User manual

13 User Manual
Arduino Materia 101
Each slice contains the movements on two
axes, moving the press plane and motor
commands that extrudes the molten
plastic to create one after another the
layers that make up the object. At the
end of each layer file commands move
the Z-axis by lowering the print of that
plan just enough to add the new layer.
Every 3D object can be transformed
with the process of slicing in a variety
of G-Code files, each different from
the others because slicing parameters
generated using different: for example
the slices have the inside full, empty or
partially empty, or the walls are made
with one, two, three or more passes.
Even the thickness of each layer is one of
the parameters. The same object can be
printed full, empty, with 100 or 200 slices
and more or less robust and stiff despite
having all versions a similar appearance.
PRINTING FILE
The G-Code files, containing instructions
for navigating the various mechanical
parts of the printer according to specific
parameters and settings has a limited
compatibility between different printers.
While the STL file of the template can
be used by anyone with a 3D printer to
create a printing G-Code, a G-Code files is
definitely running for the printer for which
it was created but could be unusable with
other printers. If it is not clearly compatible
with Arduino Materia 101 there try to print
files that you find on the net because they
may have malicious entries to your printer.
The file also contains the heated printing
bed temperatures and those of the
extruder, tying the file not only to the
printer but also to the material to be used.
As we shall see in the following pages, with
the LCD Panel it is possible to modify some
parameters when printing: Arduino Materia
101 offers you the possibility to edit the
G-Code in order to adapt it to different
materials without having to redo the
process of slicing.
See table on page 17.
STORING THE FILES
As we have seen, the process consists of
the stages of modeling, creation of STL
files, slicing into a G-Code file and print. We
recommend that you save the template file
in the native format of the 3D modeling
program, so as to keep any primitives that
compose the object. Similarly the STL
files should be stored in order to make
slicing with different parameters, and
finally we suggest you save the G-Code,
even in different versions for the same
model, so you can repeat a print with
specific features using the G-Code files
that you already know the final result.