www.stratasys.com | c-support@stratasys.com
Fortus® 450mc
3D Production System
User Guide
Part No. 821357-0002 Rev. A
Liability Statement
Stratasys Incorporated
7665 Commerce Way
Eden Prairie, MN 55344 USA
952.937.3000
Fax: 952.937.0070
www.stratasys.com
© Copyright 2014 Stratasys Inc. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Stratasys, Inc.
shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential
damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.
Stratasys, Inc. makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including,
but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a
particular purpose. It is the responsibility of the system owner/material buyer to
determine that the Stratasys material is safe, lawful, and technically suitable for the
intended application as well as identify the proper disposal (or recycling) method
consistent with local environmental regulations. Except as provided in Stratasys'
standard conditions of sale, Stratasys shall not be responsible for any loss resulting
from any use of its products described herein.
Copyright Statement
This document is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Its use, disclosure, and
possession are restricted by an agreement with Stratasys per software copyright. No
part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced or translated into another
language without the prior written consent of Stratasys, Inc.
All drawings and information herein are the property of Stratasys Inc. All
unauthorized use and reproduction is prohibited.
Trademark Acknowledgments
Stratasys, FORTUS (Fortus) and FDM are registered trademarks of Stratasys, Inc.
FORTUS 450mc, Insight, Control Center, FDM Technology, SR-30, SR-100, SR-110,
and ABS-ESD7 are trademarks of Stratasys, Inc.
ULTEM™ is a registered trademark of SABIC or affiliates.
Windows 7 is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Novus Plastics Polish #1 and #2 are registered trademarks of Novus International.
All other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners,
and Stratasys assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or
use of these non-Stratasys products. Product specifications subject to change without
notice.
ii
About the FORTUS 450mc Printer
Welcome to the Fortus 450mc™ 3D Production System which is referred to throughout this
User Guide as the 450mc. This printer incorporates the latest in innovative technologies to
provide you with precise prototypes from a CAD design. Stratasys’ Fused Deposition
Modeling (FDM) technology provides prototype parts, including internal features, that can
be used to field-test form, fit, and function. Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) allows for
the creation of customized end-use parts straight from 3D CAD data. The 450mc printer
features a servo/belt driven XY gantry with multiple high temperature modeling material
capability.
Components of the 450mc
• The 450mc Printer
• Modeling Material
• Support Material
• Insight Software Package
• A Computer Workstation (not sold by Stratasys)
Printer Highlights
• Envelope Size: 16 x 14 x 16 inch (406.40 x 355.60 x 406.40 mm)
• Material Canister Bays: 2 model, 2 support
• Touchscreen Graphical User Interface
Available Material Options
Three material options are available for the 450mc. Option details are as follows:
Option Option Details
Standard ABS-M30 (all colors), ABS-M30i, ABS-ESD7, and ASA (natural and
black) model material with SR-30 support material.
Engineering PC, PC-ISO, and Nylon12 model material with associated PC_S,
SR-100 and SR-110 support materials.
High Performance Ultem 9085 and Ultem Black model material with associated
Ultem support material (ULT_S).
Note: See “Tip Compatibility & Selection” on page 37 for detailed material/tip
compatibility information.
iii
About This Guide
This guide is your introduction to building prototypes and end-use parts using a Stratasys 3D
production, rapid prototype system. It is designed as a learning and reference tool that
explains system operation in an easy to understand, step-by-step, process.
How to Use This Guide
This guide is divided into easy-to-follow chapters. You can read this guide chapter by chapter
or use the Table of Contents when you need to quickly find specific information. Keeping this
guide close to your printer will efficiently allow you to troubleshoot and maintain the printer.
Conventions Used in This Guide
The following conventions are used in this guide:
• When you see text in this font, it indicates a button being pressed via the User
Interface touchscreen. For example, press the Queue
Bar.
• When you see text in blue, it indicates that the text is a linked reference to a specific
figure, table, heading, or page number.
• Standard bold text is used to emphasize items within instructional sequences or
indicate a navigational path you must follow to locate/start a software application,
open or save a file on your workstation PC, or perform an operation when working
with Insight. The > character is used to separate items within a navigational path. For
example, navigate to File > Open from the Main Menu.
button within the Navigation
Revision Log
Revision Date Description of Changes
821357-0001_REV_A August 2014 First release of this document
821357-0002_REV_A October 2014 Added ASA material information throughout.
Revised functional descriptions pertaining to the
Materials Status Display of the Print Job Status
portion of the Build page.
Incorporated Job Queue Controls information
into the User Interface chapter.
Added the Screen Brightness setting to the User
Interface chapter.
Revised several steps of the Using the Tip
Change Wizard section.
Updated the Handling/Storing Canisters section
of the Operation chapter.
iv
Table of Contents
1 Service and Support ..........................................................................................1
Service................................................................................................................................................. 1
Software Support................................................................................................................................. 1
Safety Instructions............................................................................................................................... 2
Hazard Types................................................................................................................................................ 2
Product Safety Signs..................................................................................................................................... 2
Product Safety Label Locations.................................................................................................................... 3
Potential Safety Hazard Areas ...................................................................................................................... 6
Door Locks ................................................................................................................................................... 7
General Safety Practices............................................................................................................................... 8
Environmental Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 8
2 Setup and Installation ........................................................................................ 9
General Information ............................................................................................................................ 9
Welcome Kit Contents.................................................................................................................................. 9
Prepare Your Facility for Installation ......................................................................................................... 13
Identifying Your Printer ............................................................................................................................. 13
Basic Setup........................................................................................................................................ 14
Making the Network Connection................................................................................................................ 14
Connecting the Power Cable ...................................................................................................................... 14
AC Circuit Breaker..................................................................................................................................... 14
Configuring the Network............................................................................................................................ 15
Setting the Printer’s Date and Time............................................................................................................ 18
Licensing the Printer................................................................................................................................... 19
3 System Components ........................................................................................20
Printer Overview ............................................................................................................................... 20
Access Doors and Panels............................................................................................................................ 20
Touchscreen User Interface ........................................................................................................................ 22
Oven Components............................................................................................................................. 23
Oven Door .................................................................................................................................................. 23
Oven Lights ................................................................................................................................................ 24
v
Platen .......................................................................................................................................................... 25
Tip Wipe Assembly .................................................................................................................................... 26
Canister Bay Enclosure Components................................................................................................ 27
Canister Bay................................................................................................................................................ 28
Canister Drives and Canister Release Knobs ............................................................................................. 28
Canister Status LED Indicators .................................................................................................................. 29
Tip Wipe Height Adjustment Wheels......................................................................................................... 29
Purge Bin .................................................................................................................................................... 30
Storage Area ............................................................................................................................................... 30
Gantry................................................................................................................................................ 31
Gantry Assembly ........................................................................................................................................ 31
Head Assembly ................................................................................................................................. 32
Head Maintenance Bracket......................................................................................................................... 33
Vacuum and Air Dryer Systems ....................................................................................................... 35
On Board Vacuum System ......................................................................................................................... 35
On Board Air Dryer System ....................................................................................................................... 35
Modeling Materials and Tips ............................................................................................................ 36
Materials Used ........................................................................................................................................... 36
Canister Memory Chip ............................................................................................................................... 36
Liquefier Tips ............................................................................................................................................. 37
Software ............................................................................................................................................ 41
Controller Software .................................................................................................................................... 41
Insight Software.......................................................................................................................................... 41
FDM Control Center Software ................................................................................................................... 42
4 User Interface ..................................................................................................43
Overview........................................................................................................................................... 43
Information Bar .......................................................................................................................................... 44
Dashboard................................................................................................................................................... 45
Display Area ............................................................................................................................................... 50
Navigation Bar............................................................................................................................................ 50
Working with the Build Page............................................................................................................ 52
Viewing Print Job Information ................................................................................................................... 53
Selecting a Print Job from the Build Page .................................................................................................. 53
Print Job Status ........................................................................................................................................... 54
Print Job Controls ....................................................................................................................................... 59
Working with the Queue Page .......................................................................................................... 61
About the Job Queue .................................................................................................................................. 62
About the Sample Queue............................................................................................................................ 65
Working with the Tips Page.............................................................................................................. 66
Tips/Materials Status .................................................................................................................................. 67
vi
Canister Load Status................................................................................................................................... 70
Material Load Controls............................................................................................................................... 71
Tips Controls .............................................................................................................................................. 74
Working with the Calibration Page................................................................................................... 79
Viewing Calibration Status......................................................................................................................... 80
Calibration Controls ................................................................................................................................... 80
XYZ Tip Offset Calibration........................................................................................................................ 81
Touchscreen Calibration............................................................................................................................. 82
Find Z Home............................................................................................................................................... 82
Find XY Home ........................................................................................................................................... 82
Working with the Settings Page........................................................................................................ 83
Settings Page Navigation............................................................................................................................ 84
Printer Settings ........................................................................................................................................... 86
Network Settings ........................................................................................................................................ 89
Display Settings.......................................................................................................................................... 92
.................................................................................................................................................................... 92
Service Settings .......................................................................................................................................... 92
Working with the Maintenance Page ................................................................................................ 93
Maintenance Page Navigation .................................................................................................................... 94
Head Settings .............................................................................................................................................. 95
Bay Settings................................................................................................................................................ 96
Gantry/Stage Settings ................................................................................................................................. 98
Chamber Settings...................................................................................................................................... 102
System Settings......................................................................................................................................... 106
5 Operating the Printer .....................................................................................111
Basic User Operations..................................................................................................................... 111
Powering ON the Printer .......................................................................................................................... 111
Powering OFF the Printer......................................................................................................................... 112
Material, Canisters, and Liquefier Tips........................................................................................... 113
Loading Material to the Liquefier Tips .................................................................................................... 113
Unloading Material from the Liquefier Tips ........................................................................................... 119
Removing Canisters.................................................................................................................................. 121
Canister Auto Changeover........................................................................................................................ 123
Handling/Storing Canisters....................................................................................................................... 124
Changing Tips or Material Type..................................................................................................... 125
Using the Tip Change Wizard .................................................................................................................. 125
Changing Tips within the Top Cover ....................................................................................................... 158
Adjusting Tip Wipe Heights..................................................................................................................... 161
Basic Job Build Tasks ..................................................................................................................... 163
Before a Build........................................................................................................................................... 163
Preparing the Printer................................................................................................................................. 163
Selecting a Job to Build ............................................................................................................................ 164
vii
Information Available During a Build...................................................................................................... 166
Build Warnings......................................................................................................................................... 167
Pausing a Build......................................................................................................................................... 168
Aborting a Build ....................................................................................................................................... 168
After a Build is Complete......................................................................................................................... 170
Changing Printer Defaults............................................................................................................... 172
Display Units ............................................................................................................................................ 172
Job Storage................................................................................................................................................ 172
Oven Temperature Control ....................................................................................................................... 173
Part Build Location................................................................................................................................... 174
Touchscreen Display Brightness .............................................................................................................. 174
Printer Status ................................................................................................................................... 175
Tip Odometer Status................................................................................................................................. 175
Materials Status ........................................................................................................................................ 177
Temperature Status ................................................................................................................................... 179
Software Version ...................................................................................................................................... 182
6 Calibration .....................................................................................................183
XYZ Tip Offset Calibration...................................................................................................................... 184
Touchscreen Calibration........................................................................................................................... 201
XY Home Calibration............................................................................................................................... 203
Z Zero Calibration .................................................................................................................................... 203
7 Maintenance ..................................................................................................204
Add Printer to Control Center......................................................................................................... 204
Install/Update Material License ...................................................................................................... 207
Controller Software......................................................................................................................... 211
Updating Controller Software - Web Method .......................................................................................... 211
Updating Controller Software - CD Method ............................................................................................ 218
Maintenance Schedule .................................................................................................................... 223
Daily Maintenance .......................................................................................................................... 224
Clean the Platen ........................................................................................................................................ 224
Empty the Purge Bin................................................................................................................................. 225
Weekly Maintenance....................................................................................................................... 226
Vacuum the Build Envelope..................................................................................................................... 226
Clean/Inspect Tip Wipe Assembly ........................................................................................................... 226
Quarterly Maintenance.................................................................................................................... 231
Clean the Tip Sensor Plunger ................................................................................................................... 231
As Needed Maintenance ................................................................................................................. 232
Replace an Oven Bulb .............................................................................................................................. 232
Clean the Printer ....................................................................................................................................... 233
viii
8 Troubleshooting ............................................................................................236
Getting Help .................................................................................................................................... 236
Warnings and Errors ....................................................................................................................... 237
Warnings at Build Start ............................................................................................................................ 237
Errors Preventing a Build from Starting................................................................................................... 239
Load Errors ............................................................................................................................................... 241
Build Pause Warnings............................................................................................................................... 243
Build Abort Warnings............................................................................................................................... 245
Finding a Remedy ........................................................................................................................... 247
ix
1 Service and Support
This chapter provides information on service and support for the 450mc as well as safety
information and safety label locations.
Service
If you have a problem with your printer that is not covered in this guide, please contact
Stratasys Customer Support:
Region Phone Email
North America /
Latin America
Asia Pacific +852 3944-8888
Europe, Middle
East, & Africa
+1 800-801-6491
(7:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
(9:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
+49 7229-7772-644
(9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
support@stratasys.com
support.ap@stratasys.com
support.emea@stratasys.com
When calling in for service, always have your printer’s software version (see “Software
Version” on page 182) and hardware serial number available (see “Identifying Your Printer”
on page 13). You may also need access to your Insight workstation to provide a diagnostic
file from your hardware.
Software Support
If you have a software problem that is not covered in this guide, please contact Stratasys
Customer Support:
Region Phone Email
North America /
Latin America
Asia Pacific +852 3944-8888
Europe, Middle
East, & Africa
+1 800-801-6491
(7:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
(9:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
+49 7229-7772-644
(9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
support@stratasys.com
support.ap@stratasys.com
support.emea@stratasys.com
When calling in for service, always have your printer’s software version (see “Software
Version” on page 182) and hardware serial number available (see “Identifying Your Printer”
on page 13). You may also need access to your Insight workstation to provide a diagnostic
file from your hardware.
1
Safety Instructions
The following basic safety tips are given to ensure safe installation, operation, and
maintenance of Stratasys equipment and are not to be considered as comprehensive on
matters of safety. The Fortus 450mc printer is designed to be a safe and reliable rapid
prototyping printer. Access to areas of the printer are potentially dangerous.
Hazard Types
Stratasys recommends that all services be performed by qualified personnel. All personnel
working on or around this printer should be knowledgeable of what the following hazard
classifications mean throughout this guide.
• Warnings and Cautions precede the paragraph to which they pertain.
Warning: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may
result in injury or death.
Caution: Indicates a situation which, if not avoided, could result in damage to
equipment.
• Notes follow the relative paragraph.
Note: Indicates additional information relative to the current topic.
Product Safety Signs
Note: Always read and adhere to safety statements, and be aware of the
following safety signs when you see them on the printer.
We make every effort to ensure that our printers are safe and reliable at all times. However,
there will be times when you must access areas of the printer where potentially high
voltages, hot temperatures, and/or moving mechanical components could cause severe
injury.
High Voltage: The high voltage sign indicates the presence of high voltages.
Always stay away from any exposed electrical circuitry. It is recommended that
all jewelry be removed.
2
Hot Surface: The hot surface sign indicates the presence of devices with high
temperatures. Always use extra care when working around heated components.
Always wear the safety gloves provided in the Welcome Kit.
Head temperatures in the printer can exceed 450° C (800° F).
Gloves: The gloves sign indicates that if you enter the area specified by the
symbol you must wear safety gloves (provided in the Welcome Kit) which have
been approved for high temperatures.
Crushed Hand: The crushed hand sign indicates that a hazard exists where you
could get your hand crushed between two objects. One or more objects move in
the area that you are working.
Product Safety Label Locations
Figure 1-1: Head safety label locations
3
Figure 1-2: Oven safety label locations
Figure 1-3: Z Stage safety label locations
4
Figure 1-4: Air system safety label locations
Compressed Air System
Vacuum System
5
Figure 1-5: Rear safety label locations
Potential Safety Hazard Areas
The following components and areas of the printer are highlighted as potential safety
hazards that may cause system failure or reliability problems if proper safety procedures are
not followed.
Oven
Warning: Always wear safety gloves and long sleeves when working inside the
oven. Components are hot.
The oven temperature is extremely hot. The oven temperature is controlled by a
safety thermostat that shuts the printer off when temperatures reach 370° C
(698° F).
Note: Opening the oven door shuts the oven heaters off.
6
Gantry
Z Stage
Warning: Never wear a tie, loose clothing or dangling jewelry when working
around moving components of the printer.
Beneath the top cover of the printer is the gantry. This area houses the
mechanical drive components of the X and Y axes. Use extreme caution
whenever accessing this area of the printer. The servo drive system, including
the motors, pulleys and belts are extremely powerful, and care must be taken.
Note: The printer’s servo motors are disabled when the oven door and/or top
cover are open. The XY pinch hazard between the timing belts and pulleys is
minimized by locking the oven door and top cover while building and
disabling the motors when the oven door and top cover are open. The oven
door and top cover automatically lock when the printer is building and cannot
be opened while the printer is building. You cannot start a build if the oven
door or top cover are open.
Warning: Never wear a tie, loose clothing or dangling jewelry when working
around moving components of the printer.
The drive belt, pulleys and Z stage servo motor can cause severe injury. The Z
stage crushing hazard is minimized by locking the oven door during Z stage
moves and disabling the Z motor when the oven door is open.
Head temperatures in the printer can exceed 450° C (800° F).
Door Locks
Sensors are used to communicate the status of the oven door and the top cover to the printer.
For safety reasons, the oven door and top cover must be closed before the X, Y, and Z motors
will operate. Electromagnetic locks ensure that the oven door and top cover remain securely
closed when the printer is building.
7
General Safety Practices
Abide by these general safety practices when working with this printer.
High Voltage: High voltage is present in the printer.
Warning: Only use an OSHA or CE approved step stool when accessing the area
under the top cover of the printer.
Warning: Always wear safety gloves and long sleeves when working in the
oven, with the head, or liquefier tips. These components are very hot.
Environmental Requirements
• The 450mc is for indoor use only.
• Operating temperature shall be in the range of 65°F to 86°F (18°C to 30°C), with
relative humidity range of 30% to 70% non-condensing.
• Storage temperature shall be in the range of -40°F to 129.2°F (-40°C to 54°C), with
relative humidity range of 10% to 85% non-condensing.
• Altitude shall not exceed 6561.68 feet (2000 m).
• Material storage shall be in the range of 55°F to 75°F (13°C to 24°C), with relative
humidity range of 20% to 50%.
8
2 Setup and Installation
1
2
3
4
This chapter describes basic setup and installation of the 450mc.
General Information
Welcome Kit Contents
The printer’s Welcome Kit contains the Welcome Insert document, software CDs, the
common tools you will need to maintain the printer, and a variety of replacement parts. Use
the following figures and tables to identify the contents of the Welcome Kit.
Figure 2-1: Welcome Kit Contents - CD, Drives and Cables
Table 2-1: Key for Figure 2-1
Welcome Insert
1
Document
RJ45 Cable This cable is used to establish a network connection between the 450mc and your
2
Controller
3
Software CD
Insight CD This CD is used to load Insight software (as well as FDM Control Center software)
4
Contains instructions for downloading the 450mc User Guide (this document).
Ethernet network. Job files are transfered to the printer via this connection. See
“Making the Network Connection” on page 14.
This CD is a back-up copy of Controller Software which is the software used to
control the printer. See “Software” on page 41 for more information.
onto your workstation PC. Insight is the software used to process files and then
transfer them to the printer to be built. See “Software” on page 41 for more
information.
9
2
1
3
4
5
6
7
Figure 2-2: Welcome Kit Contents - Tools
Table 2-2: Key for Figure 2-2
Leather
1
Safety
Gloves
Magnetic
2
Handle
Pick Set
Platen
3
Dusting
Brush
Hex Ball
4
End
Driver
(9/64)
10x
5
Lighted
Magnifier
6 5” Cutters These are used to cut a canister’s filament when unloading and removing materials from
Needle
7
Nose Pliers
1
/8)
(7
Printer components may be extremely hot. To prevent burns or other injuries, these gloves
should be worn any time you see the gloves safety sign throughout this document. See
“Product Safety Signs” on page 2.
Occasionally, you may need to use these picks to aid in the removal of breakaway
supports (see “Removing a Part from the Printer” on page 171) or clearing debris which have
accumulated on the head and/or tips.
This tool is used to brush away material debris when cleaning the platen. Always ensure
that the platen is clean before starting a build, as debris on the platen will affect vacuum
quality. See “Clean the Platen” on page 224 for instructions.
This is used throughout the process of changing the printer’s tips. See “Changing Tips or
Material Type” on page 125.
The Welcome Kit contains two of these tools to provide you with a spare in the event that
you misplace one.
This tool is included to aid you with performing an XYZ Tip Offset Calibration which requires
you to view small toolpath relationships. Batteries for this item (2 C batteries) are not
included. See “6 Calibration” on page 183.
the printer. See “Material, Canisters, and Liquefier Tips” on page 113.
Occasionally, you may need to use pliers to aid in the removal of breakaway supports (see
“Removing a Part from the Printer” on page 171) or clearing debris which have accumulated on
the head and/or tips.
10
1
2
3
Figure 2-3: Welcome Kit Contents - Spare Parts
Table 2-3: Key for Figure 2-3
Oven Bulbs
1
Replacement Kit
Purge Ledge The Welcome Kit contains replacement purge ledges (4). The purge ledge is part
2
Flicker and Brush
3
Assembly
Periodically you may need to replace an oven bulb.
The Welcome Kit contains oven bulb replacement kits, with 2 replacement
pairs.
Festoon bulbs per kit. See “Replace an Oven Bulb” on page 232 for instructions.
Once replacements are depleted, you will need to order additional bulb
replacement kits. See Table 7-2 on page 223 for replacement consumable part
numbers.
of the tip wipe assembly which should be inspected once a week. Purge ledges
should be replaced whenever excessive buildup has accumulated on the
ledge’s surface. See “Clean/Inspect Tip Wipe Assembly” on page 226 for instructions.
Once replacements are depleted, you will need to order additional
replacement purge ledges. See Table 7-2 on page 223 for replacement consumable
part numbers.
The Welcome Kit contains replacement flicker/brush assemblies (4). The flicker
and brush are components of the tip wipe assembly and keep the liquefier tips
free of debris and material buildup. They should be inspected once a week and
replaced as needed. See “Clean/Inspect Tip Wipe Assembly” on page 226 instructions
and explanations of wear.
Once replacements are depleted, you will need to order additional
replacement assemblies. See Table 7-2 on page 223 for replacement consumable
part numbers.
Bulbs generally burn out in
11
2
1
3
Figure 2-4: Welcome Kit Contents - Cleaning Supplies
Table 2-4: Key for Figure 2-4
Touchscreen
1
Cleaning Kit
Oven Glass
2
Cleaning Kit
3 Microfiber Cloth Various components of the printer may become dirty and occasionally need to be
From repeated use, the touchscreen may become dirty and occasionally need to
be cleaned. Only use suitable LCD cleaning agents when cleaning the
touchscreen. See “Cleaning the Touchscreen Display” on page 235 for cleaning instructions.
The oven door’s window may occasionally need to be cleaned. This window is
comprised of a polycarbonate panel and a pane of tempered glass. Only use
Novus 1 plastic cleaner when cleaning the oven door’s polycarbonate panel. The
oven door’s tempered glass pane can be cleaned using a slightly soapy warm
water solution and a microfiber cloth. See “Cleaning the Oven Door Glass/Window” on
page 233 for cleaning instructions.
cleaned. Only use a suitable microfiber cloth to clean these components. See
“Clean the Printer” on page 233 for cleaning instructions using this cloth.
12
Model Tag
Serial Tag
Prepare Your Facility for Installation
Follow the Site Preparation Guide to ensure that your facility is effectively and safely
prepared for printer installation.
Identifying Your Printer
Use the following tags to identify your printer:
• Serial Number Tag - Refer to this number when requesting service.
• Model Tag - The printer’s model number, part number and power requirements are
given on this tag. This tag also lists all patent numbers associated with the printer,
some FCC compliance information, voltage warnings and the Stratasys web address.
Both tags are located on the back side of the printer near the bottom, and are typically placed
near the printer’s power connection. Use the information on these tags when identifying
your printer with Customer Support.
Figure 2-5: ID Tag Locations
13
Basic Setup
Note: See Figure 2-6 for all rear connections.
Making the Network Connection
Processed job files are transferred to the 450mc through your facility’s Ethernet network. An
RJ45 network connector is located on the right, rear corner of the printer (as viewed from the
rear) for the network connection (see Figure 2-6).
Connecting the Power Cable
Warning: A licensed electrician must perform all facility AC wiring installations,
including connecting system power.
AC Circuit Breaker
The printer’s AC circuit breaker is located on the right, rear corner of the printer (as viewed
from the rear). When the AC circuit breaker handle is pushed up (ON position), power is
applied to the printer.
If the printer encounters a high current surge, the AC circuit breaker trips, protecting the
printer’s electrical and electronic components. When the AC circuit breaker trips, the circuit
breaker handle flips downward (toward the OFF position) and is no longer in the fully
upward position.
To return the printer to operation, reset the AC circuit breaker. This is accomplished by
pushing the AC circuit breaker handle fully upward (to the ON position).
Note: When the AC circuit breaker is tripped, the circuit breaker handle doesn’t
always end up in the fully downward (OFF) position. Any time the AC circuit
breaker is tripped the handle will flip to a downward position and no longer be
in the fully upward (ON) position. When resetting the AC circuit breaker,
always push the AC circuit breaker handle to the fully downward (OFF)
position before pushing the handle to the fully upward (ON) position.
14
Figure 2-6: Rear Connections
AC Circuit Breaker
Ethernet Network
Connection (RJ45)
Power Cable
Connection
(OFF Position)
Optional UPS
Connection
Configuring the Network
This section is provided in case you need to change your network settings.
The printer’s network address type can be set to DHCP (Dynamic) or Static.
• DHCP (Dynamic) address - a network server or PC will generate an IP address for the
printer. A different IP address may be generated from time to time by the server or
PC.
• Static address - you must enter an IP address, network mask, and gateway address
for the printer (provided by the system administrator). Once entered, the address will
not change.
In addition to configuring the IP address, you can set the UPnP configuration for the printer.
• UPnP On - the printer will broadcast its Unique Device Name (UDN) address across
the network. This allows Insight software to automatically detect the IP address of the
printer for communication.
• UPnP Off - the printer will not broadcast its IP address across the network. Insight
software will need to be manually configured to communicate with the printer.
15
UPnP Configuration
To configure your printer’s UPnP settings:
1. Power ON the printer, see “Powering ON the Printer” on page 111.
2. Press the Settings button within the Navigation Bar (see Table 4-5 on page 51).
3. Locate the UPnP option within the Network portion of the Settings page (see
“UPnP” on page 91).
4. A sliding button is displayed which allows you to turn UPnP off and on (On is
selected by default); adjust this setting as needed by touching this button on the
screen and sliding the button to the left (Off) or right (On).
Network Address Configuration
To configure your printer’s network address settings:
1. Power ON the printer, see “Powering ON the Printer” on page 111.
2. Press the Settings button within the Navigation Bar (see Table 4-5 on page 51).
3. A grouping of network address information can be found in the first row of the
Network portion of the Settings page. This grouping contains Address Type, IP
Address, Netmask, and Gateway Address fields, with the field’s corresponding
address displayed in the right side of the row (see “Network Address
Information” on page 91).
4. To adjust the printer’s network address information, press the right arrow
graphic displayed within the Network row. This will open your printer’s
Network Settings Details page (see “Network Settings” on page 89).
5. A sliding button is displayed to the right of the Address Type: field which allows
you to select a DHCP (Dynamic) or Static address type (DHCP is selected by
default). Adjust this setting as needed by touching this button on the screen and
sliding the button to the left (DHCP) or right (Static).
A. If DHCP is selected, no additional configuration is necessary. Press the
Settings button in the upper-left corner of the page to exit the printer’s
Network Settings Details page and return to the Settings page.
B. If Static is selected, the Enter Network Settings pop-up dialog will be
displayed. Within this dialog you must manually configure the IP Address,
Network Mask, and Gateway fields using the keypad displayed. Simply
touch a field on the screen to select it and then use the keypad to enter
address information.
16
Figure 2-7: Enter Network Settings Dialog
Checkmark
(confirm)
Backspace
(delete)
Exit
(without
saving)
• Use the
• Use the
• Use the
• Use the
number keys to enter address digits.
backspace key to delete entries digit by digit.
checkmark key to confirm entries and exit the dialog with saving.
X key to exit the dialog without saving.
Note: See your network administrator if you do not know the IP address,
Network mask, or Gateway address.
6. After configuring your network settings and exiting the Enter Network Settings
dialog you will be returned to the printer’s Network Settings Details page. Press
the Settings button in the upper-left corner of the dialog to exit the Network
Settings Details page and return to the Settings page.
17
Setting the Printer’s Date and Time
In order to ensure accurate build times, the printer’s clock must be set. This is done within
the FDM Control Center application which was installed on your workstation PC as part of
the installation process (see “FDM Control Center Software” on page 42). Perform the
following steps to set the 450mc’s date and time:
1. Open FDM Control Center by navigating to All Programs > Insight (installed
version) > Control Center (installed version) or double-clicking the Control
Center shortcut (if available).
2. Select the Services tab, and ensure that your 450mc is selected from the Name:
drop-down menu. If your printer is not available from the drop-down menu, you
will need to add the printer within Control Center, see “Add Printer to Control
Center” on page 204 for instructions.
3. Click the System Time button.
Figure 2-8: System Time Button Location
18
4. The Change 450mc Date and Time dialog will be displayed. The date and time
settings within this dialog are automatically configured based on the workstation
PC’s date and time settings.
5. Adjust the date and/or time setting if needed, then click OK to close the dialog.
Your printer’s date and time settings will be configured and are displayed within
the Information Bar portion of the User Interface (see “Information Bar” on
page 44).
Figure 2-9: Change Date and Time Dialog
Licensing the Printer
The printer must be licensed before it can be used to build parts. The process of licensing the
printer involves putting the printer into a mode which allows for material license upgrades,
and then installing the printer’s material license file. This file contains the details of the
printer’s materials configuration (see Available Material Options for details) and determines
which model and support materials can be used to build parts on the printer. The printer
should have been licensed as part of its initial installation and setup (performed by your
authorized service representative). However, if after installing and loading material canisters
your printer does not recognize these canisters and will not allow you to initiate a build, you
may need to license the printer. Follow the steps within “Install/Update Material License”
on page 207 to license your printer.
19
3 System Components
Top Cover
Canister Bay Doors
(left & right)
Oven Door
Touchscreen
User Interface
Upper Side
Panel (left &
right)
Lower Side
Panel (left &
right)
This chapter describes the components of the 450mc. Information regarding the materials
and tips that can be used by the printer is also included in this chapter.
Printer Overview
Access Doors and Panels
Warning: The right and left upper and lower side panels, as well as the upper
and lower rear panels, should only be removed by an authorized service
representative. These components are indicated in the following figures for
reference purposes only.
This printer has been designed to allow easy access to the most frequently accessed areas on
the system. Doors and panels are highlighted in Figure 3-1 and Figure 3-2.
Figure 3-1: Access Doors and Panels - Front View
20
Lower Rear
Panel
Upper Rear
Panel
Figure 3-2: Access Doors and Panels - Rear View
Top Cover
Allows access to the gantry and head assembly.
Six fans are used to cool this area of the printer. The two fans on the left and the two fans on
the right draw cool air into the gantry area, while the two fans on the rear draw warm air out
of the gantry area.
Oven Door
Allows access to the platen, tip wipe assembly, and completed parts for removal.
Canister Bay Doors
Allows access to the canister bay enclosure and its components (material canisters, canister
release knobs, and canister status LEDs), as well as the power switch, tip wipe height
adjustment wheels, purge bin, and storage area.
21
Right & Left Side Panels
Warning: The right and left upper and lower side panels should only be
removed by an authorized service representative.
Upper & Lower Rear Panels
Warning: The upper and lower rear panels should only be removed by an
authorized service representative.
Touchscreen User Interface
Allows for user control of the printer. From the User Interface you can access various screens
to select jobs for building, control jobs in the process of being built, change materials and
tips, perform calibrations, and configure your printer’s settings and maintenance options.
The touchscreen visually displays the operational state of the printer as well as any warning
information available.
See “4 User Interface” on page 4-43 for detailed information on the components and pages of
the User Interface.
22
Tip Wipe
Assembly
Purge Chute
Access Panel
Platen
Oven
Door
Oven Components
The oven is comprised of the oven door and everything that you see through the oven door
window, including the platen and the tip wipe assembly. The oven is where parts are built.
Figure 3-3: Oven Components
Oven Door
The oven door utilizes an electromagnetic lock. The oven door remains locked while the
printer is building and automatically unlocks when it is safe for you to access the
components of the oven; the oven door cannot be opened when the printer is building. The
top cover will automatically unlock in conjunction with the oven door, allowing you to
manually open the top cover.
The oven door window is comprised of 2 components, an interior pane of glass and an
exterior polycarbonate panel. The interior pane is tempered glass which is designed to
withstand extremely high temperatures, as this pane is in direct contact with the oven. The
exterior polycarbonate panel is removable and features an anti-scratch coating on the
exterior side of the panel (i.e. the surface aligned with the exterior of the printer). The interior
surface of this panel does not feature this anti-scratch coating.
Note: Although the polycarbonate exterior panel features an anti-scratch
coating, certain materials can still damage/scratch the panel’s surface. Use
extreme care to avoid any activity which may scratch the panel’s exterior
surface.
Very specific cleaning procedures must be followed when cleaning the interior glass pane
and the polycarbonate panel. See “Cleaning the Oven Door Glass/Window” on page 233 for
details.
23
Festoon Bulb
(2 per side)
Oven Lights
Hot Surface: Bulbs are hot. Never touch bulbs when the oven light is turned on.
Bulbs should only be removed/replaced when the oven light is turned off. See
“Replace an Oven Bulb” on page 232 for bulb replacement instructions.
There are four Festoon bulbs (Figure 3-4) mounted on the front upper edge of the oven, two
per side, which illuminate the oven. Each bulb is rated at 12 volts.
The Oven Light Control button within the Dashboard indicates the current state of the oven
light and allows you to manually turn the light ON of OFF. (See “Oven Light Control
Button” on page 49 for more information.)
Figure 3-4: Bulb Locations
24
Vacuum Port
and
Debris Screen
Tip Sensor
Platen
The steel platen provides the level surface on which parts are built. A build sheet is securely
affixed to the platen by the vacuum source (see “On Board Vacuum System” on page 35 for
details). A checkerboard pattern is machined into the top surface of the platen which allows
vacuum to be evenly distributed across the entire surface. Always ensure that the platen is
clean before starting a build, as debris on the platen will affect vacuum quality (see “Clean
the Platen” on page 224 for instructions).
A debris screen (not a customer removal part) is placed across the vacuum port, located at
the center of the platen. This screen prevents material particles from entering the vacuum
lines. You should inspect the debris screen often to ensure that it does not become clogged
with debris.
The tip sensor, located on the front right corner of the platen, is used by the printer to
determine tip placement relative to the surface of the build sheet. The printer will utilize the
tip sensor to determine placement during a Z Zero Calibration (performed automatically
when a build is started) and when determining the Z offset between model and support tips
after they have been changed (during an XYZ Tip Offset Calibration).
Note: The platen is mounted to the Z stage cross beams with three leveling jack
screws; this allows the platen to be leveled. Platen leveling should be performed
by an authorized service representative only.
Figure 3-5: Platen Components
25
Flicker / Brush
Assembly
Model = left
Support = right
Purge Ledge
Model = left
Support = right
Tip Wipe Assembly
The tip wipe assembly is located on the front, right side of the oven. The assembly consists of
two flicker/brush assemblies (one for each tip), two purge ledges (one for each tip), and a
purge chute. The assembly is housed behind the purge chute access plate. The flicker/brush
assemblies keep the printer’s tips and tip shields free of purged material debris and material
buildup.
The head is positioned directly above the purge ledge when material is being purged from a
tip. When material is purging, it gets balled up on the purge ledge. After material is purged
from a tip, the tip passes across the flicker/brush assembly. The flicker cuts the purged
material from the end of the tip and knocks it into the purge chute. The brush cleans the tip
and tip shield. The purge chute directs purged material into the purge bin located within the
canister bay enclosure.
Tip wipes can be manually adjusted using the tip wipe height adjustment wheels located
within the canister bay enclosure. See “Tip Wipe Height Adjustment Wheels” on page 29.
Figure 3-6: Tip Wipe Assembly
26
Canister
Status
LEDs
Model Material
Canister Bay
(M1 & M2)
Support Material
Canister Bay
(S1 & S2)
Canister Drive
Release Knobs
Storage Area
Power Switch
Purge Waste
Bin & Waste
Bin Door
Tip Wipe Height
Adjustment
Wheels
(Model - top wheel
Support - bottom
wheel)
Canister Drives
Canister Bay Enclosure Components
The model and support material canister bays are accessed by opening the canister bay
doors on the front of the printer. The canister bay doors do not contain electromagnetic locks
and can therefore be opened while the printer is building.
Figure 3-7: Canister Bay Enclosure Components
27
Canister Drive
Canister Release Knob
Canister Bay
The 450mc has four operating material canister bays - two model and two support. The two
left-most bays (M1 & M2) hold model material while the two right-most bays (S1 & S2) hold
support material.
While building, one model and one support canister will be active. An active canister has
material filament loaded to the head, as indicated by a steady green LED above the canister
and a status of “Loaded” displayed on the User Interface (see “Materials Status” on page 177
for more information). You can replace inactive canisters without pausing the printer.
Note: The auto changeover capability automatically loads a second canister
during a build when the first canister runs out of material (see “Canister Auto
Changeover” on page 123).
Canister Drives and Canister Release Knobs
Each individual canister bay has a canister drive and a canister release knob. The canister
drive feeds filament from a canister to the head.
• The canister drive is located within the canister bay (directly above the canister when
installed) and contains a small DC motor which drives filament up to the head.
• The canister drive is spring loaded and moves up and down on guide pins. Two
springs provide positive pressure for the canister drive against the top of the canister.
• The canister drive contains a filament present switch which detects the presence of
material within the canister drive.
A canister release knob is used to engage (and disengage) the canister drive with the
canister.
Figure 3-8: Canister Drive Details
28
Model Tip Wipe
Height Adjustment
Wheel
Support Tip Wipe
Height Adjustment
Wheel
Canister Status LED Indicators
There is one colored status LED above each canister. This LED indicates the canister
condition for each canister bay (Figure 3-7). LEDs states are as follows:
• Off: No canister detected, or a canister is present but filament has not been fed into
the canister drive.
• Green – Slow Flashing (ready state): Filament has been fed into the canister drive but
is not loaded to the head; canister can be unloaded if necessary.
• Green – Rapid Flashing (loading state): Filament has been fed into the canister drive
and is in the process of loading to the head; canister cannot be removed.
• Green – Steady: Filament is loaded to the head; canister cannot be removed.
• Red – Flashing: Canister load/unload failure or canister memory chip read/write
failure has occurred; canister should be removed.
• Red – Steady: Empty canister; canister should be removed.
Tip Wipe Height Adjustment Wheels
The canister bay enclosure contains adjustment wheels for both the model and support tip
wipes. These wheels allow you to manually adjust tip wipe heights to ensure proper
placement. After replacing a tip you must adjust that tip’s tip wipe height using the tip’s
corresponding adjustment wheel. See “Adjusting Tip Wipe Heights” on page 161 for
instructions.
Figure 3-9: Tip Wipe Height Adjustment Wheel Locations
29
Purge Bin
Purge Bin Door
Purge Bin
The canister bay enclosure contains a purge bin. This bin collects purged material debris
passed down from the flicker/brush assemblies via the purge chute.
The purge bin is equipped with its own door which is spring loaded. The purge bin door
should be closed whenever the printer is building. The purge bin should be emptied on a
daily basis, see “Empty the Purge Bin” on page 225 for instructions.
Figure 3-10: Purge Bin Location
Storage Area
Directly below the four canister drives is a storage area which can be used to store spare
parts or tools, as needed.
Figure 3-11: Storage Area
Storage Area
30
X Motor
Y Motor
Head Assembly
Y Bridge Assembly
Head
Maintenance
Bracket
Y Carriage
Assembly
Gantry
To access the gantry or the head, you must first open the top cover. The top cover utilizes an
electromagnetic lock. The top cover remains locked while the printer is building and
automatically unlocks when it is safe for you to access the components within this area of the
printer; the top cover cannot be opened when the printer is building. The oven door will
automatically unlock in conjunction with the top cover. The printer cannot resume building
if the top cover is open.
Gantry Assembly
The gantry moves the head in the X and Y directions when building a part. The gantry
assembly is located under the top cover. The entire gantry is outside of the oven; only the
bottom of the head protrudes into the oven. The gantry and its drive motors are thermally
shielded from the oven via flexible heat shields. To move the head, the gantry utilizes one X
and one Y servo motor attached to timing belts.
Figure 3-12: Gantry Assembly
31
Head mounting screws
(left and right)
*left screw not pictured
Model tip
Support tip
Liquefier
cooling fan
Maintenance
handle
Support filament
drive motor
Model filament
drive motor
Support heater
blocks
Model heater
blocks
Head buttons
(model on left,
support on right)
Head Assembly
The head assembly has been designed for use with a wide range of modeling materials. The
board inside the head provides direct heater. The head extrudes model material and support
material with two identical liquefiers. The support liquefier moves up and down via a drive
motor. The liquefier tips are clamped directly between the liquefier heater blocks with two
screws. A single blower fan is mounted above the tip liquefier entrances to cool the incoming
material and the liquefier entrances.
Figure 3-13: Head Assembly
32
Head mounting
screws (2)
Head Maintenance Bracket
The 450mc is equipped with a head maintenance bracket which places the head in a
convenient location for many head maintenance tasks, such as changing tips (see “Changing
Tips within the Top Cover” on page 158).
Placing Head into Maintenance Bracket
When necessary, perform the following steps to place the head into the maintenance bracket:
1. Ensure that the printer is stopped and not building.
2. Open the top cover and manually move the head to the front-center of the gantry
area using the maintenance handle.
3. Loosen but do not remove the two head mounting screws.
Note: The retaining screws are ‘captured’. They should not be completely
removed from the head.
Figure 3-14: Head Mounting Screw Locations
33
4. While firmly grasping the maintenance handle, lift the head and place it into the
head maintenance bracket.
Figure 3-15: Head in Maintenance Bracket
Removing Head from Maintenance Bracket
After performing any necessary head maintenance tasks, perform the following steps to
remove the head from the head maintenance bracket and replace it within the gantry:
1. While firmly grasping the maintenance handle, remove the head from the head
maintenance bracket and return head to its initial position within the gantry.
2. Secure the head to the head mounting plate using the two head mounting screws
(see Figure 3-14).
3. Ensure that the head cable is not kinked in a position where it will rub on the top
cover and then close the top cover.
34
Vacuum and Air Dryer Systems
On Board Vacuum System
The vacuum pump generates the vacuum used to hold the build sheet to the platen. When
sufficient vacuum is achieved, the build sheet automatically affixes to the platen and the red
X over the top of the Vacuum Status Indicator (within the Information Bar) will disappear
(see “Information Bar” on page 44). The vacuum system also contains an in-line vacuum
filter (to remove debris from the vacuum system) and a vacuum switch (which prevents the
printer from operating if vacuum is not present).
On Board Air Dryer System
The material drying system is designed to help keep loaded material filament dry. An air
compressor is used to force dry air through the filament tubes. The compressed air is pushed
through a regenerating dryer where it is dried. The dried air is diverted between two dryer
elements every 30 seconds. The pressure and flow of the dried, compressed air is controlled
by a pressure regulator and a separate air flow meter. Excess water is diverted to an
evaporation tray within the printer, and debris is captured by a filter element.
35
Modeling Materials and Tips
Memory Chip
Materials Used
The 450mc can use a variety of material types:
• High strength polycarbonate (PC) model material used with PC_S breakaway
support or SR-100 soluble support.
• PC-ISO model material used with PC_S breakaway support.
• ABS-M30, ABS-M30i, ABS-ESD7, and ASA model material used with SR-30 soluble
support.
• SR-30 is ductile and dissolves rapidly.
• Ultem 9085, which is certified for use on commercial aircraft, used with ULT_S
support material.
• Nylon 12, which is the first semi-crystalline Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
thermoplastic, used with SR-110 support material.
The types of materials (model and support) available for use on your printer are dependent
upon the material license option purchased with the printer (see the Available Material
Options section for details regarding material options available to the 450mc). You have the
ability to upgrade your printer’s material options if needed. This upgrade can be done via the
Materials setting within the Maintenance page (see “System Settings” on page 106 for
details).
Printer material compatibility information can be found in “Tip Compatibility & Selection”
on page 37.
Canister Memory Chip
Each material canister contains a memory chip which tracks the canister’s volume. The
450mc utilizes a different canister memory chip than other Fortus canisters and as a result,
only 450mc compatible canisters can be used to build parts on the printer. These canisters
exhibit a black canister snout and plastic plug (see Figure 5-5 on page 117 for details).
Figure 3-16: Canister Memory Chip Location
When a canister is installed, its memory chip is read and the canister’s information is
reported to the printer. The canister’s material type and volume are displayed on the User
Interface within the Dashboard (see “Dashboard” on page 45 for more information) as well
as the Tips page (see “Working with the Tips Page” on page 66).
36
When initiating a build, the printer compares the material requirements (model and support)
of the build file to the printer’s current materials configuration. If materials do not match, the
User Interface prompts you to change materials to the appropriate type.
Note: You can choose to continue the build with mis-matched material(s), but
part build quality will be unpredictable.
The build file also contains an estimate of the amount of model and support material
required to complete the build. This estimate is compared to the amount of material available
within each canister. If there is not enough material available to complete the build, you will
be warned and given the option to change canisters or install additional canisters before
starting the build.
Note: A specific prompt will only be displayed if a canister volume related issue
is detected.
Liquefier Tips
Liquefier Tips and Slice Heights
Two types of liquefier tips are available. Standard tips are used for all modeling materials
and for Break-Away Support Structures (BASS), while soluble tips are used for soluble
support materials (see “Tip Identification” on page 40 for more information). When
modeling with materials that use soluble release support material (SR), use the T12SR30 or
T12SR100 tip for the support material.
There are six tips available for use with the 450mc: T10, T12, T12SR30, T12SR100, T16, and
T20. Tips are a replaceable consumable item and must be changed whenever the printer’s
material type is changed or when a tip reaches its odometer limit. When changing tips, if a
tip is removed that may be re-installed at a later time, be sure to record the tip’s odometer
reading and store this information with the removed tip. See “Changing Tips or Material
Type” on page 125 for detailed instructions on changing tips.
Tip Compatibility & Selection
Table 3-1 lists the materials available for use with the 450mc and their corresponding tips.
Table 3-2 lists the slice heights for each model tip.
Table 3-3 provides approximate tip life based upon the amount of material used.
The printer tracks tip use and automatically prompts you, via the User Interface, when a tip
should be replaced. Worn tips are prone to clogs and reduce part quality. See “Tip Odometer
Status” on page 175 for more information on viewing tip use status.
37
When changing tips, the printer will guide you through the process of resetting tip
odometers using the Tip Change Wizard (see “Using the Tip Change Wizard” on page 125.)
Table 3-1:
Available Tips
Model Material Model Tip Support Material Support Tip
ABS-M30
ABS-M30i
ABS-ESD7 T12, T16 SR-30 T12SR30
ASA T10, T12,T16, T20 SR-30 T12SR30
Nylon 12 T12, T16, T20 SR-110 T12SR100
PC T10, T12, T16 SR-100 T12SR100
PC
PC-ISO
PC/PC-ISO T16, T20 PC_S T16
Ultem 9085/
Ultem Black
T10, T12,T16, T20 SR-30 T12SR30
T12 PC_S T12
T16 ULT_S T16
Table 3-2: Slice Height
Model Tip Slice Height (in) Slice Height (mm)
T10 0.005 0.127
T12 0.007 0.178
T16 0.010 0.254
T20 0.013 0.330
38
Table 3-3: Tip Life
Model Tip Life
a
Model
Material
ABS-M30
ABS-M30i
ABS-M30
ABS-M30i
ABS-M30
ABS-M30i
ABS-M30
ABS-M30i
ABS-ESD7 T12 770 12620 8.5 T12SR30 550 9010 6.0
ABS-ESD7 T16 920 15080 10.0 T12SR30 640 10550 7.0
ASA T10 620 10160 6.5 T12SR30 270 4420 3.0
ASA T12 770 12620 8.5 T12SR30 550 9010 6.0
ASA T16 920 15080 10.0 T12SR30 640 10550 7.0
ASA T20 920 15080 10.0 T12SR30 640 10550 7.0
Nylon 12 T12 491 8050 5.3 T12SR100 550 9010 6.0
Nylon 12 T16 552 9010 6.0 T12SR100 664 10880 7.1
Nylon 12 T20 552 9010 6.0 T12SR100 664 10880 7.1
PC T10 620 10160 6.67 T12SR100 270 4420 3.0
PC T12 740 12060 8.0 T12
PC T16 830 13570 9.0 T16
PC-ISO T12 740 12060 8.0 T12 370 6030 4.0
PC-ISO T16 830 13570 9.0 T16 460 7540 5.0
PC-ISO T20 830 13570 9.0 T16 460 7540 5.0
Ultem 9085
Ultem Black
Model
Tip
T10 620 10160 6.5 T12SR30 270 4420 3.0
T12 770 12620 8.5 T12SR30 550 9010 6.0
T16 920 15080 10.0 T12SR30 640 10550 7.0
T20 920 15080 10.0 T12SR30 640 10550 7.0
T16 550 9010 6.0 T16 460 7540 5.0
cu.
in.
b
cu.
cm. Canisters
Support
Tip
T12SR100
T12SR100
Support Tip Life
cu.
in.
370
550
460
644
cu.
cm. Canisters
6030
9010
7540
10553
b
4.0
6.0
5.0
7.0
a. ABS-M30, ABS-M30i, ABS-ESD7, and ASA model materials use SR-30 support material.
Use the T12SR30 tip for SR-30 material (regardless of model tip size).
PC model material uses either SR-100 or PC_S support material. When using PC_S the
support tip matches model tip size for T12 and T16, while T20 uses a T16 support tip. When
using SR-100 use the T12SR100 support tip (regardless of model tip size).
PC-ISO model material uses PC_S support material. Support tip matches model tip size for
T12 and T16, while T20 uses a T16 support tip.
Ultem 9085 and Ultem Black model material uses ULT_S support material. Support tip size
matches model tip size.
Nylon 12 model material uses SR-110 support material. Use the T12SR100 support tip
(regardless of model material tip size).
b. Tip Life is directly related to the amount of material that passes through the tip. The
amounts listed above are approximates of how much material will pass through a tip before
the tip will need to be replaced. Since other factors can also affect tip life, the material
amounts are only approximates.
39
Tip Identification
All unused model and
support tips are
interchangeable
EXCEPT for Soluble
Release support tips.
Once a tip is used, it is
committed to that
material type and is no
longer interchangeable.
The Soluble Release
support tip is shorter
than standard tips.
Model tip size is imprinted
on the top-side of plate
(T10, T12, T16, T20).
Support tip size is imprinted
on the top side of plate
(T12SR30, T12SR100).
Figure 3-17: Tip Identification
40
Software
Controller Software
Controller Software is installed on your printer’s hard drive during the manufacturing
process, and can be updated as new versions become available (see “Updating Controller
Software - Web Method” on page 211 for instructions). Controller Software is the software
used to control the printer. A CD copy of this software is provided in the Welcome Kit. This
copy should be kept as a back-up in the event that you need to reload Controller Software on
the printer.
Insight Software
Note: For detailed information and instructions on using Insight, see the
associated Help file within the Insight application (available by selecting the
Help option within the Insight toolbar).
Insight software is installed on your workstation PC (using the CD provided in your
Welcome Kit) as part of the initial installation and setup process (performed by your
authorized service representative). Insight is the software used to process job files and then
transfer them to the printer to be built. The 450mc builds parts by processing the original STL
job file into a Stratasys CMB file that is downloaded to the printer. To build a job, you must
send the job file to the 450mc using the Insight application.
Note: FDM Control Center is an application that connects with Insight software
to send jobs to the printer to be built. For detailed information about using FDM
Control Center, use the associated Help file within the application.
Jobs are sent to the printer in CMB format and are placed into the Job Queue (stored on the
printer’s hard drive). (See “Working with the Queue Page” on page 61 for information on the
Job Queue.) The header of the CMB file contains the processed job’s basic information
(material type, approximate material amounts required for the build, tip size, etc.). This
information is used to verify job compatibility with the printer’s materials/tips
configuration.
To start Insight, navigate to All Programs > Insight (installed version) > Insight (installed
version) from your workstation’s Start Menu or double-click on the Insight desktop shortcut
(if available).
Insight STL file processing consists of:
1. Configuring the modeler (printer).
2. Orienting the STL model.
3. Slicing the STL model.
4. Creating support curves (defining where temporary supports will be built).
5. Creating toolpath fill for model and support curves.
6. Saving a toolpath file (CMB file).
7. Downloading the toolpath file to the modeler (printer), via FDM Control Center,
to be built.
41
FDM Control Center Software
FDM Control Center is an application that connects with Insight software to send jobs to the
printer to be built. Control Center is designed to be used with your network-based Stratasys
printer. Insight performs the model processing to prepare a CMB file and Control Center
connects to the printer to build the job and monitor the printer’s status.
Note: For detailed information about using FDM Control Center, see the
associated Help file within the application (available by selecting the Help
option within the Control Center toolbar).
Control Center software is packaged together with Insight software, and is installed on your
workstation PC as part of the initial installation and setup process (performed by your
authorized service representative). During the software installation process, your printer’s
network information should have been configured within Control Center allowing you to
send CMB files to the printer. If you find that you are unable to select your 450mc from the
drop-down menu within Control Center, you will need to add your modeler (printer) to your
list of available FDM systems, see “Add Printer to Control Center” on page 204 for
instructions.
42
5
Information Bar
Dashboard
Display Area
Navigation Bar
4User Interface
This chapter provides an overview of the 450mc User Interface (UI). Specific printer
operation information and procedures can be found in “5 Operating the Printer” on
page 111. You must power ON the printer prior to using the touchscreen, see “Powering ON
the Printer” on page 111 for instructions.
Overview
The 450mc User Interface is comprised of a touchscreen located on the front right face of the
printer (see Figure 3-1 on page 20). The touchscreen has four main areas of functionality;
these items are highlighted in Figure 4-1.
Figure 4-1: User Interface Overview
43
Vacuum Status Indicator
Network
Status Indicator
System Status
Indicator
Logo
System Message Display
Date/Time
The touchscreen is designed to reduce glare; therefore, it is best to view the touchscreen
when standing in front of the printer with the screen to your right. Viewing the touchscreen
from any other angle may inhibit a clear view of the screen's display. The touchscreen is easy
to use and allows you to:
• Access material load, unload and calibration functions.
• Monitor printer status.
• Monitor materials/tips statuses (types loaded/installed, canister volumes, tip
odometers, etc.) and change materials and/or tips when necessary.
• Monitor build progress (name of job being built, materials usage information,
estimated completion time, etc.).
• Access network configuration information and change printer defaults.
• Access the Job Queue and Sample Queue.
Information Bar
The Information Bar is docked at the top of the touchscreen display, and appears on every
page of the User Interface. A variety of information is displayed within the Information Bar
including the System Status Indicator (printer’s “heartbeat”), Stratasys logo, Vacuum Status
Indicator, Network Status Indicator, high level system messages, and current date/time.
Figure 4-2: Information Bar
The System Status Indicator (nautilus shell icon) acts as the printer’s “heartbeat”; when the
printer is functioning correctly, the indicator will slowly flash on and off.
The Vacuum Status Indicator is always displayed within the Information Bar. If a red X is
displayed over the top of this indicator, sufficient vacuum has not been achieved. Once
sufficient vacuum has been achieved and a build sheet is securely affixed to the platen, the
red X will disappear.
The Network Status Indicator is always displayed within the Information Bar. If a red X is
displayed over the top of this indicator, a network connection is not present and job files
cannot be sent to the printer (see “Making the Network Connection” on page 14). Once the
printer establishes a connection with the Ethernet network, the red X will disappear.
The center portion of the Information Bar displays high level system messages (e.g.
“Shutting Down”, “Building”, etc.). Whenever the state of the printer changes (i.e. switches
from “Idle” to “Building”, etc.) the system message portion of the Information Bar will
update to reflect the change.
The current date and time are displayed within the right-most portion of the Information
Bar. If this information is inaccurate see “Setting the Printer’s Date and Time” on page 18 for
instructions on changing your printer’s date and time information.
44
Dashboard
The Dashboard is docked just beneath the Information Bar and appears on every page of the
User Interface. The Dashboard displays the printer’s build state (button), material statuses
and canister volumes (model and support), tip statuses and odometer amounts (model and
support tip), and oven light control (button).
Figure 4-3: Dashboard
Build State Button
The printer’s build state reflects the current state of the physical system, without regard for a
particular job. The Build State button will appear as follows depending on the state of the
printer:
Table 4-1:
Build State Button - Button States
Button State Description
Printer is building or is idle but physically able/ready to build (i.e.
material loaded, valid tips below odometer limit, job selected,
etc.).
Green, unselected
(no white
highlighted border)
Yellow, unselected
(no white
highlighted border)
Green, selected
(white highlighted
border)
Yellow, selected
(white highlighted
border)
Printer is functional but not currently able to build because certain
conditions are not met (e.g. oven door or top cover open, no
vacuum, out of material or no material loaded to head, tip
exceeds odometer limit, etc.). This includes the printer being
manually or automatically paused.
Condition(s) must be resolved in order to start/resume a build. See
“Build Warnings” on page 167 for details.
Printer is not functional and not able to build due to a system error
(e.g. motion error) or has an internal system error that leads to a
build being aborted (not a user initiated abort). A dialog will be
displayed indicating the reason(s) for this state.
Red, unselected
(no white
highlighted border)
Red, selected
(white highlighted
border)
Contact Customer Service for help correcting the error in order to
restore the printer to a buildable state.
45
Pressing the Build State button will open a dialog indicating the reason(s) for the current
build state (see “Warnings and Errors” on page 237 for explanations of warnings displayed
on this page). Once all warnings have been corrected, press the checkmark button to exit the
dialog.
Note: It is good practice to press the Build State button prior to starting each job.
Figure 4-4: Build State Example
46
Materials/Tips Status
The center section of the Dashboard contains 6 icons pertaining to the status of the printer's
current materials and tips.
Note: Icons are display only and are not buttons.
The information displayed within these icons is meant to be used as a quick reference of the
printer’s current configuration. (See “Modeling Materials and Tips” on page 36 for detailed
materials/tips information and configurations.)
Material Status Icons
The Dashboard contains icons representing each of the model (M1 & M2) and support (S1 &
S2) canisters within the printer. Each icon displays the associated material’s canister bay
(e.g. M1), the name of the material currently installed in that bay (e.g. ABS-M30), and the
3
current volume of material in that canister (e.g. 83.4 in
Icons can appear in the following states (color usage, highlighting, and descriptions apply to
all four icons):
/1366.7 cm3). The Material Status
Table 4-2:
Material Status Icons - Icon States
Icon State Description
Valid canister inserted into bay, material name and current
volume displayed.
Material from canister is not loaded to the head. See “Loading
Material to the Liquefier Tips” on page 113 for instructions.
Blue (no white
highlighted border)
Valid canister loaded into bay, material name and current
volume displayed.
Material from canister is loaded to the head and canister is
selected to be used for building.
Blue (white
highlighted border)
- - indicates that a canister is not loaded in the corresponding
canister bay - user action required to insert canister.
See “Loading Material to the Liquefier Tips” on page 113 and “Canister
Installation” on page 116 for instructions.
Yellow (no material
information)
47
Icon State Description
Canister is empty - material name and empty volume displayed,
user action required to remove empty canister.
See “Unloading Material from the Liquefier Tips” on page 119 and
“Removing an empty canister” on page 121 for instructions.
Yellow (empty
canister)
Valid canister installed in canister bay, but material does not
match the current material configuration of the printer and/or
the material currently loaded to the head.
User action required to replace mismatched material or an
Yellow
existing build will pause once the currently loaded canister
empties, and canister auto changeover occurs. See “Changing
Tips or Material Type” on page 125 for instructions.
Mismatched materials will not prevent you from starting a build.
Upon initiation of the build you will be warned of the material
mismatch, and if you choose to continue with the build, the
mismatched materials will be used to print the selected job.
Invalid or unreadable canister present in bay - user action
required to remove canister.
See “Unloading Material from the Liquefier Tips” on page 119 and
“Removing Canisters” on page 121 for instructions.
Flashing Red
Tip Status Icons
The Dashboard contains two icons which represent the printer’s model and support tips.
Each icon displays the tip’s size (e.g. T10) and current odometer value (e.g. 58.3 in
3
). The model and support Tip Status Icons will appear in the following states (color usage
cm
and descriptions apply to both icons):
Table 4-3:
Icon State Description
Blue (no white
highlighted border)
Tip Status Icons - Icon States
Valid tip, tip size, and current odometer for this tip is displayed.
Tip is below odometer limit for associated material.
3
/955.4
48
Valid tip, tip size, and current odometer for this tip is displayed.
Tip is below odometer limit for associated material and is
currently in position to be used for building.
While building, highlighting will switch between the model and
Blue (white
highlighted border)
support icon to indicate which tip is currently active.
Valid tip, tip size, and current odometer for this tip is displayed.
Tip is within 10% of or has reached the odometer limit for the
associated material (see Table 3-3 on page 39 for approximate tip
life information).
Yellow
Flashing Red
Printer is still able to build with this tip, but you will be warned
before starting a build that the tip’s odometer limit has been
reached and part quality may be negatively affected. User
action is required to replace tip. See “Changing Tips or Material
Type” on page 125 for instructions.
Invalid tip/mismatch with currently loaded material, or tip has
exceeded the odometer limit for the associated material and no
further builds can be started.
See “Tip Compatibility & Selection” on page 37 for material and tip
compatibility information and “Changing Tips or Material Type” on
page 125 for instructions on changing tips.
Oven Light Control Button
The Oven Light Control button within the Dashboard indicates the current state of the oven
light (ON/OFF), and allows for user control of the oven light. The Oven Light Control
button can appear as follows:
Table 4-4:
Icon State Description
Oven Light Control Button - Button States
Oven light is OFF.
Dark Blue (no white
highlighted border)
Light Blue (white
highlighted border)
Selecting the Oven Light Control button in this state will turn
the oven light ON.
Oven light is ON.
Selecting the Oven Light Control button in this state will turn
the oven light OFF.
49
Display Area
The buttons/icons and information shown within the Display Area of the touchscreen will
vary depending on which main page of the User Interface is selected.
• When powered ON, a representation of the printer’s current state is displayed.
• After pressing the Build State button within the Dashboard, the Display Area will
refresh and text describing the reason(s) for the current build state will be displayed.
(See Figure 4-4.)
• After selecting a button from the Navigation Bar, the Display Area will refresh and
the main page corresponding to the selected button will be displayed.
• When working with a wizard, the Display Area will refresh as you navigate through
each page of the wizard.
Navigation Bar
The Navigation Bar appears on each main page of the User Interface, and provides onetouch access to the Build, Queue, Tips, Calibration, Settings, and Maintenance functions of
the printer. The User Interface is broken up into several pages of related functionality.
Selecting a button from the Navigation Bar will open the button's corresponding page,
allowing you to perform tasks within that page.
If a page contains sub-pages or wizards, additional buttons corresponding to these items will
be displayed just above the Navigation Bar within the page’s Display Area.
Note: The Navigation Bar is hidden whenever you are working within a wizard
(a multi-step activity that is altering the system state and cannot be interrupted
via general navigation). Wizards are defined within the context of their main
page (i.e. the Tip Change Wizard is within the Tips page).
Figure 4-5: Navigation Bar
50
The buttons in the Navigation Bar are mutually exclusive, meaning only one button may be
selected at any given time. In some instances, all of the buttons in the Navigation Bar will be
disabled. Buttons can appear as follows:
Table 4-5:
Navigation Bar - Button States
Button Name Selected State Unselected State Disabled State
Build Button
Queue Button
Tips Button
Calibration Button
Settings Button
Maintenance Button
51
Print Job
Information
Panel
Print Job
Status Display
Print Job
Selection Button
(left and right
option)
Print Job
Controls
Working with the Build Page
The Build page is comprised of the four main areas of functionality that are necessary for
selecting and building parts on the printer; these items are highlighted in Figure 4-6. Within
the Build page you can select a job, see how a selected job matches the printer’s current
configuration, view build time and materials usage estimates for the selected job, start,
pause, and abort a job, and see status and estimated action points for the currently building
job.
To access the Build page, press the Build button within the Navigation Bar; a screen similar
to the one in Figure 4-6 will be displayed.
Figure 4-6: Build Page
52
Viewing Print Job Information
Information pertaining to a selected job is displayed at the top of the Build page within the
Print Job Information Panel. This information is static and represents the details of the job as
submitted to the printer from the Insight application on your workstation PC.
Figure 4-7: Print Job Information Panel
Information displayed within this panel for a selected job includes:
• Name of the job.
• Model and support materials associated with the job.
• Estimated build time for the job.
• Name of the user that submitted the job.
• Tip sizes associated with the job.
• Number of layers in the job.
Selecting a Print Job from the Build Page
When the printer is idle you can navigate through the Job Queue directly within the Build
page (rather than navigating to the Queue page) using the left and right Print Job Selection
buttons. (See “Working with the Queue Page” on page 61 for more information). The left
Print Job Selection button allows you to view the job previous to the currently selected job,
while the right Print Job Selection button allows you to view the next job in the queue. If the
Keep Previous Job setting is turned ON for your printer, the previously built job is stored
within the Job Queue and the left Print Job Selection button is the only way you can access
this job in order to print it again.
Figure 4-8: Print Job Selection Buttons Enabled
As you scroll through the jobs in the queue, the Print Job Information Panel will refresh and
display information pertaining to the previous or next job in the queue. Jobs are displayed in
the same order as they appear in the Job Queue. When a job is selected, the rest of the Build
page will update to reflect the build time, layer information, materials needs, and
configuration match of the selected job as compared to the printer’s current configuration. If
the Job Queue is empty, only the text “Queue Empty” will be displayed.
53
A Print Job Selection button that is available for selection is indicated by a blue border with
Build
Status
Materials
Status
no white outline, as in the left button in Figure 4-8. When you select the left or right button, it
will momentarily indicate the selection by showing a white outline, as in the right button in
Figure 4-8. If the end of the queue is reached in either direction, the button for navigating
further in that direction will be disabled, as in either button in Figure 4-9.
If the job shown in the Print Job Information Panel is from the Sample Queue, the left and
right Print Job Selection buttons still step through the Job Queue, starting at the top of the
queue, and the information for the sample job is replaced. The left and right Print Job
Selection buttons do not step through the jobs in the Sample Queue at any time.
When the printer is building, the Print Job Selection buttons are disabled as shown in
Figure 4-9. This is also how the Print Job Selection buttons will appear if there are no jobs in
the Job Queue.
Figure 4-9: Print Job Selection Buttons Disabled
Print Job Status
The Print Job Status section of the Build page is comprised of a two-part graphic which
provides information on a selected and/or building job. The information displayed will vary
depending on the state of the printer.
• The Build Status portion of this graphic displays the build’s percentage of
completion, number of completed layers as compared to total number of layers,
elapsed build time as compared to total build time, expected build completion
information, and build progress ring.
• The Materials Status portion of this graphic displays detailed material status
information, for both model and support material, as it pertains to a selected job.
Figure 4-10: Print Job Status Overview
54
Build Status Display
Build progress ring - idle
Build progress ring - building
The upper portion of the Build Status Display shows the following build information:
• The build’s percentage of completion is displayed as a numerical percentage just
above the build’s layer completion information.
• The number of completed layers as compared to the total number of layers in the
build is displayed just below the build’s percentage of completion.
• Elapsed build time as compared to total build time is displayed just below the build’s
layer completion information.
The finish time displayed within the lower portion of the Build Status Display will vary
slightly depending on whether the printer is idle or building:
• When idle, the estimated completion date and time if the job were started
immediately is displayed.
• When building, the build’s estimated completion date and time is displayed.
The outer build progress ring will vary depending on whether the printer is idle or building:
• When idle, no progress is indicated within the build progress ring.
• As build progress is made, the build’s percentage of completion is displayed by
radially filling in the outer progress ring, in a clockwise direction. This percentage
will coincide with the numerical percentage displayed within the upper portion of
the Build Status Display.
Figure 4-11: Build Status Display Details
As you scroll through jobs in the queue, information within the Build Status Display will
update to reflect the selected job. (See “Selecting a Print Job from the Build Page” on page 53
for more information.) Once a job is selected and a build is started, the information within the
Build Status Display will update frequently to indicate build progress.
55
Materials Status Display
Materials related information is displayed within three areas of the Materials Status Display.
Information pertaining to model material is displayed within the upper portion of the
Materials Status Display.
• The Available: field displays the total amount of model material loaded within the
3
printer (in
• The Required: field displays the amount of model material required to complete the
build (in
Figure 4-12: Materials Status Display Details - Model Material Requirements
Information pertaining to support material is displayed within the lower portion of the
Materials Status Display.
• The Available: field displays the total amount of support material loaded within the
printer (in
• The Required: field displays the amount of support material required to complete the
build (in
or cm3 depending on your printer’s configuration).
3
or cm3 depending on your printer’s configuration).
3
or cm3 depending on your printer’s configuration).
3
or cm3 depending on your printer’s configuration).
Figure 4-13: Materials Status Display Details - Support Material Requirements
As you scroll through jobs in the queue, the model and support Required: fields will update
to reflect the amount of model and support material required to complete the selected job.
The model and support values displayed within the two Required: fields will stay the same
regardless of whether the printer is idle or building; these fields do not update as build
3
progress is made. A value of 0.0in
(0.0cm3) is only displayed within the two Required: fields
if the Job Queue is empty and a job can therefore not be selected.
The center portion of the Materials Status Display provides a graphical representation of
whether there is enough material in the printer to complete the selected job. The graphics
displayed will vary slightly depending on whether the printer is idle or building. As you
scroll through jobs in the queue, this portion of the display will update to reflect the amount
of model and support material required to complete the selected job.
56
In Figure 4-14, there is sufficient material in the printer to complete the build if it were
started. The model and support progress bars are shown in dark blue.
Figure 4-14: Materials Status Display Details - Idle, Sufficient Materials
In Figure 4-15, there is not sufficient material in the printer to complete the build if it were
started. The model and support progress bars indicate the amount of available material (in
dark blue), and the amount of additional material required to complete the build (in hashedgrey). If you attempt to start a build with insufficient materials you will receive a warning
indicting that there is not enough material installed to complete the build. You can proceed
with the build, but you will need to install additional material or the build will pause once
the printer runs out of material.
Figure 4-15: Materials Status Display Details - Idle, Insufficient Materials
57
When the printer is building an additional progress bar is displayed for both the model and
support fields. This light blue bar indicates build progress and reflects the amount of
material used so far during the build.
In Figure 4-16, the light blue progress bars indicate the amount of model and support
material used so far. The dark blue progress bars indicate the remaining amount of model
and support required to complete the build. There is sufficient material in the printer to
complete this build, so no indication of additional material required (in hashed-grey) is
displayed.
Figure 4-16: Materials Status Display Details - Building, Sufficient Materials
In Figure 4-17, the light blue progress bars indicate the amount of model and support
material used so far; however, there is not sufficient material in the printer to complete this
build. The dark blue progress bars indicate the remaining amount of model and support
available in the printer while the additional material required to complete the build is
indicated in hashed-grey.
Figure 4-17: Materials Status Display Details - Building, Insufficient Materials
58
Print Job Controls
Three buttons are displayed at the bottom of the Build page (just beneath the Print Job Status
Display). These buttons are used to start, pause, and abort a build.
Figure 4-18: Print Job Controls
Build (play) Button
The Build button, which resembles the “Play” control for a media device, allows you to start
a build (see “Selecting a Job to Build” on page 164
button can appear in the following states:
for more information). The Build (play)
Table 4-6:
Print Job Controls - Build (play) Button States
Button State Description
Printer is in a buildable state AND a selected job is
available to build OR printer is currently paused or
aborted.
Selecting the Build (play) button will begin/resume the
build.
Blue (no white highlighted
border)
Printer is actively building.
Selecting the Build (play) button in this state has no effect.
Blue (white highlighted
border)
Build (play) button is disabled and not selectable.
Printer is not in a buildable state OR a job is not selected/
available to build (e.g. queue is empty).
To troubleshoot this issue, press the Build State button
within the Dashboard. This will open a dialog allowing you
to view the reason(s) for the current build state, including
any issues impeding your ability to start a build (i.e. no
vacuum, no build sheet, etc.). See “Warnings at Build Start” on
page 237 and “Errors Preventing a Build from Starting” on page 239
for more information.
59
Pause Button
The Pause button allows you to pause an active build. The Pause button can appear in the
following states:
Table 4-7:
Button State Description
Blue (no white
highlighted border)
Blue (white
highlighted border)
Abort Button
Print Job Controls - Pause Button States
Printer is actively building. Selecting the Pause button in this state will
pause the build.
When the printer is paused the Build State button will turn yellow.
Pressing this button will open a dialog indicating the reason(s) for the
pause condition. See “Build Warnings” on page 167
Warnings” on page 243
The build is paused.
Selecting the Pause button in this state will have no effect. Selecting
the Build (play) button will resume a paused build.
Pause button is disabled and not selectable.
There is no job currently building on the printer.
for more information.
and “Build Pause
The Abort button allows you to abort a build. You must first pause the build before it can be
aborted. The Abort button can appear in the following states:
Table 4-8:
Button State Description
Blue (no white
highlighted border)
Blue (white
highlighted border)
Print Job Controls - Abort Button States
The Abort button is only selectable when a build is paused (i.e. after
pressing the Pause button).
Pressing the Abort button will display a prompt asking you to confirm
the abort.
- If confirmed, the build will be aborted.
- If canceled, the build will be unaffected (i.e. revert to its previous
build/pause state).
The build has been aborted as the result of a manual abort, or the
printer automatically aborting the build due to an error. Pressing the
Build State button will open a dialog indicating the reason for the
abort condition. See “Build Warnings” on page 167
Warnings” on page 245
Button will remain in this state until the aborted part is removed from
the printer (see “Removing a Part from the Printer” on page 171).
Abort button is disabled and not selectable.
There is no job currently building on the printer.
for more information.
and “Build Abort
60
Working with the Queue Page
There are two, separate queues available on the 450mc: the Job Queue and the Sample
Queue. From the Queue page you can view, edit, sort and select jobs from the Job Queue or
Sample Queue. To access these queues, press the Queue button within the Navigation Bar;
the Job Queue will be displayed by default.
Figure 4-19: Queue Page - Job Queue Displayed
Toggling between the Job Queue and the Sample Queue can be done by selecting the
corresponding tab within the Queue page. The selected queue’s tab will be blue.
Figure 4-20: Job Queue/Sample Queue Tabs
61
About the Job Queue
The Job Queue contains the list of files (jobs) downloaded to the printer from the Control
Center application on your workstation PC. By default, jobs are added to the Job Queue in
the order they were submitted to the printer via Control Center. Individual jobs are listed in
rows, with columns indicating job name (Job Name), estimated build time (Est. Build), model
tip (Tip) associated with the job, and type of model material (Material) associated with the
job. Please note that this information is static and represents the details of the job as
submitted to the printer via the Control Center.
Up to 7 jobs are displayed within the Job Queue list at a given time. If the queue contains
more than 7 jobs, use the scrollbar (to the right of the queue) to scroll up or down through the
list of available jobs.
To select a job, simply touch the corresponding row in the list; the row will turn blue. Once
you’ve selected a job, navigate back to the Build page (by pressing the Build button within
the Navigation Bar). The details of the job you selected will be displayed within the Build
page and the job will be queued for building.
Figure 4-21: Job Queue
62
Job Queue Controls
There are four buttons displayed directly below the Job Queue list which can be used to
rearrange the print jobs listed in the queue. These buttons are disabled for the Sample Queue.
Figure 4-22: Job Queue Controls
These buttons have the following functionality:
Table 4-9:
Icon Name Description
Job Queue Control Buttons
Move to Top Moves the selected job to the top of the Job
Queue list.
Move Up Moves the selected job up one position in the
Job Queue list.
Move Down Moves the selected print job down one position
in the Job Queue list.
Delete Removes the selected job from the Job Queue
list.
Job Queue Sorting
By default, jobs are added to the Job Queue in the order they were submitted to the printer
via the Control Center application on your PC. Jobs can be sorted by selecting the various
column headers (Job Name, Est. Build, Tip, and Material) displayed. Sorting jobs in this
manner can help you identify jobs that match the printer’s current materials/tips
configuration or find a job that can be printed within a desired time frame.
You will be asked to confirm this action prior to
the job being deleted from the queue.
63
Viewing Job Details
To view additional details regarding a particular job in the Job Queue or Sample Queue,
select the right arrow displayed for that job.
Figure 4-23: View Job Details
This will open the job’s Job Details page which displays additional information such as the
name of the user who submitted the job, the number of layers in the job, the support material
and support tip associated with the job, and the size of the job. To close this page and return
to the main queue, select the Queue button within the header of the page.
Figure 4-24: Close Job Details
64
About the Sample Queue
The 450mc comes with several sample job files permanently installed on the printer. These
files are accessible via the Sample Queue only. This queue is comprised of a few sample part
files as well as a variety of other files that are helpful for testing the printer. The majority of
the files within the Sample Queue will be utilized only by authorized service representatives
when performing maintenance on the printer.
Overall, the functionality of the Sample Queue is the same as that of the Job Queue:
• Individual jobs are listed in rows with columns indicating Job Name, Estimated Build
Time, Material Tip associated with the job, and Material type associated with the job.
Please note that this information is static and represents the details of the job as
submitted to the printer via the Insight application on your PC.
• Up to 7 jobs are displayed within the Sample Queue list at a given time. If the queue
contains more than 7 jobs, use the scrollbar (to the right of the queue) to scroll up or
down through the list of available jobs.
• To select a job, simply touch the corresponding row in the list; the row will turn blue.
Once you’ve selected a job, navigate back to the Build page (by pressing the Build
button within the Navigation Bar). The job you selected will be the displayed on the
Build page and be queued for building.
• Additional details for a job can be viewed by opening the job’s Job Details page (see
“Viewing Job Details” on page 64).
However, the following functionality differences exist for the Sample Queue:
• Job Queue Controls are disabled for the Sample Queue, and therefore these job files
cannot be deleted.
• Jobs in the Sample Queue cannot be sorted (as described within the Job Queue
Sorting section).
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Working with the Tips Page
Tip Status Icons
Tips Control
Buttons
Material Load
Controls
Material Status
Icons
Canister Load
Status
The Tips page displays a detailed representation of the printer’s current materials and tips
configuration. Two Tip Status Icons and four Material Status Icons (similar to the icons
within the Dashboard) represent the tips and model/support materials loaded/installed
within the printer. These icons will take on a variety of colors and highlighted states
depending on their status.
Within this page you can view the current configuration of the printer including model and
support tip size and odometer values, current and set point tip temperatures and model and
support material types, view canister volumes and load statuses, load and unload materials,
access the Tip Change Wizard and Tip Wipe Adjust Wizard, and perform a variety of tip
maintenance functions.
To access the Tips page, press the Tips button within the Navigation Bar; a screen similar to
the one in Figure 4-25 will be displayed.
Figure 4-25: Tips Page
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Tips/Materials Status
The Tips page contains six icons pertaining to the status of the printer's current materials and
tips. Two Tip Status Icons and four Material Status Icons (similar to the icons within the
Dashboard) represent the tips and model/support materials loaded/installed within the
printer. These icons will take on a variety of colors and highlighted states depending on their
status. Canisters selected for use for building, and whose material is loaded to the head, are
indicated by a white highlighted border.
Note: These icons are display only and are not buttons.
Tip Status Icons
The two Tip Status Icons within the upper portion of the page represent the printer’s model
and support tips. The left icon represents the model tip while the right icon represents the
support tip. Each icon displays the tip’s size (e.g. T10) and current odometer value (e.g. 258.0
3
/4227.9 cm3) within the upper portion of the icon. The tip’s approximate tip life, based
in
upon the amount of material used, is displayed within the center portion of the icon (i.e.
maximum odometer limit for the tip). The tip’s current temperature as compared to its set
point temperature is displayed within the lower portion of the icon. The model and support
Tip Status Icons will appear in the following states (color usage and descriptions apply to
both icons):
Table 4-10:
Icon State Description
Blue (no white
highlighted border)
Tip Status Icons - Icon States
Valid tip, tip size, current odometer, and approximate tip life for
this tip is displayed.
Tip is below odometer limit for associated material.
Valid tip, tip size, current odometer, and approximate tip life for
this tip is displayed.
Tip is below odometer limit for associated material and is
currently in position to be used for building.
While building, highlighting will switch between the model and
support icon to indicate which tip is currently active.
Blue (white highlighted
border)
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Icon State Description
Valid tip, tip size, current odometer, and approximate tip life for
this tip is displayed.
Tip is within 10% of or has reached the odometer limit for the
associated material (see Table 3-3 on page 39 for approximate tip
life information).
Printer is still able to build with this tip, but you will be warned
before starting a build that the tip’s odometer limit has been
reached and part quality may be negatively affected. User
action is required to replace tip. See “Changing Tips or Material
Yellow
Flashing Red
Type” on page 125 for instructions.
Invalid tip/mismatch with currently loaded material, or tip has
exceeded the odometer limit for the associated material and no
further parts can be started.
See “Tip Compatibility & Selection” on page 37 for material and tip
compatibility information and “Changing Tips or Material Type” on
page 125 for instructions on changing tips.
Material Status Icons
The four Material Status Icons within the page represent the model and support canisters
installed/inserted in the printer. Each icon displays the associated material’s canister bay
(M1, M2, S1 or S2), the name of the material currently installed in that bay (e.g. ABS-M30),
3
and the current volume of material in that canister (e.g. 83.4 in
Status Icons can appear in the following states (color usage, highlighting, and descriptions
apply to all four icons):
Table 4-11:
Icon State Description
Blue (no white
highlighted border)
Material Status Icons - Icon States
Valid canister inserted into bay, material name and current volume
displayed.
Material from canister is not loaded to the head. See “Loading Material
to the Liquefier Tips” on page 113 for instructions.
/1366.7 cm3). The Material
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Icon State Description
Valid canister loaded into bay, material name and current volume
displayed.
Material from canister is loaded to the head and canister is selected
to be used for building.
Blue (white
highlighted border)
- - indicates that a material canister is not loaded in the
corresponding canister bay - user action required to insert canister.
See “Loading Material to the Liquefier Tips” on page 113 and “Canister
Installation” on page 116 for instructions.
Yellow (no material
information)
Canister is empty - material name and empty volume displayed, user
action required to remove empty canister.
See “Unloading Material from the Liquefier Tips” on page 119 and “Removing
an empty canister” on page 121 for instructions.
Yellow (empty
canister)
Yellow
Flashing Red
Valid canister installed in canister bay, but material does not match
the current material configuration of the printer and/or the material
currently loaded to the head.
User action required to replace mismatched material or an existing
build will pause once the currently loaded canister empties, and
canister auto changeover occurs. See “Changing Tips or Material Type”
on page 125 for instructions
Mismatched materials will not prevent you from starting a build. Upon
initiation of the build you will be warned of the material mismatch,
and if you choose to continue with the build, the mismatched
materials will be used to print the selected job.
Invalid or unreadable canister present in bay - user action required to
remove canister.
See “Unloading Material from the Liquefier Tips” on page 119 and “Removing
Canisters” on page 121 for instructions.
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Canister Load Status
A variety of canister load status messages are displayed directly beneath each Material Status
Icon, indicating the current activity of each canister and/or the canister’s filament.
Throughout the process of loading and unloading material these statues will update
frequently, giving you an indication of the progress being made. (See “Loading Material to
the Liquefier Tips” on page 113 and “Unloading Material from the Liquefier Tips” on
page 119 for detailed information.)
Figure 4-26: Canister Load Status Locations
The various canister load statuses displayed are as follows:
• Loading - this status is displayed while filament is being loaded to the liquefiers
within the head, which can only be done when the printer is stopped (idle) and is not
building.
• Loaded - this status is displayed once filament is loaded to the liquefiers, indicating
that the canister can be used to build a selected job.
• Unloading - this status is displayed while filament is being unloaded from the
liquefiers, which can only be done when the printer is stopped (idle) and is not
building.
• Advance Filament - (displayed during the material loading process only) this status is
displayed for canisters that have been properly installed, but have not had their
filament pre-loaded to the printer’s drive wheels.
• Not Loaded - this status is displayed after a canister’s filament contacts the filament
present switch, but before filament begins being loaded to the liquefiers. Once the
Load Material button is pressed (see Figure 4-27 on page 71), this status switches to
“Loading”.
• Insert Canister - indicates that a canister is not present in the material’s corresponding
canister bay (see “Canister Installation” on page 116 for instructions).
• Remove Canister - indicates that a canister’s filament has been completely unloaded
from the printer (or the canister is empty), and the canister can be removed from the
canister bay (see “Removing Canisters” on page 121 for instructions).
In the event that a load error occurs, the canister load status text will indicate this error
(typically displaying “Load Error”). A second line of text will be displayed indicating the
cause of the load error. “Load Errors” on page 241 provides detailed descriptions of the
various load errors you may encounter, as well as instructions for correcting the error
condition.
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Material Load Controls
The Tips page contains Material Load Control buttons which are used to load and unload
material to the liquefier tips within the head. A Load Material (up arrow) and Unload
Material (down arrow) button is displayed for each material canister; however, the
selectability of these buttons is dependent upon the canister’s load status. See Table 4-12 on
page 71 for button state information.
Figure 4-27: Material Load Controls - Button Locations
The Unload Material button (unselected state) will be selectable for all canisters with a
“Loaded” status. The “Loaded” status is displayed for canisters whose filament is loaded to
the corresponding liquefier tip in the head. Pressing this button will instruct the printer to
begin the process of unloading material (see “Unloading Material from the Liquefier Tips”
on page 119 for details).
The Load Material button (unselected state) will be selectable for all canisters with a “Not
Loaded” status, given that another canister’s material is not already loaded to the
corresponding liquefier tip in the head. If the corresponding tip is already loaded with
material, the Load Material button will appear in its disabled state. The “Not Loaded” status
is displayed for canisters whose filament has contacted the filament present switch, but is not
yet loaded to the liquefier tip. Pressing this button will instruct the printer to begin the
process of loading material (see “Loading Material to the Liquefier Tips” on page 113 for
details).
For all other canister statuses, the Load Material and Unload Material buttons will be
disabled.
Table 4-12:
Button Name Selected State Unselected State Disabled State
Load Material Button
Material Load Control Buttons - Button States
Unload Material Button
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As materials are loaded and unloaded, the pathway between the material and tip status icons
will become blue with a white highlighted border, and will fill in the direction that the
canister’s filament is traveling. Figure 4-28 depicts the functionality displayed when a
canister’s filament is being loaded to the head, while Figure 4-29 depicts the functionality
displayed when a canister’s filament is being unloaded from the head.
Material load progress will display the same functionality regardless of whether a model or
support canister is being loaded. Once a canister’s material is loaded to the head, the
pathway between the canister’s Material Status Icon and the corresponding Tip Status Icon
will be fully (solid) highlighted and the canister’s load status will update to “Loaded”. This
indicates that the canister is selected and in position to be used to build parts on the printer.
The Unload Material button (down arrow) will become selectable, indicating that the canister
can be unloaded, if needed. Only one pathway for a material type can be highlighted at a
time as only one material type can be loaded to the head at a time (i.e. only the M1 or M2
pathway can be highlighted at a time, not both).
Figure 4-28: Material Load Progress - Loading
72
Material unload progress will display the same functionality regardless of whether a model
or support canister is being unloaded. Once a canister’s material is unloaded from the head
the pathway between the canister’s Material Status Icon and the corresponding Tip Status
Icon will be solid black, and the canister’s load status will update to “Not Loaded”. The Load
Material button (up arrow) will become selectable, indicating that the canister can be
reloaded, if needed.
Figure 4-29: Material Load Progress - Unloading
73
Tips Controls
Three buttons are displayed at the bottom of the Tips page (just above the Navigation Bar).
These buttons are used to initiate a variety of tip related functions.
Figure 4-30: Tips Controls
These buttons have the following functionality:
Table 4-13:
Tips Controls Buttons
Icon Name Description
Tip Change
(Wizard)
Tip Purge/Unplug Opens the Tip Maintenance Page. Within this
Tip Wipe
Adjustment
Opens the Tip Change Wizard. The Tip Change
Wizard is a guided wizard which allows you to
change the printer’s model and/or support
materials and tips.
See “Tip Change Wizard” for overview information
and “Using the Tip Change Wizard” on page 125 for
detailed instructions.
page you can:
- Initiate a tip unplug routine
- Perform a tip purge
- Enable/disable a tip’s head button
- View model and support tip temperature
information
Opens the Tip Wipe Adjustment Page. Within this
page you can:
- Set the printer to its standby temperature
- Set the printer to its build temperature
- Move the head to the purge position
- Wipe tips
Tip Change Wizard
The Tip Change Wizard is designed to streamline the process of changing model and/or
support materials and tips. You will use this wizard any time you change material type or
tips on the printer.
Caution: If material type is changed, tips must be changed. Any time you are
changing material type and tips you must follow the steps within “Changing
Tips or Material Type” on page 125. You cannot enter tip odometer information
outside of the Tip Change Wizard.
To access the Tip Change Wizard, press the Tip Change (Wizard) button within the Tips
page. A screen will be displayed showing the current configuration of your printer.
74
Note: The Navigation Bar is hidden within the Tip Change Wizard.
A detailed walk through of the Tip Change Wizard can be found in “Using the Tip Change
Wizard” on page 125. The example within this section outlines the necessary steps for
changing material type (model and support) as well as changing tips. The intent of this
example is to help familiarize you with the functionality of the Tip Change Wizard. As you
navigate through this example, observe the state of the icons within the Dashboard.
Tip Purge/Unplug
Pressing the Tip Purge/Unplug button will open the Tip Maintenance page. Within this page
you can:
• Initiate a tip unplug routine
• Perform a tip purge
• Enable/disable a tip’s head button
• View model and support tip temperature information
Two groupings of buttons are displayed within the body of the page, one for the model tip
and one for the support tip. The buttons within these groupings have the same functionality,
but control each tip separately. The corresponding tip’s current temperature as compared to
its set point temperature is displayed beneath the tip’s button grouping.
Figure 4-31: Tip Maintenance Page
75
Unplug
Head buttons
(model on left,
support on right)
Pressing the Unplug button initiates an automated tip unplug routine. This button should be
pressed if you encounter a paused build due to the “Model filament clogged in tip” or
“Support filament clogged in tip” warning (see “Build Pause Warnings” on page 243).
Ensure that you press the Unplug button corresponding to the plugged tip (i.e. press the
Unplug button under the Support heading to resolve a clogged support tip).
During the unplug routine the printer runs a series of purges and retries while monitoring
following error. Following error is the failure of a motor to reach its commanded position.
This routine also includes a sequence wherein the head fan is turned off for a period of time
to allow the tip to heat up further. This increase in temperature allows clogged material to
liquefy further in order to eliminate the clogged tip.
Purge
Pressing the Purge button instructs the printer to perform a long purge. After pressing this
button, the head will move to the purge position and the corresponding tip will heat to a
predetermined set point temperature. Once the tip’s temperature reaches this set point,
material will be purged from the tip for about 10 seconds. When changing to or from colored
material it is beneficial to perform multiple purges as this will remove all material remaining
within the liquefier tips and/or tubes to ensure that color mixing doesn’t occur.
Enable Head Button
The head features two buttons, one for the model tip and one for the support tip, which can
be used to purge material from the corresponding tip or move filament away from the
corresponding tip.
Figure 4-32: Head Button Location
Pressing the Enable Head Button button within the Tip Maintenance page makes the
corresponding tip’s head button active. After pressing this button the tip will begin to heat to
a predetermined set point temperature. Once the tip reaches temperature, open the top cover
and begin using the tip’s head button.
• Pushing the button toward “LOAD” runs a long purge.
• Pushing the button toward “UNLOAD” moves filament away from the tip.
After the tip reaches temperature, there’s a timeout of roughly 2 minutes before the tip is
cooled again. The timer is reset every time one of the head buttons is pushed or material is
purged. This ensures that the tips will not be cooled and the buttons will not be disabled
unless no activity is sensed for that period of time.
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Tip Wipe Adjustment
Pressing the Tip Wipe Adjustment button will open the Tip Wipe Adjust Wizard page. Within
this page you can:
• Instruct the printer to set to its standby or build temperature
• Command the head to move to the purge position
• Initiate a tip wipe
The printer’s current chamber temperature as compared to its standby temperature is
displayed at the top of the page.
Figure 4-33: Tip Wipe Adjust Page
Set to Standby Temperature
Pressing the Set to Standby Temperature button instructs the printer to set to its standby
temperature. The Chamber Temperature field will update to indicate temperature change
progress.
Set to Build Temperature
Pressing the Set to Build Temperature button instructs the printer to set to its build
temperature. Build temperatures are material specific. The Chamber Temperature field will
update to indicate temperature change progress.
77
Go to Purge Position
Pressing the Go to Purge Position button will instruct the head to move to the purge position
(directly above the purge ledge). This button must be pressed before the Wipe Tips button
will become selectable, as the head must be in the purge position before tips can be wiped.
Wipe Tips
After pressing the Go to Purge Position button the Wipe Tips button becomes selectable.
Pressing the Wipe Tips button will initiate a tip wipe. After pressing this button the head will
begin to move back and forth, slowly passing the model and support tips over the flicker/
brush assemblies. The head will make 4 passes. With each pass, the head gradually moves
horizontally across the flicker to ensure proper adjustment and even wear.
You will need to access this button when adjusting tip wipe heights using the Tip Wipe
Height Adjustment Wheels, see “Adjusting Tip Wipe Heights” on page 161 for instructions.
Note: You must manually adjust tip wipe heights each time you change a tip.
This will ensure proper placement of the flicker/brush assemblies in relation to
tips/tip shields.
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Working with the Calibration Page
Calibration
Control
Buttons
Calibration
Status Pane
Note: This section provides an overview of the Calibration page and its features,
but does not go into detail regarding calibration procedures. See “6 Calibration”
on page 183 for detailed calibration procedure information and instructions.
The Calibration page allows you to perform a variety of calibration procedures on the
printer, including:
• XYZ Tip Offset Calibration
• Touchscreen Calibration
• Find XY Home
• Find Z Home
To access the Calibration page, press the Calibration button within the Navigation Bar; a
screen similar to the one in Figure 4-34 will be displayed.
Figure 4-34: Calibration Page
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Viewing Calibration Status
Your printer’s calibration status is displayed within the upper portion of the page. The text
displayed within the Calibration Status Pane reflects the overall calibration status of the
printer. If your printer is calibrated (i.e. XYZ Tip Offset Calibration has been completed),
information similar to what is shown in Figure 4-34 will be displayed. If the printer needs to
be calibrated or if you skipped the task of performing an XYZ Tip Offset Calibration after
changing tips, the text within this pane will reflect the printer’s uncalibrated state and
prompt you to take the necessary steps to calibrate the printer’s tips. You cannot build parts
on the printer until the printer’s tips are calibrated.
Calibration Controls
Four buttons are displayed at the bottom of the Calibration page (just above the Navigation
Bar). These buttons are used to initiate a variety of calibration related functions.
Figure 4-35: Calibration Controls
These buttons have the following functionality:
Table 4-14:
Icon Name Description
Calibration Control Buttons
XYZ Tip Offset
Calibration
Touchscreen
Calibration
Z Home Instructs the printer to find its Z Home location.
Opens a page which allows you to initiate an XYZ
Tip Offset Calibration and/or build a calibration
part. Once you’ve made your selections the XYZ
Tip Offset Calibration Wizard will walk you through
the process of calibrating your printer’s tips. Tips
must be calibrated each time they are changed.
See “Changing Tips or Material Type” on page 125.
Allows you to perform a touchscreen calibration.
See “Touchscreen Calibration” on page 201 for
instructions.
XY Home Instructs the printer to find its X and Y Home
locations.
See “XY Home Calibration” on page 203 for
instructions.
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XYZ Tip Offset Calibration
Pressing the XYZ Tip Offset Calibration button will open a page which allows you to initiate
an XYZ Tip Offset Calibration and/or build a calibration part. See “XYZ Tip Offset
Calibration” on page 184 for detailed instructions.
An XYZ Tip Offset Calibration must be performed each time the printer’s tips are changed.
Although the Tip Change Wizard provides instructions for performing this calibration
directly within the wizard, the XYZ Tip Offset Calibration can be performed outside of the
Tip Change Wizard using this button.
Figure 4-36: XYZ Tip Offset Calibration Page
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Touchscreen Calibration
Pressing the Touchscreen Calibration button will open a dialog allowing you to recalibrate
the touchscreen display. See “Touchscreen Calibration” on page 201 for detailed instructions.
Figure 4-37: Recalibrate Screen Confirmation Page
Find Z Home
Pressing the Z Home button instructs the printer to find its home location for the Z axis.
Note: This button can also be found within the Gantry/Stage Details page. See
“Gantry/Stage Settings” on page 98 for more information.
Find XY Home
Pressing the XY Home button instructs the printer to find its X and Y Home locations. See
“XY Home Calibration” on page 203 for more information.
Note: This button can also be found within the Gantry/Stage Details page. See
“Gantry/Stage Settings” on page 98 for more information.
82
Working with the Settings Page
The options within the Settings page are organized into groupings of related functionality.
Within each grouping, printer information can be viewed and individual printer settings and
preferences can be configured. Within this page you can turn a variety of printer settings on/
off (including UPnP, part placement, auto cooldown, etc.), select your printer’s address type
(dynamic or static) and manually configure an IP address, network mask, and gateway
address (if needed), and adjust the brightness of the touchscreen display. As a part of its
initial installation and setup (performed by your authorized service representative), your
printer’s network settings will be configured within this page (as described within
“Configuring the Network” on page 15). Once those settings are configured you may need to
occasionally access this page in order to adjust printer preferences.
To access the Settings page, press the Settings button within the Navigation Bar; a screen
similar to the one in Figure 4-38 will be displayed.
Figure 4-38: Settings Page
83
Settings Page Navigation
Right arrow
graphic
Slider
graphic
To scroll up and down within the Settings page simply touch the screen and pull the list of
options in the direction you’d like to scroll. A small scrollbar is displayed along the righthand side of the page, indicating the direction in which you’re scrolling. The options within
the Settings page are organized into 3 main categories: Printer, Network, and Service. Main
categories are distinguished by a bold heading.
Each main category contains a variety of settings and preferences that can be configured.
Items are organized into individual rows within the page. The name of the setting/
preference to be configured is displayed within the left side of the row. For some items,
current configuration information is displayed within the row (for reference purposes). The
graphic displayed within the right side of a row will vary depending on the configuration
options available for that row.
Figure 4-39: Settings Page Content List
84
Rows containing a slider graphic (see Figure 4-39) allow you to configure a particular setting,
typically turning the setting Off and On, directly within the Settings page. Simply touch the
slider on the screen and move it to the left or right to adjust its setting.
Rows containing a right arrow graphic (see Figure 4-39) will open a new page allowing you
to configure that row’s settings/preferences; this new page is referred to as the item’s details
page (i.e. Network Settings Details page).
After making the necessary adjustments to a row’s settings/preferences within a details
page, press the Settings button in the upper-left corner of the page (see Figure 4-40) to exit the
details page and return to the Settings page.
Figure 4-40: Settings Details Page - Back Button Location
85
Printer Settings
Within the Printer category of the Settings page you can configure a variety of printer
functionality preferences.
Note: The printer’s date and time settings are not configured within the Settings
page. Instead, this information is configured within the FDM Control Center
application which was installed on your workstation PC as part of the initial
installation and setup process. See “Setting the Printer’s Date and Time” on
page 18 for instructions.
Keep Previous Job
For privacy reasons, you have the option of choosing whether or not the printer’s previous
job is stored within the Job Queue. If you're concerned about other users of your printer
seeing what you’ve built, this setting allows you to prevent other users from accessing the
printer’s previous job. When this setting is set to On, the printer will store it’s previous job
file making it available for re-selection within the Job Queue. When this setting is set to Off,
the printer’s previous job file will be deleted from the Job Queue upon completion of the
build. The job’s file will need to be resent to the printer in order to be built again.
To configure this setting, use the slider graphic to turn the setting On and Off as needed; On
is selected by default.
Figure 4-41: Keep Previous Job
Enable Part Placement
The Enable Part Placement setting gives you the ability to select a job’s placement on a build
sheet. By default, single part jobs are built in the center of a build sheet while packs are built
according their selected placement within Control Center. Therefore, when this setting is set
to Off, single part jobs will automatically be built in the center of the build sheet and packs
will be built according their selected placement within Control Center. To configure this
setting, use the slider graphic to turn the setting On and Off as needed.
Figure 4-42: Enable Part Placement
When this setting is set to On, you will be able to select a job’s location on the build sheet
prior to starting the build (see “Selecting a Job to Build” on page 164). At the start of a build a
dialog will be displayed asking you to select the part’s build location (see Figure 4-43). The
dialog will contain a graphic representing your printer’s platen as well as a blue bounding
box graphic (the imaginary box surrounding the part).
86
You can select the part’s build location by dragging and dropping the bounding box on the
touchscreen; the bounding box cannot be placed outside the limits of the platen. Pressing the
checkmark button will confirm your selected placement and start a build.
“Ghost box” graphics are also displayed; a “ghost box” represents the location where a part
was built previously. Clicking the Delete (trash can) button will clear the display, removing
all “ghost box” items.
Figure 4-43: Part Placement Dialog
Units
The Units row displays the type of units the printer is configured for, English or Metric. To
configure this setting, use the slider graphic to select between English and Metric units;
English is selected by default.
Figure 4-44: Units
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Auto Cooldown
The Auto Cooldown row displays the printer’s auto cooldown setting. Pressing the right
arrow graphic within this row will open a page allowing you to adjust this setting.
Figure 4-45: Auto Cooldown
Oven modeling temperature is determined by the material type (model and support) loaded
within the printer. It is controlled by the printer’s software and cannot be modified; however,
you do have control of some oven temperature functions. The Auto Cooldown setting allows
you to configure the printer’s auto cooldown function.
The printer’s oven is designed to cool incrementally until the printer controlled standby
temperature is reached. This functionality acts as an energy saving feature. Auto Cooldown
can be set to:
• Never - the printer is never auto-cooled. After every job is complete, oven
temperature will stay at the material’s build temperature. This is the default setting.
• Always - the printer is always auto cooled. After every job is complete and auto-
cooled, oven temperature will stay at the material’s standby temperature.
• Next Build Only - after the next job is complete and auto-cooled, auto cooldown
mode will automatically reset to Never.
To configure this setting, touch the row corresponding to the auto cooldown option you
want to select (Never, Always, or Next Build Only), the row will turn blue when selected.
Press the Settings button within the heading of the page to exit the Auto Cooldown Details
page and return to the Settings page.
Figure 4-46: Auto Cooldown Details Page
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Network Settings
Within the Network Settings category of the Settings page you can configure your printer’s
UPnP and network address information.
Note: Your printer was configured for your network as a part of its initial
installation and setup (see “Configuring the Network” on page 15). The
information within this section is provided to help you understand the
functionality of the Network Settings portion of the Settings page.
Pressing the right arrow graphic within the Network row will open your printer’s Network
Settings Details page.
Figure 4-47: Open Network Settings Details Page
Within this page you can set your printer’s address type to DHCP (dynamic) or Static; DHCP
is selected by default. To configure this setting, use the slider graphic to select DHCP or
Static. Press the Settings button in the upper-left corner of the dialog to exit the Network
Settings Details page and return to the Settings page.
Figure 4-48: Network Settings Details Page
DHCP Configuration
When the Address Type is set to DHCP, a network server or PC will generate an IP address
for the printer. A different IP address may be generated from time to time by the server or
PC. The generated IP address will be displayed within the IP Address: field, and
corresponding network mask and gateway address information will also be displayed.
89
Static Configuration
Checkmark
(confirm)
Backspace
(delete)
Exit
(without
saving)
When the Address Type is set to Static you must enter an IP address, network mask, and
gateway address for the printer (provided by the system administrator). Once entered, the
address will not change.
Note: See your system administrator if you do not know the IP address,
Network mask, or Gateway address.
When Static is selected the Enter Network Settings pop-up dialog will be displayed. Within
this dialog you must manually configure the IP Address, Network mask, and Gateway fields
using the keypad displayed. Simply touch a field on the screen to select it and then use the
keypad to enter address information.
Figure 4-49: Enter Network Settings Dialog
• Use the
• Use the
• Use the
• Use the
number keys to enter address digits.
backspace key to delete entries digit by digit.
checkmark key to confirm entries and exit the dialog with saving.
X key to exit the dialog without saving.
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Network Address Information
The printer’s network address information is displayed directly below the Network row. The
printer’s Address Type, IP Address, Netmask, and Gateway Address are displayed within
the right side of the row. Any configuration changes made within the Network Settings
Details page will be reflected within this row.
Figure 4-50: Network Address Configuration
UPnP
UPnP allows the printer to broadcast its Unique Device Name (UDN) address across the
network. When this setting is set to On, the printer will broadcast its UDN across the
network allowing Insight to automatically detect the IP address of the printer for
communication. When this setting is set to Off, the printer will not broadcast its IP address
across the network and Insight will need to be manually configured to communicate with the
printer.
To configure this setting, use the slider graphic to turn the setting On and Off as needed.
UPnP is set to On by default.
Figure 4-51: UPnP
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