How to Optimize Print Settings for PolyJet 3D Printing

Many of our customers with PolyJet 3D printers are often interested in how to get the best printing results.

There are several GrabCAD Print (GCP) settings that can help you achieve optimal printing results, including:

• Material selection
• Part orientation
• Surface finish: Matte / Glossy
• Support style: (Heavy / Medium / Lite)
• Printing mode: High Speed / High Quality / Digital Material or High Mix

GrabCAD offers an in-depth tutorial that discuss how to optimize a 3D model in GrabCAD Print before printing it on a PolyJet 3D printer. We’ve summarized the key points below but you’ll want to check out the link at the end of this blog post to get the full details (including diagrams and screenshots that help explain).

Select Printing Materials

Verify that the materials loaded into the cabinet are the ones you selected in GCP. You can also use the Get printer’s loaded materials button in GCP.

If they are not, change materials using the Change Materials option.

From the Print Settings Menu, select Change Materials.

1. Select a Support material.
2. Add or remove materials using the buttons in the middle of the window.
3. GCP chooses color profiles automatically based on the materials you load. These profiles don’t need any adjustment in the vast majority of cases. If you do want to choose your own color profile, use the Color Profiles dropdown menu if you are printing an STL file. If you are printing VRML or OBJ, use the Texture Profiles dropdown menu

Position the Part

GrabCAD Print can automatically arrange models for shortest printing time. Here are a couple general rules to follow when positioning your part:

• The X-Y-Z Rule — Since the print heads move back and forth along the X-axis, the printing time along this axis is relatively short, compared to printing time along the Y-axis and Z-axis. From this point of view, it is advisable to place the object’s largest dimension along the X-axis. Aligning the model with the X, Y, and Z axes will also minimize or prevent stepping in the walls of the parts and other locations.
• The single-pass rule — Whenever possible, keep the model contained within a single pass, preferably starting from the top left corner, to minimize print head passes. This rule is especially important once you print more than one model at a time.
• The Tall-Left Rule — This rule considers models where one side is taller than the other, when orientated on the build tray according to other considerations.
• Recess-Up Rule — This rule considers models containing surface recesses. Recesses in the surface (like hollows, drill holes, etc.) should, when possible, be positioned face-up.
• Fine Details-Up Rule — This rule considers models that have one side on which there are fine details (like the keypad side of a telephone). The side of the model containing fine details should, when possible, be positioned face-up and printed in glossy finish. This results in a smoother, clearer appearance.
• Avoid Support Material Rule — This rule considers models that have large holes or hollows, open on at least one side (like a pipe or a container). It may be advantageous to print a model standing up, so Support material does not fill the hollow, even though printing the model lying down would be much faster.

Choose the Surface Finish

Surfaces can either have a rough and matte finish, or a smooth and glossy finish. If you want to use the same surface finish for all the models on the tray, you can set it as your default surface finish from the Preferences tab.

If you prefer to choose a different surface finish for each model, you can also select it from the print settings menu.

Choose Support Type

There are three support options:

• Default — Available for matte and glossy, this option is the traditional Support material structure that fills and gaps and spaces in models with no special adjustments for different part geometries.
• Wide — Available for matte and glossy, this option adds a broader support structure for tall, thin parts.
• Smart — Available for glossy only, this option adjusts the Support material in and around holes and cavities.

Choose a Printing Mode

Before the model is sent to the printer, you need to select the desired printing mode. The printing mode affects the layer thickness, surface smoothness, and speed. You can build models using three possible printing modes.

Head over to the GrabCAD blog to get the full details (including diagrams and images) on 7 steps to help increase the accuracy and speed of your PolyJet prints

Christine Archer

See Full Bio