Tips and Tricks

Best Practices for 3D Printing
This is a small document that explains some of the basic proceedures for correctly printing a 3D model.
Created by: Andrew Esquivel
All sample pictures are done in Autodesk 3DS Max

Quick Overview of 3D Printing

In the 3D printing world the main focus is printing geometry with color. That means that other things used in rendering such as lights, special effects, cameras, etc; are ignored.

The ZCorp printer comes with proprietary software called ZPrint. ZPrint is where you import your various types of files including (.stl, .3ds, .wrl). The ZPrint software can tell you if a model has reversed faces and show you a 2D view of each layer that will be printed. The program can also scale, rotate, position and even mirror parts inside the build chamber. The size of the build chamber depends on the model of ZCorp printer that you are using.

ZCorp machines range from 8” long (X-axis) by 10”wide (Y-axis) by 8”deep (Z-axis) to 15” long (X-axis) by 10”wide (Y-axis) by 8”deep (Z-axis). The average build time for parts is around 1 hour per every inch built in the Z axis.

ZEdit is another software package that comes with the ZCorp 3D printer. This software allows you to edit a select amount of features of your model such as remeshing surfaces, painting surfaces, adding text, adding images, etc.

ZEdit Pro is a fixer type program that can correct problems with models that are to be 3D printed. It can fix gaps, extrude thin surfaces, split a part into two pieces, hollow out the inside of a large volume, etc.

Although these programs can help you correct a model for printing there are often ways to help you export out of your CAD programs for a clean and precise 3D print. Also if you have a large and complex model brought into ZEdit Pro you could be going through hundreds of shells trying to fix each one for a proper 3D print. The best way to print is to have a best practice set up for you and your team of modelers that make it easy for 3D printing.

Below is a picture of ideal printing for the 2D layers of a print. These are the layers that you can see in the 2D view and they show what is going to be printed on a specific layer.

(Click to Enlarge)