User's Manual

Introducing the Stratasys P750K 3D Printing System
3–8 DOC08010 Rev. A (DRAFT 1)
Preparing Files for Use with Objet 3D Printing Systems
BeforeȱusingȱfilesȱwithȱStratasysȱ3Dȱprintingȱsystems,ȱyouȱneedȱtoȱconvertȱ
themȱin ȱyourȱCADȱprogram ȱtoȱaȱfileȱformatȱsupportedȱbyȱObjetȱStudio.ȱ(Forȱ
anȱexplanationȱofȱtheseȱfileȱformats,ȱseeȱ“SourceȱFiles”ȱonȱpage 3.)
Converting
CAD Files to
STL Format
Thisȱprocedureȱmayȱvaryȱslightly,ȱdependingȱonȱtheȱCADȱsoftwareȱused,ȱ
butȱtheȱfollowingȱinstructionsȱgenerallyȱapply.
To convert a file to STL format (in a CAD program):
1. FromȱtheȱFileȱmenu,ȱselectȱSave As.
2. InȱtheȱSaveȱAsȱdialogȱbox,ȱopenȱtheȱSaveȱAsȱTypeȱdropȬdownȱlistȱandȱ
selectȱ
*.STL.
3. Clickȱ
Optionsȱandȱsetȱtheȱfollowingȱparameters:
• TotalȱQuality—approximatelyȱ0.01ȱmmȱ(deviationȱtoleranceȱ/ȱ
linearȬdimensionȱtolerance)
• DetailȱQuality—approximatelyȱ5°ȱ(angleȱtolerance)
Note: Lowering these values produces more accurate models, but
results in larger files and longer loading and processing times. For this
reason, it is generally not recommended that you use lower values.
4. Inȱtheȱfileȱformatȱoption,ȱchooseȱbinaryȱorȱASCII.ȱ(Bothȱbinaryȱandȱ
ASCIIȱformatsȱcanȱbeȱusedȱinȱObjetȱStudio.ȱHowever,ȱbinaryȱfilesȱareȱ
smaller,ȱsoȱthisȱoptionȱisȱrecommended.)
5. Clickȱ
OKȱorȱSave.
Afterȱconvertingȱtheȱmodelȱfiles,ȱitȱisȱrecommendedȱthatȱyouȱcheckȱthemȱforȱ
defectsȱinȱanȱSTLȬrepairȱapplicationȱ(suchȱasȱMagics™,ȱbyȱMaterialise
®
)ȱ
beforeȱopeningȱthemȱinȱObjetȱStudioȱandȱproducingȱtheȱmodel.
Converting
CAD Files to
SLC Format
WhenȱconvertingȱfilesȱtoȱSLCȱformat,ȱitȱisȱrecommendedȱthatȱyouȱsetȱaȱlayerȱ
thicknessȱofȱ15ȱmicronsȱ(0.015ȱmm).ȱSinceȱSLCȱfilesȱcannotȱbeȱorientatedȱinȱ
ObjetȱStudio,ȱitȱisȱimportantȱthatȱmodelsȱareȱproperlyȱorientatedȱbeforeȱ
beingȱsavedȱasȱSLCȱfiles.ȱConsiderationsȱforȱsuitableȱmodelȱorientationȱareȱ
explainedȱin
ȱ“ModelȱOrientation”ȱonȱpage 5Ȭ26.
For more information, search for “CAD to STL” on www.stratasys.com.