Zcorporation Z810 User manual

Z810 System User Manual
January 2004
Copyright © 2002-2004 Z Corporation Rev. F, Part Number 09505
Z®810 Color 3D Printer User Manual

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................7
1.1 OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 HOW IT WORKS .................................................................................................................... 8
2SYSTEM COMPONENTS.......................................................................................................11
2.1 Z810 PRINTER COMPONENTS............................................................................................ 11
2.1.1 Z810 3D Printer........................................................................................................ 11
2.1.1.1 Z810 Carriage Assembly...................................................................................... 14
2.1.1.2 Z810 Service Station............................................................................................ 15
2.1.1.3 Z810 Rear Connector Panel ................................................................................ 16
2.1.1.4 Z810 Printer Control Panel................................................................................... 17
2.1.2 ZF8 Powder Feeder................................................................................................. 18
2.1.2.1 ZF8 Rear Connector Panel .................................................................................. 19
2.2 ZD8 DEPOWDERING UNIT.................................................................................................. 20
2.2.1 Air Curtain................................................................................................................ 22
2.2.2 ZD8 Control Panel ................................................................................................... 23
2.2.3 Powder Collection Drawer ....................................................................................... 24
2.2.4 ZD8 Cart .................................................................................................................. 24
2.3 DESPATCH LBB FORCED CONVECTION OVEN (OPTION)...................................................... 25
3QUICK START GUIDE ...........................................................................................................26
3.1 PRINTER PREPARATION ..................................................................................................... 26
3.2 SETTING UP THE BUILD ...................................................................................................... 28
3.3 TRANSFERRING THE PART TO THE DEPOWDERING UNIT ...................................................... 29
3.4 DEPOWDERING THE PART.................................................................................................. 30
3.5 TRANSFER TO OVEN.......................................................................................................... 31
3.6 FINISH PART ..................................................................................................................... 31
3.7 USER TIPS ........................................................................................................................ 31
3.7.1 Set-up and Post-processing .................................................................................... 31
3.7.1.1 Part Setup, Orientation, and Print Settings.......................................................... 31
3.7.1.2 Gross and Fine Depowdering .............................................................................. 32
3.7.1.3 Oven Dry the Part................................................................................................. 32
3.7.2 Part Infiltration.......................................................................................................... 32
3.7.2.1 When Using Z-Bond Resin................................................................................... 32
3.7.2.2 When Using a Z-Snap or Z-Max Epoxy ............................................................... 32
4PREPARING THE Z810 3D PRINTER...................................................................................33
4.1 REPLACING THE BUILD PALLET........................................................................................... 33
4.2 CLEANING THE SERVICE STATION ...................................................................................... 33
4.3 GREASING THE FAST AXIS ................................................................................................. 34
4.4 OIL SLOW AXIS ................................................................................................................. 35
4.4.1 Snowplows............................................................................................................... 35
4.4.2 Slow Axis Path......................................................................................................... 35
4.5 FILL BED........................................................................................................................... 36
4.6 REMOVE POWDER FROM OVERFLOW CHUTE ...................................................................... 36
4.7 CHECKING POWDER LEVELS.............................................................................................. 37
4.8 CHECK FLUID LEVELS........................................................................................................ 38
4.8.1 Binder Containers.................................................................................................... 38
4.8.2 Check Waste Container........................................................................................... 39
4.8.3 zc3 Wash Fluid Container........................................................................................ 40
5USING ZPRINT SOFTWARE .................................................................................................41
5.1 OPEN OR IMPORT THE FILE................................................................................................ 41
5.2 ORIENTING THE PART ........................................................................................................ 41

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5.2.1 Part Containing an Opening or Hollow Area............................................................ 41
5.2.2 Part Containing Overhangs ..................................................................................... 42
5.3 CHECKING BUILD SETTINGS............................................................................................... 42
5.3.1 Powder Settings....................................................................................................... 43
5.3.1.1 Anisotropic Scaling Values................................................................................... 43
5.3.1.2 Saturation Values................................................................................................. 44
5.4 PRINTING THE BUILD.......................................................................................................... 45
6REMOVING THE PART..........................................................................................................46
6.1 SET TIMES ........................................................................................................................ 46
6.2 GROSS DEPOWDERING...................................................................................................... 47
6.3 TRANSFERING THE PARTS TO THE DEPOWDERING STATION................................................. 49
6.4 POST PROCESSING TOOLS ................................................................................................ 53
7DEPOWDERING THE PART..................................................................................................55
7.1 CHANGING AIR NOZZLES ................................................................................................... 55
8INFILTRANTS.........................................................................................................................58
8.1 USING Z-MAXEPOXY......................................................................................................... 58
8.2 USING Z-BOND CYANOACRYLATE....................................................................................... 60
8.2.1 Safety Precautions................................................................................................... 60
8.2.2 General Application Notes....................................................................................... 60
8.2.3 Spraying Instructions ............................................................................................... 60
8.2.4 Curing Information ................................................................................................... 60
8.3 USING Z-SNAP EPOXY....................................................................................................... 61
8.3.1 General Application Notes....................................................................................... 61
8.3.2 Mixing Instructions................................................................................................... 61
8.3.3 Curing Information ................................................................................................... 61
8.3.4 Clean Up.................................................................................................................. 61
8.4 USING PARAPLAST X-TRA WAX......................................................................................... 62
8.4.1 Safety Precautions................................................................................................... 62
8.4.2 General Application Notes....................................................................................... 62
8.4.3 Curing Information ................................................................................................... 62
9APPLICATIONS......................................................................................................................63
9.1 GLUING MULTI-PIECED PARTS............................................................................................. 64
9.2 PAINTING PARTS ............................................................................................................... 65
9.3 POLYESTER RESIN ............................................................................................................ 66
9.4 ELECTROPLATING.............................................................................................................. 67
9.5 WATER TRANSFER PRINTING ............................................................................................. 68
9.6 INVESTMENT CASTING ....................................................................................................... 71
9.7 FLEXIBLE PARTS ............................................................................................................... 73
9.8 THERMOFORMING.............................................................................................................. 74
9.9 RTV MOLDING .................................................................................................................. 76
10 CHANGING AND ALIGNING THE PRINT HEADS............................................................82
10.1 CHANGING THE PRINT HEADS ............................................................................................ 82
10.2 ALIGNING THE PRINT HEADS .............................................................................................. 85
11 CHANGING MATERIAL SYSTEMS...................................................................................92
11.1 USING ZCAST 500 POWDER........................................................................................... 95
11.1.1 GENERAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................... 95
11.1.2 USING ZCAST ON YOUR Z810 3D PRINTER....................................................... 95
11.1.3 LOADING ZCAST INTO THE Z810 3D PRINTER.................................................. 96
11.1.4 SETTING UP ZCAST BUILDS ................................................................................ 96
11.1.5 POST PROCESSING ZCAST PARTS.................................................................... 96

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11.1.6 MATERIAL ORDERING........................................................................................... 97
11.1.7 RECYCLING............................................................................................................ 97
11.1.8 STORAGE ............................................................................................................... 97
11.1.9 DISPOSAL............................................................................................................... 97
11.1.10 QUESTIONS AND SUPPORT............................................................................. 97
11.2 USING ZP250 POWDER .................................................................................................. 98
11.2.1 Machine Setup......................................................................................................... 98
11.2.2 Software Setup ........................................................................................................ 98
11.2.3 Part Removal and Post Processing....................................................................... 100
11.2.4 Infiltration Addendum............................................................................................. 102
12 MAINTENANCE............................................................................................................... 103
12.1 CHANGE ZC3WASH FLUID............................................................................................... 103
12.2 FLUSH SYSTEM WITH DISTILLED WATER ........................................................................... 105
12.3 CLEAN UNDER GANTRY ................................................................................................... 108
12.4 OIL SLOW AXIS RAIL........................................................................................................ 109
12.5 CLEAN FAN FILTER.......................................................................................................... 109
12.6 CLEAN SPREADER ROLLER.............................................................................................. 110
12.7 CLEANING THE SQUEEGEE SQUIRTERS............................................................................. 111
12.8 BLEEDING AIR FROM THE FLUID SYSTEM.......................................................................... 112
12.9 CLEAN POWDER SCREEN ON THE ZF8 POWDER FEEDER .................................................. 113
12.10 EMPTY POWDER DRAWER ON THE ZD8 DEPOWDERING UNIT......................................... 113
13 Z810 SYSTEM DETAILS ................................................................................................. 115
13.1 SYMBOLS USED ........................................................................................................... 115
13.2 SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS............................................................................................. 115
13.3 MATERIAL STORAGE PRECAUTIONS.............................................................................. 116
13.4 ERROR CODES................................................................................................................ 116
14 INDEX............................................................................................................................... 122
APPENDIX I – ZCAST DESIGN GUIDE……………………………………………………………...125

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TABLE OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1: THE PRINTING PROCESS.................................................................................................... 8
FIGURE 2: THE SHELLING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FEATURES................................................................ 9
FIGURE 3: ILLUSTRATION OF ZCORP.SYSTEM PRINT ORIENTATIONS................................................. 10
FIGURE 4: Z810 3D PRINTER (FRONT VIEW)..................................................................................... 12
FIGURE 5: Z810 3D PRINTER (TOP VIEW)......................................................................................... 13
FIGURE 6: Z810 3D PRINTER CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY.......................................................................... 14
FIGURE 7: Z810 3D PRINTER SERVICE STATION ............................................................................... 15
FIGURE 8: Z810 3D PRINTER CONNECTOR PANEL ............................................................................ 16
FIGURE 9: Z810 3D PRINTER CONTROL PANEL................................................................................. 17
FIGURE 10: ZF8 POWDER FEEDER (FRONT VIEW)............................................................................. 18
FIGURE 11: ZF8 POWDER FEEDER REAR CONNECTOR PANEL........................................................... 19
FIGURE 12: ZD8 DEPOWDERING UNIT .............................................................................................. 21
FIGURE 13: ZD8 AIR CURTAIN SELECTOR LEVER.............................................................................. 22
FIGURE 14: ZD8 CONTROL PANEL.................................................................................................... 23
FIGURE 15: ZD8 POWDER COLLECTION DRAWER.............................................................................. 24
FIGURE 16: ZD8 CART..................................................................................................................... 24
FIGURE 17: PRINTING STATUS DIALOGUE BOX .................................................................................. 45

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Use of Equipment
The Equipment was manufactured under patents licensed to Z Corp. to be used for the
fabrication of appearance models and prototypes. Other uses may be restricted; contact Z
Corporation for further information.
The Equipment is designed to be used by design engineers and other professionals in the
production of early-stage 3D appearance models and prototypes. The Equipment is not to be
used to produce, either directly or indirectly, medical or other products that may require precise
dimensions or tolerances to ensure the safe and effective operation of such products. You agree
to indemnify, defend and hold Z Corporation and its officers, directors and employees harmless
from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, costs and expenses resulting from any
use of the Equipment other than for the production of early-stage appearance models and
prototypes.
If you have purchased all relevant casting-specific products as recommended by Z Corp.
(casting-specific service contract, hardware, software, and consumables), as well as a casting
license, then you are authorized to utilize the Equipment to fabricate molds for casting.

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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 OVERVIEW
This Z810 Color 3D Printer Manual will speed you along the path towards quickly and
inexpensively building parts. The manual contains the following sections:
1. Introduction. This section will give you an overview of the principles behind the Z Corporation
(“Z Corp.”) 3D Printer.
2. The System Components. This section will provide a guide for the Z810 System components
and features detailed diagrams. It will describe the Z810 3D Printer (“Printer”), ZF8 Powder
Feeder (“Feeder”), the ZD8 Depowdering Unit (“Depowderer”), and the optional oven.
3. Quick Start Guide. This section will give you a quick breakdown of steps needed to print your
part.
4. Preparing the Z810 3D Printer. This section will guide you through the steps for preparing the
Z810 3D Printer. It includes checking the powder, and fluid levels as well as maintenance
procedures such as lubricating the axes and cleaning the service station.
5. Using ZPrint Software. This section takes you through a few basics of how to set up your
build in ZPrint Software (also referred to as software). For more details on the features
available in the Software, please refer to the ZPrint Software User Manual.
6. Removing the Part. This section will guide you through removing your part from the Printer
and transferring it to the ZD8 Depowdering Unit.
7. Depowdering the Part. This section will guide you through using the ZD8 Depowdering Unit.
8. Infiltrants. This section offers some recommendations on which infiltrants to use and how to
apply them to your part.
9. Applications. This section will teach you various ways to maximize the versatility of your
printer through the implementation of advanced part processing techniques.
10. Changing and Aligning Print Heads.This section contains detailed instructions on how to
change and align the HP Print Heads in the Z810 3D Printer.
11. Changing Material Systems. This section contains detailed instructions on how to use
specific powder sytems.
12. Maintenance. This section contains recommended periodic maintenance procedures.
13. Z810 System Details. This section contains system specifications about the Z810 3D Printer.

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1.2 HOW IT WORKS
The Z Corp. Printer Systems are based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s patented
3DP™(3D Printing) technology.
The ZPrint Software first converts three-dimensional data from CAD, or other sources into cross-
sections or slices that can be between 0.0035” – 0.009” thick. The Z810 3D Printer then prints
these cross-sections one after another from the bottom of the part to the top.
Inside the Z810 3D Printer there is a build piston, where the part is built (see Figure 1). Also
represented in the diagrams are the roller, print heads, build area, and cleaning area. The roller
moves horizontally across the build area.
When beginning the 3D printing process, the printer first spreads a layer of powder in the same
thickness as the cross section to be printed. The print heads then apply a binder solution to the
powder causing the powder particles to bind to one another and to the printed cross-section one
level below. The build piston descends one layer thickness. The roller then spreads a new layer
of powder and repeats the process, until the entire part is printed.
Figure 1: The Printing Process

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The Z Corp. Printer System employ several techniques to quickly build parts. First, binder
solution is applied in a higher concentration around the edges of the part, creating a strong “shell”
around the exterior of the part. Within parts, the Z Corp. 3D Printer builds an infrastructure by
printing strong scaffolding within part walls with a higher concentration of binder solution. The
remaining interior areas are printed with a lower saturation, which gives them stability, but
prevents over-saturation, which can lead to distortion of the part.
Figure 2: The Shelling and Infrastructure Features
After printing, the part is removed from the powder bed, dried, and depowdered. The part can
then be infiltrated with wax, epoxy, or other materials to increase strength and durability. More
information on different infiltrants can be found in Section 8, Infiltrants.
There are several important issues to consider when preparing a build that will help you print the
best parts for your intended purpose.
Part Placement. The ZPrint Software will place the parts within the build box to maximize build
speed, the most important criteria for the majority of our users. The ZPrint Software positions the
parts with the smallest dimension in the z (vertical) axis. For more information, refer to the ZPrint
Software User Manual.
Strength. The ultimate strength of the part will be somewhat affected by its orientation within the
print box. The part will be strongest along the x-axis and the y-axis and less strong along the z-
axis. This is because the cross sections are printed in continuous strips along the y or the “fast”
axis (the print heads direction of travel), bands across the x or the “slow” axis (the gantry direction
of travel) and laminated layers along the z-axis.
Exterior walls
printed at higher
saturation.
Interior infrastructure
printed at a higher
saturation
Other interior areas
printed at lower
saturation

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Figure 3: Illustration of Z Corp. System Print Orientations
Accuracy. The accuracy of the printer depends on the materials you choose and the offset and
scaling factors used. You can employ the anisotropic scaling feature in the software to adjust for
expected shrinkage and bring your parts into true scale. More information on anisotropic scaling
factors can be found in Section 5.3.1.1, Anisotropic Scaling Values.
z-axis
x-axis
y-axis
Strongest
Less Strong
Stron
g