Z Corp. System Software April 2002 Z Corporation System Software Version 5.2.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 OVERVIEW..............................................................................................................................3 1.1 COMPUTER SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS................................................................................. 3 1.1.1 ZTM400 System ...................................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Z406 System ................................................................................................
Z Corp. System Software 1 OVERVIEW The Z Corporation (Z Corp.) System Software is a Windows-based program that allows the user to manipulate file data to print on any Z Corp. 3D Printer. This manual is separated into three sections – overview, setting up the build, and communicating with your 3D Printer. 1.1 COMPUTER SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 1.1.
1.1.2 Z406 SYSTEM Minimum System Requirements • Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000 Professional operating system • Personal computer using a 300 MHz Pentium chip or higher • 256 MB of RAM • 16-bit color • 800 x 600 pixels • 4MB graphics card Recommended System 1.1.3 PLEASE NOTE: Even if your computer system has the capability to run the System Software, it may not be properly configured.
Z Corp. System Software 1.2 INSTALLING THE Z CORP. SYSTEM SOFTWARE 1. Close all open applications on your computer, make sure Windows NT 4.0, or 2000 Professional Operating System is running and insert the Z Corp. System Software CD into your CD-ROM drive. 2. If the installer does not start automatically, double-click on your CD-ROM drive and then double-click on the ‘Setup.exe’ icon. This will start the setup sequence. 3. Read the licensing agreement carefully. 4. Select destination directory.
1.3 SETTING USER DEFAULT PRINTER AND POWDER Before proceeding, we recommend setting up your default Printer and Powder. To do this, open up the ‘3D Print Setup’ dialog box under the File menu and follow the instructions below. 1) Select the Printer that you will be using by choosing ‘Select Printer’. You may choose any printer that is connected by serial port or network. (The network option is only available on the Z810 3D Printer.
Z Corp. System Software 1.4 SETTING USER PREFERENCES You may change the default settings for several software features by selecting ‘Preferences’ from the Edit menu. • Units. You may choose to have the measurements for your parts displayed in either inches or millimeters. This will change the way that part dimensions and layer thickness are displayed, but it will not change the underlying dimensions on the part. You will still need to choose the proper units when opening or importing a new file.
• Warn if entity is outside the build box. If your part is outside the build area, the boundary surrounding the part will be red. The software will also show a dialog box reminding you that your part is outside the printable area. You may choose not to receive the warning by turning off this feature. 1.5 Z CORP.
Z Corp. System Software 1.6 THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE TOOLBAR Open 3D Print Save Mirror Translate Cut Import New Rotate Copy 3D Print Setup Paste Scale Ten Layers Down One Layer Up Justify Ten Layers Up Select ion List Help One Layer Down Figure 2:The System Software Toolbar www.zcorp-users.
2 SETTING UP THE BUILD 2.1 OPENING A FILE When you initially open the Z Corp. System Software, you will be presented with an Open dialog box. Select the file you wish to open. You may open zbd, stl, bld, ply, zcp, sfx, zec, or wrl files. Keep in mind the available print areas of the printer. Here are the following print areas: Z400 3D Printer - 8 x 10 x 8 inches (200 x 250 x 200 mm.) Z406 3D Printer - 8 x 10 x 8 inches (200 x 250 x 200 mm.) Z810 3D Printer – 20 x 24 x 16 inches (500 x 600 x 400 mm.
Z Corp. System Software When importing WRL (VRML) files you will be asked to input mesh resolution and texture threshold settings. Mesh resolution is the number of facets in a graphic primitive. A graphic primitive is composed of elements that are made up of cones, cylinders, and spheres as opposed to triangles. The default is set at ‘40’. Setting the number higher will increase the number of facets making your file larger; lowering this number will reduce the number of facets.
If the imported file is rendered dark and the slices are not visible in the cross sectional view, the back facets of the file are showing. The part will not print properly in this orientation. To correct the file, select part and invert all normals. This feature is found under the ‘Edit’ menu. Normals Inverted Normals Corrected 2.2 NAVIGATING THROUGH THE BUILD AREA 2.2.
Z Corp. System Software 2.3 TRANSFORMING THE PART 2.3.1 PART SELECTION First select your part(s). To select parts within the build area click on the part with the left mouse button. An yellow rectangle will appear around the part. To select multiple parts, hold down the Shift key and select the parts you wish to modify. To de-select a single part, hold down the Shift key and click on the image of the part. To de-select all parts, click on an open area.
2.3.2 2.3.3 • You may make additional copies of your part by selecting the part, then choosing the ‘Copy’ option under the Edit menu or clicking Control (CTRL) C, and then paste the file into the build by choosing the paste option under the Edit menu or pressing Control (CTRL) V. The software will allow for copying and pasting between different builds. • Any part copied is kept on the clipboard until the clipboard is emptied.
Z Corp. System Software • To enable bleed compensation before printing, click on the bleed compensation option, located in the Printing Options dialog box. PLEASE NOTE: The Bleed Compensation option will remain enabled until you disable it by unclicking the Bleed Compensation option. • The software allows you to transform the part individually or as a group. When transformed individually, the center of transformation is located in the middle of the part.
If both parts are selected, and the ‘Rotate Group’ option is chosen, the parts will rotate and reorient themselves relative to the center of the group as can be seen in the picture. 2.3.4 TRANSLATE PARTS • To translate or move your parts within the build area: Select parts within the print area, and move with the mouse. You may move the object more precisely by choosing ‘Translate’ from the Transform menu. 2.3.
Z Corp. System Software 2.3.6 MIRROR PARTS Original File • Mirroring a part or group of parts allows you to inverse the orientation of the part features in the x, y, or z axis. The software does this by placing a plane in the center of the part in the x, y, and z axis. When you choose to mirror a part in a certain axis, the software will invert the part within that axis. Copy and Mirrored Hand in the X-Axis • To mirror a part, select the part and select “Mirror” from the Transform menu.
PLEASE NOTE: In the process of changing the location or orientation of a part, you may find that parts overlap in the build box or exceed the boundaries of the build box. If parts exceed the boundaries of the build box, the System Software will alert you with an error message and the part in question will be outlined in red unless this feature has been disabled under Preferences.
Z Corp. System Software 2.3.9 COLOR PARTS The color option is only available when the System Software is connected to a Z Corp. Color Printer – Z402C, Z406, or Z810 3D Printer. You may color your monochrome stl part. 1. Select the part. 2. Choose ‘Color’ option under the Edit menu. 3. Pick a color from the color pallet or choose to define a custom color. 4. Click ‘OK’. The part will be colored by an outer shell as with all Z Corp. color parts. PLEASE NOTE: Only monochrome files (STL) may be colored.
2.4 OBTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUILD The System Software allows you to estimate the time required to print your build in color and monochrome mode, the number of pixels the part will use and other statistics. 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 PRINT TIME ESTIMATOR • Select ‘Print Time Estimator’ from the File Menu. The System Software will return a dialog box with the estimated build time. For the Z400 Printer, only the monochrome build time will be available.
Z Corp. System Software 2.5 3D PRINT SETUP The ‘3D Print Setup’ dialog box allows you to select a printer, choose a powder type, and change powder parameters. This dialog box is found under the ‘File’ menu. It is also located as an icon on your task bar. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE 3D PRINT SETUP PARAMETERS BE CHECKED BEFORE PRINTING A BUILD. Information regarding setting up your printer and powder type as defaults can be found in Section 1.3, Setting User Default Printer and Powder. www.
2.5.1 CHANGING POWDER PARAMETERS The saturation settings for plaster-based powder are constant for all parts. Please refer to the Powder Fact Sheet for recommended saturation values. The saturation values for starch-based powders vary depending on the wall thickness of the part. The System Software will calculate and recommend a saturation value when using starch-based powders.
Z Corp. System Software PLEASE NOTE: Z Corporation provides recommendations for shell and core saturation for powder types. This can be found on the Powder Fact Sheet provided with your case of powder. You may choose to increase saturation values for higher strength or decrease saturation values due to difficulties with depowdering. PLEASE NOTE: If printing with starch-based powders - When pressing “3D Print”, a warning will appear if you do not check the 3D Print Setup dialog box before printing.
2.6 SAVING YOUR WORK After you have imported the files, oriented the parts and set up your build to print, save your work by selecting ‘Save As’ from the File menu. After you choose a name for your build, select ‘Save’ and your work will be saved as a *.zbd file. A build file contains all of the modifications that you have made to the parts and the settings you have selected for the build. If you reopen and work on an existing build file, you can save your changes to the *.
Z Corp. System Software 3 COMMUNICATING WITH THE 3D PRINTER The System Software communicates with the Printer in several ways. It communicates with the Printer during routine Service procedures, and allows the user to receive Printer Status. 3.1 SERVICE MENU The System Software allows you to draw information from the Z Corporation 3D Printer and activate some printer functions. The basic Service menu is available when any Z Corp. Printer is communicating with the software.
In addition to the basic Service menu, each of the Z406 and Z810 Printers have specific service menus. 3.2 Z406 SYSTEM SERVICE MENU When connected to a Z406 3D Printer, the 406Service menu will be an option. • Purge Print Heads. Use this feature after changing the print heads and printing the alignment test. This runs binder through the print head, replacing the HP ink with binder as described in the User Manual. • Alignment.
Z Corp. System Software 3.3 Z810 SYSTEM SERVICE MENU When connected to a Z810 3D Printer, the 810Service menu will be an option. • Purge Print Heads. Use this feature after changing the print heads and printing the alignment test. This runs binder through the print head, replacing the HP ink with binder as described in the User Manual. • Alignment. This feature is used to align the print heads after changing them as described in detail in the User Manual. • Change Binder Supply.
3.4 PRINTER STATUS When the Printer is getting ready to print, it will conduct a system status check of the Printer. For example, with the Z406 and the Z810 Printers, if you have a color model in the build but are in monochrome mode, the System Software will remind you that you are in monochrome mode and ask if you would like to continue printing the part. On all Z Corp. Printers, the System Software will warn you if you do not have enough materials to print your model.
Z Corp. System Software 3.5 PRINT TIME DELAYER The System Software also allows you to print your build at a later time. In instances where the set up time in the build area is specific (as in the case of starch builds), you may choose to use the print time delayer option in order to have the part finish at a certain time. For instance, if you would like to print a five-hour starch part to finish at 8:00 AM, you would use the print time delayer to begin printing the part beginning at 3:00 AM.
3.6 LOGGING FILES In addition to communicating with the Printer, the System Software also records print information from the Printer. When the option to log files is checked off at the start of the build, the System Software will log information regarding each build. The log files can be found in the directory “C:\ZCorp Printer Records\Print Logs”. They are tab-delimited files for easy import into a spreadsheet. When the print heads are changed, the line ” Print head changed!” is inserted.
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Units Warn if Part is Outside of Build Box Print Time Delayer Print Time Estimator Printer Status 7 8 30 21 29 R Rotate Group In Active View 17 17 17 T Time Estimator Toolbar Transform Individual vs. Group Translate service@zcorp.
