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Fusion3 Design F306 Generation I Operation Manual

F306 3d printer generation i
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Table of Contents

1.
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1.
Warnings ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2.
General Info-Software ................................................................................................................................................. 2
2.1.
Software toolchain overview ......................................................................................................................................... 2
2.2.
Simplify3D Tutorials....................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.
General Info-Hardware ............................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1.
Machine Overview ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
3.2.
Precautions .................................................................................................................................................................... 8
3.3.
Filament ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10
4.
General tasks: .............................................................................................................................................................. 11
4.1.
General Menu Information.......................................................................................................................................... 11
4.2.
Leveling the Bed .......................................................................................................................................................... 12
4.3.
Loading & Unloading Filament Spools ......................................................................................................................... 13
4.4.
Cleaning and Prepping the Bed ................................................................................................................................... 17
4.5.
Slicing and Printing a File ............................................................................................................................................. 18
4.6.
After a Print Completes ............................................................................................................................................... 19
5.
Troubleshooting & Advanced Techniques ................................................................................................................... 21
5.1.
First Layer Height ......................................................................................................................................................... 21
5.2.
Temperatures & Other Information ............................................................................................................................ 22
5.3.
Part Warp (printing large parts) .................................................................................................................................. 22
5.4.
Printing Small Parts ..................................................................................................................................................... 23
5.5.
Print Head Jams ........................................................................................................................................................... 23
5.6.
Z Axis Noise.................................................................................................................................................................. 25
5.7.
Experimental Materials ............................................................................................................................................... 25
6.
Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................................... 25
6.1.
Drive Cable Tension ..................................................................................................................................................... 25
6.2.
X Crossbar Square ........................................................................................................................................................ 27
6.3.
Z Axis Rods and Leadscrews ........................................................................................................................................ 27
6.4.
Print Head .................................................................................................................................................................... 27
6.5.
Feed Gear .................................................................................................................................................................... 28
7.
Further Support ........................................................................................................................................................... 28
8.
Glossary ....................................................................................................................................................................... 28
APPENDIX A: Unpacking & Setup .................................................................................................................................................... 29
APPENDIX B: High-Precision Flow Rate Calibration ........................................................................................................................ 39
Operation Guide
F306 Generation I
Revision 4 | 08-27-2014
1

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Summary of Contents for Fusion3 Design F306 Generation I

  • Page 1: Table Of Contents

    Operation Guide F306 Generation I Revision 4 | 08-27-2014 Table of Contents Introduction ................................... 2 1.1. Warnings ..................................2 General Info—Software ..............................2 2.1. Software toolchain overview ............................2 2.2. Simplify3D Tutorials............................... 2 General Info—Hardware ............................... 5 3.1. Machine Overview ................................. 5 3.2.

  • Page 2: Introduction

    2.1. Software toolchain overview The job of the software toolchain is to convert a 3D model file into a list of commands that the F306 will follow to build the object. The central piece of software in this process is called the slicer. While there are many slicers available to perform this task, they are not equal.
  • Page 3 Importing the F306 Process Settings You will need to import the F306 configuration settings into Simplify in order to properly configure the software for your printer. First, copy the configuration files off of your SD card to your local hard drive.
  • Page 4 Figure 4: Select each preset We provide a separate configuration for each printing material. It’s important to make sure you select the appropriate preset for the material you’re using. IMPORTANT: In Simplify’s options it will give you the ability to select English or metric units. Please leave the units as metric, as English units appear to be broken in the software.

  • Page 5: General Info-Hardware

    3. General Info—Hardware 3.1. Machine Overview Figure 5: Front View Figure 6: Side View...
  • Page 6 Figure 7: Axes Layout Figure 8: Control Board Detail...
  • Page 7 Figure 9: Print Head Detail Figure 10: Extruder Cold End Detail...

  • Page 8: Precautions

    Moving Components By Hand If you need to move the print head, X crossbar, or Z axis by hand, you should do this with your F306 powered on, but the stepper motors turned off (Prepare -> Disable Motors). Move components gently and do not move them too quickly.
  • Page 9 Only use water to clean the print bed. Lifting and Carrying To move your F306, position the print head and crossbar at the rear of the machine (remember, move them slowly by hand) and position the print bed at the bottom of its travel.

  • Page 10: Filament

    Figure 15: Spool Holder Folded In 3.3. Filament Quality Matters During development of the F306, we tested filament from multiple suppliers all over the globe. We found that the quality of the filament matters a surprising amount. Even with an excellent 3D printer,...

  • Page 11: General Tasks

    4.1. General Menu Information The LCD screen attached to your F306 contains a set of menus that allow you to perform basic functions without needing a PC attached. For instance, you can load and unload filament, home the axes, and set the temperatures of the print head and bed.

  • Page 12: Leveling The Bed

    This is a very important step to get consistent high-quality prints and good bed adhesion. We’ve designed the F306 to be easy to level and to hold this calibration well, so you should not have to perform this procedure often.

  • Page 13: Loading & Unloading Filament Spools

    Then check the front left corner again to ensure it’s still within spec. As you gain experience with your F306, you may find that you need to tweak the gap to slightly larger or smaller than described here to get optimal first layers.
  • Page 14 Figure 17: Trim the End of the Filament Feed the end of the filament through the guide tube until approximately 2 inches stick out of the end of the guide tube. On the extruder body, pull the springs down off of the idler bar. The bolts will pivot down. Lift the idler bar up so that you can see the feed gear.
  • Page 15 NOTE: Some older machines do not have firmware equipped with the filament loading and unloading scripts. These users should use the manual load procedure described below. NOTE: Only use the automatic loading procedure for PLA, ABS, and Bridge Nylon. Other materials need to be loaded manually.
  • Page 16 Automatic Loading: After the print head is up to temperature, your F306 will automatically feed the filament through the tube and purge the print head. When that is done, the F306 will turn the heaters off, and you are ready to print! Manual Loading: While the print head is heating, turn the large gear on the side of the extruder by hand to feed the filament through the tube to the print head.

  • Page 17: Cleaning And Prepping The Bed

    Important: Only use water to clean the print bed! Cleaners like Windex, acetone, etc. will leave a residue on the glass and adversely affect print adhesion. Preparing the print bed for printing is very simple! Your F306 uses a water-soluble glue stick to coat the glass and help objects stick. This has many advantages: ...

  • Page 18: Slicing And Printing A File

    Figure 21: Bed Prepped for ABS Miscellaneous Notes  If you are printing a small part, you only need to coat the section of bed where the part will be printed.  You want to apply the glue to a cold bed (<40 C) shortly before beginning a print.

  • Page 19: After A Print Completes

    4.6. After a Print Completes At the end of a print job, your F306 will automatically lower the build table to the lowest position and turn off the heaters. It is normal for the small 30mm hotend cooling fan to continue to run (this fan runs continuously).
  • Page 20 Removing ABS Parts ABS parts will self-release from the bed when it cools below ~50 C. Attempting to pry them off the bed while the bed is hot is not recommended: It’s a good way to burn your hands and bend your parts. Removing Nylon Parts Wedge the part scraper under a corner of the part and slowly slide it under the part at a shallow angle.

  • Page 21: Troubleshooting & Advanced Techniques

    Figure 23: Using a paper towel to wipe the print head Figure 24: Clean debris-free nozzle 5. Troubleshooting & Advanced Techniques This section covers how to troubleshoot some common problems and some more advanced techniques. 5.1. First Layer Height This section will describe how to diagnose an improperly set first layer height. The bed leveling procedure described earlier in this document has yielded very consistent, ideal results in our testing, but it is not foolproof.

  • Page 22: Temperatures & Other Information

    Miscellaneous Notes  Lower temperatures may be needed for slower print speeds. The above temperatures have been tested to work with the stock F306 print speeds.  Higher temperatures will result in better layer-to-layer bonding and increased part strength. 5.3. Part Warp (printing large parts) Theory Thermoplastics contract as they go from liquid to solid.

  • Page 23: Printing Small Parts

    General Techniques Decrease first layer height slightly by raising the bed. Use “Brim.” Print on bare glass with the same bed temperature. Use caution when using this technique as parts may adhere strongly enough to damage the glass. Print on bare glass. Set first layer temperature to 60 C, other layers to 51 C.
  • Page 24 clogs the teeth, reducing their grip and therefore making it more likely to slip again. You will know this is the problem because the teeth on the feed gear will be full of ground up filament. In many cases, a clog caused by other problems will result in the feed gear slipping if it’s not caught quickly.

  • Page 25: Z Axis Noise

    5.6. Z Axis Noise Periodically your F306 may make a humming or vibrating noise when the Z axis moves large distances. This is caused by tiny amounts of looseness in between the leadscrews and the leadscrew nuts. This loose fit is intentional and typically this noise should go away as the machine is run over the first 20 to 50 hours.
  • Page 26 Figure 27: Idler Bracket Out of Alignment Figure 28: Re-aligning Idler Bracket If the brackets are properly aligned but the cable tension is still too low, you can adjust the moveable idlers. To do this, you will need a 4mm hex wrench and 10mm socket. Loosen the bolt on one of the idlers, and slide it in the slot to achieve proper tension.

  • Page 27: Crossbar Square

    6.3. Z Axis Rods and Leadscrews The Z axis leadscrews and smooth rods on your F306 are lubricated at the factory with a long-life Teflon lubricant. This lubricant should provide thousands of hours of trouble-free use. The rods should not be...

  • Page 28: Feed Gear

    The preferred method is to take a folded-over paper towel and use a pinching motion on the nozzle while sliding your hand away from the nozzle. Cleaning beyond this is more a matter of cosmetics than functionality. 6.5. Feed Gear Every time you change spools of filament, check the teeth of the gear for debris and clean as necessary.

  • Page 29: Appendix A: Unpacking & Setup

    Your F306 is shipped on a pallet inside a 3-piece box. This ensures your printer arrives undamaged and ready to print. Remember to save your packing materials in case you need to return your F306 to us— they fold flat for easy storage.
  • Page 30 Figure 31: Top Foam Blocks Now you should be able to remove the sleeve from around the printer. Lift straight up, taking care not to hit the F306 as you lift. The sleeve folds flat for easy storage.
  • Page 31 Figure 33: After Sleeve Removal It’s time to remove your F306 from the pallet! Carefully grasp it in the middle of the Y rails and lift it straight up to clear the foam blocks. Set it down on a firm, stable work surface.
  • Page 32 Figure 34: Remove the small box Remove the plastic wrap that holds the glass bed onto the bed assembly. Figure 35: Remove the plastic wrap that holds the bed Remove the zip ties that hold the X axis and print head in place. They are marked with blue tape. There are two on the left Y carriage and two on the X carriage.
  • Page 33 Checking for Damage Before powering your F306 up for the first time, thoroughly inspect it for damage. This section will cover the major things to look for, but keep an eye out for anything that looks abnormal anywhere on the machine.
  • Page 34 Remove the LCD unit from its anti-static bag in the small cardboard box. Position the F306 at the front edge of a table as shown. There are 2 bolts installed in t-slot nuts (they slide inside the slot in the frame) in the bottom front frame member. Remove them from the nuts and...
  • Page 35 Figure 38: Preparing to install control panel Install the LCD unit onto the frame. Use the 4mm hex drive included in your toolkit, since a ball-end drive is needed for this step. Figure 39: Installing control panel bolts Install the ribbon cables into the connectors on the rear of the PCB. The cables and connectors are labeled with 1 dot and 2 dots to make connecting them correctly easy.
  • Page 36 Power Up Now we are ready to power your F306 up for the first time! Remove the power cord from its bag in the small box and plug it into the socket next to the power supply on the left side of the machine. Connect the other end to a 3-prong outlet.
  • Page 37 Figure 41: Moving the Z Axis by Hand While you are doing this, watch for these things:  The resistance of the belt to your movement should be consistent. You should not feel more than a small amount of “lumpiness” as the leadscrews rotate. ...
  • Page 38 If the platform is level, congratulations! Your F306 is now set up and ready to go. Make sure you follow the bed leveling procedure before attempting to print.

  • Page 39: Appendix B: High-Precision Flow Rate Calibration

    APPENDIX B: High-Precision Flow Rate Calibration Each F306 is precision-calibrated at our factory before it’s delivered to you. This calibration is generally accurate within 5% with most spools of material. However, for those times where you need parts as close to perfect as possible, the method described here will allow you to get the amount of extruded plastic perfect.
  • Page 40 Figure 44: Measuring Filament Diameter The spreadsheet will then calculate an average diameter, which you input into Simplify as shown below. Figure 45: Input Filament Diameter Step 2: Prepare test object Next, set up Simplify to slice a simple object with the following settings: ...
  • Page 41  0 infill  1 perimeter  Make sure the “extrusion width” in Simplify matches that in the spreadsheet. It should be equal to or 0.05 larger than the nozzle size (currently 0.4mm).  We include a 40mm box that works well for this test. Slice, save, and transfer the file to your printer.
  • Page 42 Once you have printed and measured 2 test objects, you can set up the linear regression on the chart to more accurately estimate your correct extrusion multiplier. You’ll need to edit the plot data and select the correct tab in the spreadsheet—excel seems to break the data links when you copy the template to a new tab.

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