User manual

Z Corporation Z406 System User Manual
8 Z Corporation Service [phone]/(887)88-ZCORP
The Z406 System employs several techniques to quickly build parts. First, binder solution is applied
in a higher concentration around the edges of the part, creating a strong “shell” around the exterior of
the part. Within parts, the Z406 3D Printer builds an infrastructure by printing strong scaffolding
within part walls with a higher concentration of binder solution. The remaining interior areas are
printed with a lower saturation, which gives them stability, but prevents over-saturation, which can
lead to part distortion of the part.
Figure 2: The Z406 System Shelling and Infrastructure Features
After printing, the part is removed from the powder bed, depowdered and dried. The part can then be
infiltrated with wax, epoxy, or other materials to increase strength and durability. You will have the
part in your hands and can start improving your design within the same day—usually within hours.
Because the powder layers support the structures being printed above, the Z406 System prints parts
without support structures and can print parts with complex geometries that are impossible for other
systems.
There are several important characteristics of the Z406 System that will help you print the best parts
for your intended purpose.
Part Placement. The software will automatically place the parts within the build box to maximize
build speed, the most important criteria for the majority of our users. The software positions the parts
with the smallest dimension in the z (vertical) axis. In addition to part placement, the following other
characteristics should be considered.
Strength. The ultimate strength of the part will be somewhat affected by its orientation within the
print box. The part will be strongest along the y-axis and the x-axis and less strong along the z-axis.
This is because the cross sections are printed in continuous strips along the y or the “fast” axis (the
print heads direction of travel), bands across the x or the “slow” axis (the gantry direction of travel)
and laminated layers along the z-axis. (See figure 3 below.) This discussion only applies to
untreated parts; once parts are infiltrated, they uniformly take on the strength characteristics of the
infiltrating material.
Exterior walls
p
rinted at hi
g
her
Interior infrastructure
printed at a higher
saturation
Other interior areas
printed at lower
saturation