Fusion3 Design F306 Generation I User manual

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Operation Guide
F306 Generation I
Revision 4 | 08-27-2014
Table of Contents
1. Introduction................................................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1. Warnings ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2. General Info—Software................................................................................................................................................. 2
2.1. Software toolchain overview......................................................................................................................................... 2
2.2. Simplify3D Tutorials....................................................................................................................................................... 2
3. General Info—Hardware ............................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1. Machine Overview......................................................................................................................................................... 5
3.2. Precautions.................................................................................................................................................................... 8
3.3. Filament....................................................................................................................................................................... 10
4. General tasks:.............................................................................................................................................................. 11
4.1. General Menu Information.......................................................................................................................................... 11
4.2. Leveling the Bed .......................................................................................................................................................... 12
4.3. Loading & Unloading Filament Spools ......................................................................................................................... 13
4.4. Cleaning and Prepping the Bed ................................................................................................................................... 17
4.5. Slicing and Printing a File............................................................................................................................................. 18
4.6. After a Print Completes ............................................................................................................................................... 19
5. Troubleshooting & Advanced Techniques................................................................................................................... 21
5.1. First Layer Height......................................................................................................................................................... 21
5.2. Temperatures & Other Information ............................................................................................................................ 22
5.3. Part Warp (printing large parts) .................................................................................................................................. 22
5.4. Printing Small Parts ..................................................................................................................................................... 23
5.5. Print Head Jams........................................................................................................................................................... 23
5.6. Z Axis Noise.................................................................................................................................................................. 25
5.7. Experimental Materials ............................................................................................................................................... 25
6. Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................................... 25
6.1. Drive Cable Tension..................................................................................................................................................... 25
6.2. X Crossbar Square........................................................................................................................................................ 27
6.3. Z Axis Rods and Leadscrews ........................................................................................................................................ 27
6.4. Print Head.................................................................................................................................................................... 27
6.5. Feed Gear .................................................................................................................................................................... 28
7. Further Support........................................................................................................................................................... 28
8. Glossary ....................................................................................................................................................................... 28
APPENDIX A: Unpacking & Setup.................................................................................................................................................... 29
APPENDIX B: High-Precision Flow Rate Calibration ........................................................................................................................ 39

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1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing Fusion3 Design’s F306 3D printer!
This manual is designed to familiarize you with your F306 and its use and give you the tools to get the
most out of your new printer. The F306 has been engineered for many years of trouble-free operation
and outstanding prints.
1.1. Warnings
Your F306 contains parts that reach high temperatures during operation, such as the print head and the
print bed. Take care not to touch these components while the F306 is in operation or while they are at
an elevated temperature (see Front View figure below).
Your F306 also contains components that pose a pinch hazard while in operation, such as the linear
motion carriages and the extruder feed system. Take care to keep fingers, hair, other body parts, and
clothing away from these components while your F306 is in operation.
2. General Info—Software
2.1. Software toolchain overview
The job of the software toolchain is to convert a 3D model file into a list of commands that the F306 will
follow to build the object. The central piece of software in this process is called the slicer. While there
are many slicers available to perform this task, they are not equal. We’ve selected Simplfiy3D Creator
because it combines excellent usability with a powerful, intelligent slicing engine.
The basic steps of the slicing and printing process are shown below:
Figure 1: Slicing & Printing Workflow
2.2. Simplify3D Tutorials
Simplify 3D has provided tutorials to cover operation of their software at:
http://www.simplify3d.com/support/tutorials/
Setting up Simplfiy3D
As part of the delivery process you should receive an email from Simplify with your license key and
instructions for downloading and installing their software. At the end of the installation process you will

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be presented with a couple of windows to set up your 3D printer. In the type of 3D printer, select
“other” (bottom of the list), and simply hit “next” to skip through the remaining screen. When we
import the settings for your F306 it will automatically set the software up correctly.
Importing the F306 Process Settings
You will need to import the F306 configuration settings into Simplify in order to properly configure the
software for your printer. First, copy the configuration files off of your SD card to your local hard drive.
In Simplify, in the “Processes” section, click “Add.” In the dialog window that appears, you will see an
“Import” button at the top. Click that, navigate to where you copied the files, and select the each
configuration file one at a time. They will be added to the drop-down list, at the bottom.
Figure 2: Add a Process
Figure 3: Click "Import"

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Figure 4: Select each preset
We provide a separate configuration for each printing material. It’s important to make sure you select
the appropriate preset for the material you’re using.
IMPORTANT: In Simplify’s options it will give you the ability to select English or metric units. Please
leave the units as metric, as English units appear to be broken in the software.
Where Can I Get Models to Print?
If you don’t want to design your own parts, there are many sites on the Internet with freely available
models designed for 3D printing. Here’s a partial list:
http://www.thingiverse.com/
https://www.youmagine.com/
http://repables.com
https://cubehero.com/

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3. General Info—Hardware
3.1. Machine Overview
Figure 5: Front View
Figure 6: Side View

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Figure 7: Axes Layout
Figure 8: Control Board Detail

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Figure 9: Print Head Detail
Figure 10: Extruder Cold End Detail

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3.2. Precautions
Moving Components By Hand
If you need to move the print head, X crossbar, or Z axis by hand, you should do this with your F306
powered on, but the stepper motors turned off (Prepare -> Disable Motors). Move components gently
and do not move them too quickly. Particularly on the print head, do not use the cooling fan as a grab
point. The proper method is to grasp the sides of the carriage with your fingers as shown.
Figure 11: Print Head Recommended Grab Points
On the Z axis, use the toothed belt to move the platform up or down. DO NOT attempt to move the Z
axis by pushing or pulling on the platform directly. When moving the Z axis up, take care that you
don’t move it too far up and collide with the print head. This can damage the print surface, the print
head and cause misalignment.
Figure 12: Moving the Z Axis by Hand

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IMPORTANT: DO NOT move any part of the machine while it is powered completely off. When
powered off the motors will act as generators and cause electricity to be generated in the electronics,
and this may damage the control board.
Cleaning the Print Bed
Do not use cleaners such as Windex, acetone, or mineral spirits to clean the print bed. These will leave a
residue on the print bed and adversely impact print adhesion. Only use water to clean the print bed.
Lifting and Carrying
To move your F306, position the print head and crossbar at the rear of the machine (remember, move
them slowly by hand) and position the print bed at the bottom of its travel. Use the “Drop Table” file on
your provided SD card. Grasp the machine by the Y bars as shown and carefully lift the machine up.
Take care not to catch the control panel on you as you lift.
Optionally, you can remove the control panel from the printer for transport. This eliminates the chance
of inadvertent damage.
If you are going to be carrying your F306 through a doorway, we recommend folding the spool holder
against the frame. To do this, loosen the 2 bolts that hold the holder in the brackets, and fold it back.
Re-tighten the bolts to keep it in place.
Figure 13: Proper Lifting Technique

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Figure 14: Proper Grab Points Detail
Figure 15: Spool Holder Folded In
3.3.Filament
Quality Matters
During development of the F306, we tested filament from multiple suppliers all over the globe. We
found that the quality of the filament matters a surprising amount. Even with an excellent 3D printer,