Bfb 3D Touch Set Up And Operation Manual
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Bfb 3D Touch Set Up And Operation Manual

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  • Page 1 Page 1...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    1.3 3. Manual symbols ..................8 1.4 4. Process overview... how the 3D Touch works .

  • Page 3: D Touch Set Up And Operations Manual

    3D Touch Set Up and Operations Manual Welcome to the 3D Touch Setup and Operations Manual. This manual is designed to get you up and running as quickly as possible. It can be read either on-line or off-line (see below).
  • Page 4 3D Touch You can start reading the manual by clicking the links on the navigation bar at the left of the screen: Off-line reading Simply click on the "Export this space" button at the top left of the screen to export the manual to a PDF. Follow the on screen instructions.
  • Page 5 3D Touch If you have a slow internet connection, it is possible to select individual sections of the manual to export, making it possile to download small sections at a time. Simply tick the boxes next to the sections you need.

  • Page 6: Introduction

    1. Introduction Thank you for purchasing your 3D Touch. Before first use, the 3D Touch needs careful setting up. The list below illustrates some of the essential operations which must be carried out before operation: Make sure the bed is clear of any build material...

  • Page 7: How This Manual Works

    3D Touch 2. How this manual works This manual guides the user from basic principles to an actual 3D print. Page 7...

  • Page 8: Manual Symbols

    3D Touch 3. Manual symbols CAUTION: notes to prevent damage to the machine. DANGER: notes to prevent injury to the operator. Page 8...

  • Page 9: Process Overview

    3D Touch 4. Process overview... how the 3D Touch works Before reading this section, please ensure that the unpacking instructions have been completed. 3D Touch Tool kit The image below identifies the tools included in the tool kit. Page 9...
  • Page 10 3D Touch Creating a 3D model The images below illustrate the process of creating a 3D model. Page 10...
  • Page 11 3D Touch Note 1: Most CAD packages export to STL format. However, STL quality depends on the CAD package. Poor quality STLs may need repairing before loading into "Axon". STL fixing programs are readily available (e.g. NetFabb). Page 11...
  • Page 12 3D Touch Page 12...
  • Page 13 3D Touch The extruders pull filament from the reel via the delivery tubes and drive through a hot-end to produce a thin molten filament of plastic. The extruder draws each layer with this filament. After each layer is produced the bed increments down so that a new layer can be drawn on top of the last, building up the 3D model.
  • Page 14 3D Touch A second (optional) extruder can print support filament for printing overhanging-features. This support structure can be automatically generated in Axon if desired. Page 14...

  • Page 15: Print Material

    3D Touch 5. Print material We support two print materials: PLA and ABS. Both have different properties and can be used in different build/support combinations. Typically, PLA performs well as a build material with an ABS raft, and (if needed) ABS support.
  • Page 16 3D Touch If machine is to left unused for an extended period of time, repack filament with silica-gel sachet to maintain dryness (if present). Use within 12 months of receipt. Page 16...

  • Page 17: Pre-Print Checks

    6. Pre-print checks It is essential that all pre-print checks are carried out before starting a print on the 3D touch. This section of the manual guides the user through these checks: a. Clearing the print bed b. Check the print bed is fitted correctly c.

  • Page 18: Clearing The Print Bed

    Remove existing prints from the print bed We do test prints on each 3D Touch as part of our quality control. We leave these on the print bed to show that the printer has been checked, and to demonstrate some basic prints.
  • Page 19 3D Touch If the model is difficult to remove from the bed in situ, you can take the whole bed out of the machine to make the removal process easier (refer to b. Check the print bed is fitted correctly Check the bed is clear of any build material Ensure that all build material is completely removed from the bed.

  • Page 20: Check The Print Bed Is Fitted Correctly

    3D Touch b. Check the print bed is fitted correctly Ensure that bed is correctly fitted to the printer. The three bed bolt heads should sit flush in the countersinks. If not, remove the bed, then refit it - as shown in the next two sections.
  • Page 21 3D Touch How to fit the bed Tip: fitting is easier if the bed is near the bottom of the machine. If it is too high, you can manually lower the z-axis (see "Manual move"). Check all bolt heads are fitted correctly (see "Check the bed is fitted correctly").

  • Page 22: Power Up

    Ensure the power cable is attached, and that power is being supplied to the printer. To start the printer, press and hold the function button for 2 seconds. This will boot the printer, activating the boot screen (the BFB logo). Touch the screen to show the home menu.

  • Page 23: Test All Axes

    3D Touch d. Test all axes It is important to check that the print head can move freely in all 3 axes: X, Y and Z. This procedure makes sure that all packaging material has been removed before first use. First power up the printer, then use the manual move function to move the print head in all three axes:...

  • Page 24: Check The Hot-End Nozzles Are Clean From Plastic Debris

    3D Touch e. Check the hot-end nozzles are clean from plastic debris Ensure that the metal nozzle tips are clean from any plastic debris. All tips should be clearly visible. If not: Lower the bed to make access to the nozzles easy.

  • Page 25: Check The Print Bed Is Level

    3D Touch f. Check the print bed is level To get a good print, the bed must be level. We make every effort to level the bed before the machine leaves our factory. However, the bed may move in transit, therefore it is essential to check that the bed is still level.
  • Page 26 3D Touch During each movement along the side of the bed, observe from the side of the machine any change in distance between the bed and extruder's hot-end as it moves along. Adjust the height of the bed bolts to make each side level using the 3mm hex driver from the toolkit.
  • Page 27 3D Touch PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM ABOVE Use the Up and Down arrows to reduce the gap between the hot end and bed to approximately 2 mm. This will enable finer levelling. Repeat the levelling process. Press the Function button to leave the ‘Level Bed’ menu, and return to the main menu.
  • Page 28 3D Touch Remember to lock the 3 bed bolts in position by tightening the lock nut under each, using the 8mm spanner. Whilst tightening the nut, make sure that the bolt does not spin by holding it in position with the 3mm hex driver, from the top side of the bed.

  • Page 29: Check The Bed Is Referenced To The Extruder Nozzles

    3D Touch g. Check the bed is referenced to the extruder nozzles After levelling the bed, the nozzles must be set to the correct height, to ensure that the first printed layer sticks properly (if the nozzle is too high the filament will not stick to the bed, if the nozzle is too low the bed may block the nozzle).
  • Page 30 3D Touch Page 30...

  • Page 31: Load The Extruders

    3D Touch h. Load the extruders Before loading a reel, the end of the filament must be prepared to prevent damage to the delivery tubes. This procedure is essential to prevent any damage to the delivery tubes, which may in turn block a nozzle.
  • Page 32 3D Touch Load the type of materials into their reel positions according to the number of extruders in the 3D-Touch: Number of extruders in the printer Material for Extruder 1 Material for Extruder 2 Material for Extruder 3 ABS or PLA...
  • Page 33 3D Touch Check the filaments exit the tubes at the correct extruders: Page 33...
  • Page 34 3D Touch Page 34...
  • Page 35 3D Touch c. Setting the extruder pressure bearings to refine the spring compression on the pressure bearing (nominally 12mm). Page 35...

  • Page 36: Extruder Control

    3D Touch i. Extruder control Make sure all extruders are loaded. Use 'Manual move' (see d. Test all axes ) to move the extruders to the centre of the machine, and lower the bed. This makes it easy to clean any purged material.

  • Page 37: Purge The Extruder

    3D Touch j. Purge the extruder Before purging the extruders, position the axes using the move command: position the head in the middle of the machine, and move the bed half way down the machine, away from the nozzles. This prevents damage to the bed, and allows purging to be inspected easily.

  • Page 38: How To Start A Print

    The following sections will ask you to run two test files: a raft check file, and a duck. When asked to print a file you will need to follow the procedure below: Insert the memory stick into the 3D Touch USB slot. Select the “Print” icon: Select the correct print file using the left and right arrow keys.

  • Page 39: Print A Successful Raft

    3D Touch l. Print a successful raft It is essential that a good raft is printed to guarantee a good build. Therefore the height of the hot-end nozzle over the bed for the first layer is critical: If the nozzle is too far away from the bed, the filament will not stick to the bed If the nozzle is too low it will not be able to extruder the filament, and there is a risk of damage to the bed and the nozzle.
  • Page 40 3D Touch Print the raft check file If this is your first print, you can print the raft check file to gain familiarity with the print. The print files required are already included on the USB memory stick supplied in your toolkit.
  • Page 41 3D Touch Potential problems If the raft pad appears damaged, match the imperfection to the two scenarios below, and follow the corrective action suggested. Note that there may be some imperfections in the raft, but that the process is very forgiving and even the images shown below will generally not spoil a full print.
  • Page 42 3D Touch Purge deposit Perfect the raft If analysis of the raft check file yields any problems, you will need to re-examine some of the setup stages: Error Corrective action Nozzle too high g. Check the bed is referenced to the extruder nozzles to adjust the height at which the nozzle starts printing.

  • Page 43: Print The First Model

    7. Print the first model To get your BFB-Touch printer up and running as quickly as possible, we have pre-loaded a .BFB file of a duck onto the memory stick ready to print. The print files required are already included on the USB memory stick supplied in your toolkit.

  • Page 44: Essential Post-Print Operations

    3D Touch 8. Essential post-print operations After a print you must: a. Print removal and post-processing b. Check print bed flatness c. Empty the waste bin Page 44...

  • Page 45: Check Print Bed Flatness

    3D Touch b. Check print bed flatness New beds will distort slightly over time due to the heat emitted from the extruder. Check bed flatness with a straight edge (e.g. ruler) after each print: If the bed is bowed downwards (even slightly) turn the bed over to point the bow of the bed upwards for the next print, as shown below. The next print will restore the bed's flatness, maintaining a flat bed.

  • Page 46: Empty The Waste Bin

    3D Touch c. Empty the waste bin After each print you will need to empty the nozzle wipe box. Lower the bed ( Manual move ) to access the nozzle wipe box. Remove the waste box from the machine and dispose of the plastic deposits.

  • Page 47: Print Removal And Post-Processing

    3D Touch a. Print removal and post-processing This section covers the following post-processing questions: How do I get the finished part off the print bed? I can't get the finished part off the bed The part has left marks on the bed, what can I do about it?
  • Page 48 3D Touch The part has left marks on the bed, what can I do about it? Leaving marks on the print bed is normal, and will not affect the quality of your next print. How do I remove the raft from the model? We recommend printing with dissimilar materials so that the part can be easily removed from its raft (e.g.

  • Page 49: Further Printing

    3D Touch 9. Further printing Now your printer is set up, you will need to visit our Technical Resources website (visit www.bitsfrombytes.com -> Support -> Technical Resources) Download and install Axon software to process your own STL models ( click here Check for free updates - we issue updates regularly to continually improve printing performance.

  • Page 50: Further Operations

    3D Touch 10. Further operations This section includes further operations and maintenance procedures: Power down Reloading the extruders Setting the extruder pressure bearings Control panel functions Upgrading your printer Adjusting the nozzle wipe Fine adjustment to level the nozzles Handling a ground-out filament...

  • Page 51: Setting The Extruder Pressure Bearings

    3D Touch c. Setting the extruder pressure bearings The pressure bearing pushes the filament into the extruder drive shaft. In turn, the drive shaft pushes the filament through the hot-end. The pressure bearing setting is critical to the extrusion process during a print. It is essential to test this setting when first using the printer.
  • Page 52 3D Touch Page 52...

  • Page 53: Reloading The Extruders

    3D Touch b. Reloading the extruders Load the extruders for all references: Remove pressure bearing. Heat up the nozzle to extrusion temperature (see Extruder control). Pull remaining filament out of extruder using pliers. After removing the remaining filament, follow the instructions inthe "Load the extruders" section to load a new filament.

  • Page 54: Control Panel Functions

    Start a print Extruder mapping The extruder remapping menu allows users to reassign extruders between the .BFB file and the physical printer. This makes it possible to switch materials after compiling the .BFB file without having to physically change the materials over.

  • Page 55: Extruder Control

    Repeated collisions will damage the machine. Extruder offsets Extruder offsets defines the position of extruders 2 and 3 in the 3D Touch, relative to extruder 1. These values are determined in the factory, and should only be changed if: a new extruder/hot-end has been installed, or multi-material prints are noticeably out of registration.

  • Page 56: Level Bed

    3D Touch Touch the value to select the parameter. Use up and down arrows to alter the values. Press the Function button to save the setting to the printer’s memory, which is retained when the power is turned off: Incorrect values will severely affect print quality.
  • Page 57 3D Touch chance of the extruder hot end hitting part of the model and causing an XY shift. It also reduces the chance of the extruder hot end knocking over a small delicate pillar shape for example. Page 57...

  • Page 58: Power Down

    3D Touch a. Power down To turn off, hold the function button for 2 seconds when the main menu is showing. Page 58...

  • Page 59: Upgrading Your Printer Firmware

    3D Touch e. Upgrading your printer firmware Remember to visit the software section at our forum http://www.bitsfrombytes.com/forum for firmware release dates. Click Here for firmware upgrades (the software inside the control box) - Alternatively please go to: www.bitsfrombytes.com > Support >...

  • Page 60: Adjusting The Nozzle Wipe

    3D Touch f. Adjusting the nozzle wipe The nozzle wipe should sit slightly higher than the height of the nozzle tip, so that when the nozzle is moved over the wipe, the wipe brushes over the nozzle tip. Use 'Manual move' to position the nozzle over the nozzle wipe box.

  • Page 61: Fine Adjustment To Level The Nozzles

    3D Touch g. Fine adjustment to level the nozzles Nozzles must be level for a reliable print. If one nozzle is lower than the other, it may damage the print. To evaluate if the nozzles are level: Make sure the bed is flat (see "Bed flatness") Check the bed is level.
  • Page 62 3D Touch Purge the extruder. Page 62...

  • Page 63: Handling A Ground-Out Filament

    3D Touch h. Handling a ground-out filament If a pressure bearing is poorly assembled, or the nozzle suffers from a blockage (e.g. printing too close to the bed), the back of the filament may be ground out by the extruder drive shaft. The drive shaft will then be unable to push the filament down into the nozzle, preventing the extruder from extruding.
  • Page 64 3D Touch Page 64...

  • Page 65: Handling Snapped Filament In The Delivery Tube

    3D Touch i. Handling snapped filament in the delivery tube If filament snaps in more than one place in the delivery tube, the tube needs to be flushed of any trapped broken sections before the filament can be reloaded. Page 65...
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  • Page 70: Troubleshooting

    3D Touch 11. Troubleshooting Please make sure that all steps in this manual have been followed, and the user is aware of all content in Further operations Click Here for troubleshooting guides - Alternatively please go to: www.bitsfrombytes.com > Support > Technical Resources > Troubleshoot...

  • Page 71: Specifications

    3D Touch 12. Specifications Please visit our website at http://www.bitsfrombytes.com to view specification sheets on the 3D-Touch. Page 71...

  • Page 72: Appendix

    3D Touch 13. Appendix Manual version Version Description Date 1.0.0 Original release 07/10/2011 1.0.1 Cover page formatted to remove hard-coded version number (3.3). This table now acts as version control. 09/10/2011 1.0.2 Reorder of pre-print operations 11/10/2011 1.0.3 Material storage temperature revision...

  • Page 73: Home

    3D Touch Home Error formatting macro: redirect: java.lang.NullPointerException Page 73...

  • Page 74: Bfb-Touch Set Up And Operations Manual

    3D Touch BFB-Touch Set Up and Operations Manual Notes Page 74...

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