Introduction: Sending a Job to the Printer

By
About: Autodesk Technology Center San Francisco is a hub for research, development, and demonstration of new manufacturing technologies and workflows relating to configurable microfactories.

SEND THE TRAY TO THE JOB MANAGER

  1. Click the Tray Settings tab.
  2. Click Placement if you need to continue working on the placement of the model.
  3. Click Validate to ensure that the model is printable.
    • If the part is orange, it isn't watertight.
      • Use Netfabb or Meshmixer to fix the model.
    • If the model is red, it is outside the printable area of the tray.
    • Place the model directly on the tray.

  4. Click Estimate to show build time and material use.
    • See Shop Staff before starting any print with a duration of more than 12 hours.
  5. Click Build.
    • If prompted with the message “Automatic Placement hasn’t been performed, do you want to proceed anyway?” click “Yes,” even if you have, to proceed.
    • Otherwise, “No” will return you to the software without sending the job to print.

Select a Print Mode

Print Modes can be confusing, as the software may offer options that aren't possible. Be sure to read carefully.

  • High Quality
    • Both cartridges must be the same material.
    • This mode prints in higher resolution than normal.
    • Printing speed is normal.
  • High Speed
    • Both cartridges must be the same material.
    • This mode prints faster than normal.
    • Resolution is normal.

Save the file

  • Select “No, use only the selected model material”.
  • Save your tray.
    • Do not save to a thumb drive.
    • Save to “Documents” or “Z drive User Storage”
    • Use the format First_Last_Project.objtf
    • example: Chris_Smith_Gears.objtf

Step 1: Scheduling the Print Time

At The Pier 9 Workshop you need to schedule the print job so that you can be present when it finishes.

  • You must be present when the print finishes.
  • You can only schedule 24 hours in advance.
  • You must clean the printer as soon as the job is complete.
  • Only one job can be scheduled at a time.

  1. Right click on the job.
  2. Choose Stop.
    • If the status is Waiting, the job has already been scheduled. You can skip to Step 4 and right-click the Scheduling Clock button.
  3. Wait for the job status to change to Stopped or Waiting.
  4. Right click and select the Scheduling Clock.
  5. Input the job start time.

Recording the print information

At the Pier 9 Workshop, you should let other shop users know the status of the machine by using the provided cards.

  • Information to write on the job cards:
    • Name
    • Phone number
    • Email

Determine the correct card to use

  • Immediate Jobs (printing right now):
    • Use the black card.
  • Scheduled Jobs (printing in the future):
    • Flip the Scheduling Card to the red Job Scheduled side to show that your print is scheduled.
    • After cleaning the machine, flip the Scheduling Card back to the blue side to show it’s available.

Step 2: Start the Print

BRING THE PRINTER ONLINE

There is a computer running Windows XP inside each printer. It shares the keyboard, monitor and mouse with the design computer on the desktop. To switch between computers, press [scroll lock] [scroll lock] [enter].

  • If the computer locks up, try resetting the switch.
    • To reset the switch, press the buttons on the front of the KVM unit.

Check the status

There is a status light on the bottom center of the screen.

  • Ghosted
    • In use.
  • Green
    • Online; waiting for data from the Job Manager.
    • Leave the printer in this mode after cleaning unless there is a job scheduled.
    • Check the Job Manager for scheduled jobs every time you clean the machine.
  • Red
    • Offline.
    • The printer will not function in this mode.

Change the status

If the button is red, click it once to change the status to green.

  • Press the rotate button to see the temperature of the print heads.
    • Once they are all green, the print will start.

Record the resin usage

Users must log print jobs for the Objet, Fortus and Zprinter on their individual print tracker.

  • If you do not have a print tracker, click the tree icon on the Design Computer and fill out the request form.
    • The form will be emailed to you.
  • All resin use must be recorded and paid for.
    • Model material = $0.41 per gram.
    • Support material = $0.15 per gram.
  • All project with 1,000 grams or more material (model and support combined) must have Shop Staff approval before printing.

  • Once the print head is moving and printing layers, you can leave the area.
  • You must be present at the end of the print job.
    • Failure to clean the printer immediately after the job is complete may result in loss of printing privileges.