Parts Containing An Opening Or Hollow Area - 3D Systems ZPrinter 350 User Manual

® ®
ZPrinter 350 / ZPrinter
There are three important characteristics to 3D printing that will help you print the best parts for your
intended purposes.
• Part Placement = Printing Speed. The ZPrint Software automatically positions parts in the Build Bed
for maximum build speed by placing parts with the smallest dimension in the Z-Axis.
• Strength. The ultimate strength of an uninfiltrated part will be somewhat affected by its orientation
within the Build Bed. The part will be strongest along the X-Axis and Y-Axis and less strong along the
Z-Axis. This is because the cross sections are printed in continuous strips along the Y or the "fast" axis
(the print head's direction of travel); in bands across the X or the "slow" axis (the fast axis direction of
travel); and in laminated layers along the Z-Axis. Once a part is infiltrated, it uniformly takes on the
strength characteristics of the infiltrating product.
• Accuracy. The accuracy of your part depends on how clean the printer is, your printer/powder set-
tings, and the materials you choose for post-processing. You can also employ features like Anisotropic
Scaling to adjust for expected shrinkage and bring your parts into true scale. More information on
Anisotropic Scaling can be found in the ZPrint User Manual.

2.2.2 Parts Containing an Opening or Hollow Area

If the part has an opening or is hollow, place the hollow side facing up in the Build Bed to allow for the
removal of powder during the depowdering process. Depending on how the part is imported into ZPrint,
you may need to use the Rotate feature to correctly orient the part. If the part is delicate, create a Fixture to
give it extra support and additional protection during powder removal.
3dscentral.3dsystems.com
10/31/12
450 User Manual
18
Setup And Print The Build
All Rights Reserved