Home Resources for CAD/CAM Hints & Tips for 3D Printing
Hints & Tips for 3D Printing

CatalystEX software is available for partner schools in order to simulate RP manufacture. The Dimension machine serial number is required. 

  • Products should have a minimal wall thickness of 1mm.  Take care when scaling models that the wall thickness is not reduced to below 1mm.
  • Circular shapes acquire 'flats'. This may be useful where holes are required in which things fit
  • Make sure you select the correct printer type when outputting
  • The selection of an appropriate chord length when exporting from Pro/DESKTOP to STL effects facet or step details. In Pro/ENGINEER set 0.00 in the dialogue box and the software will select the most suitable chord length.
  • Grain direction (the way the product is printed) will effect whether it is stiff, or springy
  • Just because Pro/DESKTOP can create a 3D model does not mean CatalystEX can create the correct slices - sometimes exporting as a STEP file and re-importing to Pro/DESKTOP correctst the model.
  • Rounding of features cannot be done where material changes direction and has a radius of 0.5mm.
  • You cannot send whole assemblies to the 3D printer - send separate parts or it will create one fused product.
  • Wear on the platen effects adhesion of builds. The plastic gets shiny during the removal of parts
  • Clearing out support material is very hard or impossible in complex parts, for example internal threads
  • The build orientation effects the amount of support material and the build time

  • Hollow objects may be better built with the hollow upwards, otherwise it will be filled with support material.

What to look for in a 3D printer?
  • Build time (total - processing time and machine build time)
  • Material cost (because volume is irrelevent if buying from vendors who lock you into the materials).
  • Energy consumption rate during build. Curing time / post build cleaning time Cost of curing/cleaning equipment and consumables
  • Material purchase "blocks" (so we get a feel for how much cashflow is affected every time we need to replenish stocks of materials). maintenance regimes and cost of annual support contracts (often very high!!).
  • Physical environment required for machine (3 phase power/compressed air lines/plumbing etc - all difficult in a typical office environment).
  • Noise in operation - decibels alone are not enough - you need to hear the thing. Things like constant fans etc are annoying, or a constant printhead movement, in a quiet office.
  • Smell - again you need to see the thing working.
  • Ongoing issues (like the early ZCorp powder getting everywhere).