Loading/Unloading Filament To The Head - Stratasys FORTUS 360mc Service Manual

Loading/Unloading Filament to the Head

Purpose
Automated process for loading and unloading filament material to the head and liquefier
tips. Four bay systems (2 model, 2 support) have an Automatic Filament Changeover
function. This process will detect an empty canister and automatically unload, then reload
filament (if the canister is in the ready state) from the other material bay without the aid of an
operator.
Components
1.
Canister drive block:
• See
2.
Filament tube system:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
3.
Head assembly:
• See
Operation
1.
Load filament to head:
Filament canister must be loaded in drive block (canister drive block
in 'Ready' mode) to load material to the head.
A.
FORTUS 360mc/400mc Service Manual
"Canister Drive Block" on page
Provides path for filament material from drive block to head.
Two tubes supply filament to the head - one tube supplies model
material, one tube supplies support material.
Four-bay systems use two Y-blocks to merge the supply tubes
from the drive blocks into the supply tubes to the head (one Y-
block merges the two model material supply tubes, one Y-block
merges the two support material supply tubes).
Two-bay systems have the two Y-blocks installed with one side of
each Y-block plugged.
Y-blocks also intersect with the air dryer system to supply dry air
to the filament tubes. (See
"Head" on page 2-22.
The operator chooses a material bay to load. (Operator > Load/
Unload Mat. > Load Material).
On a four-bay system the status of the second bay of the same
material type (model or support) is checked.
• If the status is 'Ready' or 'Empty', the Y-block is assumed to be
free of material and the load process continues.
2-32.
"Air Dryer System" on page 2-41.)
2-36