The FormLabs resin printer is the highest detail printer here in the CID and can create incredibly fine figures. Printing upside-down on the print bed, the FormLabs printer is one of the slower but more precise printers. To use it follow these guides:
To upload files to the FormLabs printer first open the PreForm application.
Then drag and drop your intended file into the work area of the window
From here you have a few options about how to set up your print.
The simplest is to hit the (
) icon and use One Click Print
Hit the Set Up Your Print button and the app will automatically rotate your model and add supports for the best print generation.
It will also pop up the printing menu, which we will discuss in the Printing section.
To move the print around the print bed, first click the item you wish to move, and you will see two arrows pop up around your shape, as well as 3 quarter rings.
Once that happens you can either move it on the main axis by dragging those arrows, or just grab and drag the object to wherever you want it.
You can also rotate it by grabbing and dragging the quarter rings or the (
) icon.
It is recommended to rotate the object so that the least amount of overhang is achieved:
And there are no shapes that create cups:
Again a menu with certain options will also appear next to the (
) icon.
The Auto-Orient Selected will rotate the object to have the optimal setup.
The Orient To Face button will allow you to click on a face of the print and the program will lay it flat against the print bed such that the arrow that appears will point straight down into the bed.
You can also edit its rotation more precisely by clicking the arrows next to Orient X, Orient Y, and Orient Z to rotate it around those axes.
There also is a handful of options labeled Orient To Bounding Box. This will lay the face of the rectangular box around the object flat against the bed.
Finally the Reset Selected button will return the object to it’s original orientation.
To scale your object, select the object, then select the (
) icon. A menu will appear next to the icon.
The text boxes allow you to set the scale of the object by a multiple of it’s current size and scale it evenly across all axis, or scale the axis separately to the size you specify.
The Reset button will set the object to its original dimensions.
Alternatively, when you select the object you can grab and drag the (
) icon to scale it evenly.
To manage the layout of the bed, select your object and hit the (
) icon. A menu will then appear.
To automatically layout your objects, you can change the Model Spacing and choose whether to select Overlap Rafts and Lock Rotation. Then hit the Layout All button.
Model Spacing Will dictate how close the pieces end up after placement.
Overlap Rafts dictates if the support rafts can overlap.
Lock Rotation stops the program from rotating the models while arranging them.
To duplicate your model, first select how many copies you want, then hit the Create button.
Array will duplicate your models in a regular pattern, with a specified number of rows and columns and specified spacing.
Hit the Mirror Models button to mirror all selected models.
To generate supports for your model, hit the (
) icon and a menu will appear. If you select an object or objects, you can generate supports only for the selected objects, or alternatively generate supports for all objects by not selecting any one particular object.
Firstly, you can automatically generate the supports by hitting the Auto-Generate All button.
You can paint on supports by hitting the Edit button, but the details of that will not be covered here. It is recommended to use the Auto-Generate option instead.
You can edit the way supports generate in the Basic Settings section.
Raft Type will change how the support raft generates, either Full Rafts, Mini Rafts, or None.
Raft Label will place the name of the object on the rim of the raft.
Density Changes how often the supports will be placed.
Touchpoint Size changes the area of the contact between the support and the object.
Internal Supports will generate supports between different layers of the object.
Advanced Settings has more particular details but will not be covered on this guide.
Hitting the Reset button will reset the objects completely.
Once you are happy with the object and support placement, move to the Printer Settings section.
Now that you have your print set up, click the Printer button in the top left.
Under the choose printer section, select the dropdown and select Form 3/3+.
Then underneath should appear a row named AzureGoshawk which you should select.
Select whatever material is currently loaded in the printer.
Layer thickness will change how fast the file prints as well as the resolution of the product. Use 0.1 mm for most prints, or smaller if you need super precise detail.
Don’t worry about the Other Settings as we do not have the hardware for those.
When you are happy with your settings, hit the Apply button in the bottom right and move to the Printing section.
Once you are ready to print, hit the Upload Print button and a menu will appear. This is the same menu that will appear when you use the One-Click Print feature.
In this menu you can either press Add to Queue or Print Now.
Add to Queue adds it to the list of prints available on the printer.
Print Now starts the job immediately. Your object should print shortly.
Once the print has finished, go to the Removing From Bed section.
To remove the print from the bed, first put on latex gloves as resin can be harmful to your skin with frequent contact.
Then open the casing around the printer by pulling up on the handle.
Inside, you will see your print attached upside-down to the print bed, and a mechanism holding the bed.
Unhook the latch holding the bed on and remove the print bed.
From there, get a scraper and carefully use it to pry the print off.
.
Once all of your pieces are detached from the bed, proceed to the Washing and Baking section.
These steps will use the two black machines next to the Formlabs printer.
with labels.
First, take your pieces and place them in the washing basin.
Click the knob to power the machine on, and then click it again to start the washing. You can change the settings with the dial but they will be set up for washing for you.
.
Once your pieces are done washing, you can take them out and move them into the second black box, to bake them.
Place your pieces inside, close the lid, and click the knob once to activate the machine.
.
The menu that pops up will show options for time and temperature. Use the guide on the wall to select the correct settings for your material, however 30 minutes at 60 degrees will work for the common resins that the printer will have loaded.
When the baking process is done, the print is complete!
Please do not attempt to change resin yourself. Get help from a trained adult if you need a different resin type.