Preparing a build for SAF printers

Rather than being limited to the 2D area of the tray, the H350 can arrange parts in the full 3D volume build area. Because of this, adding models to the build is a two-step process:

1. Models are added to the Preparation Area where settings can be adjusted. 
2. Selected models are then nested into the 3D Nest.

Preparation Area

The preparation area is an infinite 2D plane where models can be added and modified. Models cannot be added directly to the nest, they must first be added to the preparation area. 

Use the preparation area to:

• Scale the models and/or select different units for unitless file types
• Perform mesh analysis and repair
• Inspect your model from all sides before adding it to the 3D nest where it may become obscured

To learn more about selecting an orientation for your model for optimum surface finish, please refer to the Best Practices Guide. 

When a model is selected, an outline of the build volume is shown in green to give you an idea of the scale of the model. This can be turned off from the view control strip at the top of the screen. 

Before models can be nested, they must be checked and repaired using Analysis Mode. A user preference, which is on by default, checks models automatically as they are added. This saves a step but can be resource intensive for complex models. You can disable the preference and check models manually from Analysis Mode. If any models are in need of repair, click Repair All Models. 

A number of actions can be performed from either the preparation area or the nest area:

• Duplicate or copy & paste models
• Change the orientation and lock it in one or more axes
• Mirror a model
• Add text to a model’s surface using the labels tool. Learn more here. 

Automatic Nesting

The 3D Nesting panel contains a few controls:

• The nest method may be either standard or advanced. 
  • Compact may return a more dense nest solution but may contain interlocks and take longer to run.
  • No Interlocks will always return a nest without interlocks. It may be quicker to run but may be less dense.

• You can select the minimum spacing between models. When adjusting the minimum spacing, please refer to the Best Practices Guide, but in general, you may want to increase the minimum spacing when printing large parts. 
• You can enter a limit on the automatic nesting process called a Stop Criteria. Automatic nesting can take a long time, especially when trying to create a nest that fills the entire build volume or when your models have complex shapes. The Stop Criteria allows you to interrupt the process before it has finished optimizing the nest. The result may not be the shortest print or the densest nest possible, but it avoids having to wait for the full optimization to complete. You can also stop the nesting process manually. The Nest Information section displays the detailed progress of the nesting process, and you can stop the process if the optimization is sufficient for your needs. 

To begin automatic nesting, start by selecting the models you want to print. You can use CTRL+A to select everything in the project, or you can click-and-drag in the viewer to box-select multiple models. You can also pick models individually by holding down the CTRL key and click on models in the viewer or in the file list. Only the selected models are nested, and if any models are already in the nest and are not selected, they will be excluded from the nest. These models will appear outside the build volume in the 3D Nest. 

Manual Nesting

Once a model is in the 3D Nest view, either in the build volume or just outside it, you can manually move or reorient the model using the translation and orientation tools. Enable the 3D manipulator in the view control strip to free drag your model, or use the Position tool panel to move the model specific increments. 

Then in the 3D Nest tool panel, click Validate Nest to ensure that the nest is printable and to recalculate the density and print time. 

3D Arrays

Once models are in the nest area, you can create an array of duplicates using the 3D array tool: 

The tool panel allows you to control the size of the array, the direction to grow the array in relation to the original model, as well as the spacing between the models within the array. The Create Array as Group affects how models within the array can be selected. When the array is created as a Group, the array may only be selected as a whole, and operations such as moving, reorienting, or nesting will maintain the arrangement of the array. When you deselect this checkbox, the resulting models in the array are added as individual duplicates, and can be selected individually. This will allow you to create arrays around other parts in your build, as you can create an array, then delete any individual models that interfere. 

When you are creating an array, a preview is shown. Models that exceed the build volume will be shown in yellow.