Airwolf 3D AW3D HDL User manual

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AW3D HDL
User Manual
www.Airwolf3D.com
Table of Contents
Specifications .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Unboxing the Printer................................................................................................................................... 5
Box Contents ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Part Directory.............................................................................................................................................. 6
How it Works............................................................................................................................................... 7
Extruder Assembly .................................................................................................................................. 7
Hot End and Heat Bed Motion ................................................................................................................ 7
Plug In & Turn On........................................................................................................................................ 8
Pre-Printing Steps ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Quick Start Guide .................................................................................................................................... 9
Quick Start Guide (contd.)..................................................................................................................... 10
1) Leveling the Bed................................................................................................................................ 11
First Print & Calibration......................................................................................................................... 12
First Print & Calibration (contd.) ........................................................................................................... 13
2) Loading Filament............................................................................................................................... 14
3) Bed Preparation ................................................................................................................................ 15
4) The First Layer ................................................................................................................................... 15
RAMBo Driver ........................................................................................................................................... 16
Setup (Windows 8 Only)........................................................................................................................ 16
Installation (PC Only)............................................................................................................................. 17
5 Steps to Printing..................................................................................................................................... 20
1) Download or Design a 3D Model ...................................................................................................... 21
2) Convert to STL File Type.................................................................................................................... 22
3) Netfabb: Layout (STL Clean Up) ........................................................................................................ 22
3) Netfabb: How To (STL Clean Up)....................................................................................................... 23
4) Slicing ................................................................................................................................................ 24
Slicing: Breakdown ................................................................................................................................ 25
4-5) MatterControl PRO: How To.......................................................................................................... 26

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4-5) MatterControl PRO: How To (contd.) ............................................................................................ 27
Two Part Epoxy...................................................................................................................................... 28
Firmware...................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Maintenance............................................................................................................................................. 29
Belt Tensioning...................................................................................................................................... 30
Rod Alignment (X-axis).......................................................................................................................... 31
Rod Alignment (Y-axis) .......................................................................................................................... 32
Rod Lubrication ..................................................................................................................................... 33
Inserting Filament ................................................................................................................................. 33
Wiring Diagram ..................................................................................................................................... 34
Clogged Nozzle ...................................................................................................................................... 35
Changing the Nozzle.............................................................................................................................. 36
Trouble Shooting....................................................................................................................................... 37
Glossary of Terms ..................................................................................................................................... 38
Hardware............................................................................................................................................... 38
Software ................................................................................................................................................ 38
Contact List ............................................................................................................................................... 38
Notes......................................................................................................................................................... 39
Notes......................................................................................................................................................... 40

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Specifications
Copyright 2013 ©
Designed and
Manufactured In:
12 x 8 x 11 inch
300 x 200 x 280 mm
24 x 17.5 x 18 inch
610 x 445 x 460 mm
38 lbs
17 kg
Material that can
be printed:
Filament
Diameter
Nominal: 3.00mm
Actual: 2.85 ± 0.1mm
mm
Nozzle Diameter 0.5 and 0.35 mm
0.1 mm
0.0039 inch
100 mm/s
3.94 inch/s
200 mm/s
7.87 inch/s
Circuit Board
Frame
Power Supply
File Format
System
Compatibility
General
Partially Enclosed Acrylic
Har
d
Printer Size
(LxWxH)
Internal auto-switching 13.5V DC, 300W
Weight
USA
PLA, Soft PLA, PLA 4043D, BendLay,
LayWOO D-3, Laybrick, HIPS, T-Glase,
PVA, TPE & more to come!
Build Volume
(LxWxH)
Minimal Layer
Thickness
Max Speed-
Perimeter
Max Speed-
Travel
Specs.
Matter Control
Cura & Slic3r
RAMBo
Comp.
Software
Netfabb & MeshLab
Windows, Mac, Linux
STL & GCODE

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Unboxing the Printer
Box Contents

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Part Directory

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How it Works
Extruder Assembly
Hot End and Bed Motion

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Plug In & Turn On

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Pre-Printing Steps
Quick Start Guide

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Quick Start Guide (contd.)

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1) Leveling the Bed
Why Level the Bed- One of the most important steps in 3D printing is how the first layer prints. Like
building a house, the first layer is the foundation for the remainder of your print. Without a level bed,
your print will be marginal at best. Because of the configuration of the printer, the bed only moves slowly
in the Z direction. This means that the bed tends to stay reasonably level over time. The better the
calibrated printer, the more efficient the printing process is. Calibrating the printer should be done once
a month or so and when traveling with the printer in a car. This will insure that the nozzle doesn’t run
into the bed and that the accuracy of the printer stays intact.
Basic Concept to Level the Bed- There are two parts to leveling the bed. The first part is to make sure
that the XY plane (the plane that the nozzle moves in) is parallel to the bed (glass). This is achieved by
the four small M3 screws in each corner of the bed. The second part is the first layer height. This is
achieved by the Z-adjustment screw and limit switch subassembly for the bed. The Z-adjustment screw
is labeled on the Part Directory page. This spring loaded screw initiates the limit switch (Z-min) and sets
the first layer height.
Once you have calibrated the printer, we highly recommend that you run a few sample prints before
moving on to custom prints. This will ensure that the printer is working correctly. Also you will gain
valuable knowledge from this. For one, you will understand how the printer works before having to
dive into the settings. And secondly, you will have the opportunity to see some massive prints that very
few printers can print. Plus you get to show off to your family, friends, coworkers and boss the
incredible sample parts.

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First Print & Calibration

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First Print & Calibration (contd.)

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2) Loading Filament
Good quality filament will be 2.85 ± 0.10mm in diameter. If the filament is consistently over 3.00mm,
you may want to purchase the material from somewhere else.

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3) Bed Preparation
For PLA prints, it will be important to use the masking tape on the glass. This will help your parts stick to
the glass during the duration of the print.
4) The First Layer
Why- The first layer is by far the most important layer of your entire print. If your first layer is successful,
you have a very good chance of having a successful print. The first layer height is controlled by the Z-
adjustment screw which is spring loaded and in the back left corner of the top panel. The bed raises and
initiates the limit switch to set the first layer height. Once your bed is level, there are a couple steps to
getting a good first layer.
How To- First turn the Z-height-adjustment screw clockwise a half turn with your 2.5mm allen wrench.
Next, move your nozzle to the center of your bed. Then home the Z-axis. The bed will raise and initiate
the limit switch. At this point, the nozzle should be off the bed. Turn the Z-height-adjustment screw
counter clockwise a quarter turn. And once again home the Z-axis. Repeat this process until your nozzle
is just off the bed.
Nozzle Too High- If you run a print with the nozzle too high, the filament will just lie on the glass and not
stick. Turn the Z-adjustment screw counter clockwise. This means the Z limit switch to be activated later,
and there for the nozzle is closer to the glass. Home the Z again and repeat until the nozzle is just off the
bed.
Nozzle Too Low- If you run a print with the nozzle too low, the filament will have no room to come out
of the nozzle and seem to clog. If this does happen, raise the nozzle off the bed at least 3 inches, make
sure your nozzle is heated to at least 245C, and extrude material. Then turn the screw clockwise. Home
the Z again and repeat until the nozzle is just off the bed.
Nozzle Height is Just Right- The first layer should look like a pancake. The nozzle should be extruding the
material and smooshing it into the glass.
***This can be done during the first layer of the print with the Z threaded rod (the threaded rod attached
to the Z-motor). This assumes that the bed has already been leveled. If the nozzle is too close to the
glass, turn the Z threaded rod counter clockwise to lower the bed. If the nozzle is too far from the glass,
turn the Z threaded rod clockwise to raise the bed. This should be no more than 1/8 of a turn or so. NOTE
that this action will only offset the first layer for the current print. If run again, the adjustment will not
have effect.

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RAMBo Driver
Setup (Windows 8 Only)

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Installation (PC Only)
1) Only PC computers need the RAMBo Driver.
2) Plug your printer into your computer with the USB cable. Also insert the Airwolf USB stick
provided with the printer.
3) In the “Control Panel”, open up “Device and Printers”. Under “Unspecified”, you should see a
device labeled “RAMBo”. Right click the device and select “Properties”.
4) A second window will appear. Under the second tab labeled “Hardware”, select “Properties”.
5) A third window will appear. Under the first tab labeled “General”, select “Update Driver”.

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6) A fourth window will appear. Select “Browse my computer for driver software”.
7) Select the “Browse” button.
8) Browse for the Airwolf USB stick. Select the folder “Rambo Driver” and select “OK”.
9) That window will close and return to this screen. Select “Next”.

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10) Another screen may appear and say “Windows can’t verify the publisher of this driver software”.
Select “Install this driver software anyway”
11) If installed correctly, this is the screen you should see. Select “Close”, “Close”, and “OK”.
12) Now in your “Devices and Printers”, under “Unspecified”, this is the screen you should see. The
“(COM17)” is dependent on what USB port you plugged the printer into. So yours may display a
different COM number.

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5 Steps to Printing