Loosen the screws that secure the driver-card bracket, and lower the  bracket. Figure 4-91 Loosening the driver-card bracket screws 12. Release the driver-card support. Figure 4-92 Releasing the driver-card support DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-64...
  • Page 87 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 13. Remove the driver card by releasing the latch at the points shown. Figure 4-93 Releasing the driver-card latch 14. Release the upper and lower screws that secure the print head in the  block. (If necessary, you may use a 4-mm hex (Allen) key to loosen the  screws.) Figure 4-94 Releasing the print-head locking screws DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-65...
  • Page 88 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 15. Press down on the upper and lower locking screws to release the print  head, and remove it from the bottom of the print block. Figure 4-95 Releasing the print head 16. Make sure that along with the head, you remove the four (4) rubber O- ring seals. Figure 4-96 O-ring seals on the print head DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-66...
  • Page 89 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Important If the seals are not removed with the head, they are probably stuck to the print block housing. If so, remove them. Figure 4-97 Making sure the O-rings are not stuck to the print block Installing the 17. Place four (4) O-ring seals in the replacement head (see Figure 4-96 on the ...
  • Page 90 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 22.  I n the Replace print heads screen, select the check box to confirm that  you have replaced the head(s), and click Next. Figure 4-99 Head replacement confirmation 23.  W ith your fingers, make sure that the new head is level and even with the  other heads. Figure 4-100 Checking the level of the new head 24.  C onfirm that the heads are level by selecting the check box in the  following wizard screen, and click Next. Figure 4-101 Installation-check screen DOC-28000 Rev.
  • Page 91 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 25.  I n the next wizard screen, confirm that you have removed all tools and  objects from the printer. Figure 4-102 Cleared-tray confirmation screen 26.  C lose the printer cover. The wizard continues by heating the heads, then filling and purging them.       If installation problems are detected, the wizard alerts you and instructs  you how to continue (see "Installation Problems" below). 27. After replacing print heads, you should run the wizard again, to optimize  the new heads, and to make sure that they are optimized for printing with  the other heads. In the final wizard screen, select Optimize all print heads  and click Next. Figure 4-103 Final wizard Screen Installation If the printer detects that there is a problem after you install print heads, a ...

  • Page 92: Testing And Calibrating The Uv Lamps

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer ➢  If the replacement head was not calibrated by Stratasys, remove the head  and replace it with another one.  Figure 4-104 Invalid-head warning Contact your Stratasys service provider about the uncalibrated head. The level of UV radiation from the lamps used for curing models can change  Testing and over time. To ensure optimum curing of models during printing, a pop-up  Calibrating the message reminds you to test the lamps and calibrate the level of UV radiation  UV Lamps after every 300 hours of printing. You do this by running the UV Calibration  Wizard. To measure the UV radiation, you need: • Stratasys TOL-03005-S (UV sensor and cable) or— • a stand-alone UV radiation meter, approved for use with the printer The wizard compares the measured radiation to the recommended radiation  level for each of the lamps, at each printing mode—High Speed /  High Quality.  When calibrating the lamps, the wizard attempts to adjust the radiation level,  if necessary. • If the reading is within the acceptable range, the wizard continues to the  next phase. ...
  • Page 93 Figure 4-106 UV device selection UV Measuring Device When you use the Stratasys UV sensor box (TOL-03005-S), you connect it to the printer. The wizard automatically measures and calibrates the UV radiation. If you use a stand-alone UV radiation meter, you need to manually enter the readings from the meter in the wizard screens.
  • Page 94 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 4.  Make sure that the build tray is empty. Confirm this in the wizard screen  and click Next. Figure 4-107 Printer preparation ➢  When using a Stratasys UV sensor box that you connect to the printer  (TOL-03005-S), continue with "UV Sensor Connected to Printer" on the  next page. ➢  When using a stand-alone UV radiation meter, continue with "External  UV Meter" on page 4-75. DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-72...
  • Page 95 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The following steps apply when using the Stratasys UV sensor box that you  UV Sensor connect to the printer. They do not apply when using a   U V external radiation  Connected to measuring device. Printer 1.  To synchronize the wizard and the UV sensor, enter the CF number from  the label on the back of the UV sensor box. Figure 4-108 UV sensor synchronization Figure 4-109 Label on the bottom of the UV sensor box 2.  Click Next.
  • Page 96 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 3.  Open the printer and connect the UV sensor cable to the connector in the  printer. Figure 4-110 UV sensor connector in the printer 4.  Position the UV sensor as shown in the wizard screen.  5.  Confirm the items listed in the wizard screen and click Next. Figure 4-111 Sensor positioning Continue with "UV Measurement " on page 4-76. DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-74...
  • Page 97 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The following steps apply when using a stand-alone UV meter. This section  External UV does not apply when using the Stratasys UV sensor box connected to the  Meter printer. 1.  When the following screen appears, open the printer and place the UV  sensor (probe) at the rear edge of the tray, in the center. Figure 4-112 Sensor placement screen 2.  Lead the cable out of the printer so that you can close the printer, and  tape it down to make sure that it does not interfere with the moving print  block.   Figure 4-113 Correct UV-sensor placement 3.  Close the printer, while checking that the sensor does not move out of  position. 4.  Set the UV meter to measure mJ/cm2. 5.  Set the range on the meter to 2,000.
  • Page 98 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The UV lamps power up and stabilize. (This takes several minutes.) Then, the  print block passes over the sensor and the wizard compares the measured  Measurement radiation to the recommended level for each UV lamp and printing mode.  During this process, which takes 20–40 minutes, you need to monitor the  progress as displayed in the wizard screen. Figure 4-114 UV measurement progress When using a stand-alone radiation meter (not the Stratasys UV sensor box  connected to the printer): Reset the meter and enter the reading  (measurement) when you are prompted to do so.   Figure 4-115 UV Measurement dialog box If the UV level measured is not acceptable, the wizard calibrates the UV lamp  by adjusting the current supplied to it, and then tests it again. When all UV tests have finished, the results are displayed, showing the  condition of the lamps after calibration (see Figure 4-116 below). Figure 4-116 Results and condition of UV lamps after calibration DOC-28000 Rev.
  • Page 99 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer After examining the UV calibration results: 1.  Click Next. 2.  Remove the UV sensor and close the printer cover. After confirming the  items listed in the wizard screen, click Next. Figure 4-117 UVsensor removal If the results are not acceptable for quality printing, this is indicated in the  final wizard screen. Figure 4-118 Final UV Calibration Wizard screen DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-77...

  • Page 100: Calibrating The Load Cells

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Calibrating the Load cells are sensors that measure the weight of the material cartridges and  Load Cells the waste container in the printer. It is important that you periodically check  that the weight measurements are accurate to prevent unnecessary waste of  printing materials or printer malfunctions. To calibrate load cells: 1.  Start the Load Cell Calibration wizard from the Options menu. 2.  In the following screen, select one or more load cells that you want to  calibrate.  Figure 4-119 Load cell selection 3.  Remove each selected cartridge from the materials cart, and click Next. 4.  In the next wizard screen, observe the numbers and wait until the weight  level is relatively stable—two units above or below the average level shown. Figure 4-120 Weight stabilization 5. ...
  • Page 101 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The time required for completing this procedure depends on the materials loaded in the printer. A time estimation appears in the wizard before starting the flushing process. To flush the Print-block Heater: 1. ...
  • Page 102 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Figure 4-123 Manual slot selection 5.  When the Material Replacement Options screen opens again, select the  following: ❒  7 materials ❒  Economy Figure 4-124 Selections in the Material Replacement Options screen Make sure that the printer is loaded with the selected materials. This procedure requires seven Model materials to flush all of the channels in the print-block heater.
  • Page 103 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 7.  In the Cartridge Positioning screen, make sure that the material  cartridges are properly positioned. Figure 4-125 Cartridge Positioning screen Symbols:  The correct cartridge is in this slot.  No cartridge (or the incorrect cartridge) is in this slot.  The cartridge in this slot has insufficient weight to complete the material  replacement process.  The expiration date of the cartridge in this slot has passed. Note: The time needed to complete this process depends on the materials currently loaded in the printer. The estimated time is displayed at the bottom of the Cartridge positioning screen.
  • Page 104 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Figure 4-126 Material Replacement Options selection 3.  Click Next. 4.  In the Cartridge positioning screen, make sure that the material  cartridges are properly positioned. Note: The time needed to complete this process depends on the materials currently loaded in the printer. The estimated time is displayed at the bottom of the Cartridge positioning screen.

  • Page 105: Replacing The Waste-Pump Tubes

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Replacing the The tubes that pump waste material from the roller waste collector and the  Waste-Pump purge unit should be replaced after 800 hours of use. After this time, a  Tubes counter displays a maintenance alert on the printer interface screen.  Figure 4-127 Maintenance alert You can check when the pump tubes need to be replaced in the Maintenance  Counters interface.  To open the Maintenance Counters interface: ➢  Click on the "Maintenance Required" indicator. or— ➢  From the Options menu, select Maintenance Counters. Figure 4-128 Selecting Maintenance Counters from the Options menu.
  • Page 106 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer To replace the roller waste tubes: 1.  Prepare— ❒  two cleaning cloths ® ❒  Norprene  tubes (supplied in the Start-Up Kit) 2.  Press F6. or— From the Options menu, select Go to Purge Position. 3.  After the print block moves to the purge position, close the printer  application. 4.  Shut down the printer computer.  Wait 60 seconds after the monitor goes blank, and then turn off the main  power switch at the back of the printer   ( see Figure 4-2 on page 4-3).
  • Page 107 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 6.  Raise the entire printer top and move the materials cabinet to access the  right printer panel (as you face the printer). Figure 4-131 Right printer panel 7.  Using the hex (Allen) key, remove the four (4) screws that secure the  printer panel. 8.  Pull the panel out and then lift it to remove. Note: Brackets on the bottom of the panel fit into slots in the printer  chassis. To remove the panel, lift it so that the brackets are free of the  chassis. Figure 4-132 Panel removed DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-85...
  • Page 108 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 9.  Remove the screws that secure the pump housing, in the order shown. Figure 4-133 Pump housing 10. Remove the pump housing from the printer, and place it next to the  printer. Make sure not to strain the tubes while doing this. Figure 4-134 Pump housing removed from the printer To protect the floor from possible material leaks, put down a protective covering before removing the pump unit.
  • Page 109 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 12. Unscrew the clamp that secures the pump tubes on the housing. Figure 4-135 Tubes clamped to the pump housing 13. Mark the tube connected to the suction side of the pump. Figure 4-136 Identifying and marking the suction tube 14. Release the tube latch on the pump, as shown below. Figure 4-137 Releasing the tube latch 15. Remove the tube holder, with the tube, from the pump assembly. DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-87...
  • Page 110 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 16. Remove the tube from the tube holder and save the two parts of the clamp  for re-assembly. Figure 4-138 Pump tube secured with the clamp in the holder 17. Carefully detach the tube at both ends. Use the cleaning cloths to prevent  material leaking from the tubes. Figure 4-139 Detaching the tube 18. Remove and save the part of the fitting remaining on the pump tube.  19. Discard the old tube and the cleaning cloths. These items contain uncured printing material. Dispose of them in accordance with environmental and safety requirements.
  • Page 111 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 21. Return the holder (with the new tube) to the pump assembly, making sure  that the clamp is on the side of the pump marked SUCTION. Figure 4-140 Installing the new tube 22.  C lose the latch on the pump to secure the tube holder. Important: Make sure that the tube holder is secured by the latch on  both sides, as shown. Figure 4-141 Tube holder secured in the pump 23.  C onnect the new pump tube. Make sure that you connect the suction tube from the printer to the  correct side of the pump tube. If necessary, replace the pump tube on the other waste pump.
  • Page 112 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 27. Attach the side panel to the printer. First, fit the brackets on the bottom of the panel into slots in the printer  chassis (see Figure 4-132 on page 4-85). Then, push the panel into place  and secure it with   t he screws (see Figure 4-131 on page 4-85). 28.  L ower the top of the printer by releasing the support rod. Figure 4-142 Releasing the support rod to lower the printer top 29.  S ecure the printer top with the screws (see Figure 4-130 on page 4-84). 30.  O pen the Maintenance Counters screen, scroll down to the General Pumps section, and click Reset for the relevant counter(s) (see Figure 4- 129 on page 4-83). DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 113 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Filters are installed in the lines that supply Model material   t o the print heads.  Replacing the To ensure that the heads remain in optimum condition, the filters are  Material Filters replaced by your service provider, as part of the scheduled maintenance  routine. However, filters used for certain materials need to be replaced more  often. A counter keeps track of the amount of material passing through the  filters, and the Maintenance Required indicator appears in the printer  interface when it is time to replace a filter. The counter for RGD515 material,  for example, is set to notify you after 20 hours of use. This is enough, on  average, for about a year of printing. To check the material-filter counters, open the Maintenance Counters screen  (see "Maintenance Counters" on page 4-30) and scroll down to the Filters  section. Figure 4-143 Maintenance Counters screen, showing material filters The figure above shows that 21 hours of filter time have passed since the left  filter was installed, and that it needs to be replaced.
  • Page 114 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 2.  Close the printer application. 3.  Shut down the printer computer, wait 60 seconds after the monitor goes  blank, and turn off the main power switch. Caution: The monitor goes blank as soon as the remote desktop link terminates— before computer shutdown. Turning off the printer before computer shutdown can cause damage.
  • Page 115 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 10. Identify the inlet side of the new filter. This is the side showing the part  number. A 6mm tube is connected to the inlet. (An 8mm tube is  connected to the outlet.)   Figure 4-145 Filter showing inlet and outlet sides 11. Attach the inlet side of the new filter to the disconnected tube. Important: To attach the filter, hold the fitting at the end of the feed tube in place and turn the filter.

  • Page 116: Replacing The Odor Filter

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer If the printer exhaust is not connected to an external ventilation system, a  Replacing the built-in activated-carbon filter removes odors from printing materials. This  Odor Filter filter should be replaced regularly (as necessary) to keep your working  environment pleasant. This is normally done during the preventive- maintenance service visit.  The UV lamps used for curing models have a long, but limited, working life.  Replacing the You can test and adjust their effective power with the UV Calibration wizard  UV Lamps (see "Testing and Calibrating the UV Lamps" on page 4-70). If you need to  replace a UV lamp, follow these instructions:  1.  Make sure the printer is in offline mode. Figure 4-146 Offline mode indicator (red) The online/offline button at the bottom of the printer interface should be  red. If not, click it to switch the printer to offline mode. Warning Before continuing, make sure that the safety interlock is not defeated, and that the UV lamp is not hot.
  • Page 117 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 3.  Make sure that the build tray is empty, and confirm this in the wizard  screen. Then, close the printer, and click Next. Figure 4-148 Tray confirmation The axes move to the “home” position. 4.  Select the UV lamp(s) to be replaced and click Next. Figure 4-149 UV lamp selection screen 5.  Disconnect the UV-lamp power connector and the UV heat fuse  connector. Figure 4-150 Disconnecting the UV lamp Note: Do not disconnect the power connection to the cooling fans.
  • Page 118 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 6.  Loosen the screw securing the UV lamp cover (A), and pull the cover up  (B), then out (C). Figure 4-151 Removing the UV lamp cover 7.  Pull the UV lamp reflector out of the UV housing. Figure 4-152 Removing the UV lamp reflector 8.  Inspect the new UV lamp reflector, and make sure that a black strip is  attached to the inside of it. If not, install one—on the side of the reflector  opposite (not next to) the print block. Note: Extra black strips are included in the printer Start-Up Kit. If necessary, you can remove the black strip from the old reflector and install it in the new reflector (as long as the black paint has not faded).
  • Page 119 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Warning: Broken UV lamp hazard UV lamps contain mercury. Deal with broken lamps with caution. Ventilate the room thoroughly. Use protective gloves when collecting mercury and lamp components. Remove spilled mercury with a method that prevents the generation of mercury vapor, such as a syringe, packing tape or paper.
  • Page 120 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 12. Reconnect the power and heat fuse connectors. Figure 4-155 Connecting the UV lamp 13. In the wizard screen, confirm that you have replaced the UV lamp(s) and  that the black strip is attached, then click Next. Figure 4-156 UV-installation confirmation The wizard operates the UV lamps and checks if their power is within the  acceptable range for each printing mode.  Note: The mode currently being checked appears in the lower-left corner of the printer interface.
  • Page 121 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer After replacing a UV lamp, it is recommended that you calibrate its power  for the various printing modes. The next screen allows you to continue to  the UV Calibration wizard (see "Testing and Calibrating the UV Lamps" on  page 4-70). Figure 4-158 Calibration selection screen DOC-28000 Rev. D 4-99...

  • Page 122: Dynamic Nozzle Test

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Dynamic Perform the Dynamic Nozzle Test if you suspect that poor quality in printed  Nozzle Test models is caused by clogged or faulty nozzles in the print heads—even if this  is not indicated by the Pattern Test.  The Dynamic Nozzle Test prints eight (8) samples on the build tray, which  you can then visually inspect. Printing the samples takes about 20 minutes. To run the Dynamic Nozzle Test: 1.  Make sure that the build tray is clear (empty). 2.  From the Options menu, select Dynamic Nozzle Test, and then select the  appropriate test for the current printing mode. Figure 4-159 Selecting Dynamic Nozzle Test from the Options menu 3. ...

  • Page 123: Built-In Tests

    • Troubleshooting tips. Running these tests can help identify problems in the printer hardware and  software. A large number of hardware defects (or near-defects) warns you of  possible printing problems, either for current or future jobs. Stratasys recommends running the built-in tests in the following cases: as a routine test, once every two weeks as a system check, before major (long) jobs as needed, for troubleshooting To open the Built-in Tests screen, do one of the following: • From the Options menu, select Built-In Tests.
  • Page 124 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The Built In Tests screen lists pre-configured tests, grouped by component  categories. In this screen, you select and run tests, and the results are  displayed. Figure 4-162 Built In Tests screen Test Name Test List This column lists all of the tests, together with selection check boxes.  Click the check boxes to select the tests you want to run. To remove a  selection, click the check box again. To quickly select all of the tests in a  component category, use the Group drop-down list at the bottom of the  screen. Group This column shows the component categories for each test.  This tells you which tests are run when selecting a category from the Group  drop-down list at the bottom of the screen. Status This column shows the results of each test after you run it: Test successfully completed. Test failed. (Double-click on a failed test’s line to review the failure details.) Unknown results.
  • Page 125 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Test Selection Area In the Test Selection area, at the bottom of the screen, you can quickly select  or de-select tests by their characteristics: Click to select all of the tests in the list. None Click to de-select all of the tests in the list. Unknown Click to select all test that have not been run yet (Status = ?).
  • Page 126 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Close Click to close the Built-in Tests screen. Summary On the right side of the screen, a symbol represents the combined results of  all the tests run, using the symbols from the Status column. All tests successfully completed. At least one test failed. Not all tests performed. The following table lists the name of each test in the Built-in Tests suite,  Test together with its description and a possible reason for its failure. If you need  Descriptions and assistance, contact your Stratasys service provider. Troubleshooting   Test Name Description...
  • Page 127 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Test Name Description Possible Reason for Failure System Voltages Checks if the following voltages are • VPP power supply: within 5% of the required voltage: Faulty head driver. • 40V to the print heads by the VPP •...

  • Page 128: Replacing The Waste Container

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer Printer waste contains partially cured polymeric material, collected during  Replacing the normal operation and maintenance of the printer. For safety and  Waste environmental reasons, this material is kept in a special leak-proof, disposable  Container container.  The container has a capacity of about eight kilograms of waste material— usually enough for several months of printer use. The printer application  displays a warning message when there are 7.3 kilograms of material in the  container, and stops the printing when the net weight reaches 7.8 kilograms.  Above 7.3 kilograms, the software does not allow you to start a printing job or  activity until you replace the waste container.  You can monitor the weight of the waste container in the Printer Indicators  display in the printer interface. You can also visually inspect the level of waste  in the container. To access it, see page 4-107. To monitor the waste weight (and other indicators) in the printer: ➢  In the main printer interface screen, click the display toggle to view the ...
  • Page 129 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The waste container consists of a sealed bag inside a cardboard box. You  typically dispose of the entire waste container—including the box. Therefore,  you must assemble a new box and insert a new waste bag before you can  install it in the printer. Replacement boxes, waste bags, and sealing caps are supplied in the printer start-up kit and in the preventive-maintenance kit. To prepare a new waste container: 1.  Assemble the cardboard box, making sure to punch out the perforated ...

  • Page 130: Cleaning The Exterior Panels

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer 4.  Unscrew the cap securing the waste drain tube and connect it to the new  container. 5.  Close the full container with the cap supplied with the new waste  container. Note: The sealing cap contains an inner stopper that prevents leakage when the cap is tightened. Do not be concerned that air can still flow through the opening on the top of the cap, since the inner stopper seals the waste container.
  • Page 131 Stratasys J826 User Guide 4 Operating and Maintaining the Printer The transparent section of the cover is made of strong, acrylic material that  Cleaning the screens out harmful UV radiation. Use extreme care when cleaning it to  UV Screen prevent the appearance of scratch marks. Caution Do not use abrasive cleaners or cleaning fluids containing ammonia, alcohol, acetone, benzine, carbon or tetrachloride. These materials can cause permanent damage to the surface.

  • Page 132: Removing Models After Printing

    Handling Printed Models Removing Models After Printing Removing the Support Material Post-Printing Treatment Models made with VeroClear Photo-Bleaching Instructions Storing Models DOC-28000 Rev. D...
  • Page 133 For special printing applications, refer to documents on the Stratasys Support Center (especially under PolyJet Support Materials) or consult a Stratasys 3D printing expert. There are two types of Support material available: • SUP705 (FullCure705), a gel-like Support material. • SUP706, an easily removed Support material that dissolves in a solution of  caustic soda and sodium metasilicate. SUP705 (FullCure705) and SUP706Support material can be removed from  printed models using the following methods, in this order: 1.  by hand 2.  water pressure (in a suitable cleaning unit) 3.  SUP705: 1% caustic soda solution (recommended for a smooth finish) SUP706: 2% caustic soda and sodium metasilicate solution...
  • Page 134 Stratasys J826 User Guide 5 Handling Printed Models While wearing protective gloves, break away excess Support material on the  Removing outside of the model. For delicate models, use a toothpick, pin or small brush  Support after dipping the model in water. by Hand   • For SUP705, after breaking away excess Support material, soak the model  in a 1% caustic soda solution (see "Removing SUP705 with Caustic Soda"  on page 5-4). • For SUP706, after breaking away excess Support material, soak the model  in a 2% caustic soda and sodium metasilicate solution (see "Removing  SUP706 with Caustic Soda and Sodium Metasilicate" on the next page). For most models, the most efficient way to remove Support material is by  Removing using a high-pressure water jet. One suitable system is the Objet WaterJet  Support with cleaning unit. This device is marketed by Stratasys. Water Pressure Figure 5-1 Objet WaterJet Cleaning Unit To clean a model using this device, you manipulate it and the water using the  built-in, waterproof sleeves. A pump turns ordinary tap water into a high- pressure jet. A wiper keeps the window clear. Use caution when cleaning delicate models with high-pressure water systems.
  • Page 135 Stratasys J826 User Guide 5 Handling Printed Models Soak models in a 1-percent solution of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) to  Removing remove Support material from difficult-to-reach areas and to give the model a  SUP705 with smooth, clean finish. The amount of time you soak the model in the solution  Caustic Soda depends on how delicate it is and how much Support material needs to be  removed, but it is typically between half-an-hour and several hours. In any  case, you should remove as much Support material as possible before the  caustic soda treatment, and rinse the model thoroughly (with a water jet)  afterwards.  Warning Caustic soda may cause chemical burns, scarring and blindness. Mixing it with water generates heat that could ignite other materials. Never pour water into caustic soda.

  • Page 136: Post-Printing Treatment

    Stratasys J826 User Guide 5 Handling Printed Models Post-Printing Treatment Post-printing treatment is recommended for models printed with several  special-purpose materials or for special applications. You can find  recommendations for treating and finishing models after printing on the  Stratasys Support Center. Models made with VeroClear (RGD810) and VeroUltraClear (RGD820) have a  Models made slight yellow tint when removed from the printer. This is especially true for  with VeroClear models printed with a glossy finish. The yellow tint fades naturally over time,  but you can greatly accelerate this process by using a suitable photobleaching  treatment. As a rule, best clarity is achieved when parts are printed with a matte finish,  and treated as explained below. Photobleaching models involves exposing them to intense light. To achieve  highly controlled and predictable results, a professional illumination chamber  is recommended. However, adequate results may be obtained using an  illumination chamber that you can construct from readily-available materials. Figure 5-2 Illumination chamber   Photo-Bleaching Instructions are on the next page.

  • Page 137: Storing Models

    ❒  For parts with a matte finish, this should be enough. Polish and  lacquer the parts. ❒  For parts with a glossy finish, continue the photobleaching treatment  for up to 18–24 hours. In Stratasys laboratories, there was a tint reduction of approximately 70%  within six hours. After 24 hours, tint was reduced by approximately 90%. More information about photobleaching printed models is available on the Transparent materials page of the Stratasys Support Center, under Documentation > Best Practices. Refer to: VeroClear RGD810 Storing Models Models are cured as they are printed, making them safe and stable for a long  time. However, proper storage conditions are necessary to prevent deforming. • Keep printed models at room temperature and in a low-humidity ...

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