User's Manual

DOC-07000 Rev. A 5–25
Objet500 - Connex 3 User Guide
Model Orientation
Theorientationofmodelsonthebuildtrayaffectshowquicklyand
efficientlytheywillbeproducedbythe3‐Dprinter,whereandhowmuch
supportmaterialis used,andwhetherornotmodelpartswillhaveaglossy
finish.Therefore,youshouldconsideravarietyoffactorswhendeciding

howtoplacemodelsonthetray,usingthefollowingpositioningrules.
X-Y-Z Rule
Thisruleconsidersamodelʹsouterdimensions.
¾ SincetheprintheadsmovebackandforthalongtheX‐axis,theprinting
timealongthisaxisisrelativelyshort,comparedtoprintingtimealong
theY‐axisandZ‐axis.Fromthispointofview,itisadvisabletoplacethe
objectʹslargestdimensionalongtheX‐axis.
¾ Anysurfacesthatcomeintocontactwithsupportmaterialsbecome
matte.
¾ Sincemodelsarebuiltup,ontheZ‐axis,in30‐micronlayers,itisvery
time‐consumingtoprintatallobject.Fromthispointofview,itis
advisabletoplacetheobjectʹssmallestdimensionalongtheZ‐axis.
¾ Sincetheprintheadsmeasureabout2inches(5centimeters)ontheY‐
axis,modelsmeasuringlessthanthis(ontheY‐axis)areprintedinone
pass.Fromthispointofview,itisadvisabletoplacetheobjectʹs
intermediatedimensionalongtheY‐axis.
Tall-Left Rule
Thisruleconsidersmodelswhere,afterbeingorientatedonthebuildtray
accordingtootherconsiderations,onesideistallerthantheother.
¾ SincetheprintheadsmovealongtheX‐axisfromlefttoright,taller
sectionsontherightrequiretheprintheadstoscanunnecessarilyfrom
theleftuntilreachingthem.If,ontheotherhand,thetallersectionsare
positionedontheleftofthetray,theprintheadsonly
havetoscanthe
modeluntilprintingthesesections—oncethelowerpartshavebeen
completed.Therefore,youshouldpositionthetallersideofthemodel,
whenpossible,ontheleft.
Recess-Up Rule
Thisruleconsidersmodelscontainingsurfacerecesses.
¾ Recessesinthesurface(likehollows,drillholes,etc.)should,when
possible,bepositionedface‐up.
Fine-Surface Rule
Thisruleconsidersmodelsthathaveonesideonwhichtherearefine
details(likethekeypadsideofatelephone).
¾ Thesideofthemodelcontainingfinedetailsshould,whenpossible,be
positionedface‐up.Thisresultsinasmoothfinish.
Avoid Support-Material Rule
Thisruleconsidersmodelsthathavelargeholesorhollows,openonat
leastoneside(likeapipeoracontainer).
¾ Itmaybeadvantageoustoprintamodelstandingup,sosupport
materialdoesnotfillthehollow,eventhoughprintingthemodellying
downwouldbemuchfaster.