3D Systems CubePro User manual

Nylon Printing Best Practices
CubePro®
Nylon Printing Best
Practices
Introduction
Printing with CubePro Nylon (NYL) is an exciting endeavor for the 3D printing enthusiast.
Nylon is a strong, flexible and durable material. It is an excellent choice for prototyping,
small-run manufacturing and parts requiring secondary operations.
Copyright
©2016 by 3D Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is subject to change without
notice. This document is copyrighted and contains proprietary information that is the
property of 3D Systems, Inc. Cubify, and the 3D Systems logo are registered trademarks of
3D Systems, Inc. CubePro is a trademark of 3D Systems, Inc. Use of the Cubify.com website
constitutes acceptance of its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Compliance
FCC Notice
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:

—Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
—Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
—Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
—Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
NOTE: Changes or modifications to this equipment not specifically approved
by 3D Systems may void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
KCC
이 기기는 가정용(B급) 전자파적합기기로서 주 로 가정에서 사용하는 것을 목적으로 하며, 모 든 지역에서 사용할 수 있습니다.
This equipment is home use (Class B) electromagnetic wave suitability equipment and to
be used mainly at home and it can be used in all areas.
This equipment conforms with International Electric Committee (IEC) 60950-1 and meets
the requirements of the applicable EC directives.
CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B)
This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is
subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2)
this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d’Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils
radio exempts de licence. L’exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes: (1)
l’appareil ne doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2) l’utilisateur de l’appareil doit accepter
tout brouillage radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d’en
compromettre le fonctionnement.

Important Safety Information
Safety Symbols and Definitions
HOT SURFACE HAZARD: A HOT SURFACE IS ACCESSIBLE IN THE
VICINITY OF THIS SIGN OR AT THE PRINT
JET. AVOID CONTACT WITH THESE AREAS. HOT SURFACES CAN CAUSE
SEVERE BURNS.
Caution: Indicates something may happen that could cause loss of data,
damage to equipment, or could cause
personal injury.
Caution: Indicates a pinch point hazard that could cause personal injury.
SHOCK WARNING: INDICATES A POTENTIAL SHOCK HAZARD.
SAFETY GUIDELINES
Follow all safety rules in this section and observe all cautions and warnings in this
guide.
Do not modify any safety features or make modifications to the CubePro. Doing so is
prohibited and voids the warranty.
Use of print materials other than genuine 3D Systems components may void the
warranty.
WARNING: HAZARDOUS MOVING PARTS. KEEP FINGERS AND OTHER
BODY PARTS AWAY.
HOT SURFACE HAZARD: DO NOT TOUCH THE PRINT JETS DURING SETUP
AND OPERATION. THE PRINT JETS
BECOME VERY HOT.
Caution: Read and follow all instruction prior to setting up the printer.
SHOCK WARNING: DUE TO RISK OF SHOCK, AVOID CONTACT WITH ALL
INTERNAL ELECTRONIC
COMPONENTS.

WARNING: THE CUBEPRO SHOULD ONLY BE SERVICED BY AUTHORIZED
SERVICE TECHNICIANS. PRIOR TO
ANY PART REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE, THE PRINTER MUST BE
POWERED OFF AND DISCONNECTED FROM
UTILITY POWER.
HOT SURFACE HAZARD: WHEN PRINTING WITH ABS MATERIAL, THE
INTERIOR (PRINT CHAMBER) OF THE
PRINTER WILL HEAT TO A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE. THE
SURFACE OF THE PRINT CHAMBER HEATER
WILL BE HOT. AVOID CONTACT WITH THE PRINT CHAMBER HEATER AND
NOTE THAT OTHER COMPONENTS
INSIDE THE PRINT CHAMBER MAY BE HOT.
To ensure safety, please exercise caution when operating your CubePro. Read and follow all
safety precautions as outlined in this
user guide. Be careful when operating your CubePro to ensure proper printing and be
mindful of and avoid hot surfaces.

Level The Print Jet Nozzle
Verify the Print Jet Nozzle Level
Leveling the print jet nozzles is very important to ensure quality prints especially after
replacing a print jet, an extruder assembly or the print pad.
The Print Jet Level Gap calibration file requires all cartridge bays to be loaded with the
same material type cartridges.
NOTE: Ensure the file used matches the printer model and the installed print
material type. All installed cartridges must be of the same material type.
(Ex. If the cartridge bays have ABS material cartridges installed, print the
ABS Level Gap calibration file.)
These files are available at www.3dsystems.com/shop/cubepro/downloads. The Level Gap
Calibration files are available from the Calibration Files download link in the Firmware and
Files section of the web page.
The file names are listed below:
PLA:
noz12_PLA_LEVELGap.cubepro (This file is for printing PLA on a CubePro Duo)
noz123_PLA_LEVELGap.cubepro (This file is for printing PLA on a CubePro Trio)
ABS:
noz12_ABS_LEVELGap.cubepro (This file is for printing ABS on a CubePro Duo)
noz123_PLA_LEVELGap.cubepro (This file is for printing ABS on a CubePro Trio)
Nylon:
noz12_NYL_LEVELGap.cubepro (This file is for printing nylon on a CubePro Duo)
noz123_NYL_LEVELGap.cubepro (This file is for printing nylon on a CubePro Trio)
Other files may be made available in the future.
Level Nozzle Calibration Print Overview
The following illustration demonstrates what you would see when the print jet nozzles are
properly leveled.

Z-Gap - The Z-Gap is the distance between the print pad and the print jet
nozzles. The Z-Gap should always be checked and adjusted first before the
Level Gap.
Important
If either ABS or PLA materials are used to check nozzle level, the gap must be checked with
the nylon single nozzle Level_Gap file.
When using NYL_LEVEL_GAP it is best to have the corner-plate level patterns contain a
gap above and below the baseline.
The gap for nylon is different than the gap for ABS and PLA materials. For best print
results, the Z-gap for nylon should be slightly more than the Z-gap for other materials
when reading the open Z-gap print. This gap is found between the measurements
lines (A) and the baseline (B).
The closed pattern should remain be closed.

Printing the Level Gap Calibration File
NOTE: Ensure the print pad is completely clean from glue and printed parts
before beginning this procedure.
Download the CALIBRATION FILES and extract them to your computer’s hard drive.1.
Navigate to the file location and copy the appropriate file to your USB mass storage2.
device.
Insert the USB mass storage device into the USB host port on the printer.3.
Select PRINT.4.
Using the arrows, navigate to the Level Gap Calibration file and select PRINT.5.
NOTE: There are several Level Gap Calibration files as well as Nozzle Offset
Calibration files. Select the Level Gap Calibration file for print material type
installed in the printer.

Apply two thin layers of Cube Glue to the print pad in an area of 50 mm x 50 mm.6.
Select the checkmark to continue.
NOTE: For more information, refer to the section titled Applying Cube Glue.
NOTE: It may take several minutes to print the file.
When finished, remove the print pad and verify the Level Gap.7.
NOTE: If any adjustments are needed, perform this procedure again after
making the adjustments. Make sure all glue and plastic residues have been
removed prior to performing this procedure again.
Compare Print Jet Z-Gaps
Inspect the Z-Gap readings for each print jet. If any of the print jets have an incorrect Z-
gap, they will need to be leveled again.
NOTE: The Closed Z-Gap (A) and the Open Z-Gap (B) are two different
measurements but should be read together.

Correct Closed Z-Gap
The Closed Z-Gap bars (B) should touch the baseline (A).
This should be consistent with the calibration print for each
print jet.

Incorrect Closed Z-Gap
If there is a gap between the Closed Z-Gap bars (B) and the baseline (A), that print jet is
too high and should be adjusted. Once it has been adjusted, print the calibration file again
to verify that the print jets are level.
Correct Open Z-Gap
If there is a gap (B) between the Open Z-Gap bars (C) and the baseline (A) and there is no
gap between the Closed Z-Gap bars and the baseline, that print jet is level.

Incorrect Open Z-Gap
If there is no gap (B) between the Open Z-Gap bars (C) and the baseline (A), that print jet is
too low and should be adjusted. Once it has been adjusted, print the calibration file again to
verify that the print jets are level.
Leveling The Print Jet Nozzles
Tools Needed
T10 Torx Driver
Level The Print Jets

SHOCK WARNING: EXERCISE CAUTION WHENEVER YOU ARE NEAR
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.
WARNING: BEFORE SERVICING THESE COMPONENTS, ENSURE YOU ARE
WEARING A WELL-GROUNDED ELECTRO-STATIC DISCHARGE (ESD)
STRAP. ESD PROTECTION IS REQUIRED.
WARNING: NEVER PULL ON WIRES TO DISCONNECT THE CONNECTORS.
THIS COULD DAMAGE THE WIRES AND THE CONNECTORS AND VOID THE
MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY.
The following procedure is intended to provide instructions about how to level print jets for
printers with more than 1 print jet.
For printers with two (2) or three (3) print jets, loosen the T10 torx screws on1.
extruders 1 and 3.
CAUTION: There should be enough access to reach the torx screws using an
insulated torx driver. Exercise caution when working around the PCBs.
NOTE: Print jet 2 should not need adjustments.
Connect the printer to utility power, turn on the main power switch and then turn on2.
the display.
Navigate to the Print Plate Calibration screen and select MOVE JETS.3.

Select the Z: down arrow until the display reads -0.50.4.
NOTE: For printers with 2 or three print jets, visually inspect the gap
between the nozzle tip of print jet 2 and the print pad. If necessary, press
the Z: down arrow until there is a gap.
Press the X and Y adjustment arrows until print jet 2 is closely aligned above the front5.
print pad adjustment knob.
NOTE: The red line in the illustration demonstrates an approximate
alignment of print jet 2 and the front print pad adjustment knob.
Press the Z: up arrow until the nozzle of print jet 2 lightly touches the print pad.6.
NOTE: If there is still a gap between the nozzle of print jet 2 and the print
pad, and the Z: up arrow will not raise the print pad further, rotate the front
print pad adjustment knob counter-clockwise (from the bottom side) until
the nozzle lightly touches the print pad. If the adjustment knob was turned,
turn it back the same amount and then be sure to perform the print pad
leveling procedure.

Verify that the nozzles of print jet 1 and print jet 3 are also touching the print pad.7.
When all of the print jet nozzles lightly touch the print pad, power off the printer and8.
disconnect it from utility power.
Tighten the left and right print jet screws using a T10 torx driver.9.
Connect the printer to utility power and power on the printer.10.
Ensure the print pad is at its lowest position.11.
Holding on to the extruder carriage assembly, gently position it over the jet wiper12.
assembly.

Verify the wiper blade meets the tapered portion (A) of the print jet nozzle. If it does,13.
the jet wiper is properly adjusted. Proceed to step 16.
NOTE: If the wiper tip is too high, proceed to the next step. If the wiper tip is
too low, proceed to step 15.
If the wiper blade is too high, remove the jet wiper assembly and turn the adjustment14.
thumbscrew (A) clockwise. Reinstall the jet wiper and return to step 13.
If the wiper tip is too low, remove the jet wiper assembly and turn the adjustment15.
thumbscrew (A) counter-clockwise. Reinstall the jet wiper and return to step 13.

Once satisfied with the adjustment, connect your printer to utility power and power on16.
the printer.
If necessary, calibrate the print pad.17.
Proceed to the Z-Gap and Level Gap procedure. Once the Z-Gap and Level Gap are18.
correct, calibrate the offset jets.

Loading Nylon
Loading Nylon
Install nylon cartridges using the Change Cartridge utility in the Setup menu. Once the
cartridge has been installed, it is important to purge the print jets to remove all previously
used print material that may remain in the extruder assembly.
Navigate to the Print Jet Calibration screen and select CONTROL JETS.1.
Select the print jet that has been loaded with nylon print material.2.
Select the target temperature value. Select the up arrow until the target temperature3.
value reaches 275°C.
NOTE: To increase or decrease the temperature value, press the up or down
arrow.
NOTE: The current temperature reading will appear above the target
temperature value.

Once the temperature has reached 275°C, select the speed value. Use the up or down4.
arrows to set the speed value to 3.5 RPM.
NOTE: Pressing the speed value twice will place the value at 4.0 RPM. Press
the up or down arrows to increase or decrease the extrusion speed.
󰾬Allow the print jet to purge for 10 minutes.5.
NOTE: Purging will clean all previous print material out of the nozzle for
better print quality.
NOTE: The amount of purged material will amount to a small bundle of
material strings.
Once you have finished, reduce the target speed to 0.0 RPM and the target6.
temperature to 0.0°C.
NOTE: Pressing the values twice for target temperature and speed should
change the values to 0.0.

Printing With Supports
Overview
Nylon is a rugged, durable material that is effective at creating fixtures, handles, levers and
other parts that need to be strong. Many nylon parts require additional support and INF
material works well as support material for nylon. Nylon material has four (4) options for
supporting parts and some may be combined for optimal results.
NOTE: Nylon material is not the preferred material for detailed parts.
Nylon parts may warp when they contain large, flat, overhanging features or long
rectangular, round beams. For best printing results, add supports to your build file.
CubePro software provides four (4) options for adding supports:
Nylon Supports
INF Supports
Nylon and INF (Auto-Combination Supports)
Manual Supports - These supports can be combined with any of the other three
options.
Nylon Supports
Nylon supports are effective, general purpose supports that require post-processing to cut
and clean the support attachment points. These supports provide the most support for
preventing warp, and of the other options, require the most post-processing to remove
them.
Select a NYL option from the Support Material drop down menu in the Build Settings utility.

Printing A Large Flat Radius Feature
Parts with large radius features need more supports than flat angles. Because of nylon
printing properties, it requires more support than PLA and ABS. If not properly supported,
the nozzle can break if the print begins to curl and warp.
Use the Advanced menu in the Build Settings utility to set the Support Angle to 75˚ or the
appropriate angle for supporting your part.
Verify the part in the software after it has been built to confirm that the support angle is
correct.