XYZmaker User Manual
Printer Plugin
This is a special feature of XYZmaker wherein you can connect directly to any da Vinci series printer. You can also perform slicing using different parameters depends on the chosen printer. It consists of Print for sending job and Dashboard that is especially design for non LCD printer like miniMaker, mini Wi-Fi and da Vinci nano.
Export
Export will save the file into a *.3w format. A .3w is the specific file format that is developed solely for the “da Vinci” series 3D printers. Programs like XYZmaker will make slicing calculations from file type supported and store the printing profile within .3w file, which will speed up your next 3D printing project.
Export Saving
Saving 3w file is essential especially when you want to have backup of the file with special settings on printing.
Object Information
This will shows the printing settings while exporting the file. To change any printing settings of the file, please conduct export process again with new set of print preferences.
Quality
Print quality will impact the estimated time it will take for an object to print. For example, high quality prints will take longer to make than low quality prints as each layer printed is thinner creating a more detailed finish.
Raft
Printing thinner and longer objects require more attention due to the shapes physical instability; the object may buckle or twist under its own weight. When printing long thin objects, you should consider increasing the area of contact between your object and the print bed by checking the “Raft” box. Rafts create stability and can be removed after your object has been printed.
Support
The supportive structures are printed according to the objects features. Support is used to create structural strength and ensure that your model does not collapse during the printing process. You can set the Support Density to Low, Medium and High if the material set is ABS.
Brim
Brim function allows users to enlarge the range of contact with bottom area of print bed in printing relatively elongated object to prevent swing due to print from influencing print quality.
Note : Raft and Brim function can’t be use at the same time.
Infill Density
Before printing, users may use this function to adjust the print density of the object(s). The default printer setting on the da Vinci 3D printer will create the internal structure of the object(s) based on honeycomb structures. Using the 3D density pull-down menu, you can adjust the honeycomb structure density from hollow to high to create desired strength requirements.
Shells
This are the outer layer of the object. Thick shells end in better printing quality but take longer for printing. Thin shells shorten the duration of printing but may be vulnerable to break.
The strength of the object is affected by the setting of 3D density and shell. To ensure the sustainability of objects of different size, shape and purpose, different density and shell settings will be required.
Here are some suggestions on density and shell settings:
Layer Height
By setting different layer heights, you can alter the thickness of each layer that your printer creates. The printed layer thickness can be adjusted between 0.1mm – 0.4mm. For best results, we recommend 0.2-0.3mm layer printing.
Speed
Printing Speed is use to change the settings based on the size and precision of the object. In general a better object quality is accompanied with a lower printing speed. It can be Slow, Standard or Fast; while if the Layer Height set is 0.2mm, the Printing Speed options are Low, Medium, High and Fast.
Professional Printer Settings
The new version of XYZmaker increases print freedom significantly, so that users may control print environment and forming conditions required for 3D objects through adjustment of Settings category function to further refine object forming quality. As we all know, the da Vinci Pro series printer has the capability to support the third party filament, XYZmaker build the settings that can be adjusted by the user depends on the filament type.
General
This function supports adjustment for print structure of object, and the use of setting options of structure density and shell print in conjunction to result in different effects.
Temperature
Operating temperature of print bed and print module is adjusted. The temperature information is saved in object slicing information.
Shell Thickness
Shell is the surface structure of an object. A thick shell may result in better quality while taking longer to print. Selection of thin shell print also enables quick print, but it should be noted that specific portion of the object should satisfy requirement of surface strength.
Normal
For the number of print layers of the shell for the body of the object, two layers (layer = 3) are printed from outside to inside to obtain robust shell layer and repair defects due to print of the first layer, such that neither void nor hole is resulted on surface.
Top Surface
The top is usually the last part of object in print process. Users may adjust the number of layers to be printed on the top. Larger number of print layers, if used, will result in denser and more solid sealing structure on the top.
Bottom Surface
Before it prints the infill structure of the bottom part of the print object, a complete and solid bottom surface of object is printed. A perfect void free bottom surface is usually resulted through three-layer print (layer = 3). In addition to bottoming effect, better object stability is provided in printing.
Speed
Adjustment of print speed allows users to perform setup according to object size and precision level. Fine object quality is usually accomplished with low speed print.
Shells
♦Shells Normal
Print speed of object body is the key for time and quality of finished product printing. Extremely good effect is available for most print objects with adjustment with lower print speed and appropriate layer height.
♦Shells Surface
For print speed of object surface, adjustment of print speed for the outermost portion may change print quality of the surface directly and may differ from print speed of internal infill structure, improving print quality of the object and optimizing the entire print time.
♦Small Radius
If the object has an arc structure with a radius roughly below 2.2 mm, print speed may be adjusted through such setup. For small radius print, adjustment of speed may result in more stable heap of print materials
Hint: Excessively fast print speed might result in unstable squeeze of materials. A print speed between 15 mm/s – 60 mm/s is relatively appropriate. Filament type will affect print quality. If a minimal speed of 5 mm/s is used for printing, the object will take a very long time to print. When increasing print speed, please pay attention to the need for operating temperature increase for the extruder to prevent extruder discharge failure due to insufficient material supply
Infill
You can adjust the print style of infill structure for different parts of an object. When setting a print infill structure, it is recommended to use quicker speed. A print speed between 30 mm/s and 60 mm/s is appropriate. A print speed below 30 mm/s has limited benefit to object forming quality.
Others
♦Bridges Printing Speed
As an object is printed in a pattern similar to a “∏” shape, shorter distance between two endpoints will not result in print support structure to start print, which is referred to as Print Bridges. Quicker print bridges speed may prevent object from sag.
♦Non-printing movement Speed
Non- printing movement speed describes the movement speed at which the print module does not discharge in the area not for printing.
♦Bottom Layer Speed
This pertains for the printing speed for the bottom-most layer. Slower speed will ensure better fixation and stability.
♦Retract Speed
A retract speed is for the speed for pulling filament backwards. Refer to the function introduction in the next chapter for more about retraction.
Cooperation of retraction speed and other print speeds will affect feeding stability directly in printing. A print speed slightly faster than the retraction speed would prevent material squeeze from interrupt
Retraction
Retract Length
In printing object, before large movement of print module, print filament will be drawn back, such that slight negative pressure occurs in print nozzle, preventing material from adhering to the object while moving, improving surface quality of print object.
Activate Threshold
Such setting will allow users to set up retraction mechanism activation style. For setup mode, users usually specify the minimal print module movement distance for retraction mechanism activation.
Lifting height for extruder withdrawal
After retraction, the print module will be elevated slightly with such setup value. Such action prevents material from adhering to the object, and makes a more orderly final print stop point. However, it should be noted that excessively large elevation will extend print preparation time for the next print layer, and portions of angles may results cooling and difficult to bond conditions between layers.
Add Extra Filament after Travel < Retraction
Material compensation may be used to improve upon holes or poor extrusion due to excessive extruder withdrawal.
Extrusion Ratio
Extrusion volume can be adjusted for the shell or infill; default setting is 100%. This value can be reduced to reduce the amount of extruded filament which results in thinner lines. Raising the setting would increase the amount of extruded material, the level of saturation, and thicker lines.
Shell Extrusion Ratio
Extrusion range is 80% to 200%. Increasing shell extrusion will result in a thicker shell, while reduced shell extrusion will generate a thinner shell. In order to obtain a thicker shell, the user may adjust layer height, the percentage of shell extrusion ratio can be reduced to reduce sample redundancy.
Infill Extrusion Ratio
The range of the extrusion is 80% to 200%. Increasing the infill extrusion ratio will cause the infill lines to be more compact, while reducing infill extrusion ratio would generate thinner lines. To create a better-stuffed and sturdier product, the user may adjust layer height and shell thickness as well as reduce the percentage of infill extrusion ratio to improve the quality of the finished product.
Recommended infill extrusion ratio is 90% to 110%.
Printer Plugin Dashboard
The Dashboard is a special feature that is designed for da Vinci Mini Series printer (da Vinci miniMaker, da Vinci miniWifi and da Vinci nano). It will serve as a caption panel of miniseries printer. Operations like Loading/Unloading Filament/ Clean Nozzle and other related operations on extruder and printer can be done easily with the help of XYZmaker Dashboard.
Extruder
In extruder, there are two options in the list, first is the Clean Nozzle and the second one is the Info. This software operation can be done only in a non LCD printers of XYZprinting.
Clean Nozzle
Once this function is selected, the nozzle will heat up automatically and move the nozzle to a proper location where you can easily clear away all residual filaments in the nozzle.
Extruder Info
This will display the information of the extruder inserted to connected printer. It will show the Temperature, Diameter, Serial Number and Total Print Time of the extruder.
Filament
This is is the function wherein you can perform the loading and unloading of filament in miniseries printers of XYZprinting. You can also view the information (material, color, remaining material and serial number) on the chip inside the spool or cartridge.
Load Filament
Even miniseries doesn’t have LCD panel unlike any other printers, as easy as them, you can perform the loading and unloading of filament using XYZmaker in a very simple step. Just follow the instruction below and wait for the extrusion process.
Unload Filament
Same as loading of filament, unloading can also be done easily in miniseries printers with just a simple step. Just follow the procedure in the image and you can unload your filament successfully.
SetUp
You can done setting up your printers’ calibration, Jog mode, Wireless Connection, Z offset, Auto level and information of the printers with the use of XYZmaker. On this chapter, you will learn how to use different set up that will help you to maintain the performance of your printer.
Jog Mode
Jog mode enables you to freely move the extruder module along the X, Y and Z-axis. This is useful for maintenance and repair. It manually adjusts the movement of X/Y/Z Axis for printer maintenance.
Calibrate
Platform calibration may be implemented before the printing process. The printing device may move to the lower left corner of the printing area. Please refer to the platform calibration instructions provided in the software.
Before calibration, press Button A of the printing module. After calibration, press Button B on the printing module in order to retract the sensor device. If calibration was failed, please make sure that Button A (detector) has been pressed before restarting the calibration process.
Z Offset
This function will help you to adjust the printing distance between the bed and the printing module. Each adjust has step of 0.05mm. If the first layer distance is too high (too large) or too low (too close), we recommend you using z-offset to adjust the printing distance.
Others
In Others, you can enable or disable the Buzzer, Auto Level and Restore Default command. Automatic horizontal calibration may either be ON or OFF. Default: ON. The software would automatically implement horizontal calibration and compensation accordingly. Printing speed may be improved if automatic horizontal calibration has been switched OFF. However, this may affect printing quality.
Buzzer is turned on by default; you can select “OFF” to change the setting. When the buzzer is turned on, the printer will output an audible signal when a button is pressed, receiving data, print job is finished, or issue is detected. While using “Restore Default” all settings will be reset to factory default.
Firmware Upgrade
For the best 3D printing experience, please keep the software and/or firmware updated. Updating is simple: Just connect the printer then click on File → Print → da Vinci Printer → Printer Plugin→ Select the printer on the dropdown list → Click Dashboard → Setup → FW Upgrade.
Note: Please make sure that you have Internet access on the PC before updating the firmware or XYZmaker software.
Info
Printer Information can be view under SetUp → Info. It will display all the Printer Information, Connection Information, and Calibrate Information. All of these will be summed up on this page.
Wireless Communication
The network printing function is only available when the printer and the computer are both connected to the same wireless network.
Related pages:
About XYZmaker
System Requirements and Installation
Quick Start
Toolbar
Menu Bar
Printer Plugin
da Vinci nano Plugin