Buildstation 5.0 Release Notes

Transcription

1 Release Notes Buildstation 5.0 SLA Control Software Buildstation 5.0 Release Notes Welcome to Buildstation 5.0 Buildstation 5.0 is 3D Systems newest version of SLA control software for SLA 350, SLA 500, SLA 3500, SLA 5000, as well as our new flagship platform, the SLA Buildstation 5.0, with essentially the same user interface as its predecessor, Buildstation 4.1.1, fixes some program defects and builds on the powerful functionality of version by adding new power and convenience in features like: Smaller BFF files. The new build file eliminates redundencies within the file structure that allows BFF files that are from one-half to one-tenth the size of Maestro build files. Integrated motion control dialog. More compact and easier to use logging, including automatic purging. Support for the high-power SLA 7000 dual spot size laser....and, much more. IMPORTANT NOTE! Buildstation 5.0 accepts only BFF build files produced by the corresponding release of SLA file preparation, 3D Lightyear 1.0. Maestro-produced BFF build files require the SLA system to be running Buildstation 4.x. For that reason, upgrade customers should follow the Installation Instructions for Buildstation 5.0 carefully. Doing so, preserves the copy of Buildstation 4.x so that if the need should arise, it will be available for running files prepared with Maestro. 1

2 Release Notes Buildstation 5.0 SLA Control Software Supported Operating Systems The Buildstation 5.0 SLA Control software runs equally well under Windows NT 3.51 with Service Pack 5, and Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or higher. Support for both OSs allows users with NT 3.51 to be able to upgrade to the new control software without having to also upgrade to Windows NT 4.0. Both Windows NT 3.51 with Service Pack 5, and Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4 have been declared Year 2000 Compliant by Microsoft. Customers who want to upgrade to Windows NT 4.0, should contact 3D Plus Customer Service for more information. System Requirements Customers using SLA 500 sytems with a i486-based controller with at least 32MB of RAM and running Windows NT 3.51, should be able to run Buildstation 5.0. Generally, if a system could run Buildstation 4.1.1, it should be able to run Buildstation 5.0. Major Program Changes Below we list several significant changes in Buildstation 5.0 compared with Buildstation Improvement in System Logging Functions With Buildstation 5.0 we have modified the user-accessible logs as well as the diagnostic logs. BuildLog has been removed from the database, since its existence contributed to the database s growing to unmanageable sizes over time a familiar complaint of users of earlier versions of Buildstation. Now, as users have requested, build log information is available as a readily accessible text file. 2

3 Release Notes Buildstation 5.0 SLA Control Software Much of the old configurable logging has been removed to streamline the interface. It has been replaced with self-purging binary system logs. The new logs work continually without user intervention. These logs allow 3D Systems to diagnose problems even weeks after they ve occurred with minimal customer interaction, and will allow better preventive maintenance procedures in the future. Streamlined User Interface The following items have been removed from the user interface. Set Elevator Start Position dialog Event Logging dialogs Laser Logging dialogs Smart Laser Power Stir resin (from the toolbar) System Licensing Unlike previous versions of the control software which were not licensed, we have implemented licensing for Buildstation 5.0. The software is licensed per site, therefore, once your site obtains the software, you may install and license it on all the SLA systems you own. Buildstation 5.0 desktop does not require a license to run. Software Defects Buildstation had, as does all software, a few software defects, many of which have been corrected with Buildstation 5.0. Specifically, it corrects: Sweeping fully, to the front or back of the machine continually while Smart Sweeping Resin Parameter and Blade Gap problems Waiting for layer end Database growing too large (Continues on the following page...) 3

4 Release Notes Buildstation 5.0 SLA Control Software (Continued from preceeding page...) Other Changes Other changes have been made to improve the performance and usability of the software. Some examples are: The Motion Control dialog has been rewritten to integrate all motion related dialogs. Recovering from blade crashes, setting start position, and service activities can now be performed with a single visit to this dialog. Build Time Estimator rewritten for higher accuracy. SLA Performance Dialog has been rewritten to allow saving and loading of a machine s performance characteristics. This allows better preventative maintenance, and allows desktop build time estimates to have high accuracy by using the performance characteristics from the machine where the building will occur. Improved build sequencing, which incorporates flexibility in power setting and various delay times. Delayed build function which allows you to specify what time you want the build to start. Build options that are dignostic in nature have been removed from the standard interface. The Advanced Build Options checkbox in the Customize... dialog under the Setup pulldown allows access to the full set of options. 4

5 Release Notes Buildstation 5.0 SLA Control Software Outstanding Issues The following lists the known issues in this release of Buildstation 5.0, and specifies workarounds where available. We are always striving to improve our products. If you find a problem with the software, or have a suggestion for an enhancement, please your request or suggestion to ProductSuggestions@3dsystems.com. Running Buildstation from a Non-Administrator User Account There have been reported problems during Beta testing when Buildstation 5.0 is run from a user account that does not have Administrator priviledges. In these situations, the Main window is completely inactive, although the clock on the status bar continues running. Workaround: Run Buildstation 5.0 from a user account that has Administrator privileges. Contact 3D Plus Customer Support if this solution is not practical. Part Positioning In the part positioning dialog, the spacing between parts sometimes reverts to 0.25 inches even though the user has specified different spacing. Workaround: Avoid changing the spacing between parts. Build Time Estimates The Build Time Estimates for Buildstation 5.0 running on an SLA 7000 can be very accurate. Unfortunately, they can also range as high as ±20% error. Our Engineering Department is constantly refining the algorithm to improve accuracy. As our database of builds expands, the Estimator function will improve. We will be forwarding patches to the estimator to the installed user base as they become available. 5

6 Release Notes Buildstation 5.0 SLA Control Software This page intentionally left blank D Systems. All rights reserved. P/N C04-00 July 1999

7 Buildstation 5.1 Release Notes and Installation Instructions i Overview Buildstation 5.1 software succeeds Buildstation 5.0 software as the SLA control software for SLA350, SLA3500, SLA500, SLA5000, and SLA7000 systems running the Windows NT operating system. The Buildstation software allows the user to set up and start build jobs on the SLA machine. Once a job is started, the Buildstation software interprets the build (.BFF) file produced by the 3D Lightyear Build File Preparation Software, and controls the SLA system during the building process. Enclosed you will find information on: Compatibility with previous versions of software and hardware New features and functions in the Buildstation 5.1 software Installation and licensing of this software Please read these instructions carefully before attempting to install or use the software. Compatibility To install this software, your SLA system must: Be running the Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 with Service Pack 5 or Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4 operating system on the SLA system controller. Buildstation 5.1 software accepts.bff files from either 3D Lightyear 1.0 or 3D Lightyear 1.1 software. It will not accept.bff files from Maestro file preparation software. Changes and Additions in Buildstation 5.1 Software Most changes in the Buildstation 5.1 software are transparent to the user. There is no significant change to the user interface, and therefore users familiar with Buildstation 5.0 software should have no difficulty in transitioning to Buildstation 5.1 software. Buildstation Version 5.1 Release Notes and Installation Instructions

8 ii The most important change is that Buildstation 5.1 software accepts.bff files with the new FinePoint Supports, which are produced by the 3D Lightyear 1.1 software. The 3D Lightyear 1.1 User s Guide Addendum and 3D Lightyear 1.1 Online Help System fully describe the new support structures. Tip! With very complicated geometries it is best to turn off the views that are displayed in the IMAGE region in the lower left portion of the Buildstation screen because refreshing the screen uses some of the CPU time and can slow down the build. FinePoint supports are constructed using many tiny vectors, so BFF files in which FinePoint supports were generated may also build more quickly with these views disabled. To disable the views, click with the right mouse button in the IMAGE region and select Setup. In the View Setup dialog box, deselect each of the Visible checkboxes and then each of the Enabled checkboxes. Beyond that, Buildstation 5.1 software incorporates new code for controlling Z-axis movement on the SLA7000 system and updated electronics on SLA3500 and SLA5000 machines, improves some field service diagnostics, fixes various software defects, and includes the feature and function changes that are listed below. Please see the Buildstation 5.1 User s Guide Addendum for more information. Upfacing & Downfacing Surface Finish Select either Standard Surface Finish (Maximum Throughput) or Best Surface Finish in the Customize dialog box. The Best Surface Finish option will eliminate the lines that occur tangential to holes and bosses on upfacing surfaces, but does result in a throughput penalty. Platform Drawing Sequence The default drawing sequence for each layer is to draw the border vectors for all parts, then draw the hatch vectors for all the parts, and then the fill vectors for all parts, etc. If you wish to draw border, hatch and fill vectors for one STL file or copy before proceeding to the next component, click the Complete each component before drawing the next option in the Customize dialog box. For some build styles, on the SLA7000 and SLA5000 systems, enabling this option results in significantly longer build times. Restart Position Selectable The user can now input the restart layer value. Be sure to input a value that is within the build range of the part. Buildstation Version 5.1 Release Notes and Installation Instructions

9 Build Status Recorded to Disk The system now writes build history and status files (BuildLog.txt and Status.txt) to the C:\Winsla5\Output directory on the hard disk. These files can be used to monitor the SLA system. iii Bug Fixes Buildstation 5.1 software corrects various defects from the Buildstation 5.0 software, including changes to scanning on the SLA7000 which improve sidewalls on long, straight sections, modifications to vat stirring, and corrections to InterHatch Delay timing. Outstanding Issues There are very few known remaining issues with the Buildstation 5.1 software. Daylight Savings Time Adjustment If the SLA control computer is set to automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time, and a build is in progress during the time change, the build will possibly fail, and the log files will be corrupted. Workaround: Do not set the automatic daylight savings time adjustment setting on the computer that is running Buildstation software. The time can later be adjusted manually when it is convenient, and the machine is not building. Build Time Estimator The build time estimator yields inconsistent results. The cause of the erratic performance is under investigation.. Installing Buildstation 5.1 Software As with most Windows programs, Buildstation 5.1 has an automated setup routine. During installation, this setup routine checks on your system, asks a series of questions about how you want to configure the Buildstation 5.1 software, and, based on your answers to these questions, copies several files to the SLA system s hard disk. It then decompresses the files, writes data to areas of your system s registry, and creates shortcuts to the program in the Windows Start menu or Program Group. Your SLA system may be running Windows NT 3.51 or Windows NT 4.0. Buildstation 5.1 software runs equally well with either operating system. Regardless of which operating system is running, the installation steps are the same. The following instructions will serve as instructions for both operating systems. Buildstation Version 5.1 Release Notes and Installation Instructions

10 iv Note! At this time, 3D Systems does NOT recommend using the Windows NT Add/Remove Programs functionality to uninstall old versions of Buildstation software as you run the risk of removing files that have been tuned or set up for the specific SLA system. Instead you should back up several files that are critical to your machines calibration and operating parameters and then delete the old directory as described below. Uninstalling Buildstation 5.0 Software 1. Back up the params.dat file from the C:\WinSLA5 directory and any.geo and.cal files from the C:\WinSLA5\Config folder. Place them in a folder that is not in the C:\WinSLA5 directory structure such as C:\Backup. Warning! You must back up these files before continuing, or you run the risk of eliminating files that are critical to your machine s calibration and performance. 2. Delete the entire C:\WinSLA5 directory structure using either Windows NT Explorer or File Manager. Installing the Software Important! Before you begin installing Buildstation 5.1 software, make sure that you have created a back up copy of params.dat and all of the.cal and.geo files as suggested in the Uninstalling Buildstation 5.0 Software section. Note! If you normally use a virus protection program on your PC, turn it off, or override its monitoring of the system before installing Buildstation 5.1. After Buildstation 5.1 installation is complete, you can restart the virus protection program. 1. Insert the CD labeled Buildstation 5.1 SLA Control Software for 350/ 500/3500/5000/7000 Systems into the CD-ROM drive of the SLA system. 2. If you are running Windows NT 3.51, go to the Windows Program Manager, and click File>Run. If you are running Windows NT 4.0, click on the Windows Start button, in the lower-left corner of the Windows Taskbar then click the Run command. 3. Click inside the Open box and type the command D:\Setup.exe Buildstation Version 5.1 Release Notes and Installation Instructions

11 where D is the letter designation for your CD-ROM drive. (Alternatively, you can use the Browse button to browse to the Setup.exe file.) Click the OK button. This launches the Buildstation software setup program. 4. When the Welcome screen appears, click the Next button. 5. When the Choose Destination Location screen appears, notice that C:\WinSLA5 appears as the default Destination Folder. You can use the Browse button to change the location of the Buildstation 5.1 software installation, if desired. When ready, accept the location and continue the installation by clicking the Next button. (Note that if for some reason you did not uninstall Buildstation 5.0 software, you should choose a different directory path for installing Buildstation 5.1 software.) 6. When the SLA Machine Selection window appears, click the radio button next to your SLA machine type, then click Next. Answer any other question(s) about your SLA machine that may be presented. 7. When the Select Program Folder screen appears, click Next. By default, this will place a program icon in the Buildstation 51 program group to aid in the launching of the program. 8. When the Start Copying Files screen appears, click Next to begin the transferring and installing the program files. 9. At the conclusion of all activity, the Setup Complete screen appears. Click Finish. v Preserving Your Calibration Files The next steps are very important in preserving your machine-specific calibration data. 1. Copy the params.dat file that you previously backed up into the C:\WinSLA5 folder. 2. Copy all the.cal and.geo files into the C:\WinSLA5\Config folder. Your software is now installed and you are ready to obtain and install your license file. Obtaining and Installing Your Buildstation 5.1 Software License Warning! DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LAUNCH Buildstation 5.1 until you have installed the correct license file. Obtaining a license is a multi-step process. Before starting, make sure you have successfully completed the steps to install the software. 1. Open a Command Prompt (DOS window). In Windows NT 3.51, you will find the MS-DOS Prompt icon in the Main program group of Program Manager. Buildstation Version 5.1 Release Notes and Installation Instructions

12 vi In Windows NT 4.0, you will find the Command Prompt icon on the Taskbar s Start menu. 2. Type the command cd C:\WinSLA5 and press <Enter>. (If you did not install the software in the default folder, then type in the folder where you installed Buildstation 5.1 software instead.) 3. Type the command lmutil lmhostid and press <Enter>. This command queries your system and returns the unique serial number (HOSTID) from your network card. 4. RECORD THE HOSTID CODE. Later, you will install the license file on this machine. License files are machine-specific. If you are installing Buildstation software and requesting license files for more than one machine, take steps now to be able to identify this machine later by its unique host identification code. 5. REPEAT Steps 1 through 4 of this procedure for each SLA machine that will be running Buildstation 5.1 software. 6. Go to the 3D Systems website at and navigate to the Customer Services>Software Licenses page. Type in the Authorization Code that was included in the software package and click Next. The Authorization Code must be typed in all capital letters. Note! Authorization Codes are specific to machine type, so be sure to match HOSTID codes with appropriate Authorization Codes. 7. In the second screen type in the HOSTID code you obtained from the computer. The HOSTID must be entered in lower case letters with no hyphens or spaces. 8. The license generator will return the text of the license file. Copy and paste it into a text file using Notepad (NOT Wordpad) and save it as license.dat. Repeat for each machine for which you need a license. Remember that each SLA machine requires a unique license, so make sure you have a way of distinguishing between them if you obtain multiple licences. 9. Copy the appropriate license.dat file to the C:\WinSLA5 folder for each machine. Verify and Complete the Installation of Your New Software Once the software is successfully installed and licensed, you will have a Buildstation 51 program item in your Windows Start menu or program group. 1. If Buildstation 5.1 software is not already open, double-click the program icon to launch it. 2. From the menu bar, select Setup > Choose Geometric Calibration File Buildstation Version 5.1 Release Notes and Installation Instructions

13 3. From the Choose Geometric Calibration File dialog, select and open the latest.geo file in the C:\WinSLA5\Config folder. You are now ready to begin building parts on your SLA system. vii ********************************* 2000 by 3D Systems. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice. The 3D logo and SLA are registered trademarks of 3D Systems. Buildstation, 3D Lightyear, and FinePoint are trademarks of 3D Systems. All other products names or services are registered trademarks of their respective companies. PN N01-00 Buildstation Version 5.1 Release Notes and Installation Instructions

14 Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions i Overview Buildstation 5.3 software supports the following SLA systems: Viper si2 SLA 500 SLA 350 SLA 5000 SLA 3500 SLA 7000 Enclosed you will find information on: Compatibility between Buildstation 5.3 software and Lightyear software Functional changes since the release of Buildstation 5.1 and Buildstation 5.2 software Issues that have been resolved since Buildstation 5.1 and Buildstation 5.2 software Outstanding issues not resolved in this software release Installation instructions Please read these instructions carefully before attempting to install or use the software. Compatibility Buildstation 5.3 software accepts BFF files created in 3D Lightyear 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, and 1.0 software versions. Note! Buildstation 5.3 requires Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 3 or higher). Functional Changes This section identifies the major feature and function changes between: Buildstation 5.1 and Buildstation 5.3 software Buildstation 5.2 and Buildstation 5.3 software Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

15 ii Please refer to Buildstation 5.3 Control Software User s Guide Addendum for detailed information. Changes Between Buildstation 5.1 and Buildstation 5.3 Software Maximum Fill Speed: Poor surface quality and other build defects can occur when fill speeds exceed the capability of the scanning mirrors. Fill speeds can no longer exceed the Maximum Hatch Ceiling value displayed on the software screen. Viper si2 SLA system: The Buildstation software supports the Viper si2 SLA system. The Viper si2 SLA system uses the BFF file format, which contains all the part build information. Post Hatch Delay: The Post Hatch Delay parameter, introduced in the 3D Lightyear 1.2 software, is supported in the Buildstation software. Motion Control Dialog Box: The Motion Control dialog has been updated to ensure the vat level reading is more comprehensible and to add functionality to the Viper si2 SLA system. Edit Menu Removed: The Edit menu was removed from the software interface. And the Changes Between Buildstation 5.2 and Buildstation 5.3 Software, below. Changes Between Buildstation 5.2 and Buildstation 5.3 Software Laser Safety Shutter Behavior: The laser safety shutter is now closed by default when the system is not conducting a build and opens when the system is building. This is the opposite of the previous default open shutter position. Preferred Blade Gap: The Preferred Blade Gap value has been added to the 3D Lightyear 1.3 software. Best Surface Finish: The hatching and filling technique known as Smart Best Surface Finish has been added to the 3D Lightyear 1.3 software, thus providing greater user flexibility and functionality. See the Buildstation 5.3 Control Software User s Guide Addendum for detailed information. You no longer have to keep separate projects on the Viper si2 SLA system for normal resolution and high resolution modes in order to overcome incorrect maximum draw speeds. Customize Dialog Box exclusively for Viper si2 SLA system: Default Draw Speed Ceilings for Normal Resolution and High Resolution modes can be set in the Customize dialog box for the Viper si2 SLA system only. Performance Characteristics Dialog Box for Viper si2 SLA system: Normal Resolution and High Resolution laser characteristics display in the Performance Characteristics dialog box for the Viper si2 SLA system only. Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

16 Project Tree BFF Display: The Browse button has been removed from the project tree BFF display. In addition, the BFF display area is no longer editable. Laser Hours Display: The laser hours now display in the Status Bar at the bottom of the build screen. Customize Dialog Box: Two enhancements have been made in the Customize dialog box for all systems. The descriptions in the On New Jobs and Advanced Build Options sections of the dialog box change to describe the current status of the option. The Restart Build Button Renamed: The Restart Build button on the Build toolbar has been renamed to Continue Build. iii Resolved Issues Supports for SLC files are no longer eliminated from the build file. The Preferred Blade Gap value reported from the BFF file has been expanded and now displays four digits. Outstanding Issues Overly descriptive and possibly confusing error messages exist in the Buildstation software. For example, if a build is stopped while drawing a layer, the resulting messages are Error status of 1 in main loop and DSP aborted. On some geometries, you may observe the laser jumping to the rest position during part building. In some cases, a Viper system will not prompt to add resin when needed. Eventually a message stating Limit encountered during leveling. Leveling attempt aborted may be displayed, but the build will not abort after clicking OK. The Current Status area of the Motion Control dialog does not update from a previous action, which can cause confusion. A Layer Thickness Out of Range error message is displayed when you click past the Need to Add More Resin message and continue a build. The build then stops. Adjust Resin Volume takes a long time to finish on Viper systems. Seems to take 2 1/2 to 3 minutes to tell you if you need to Add Resin or Remove Resin when you click Adjust Resin Volume, or when you start a build. As a result, wait until you see the laser begin drawing to indicate the build has started. On Viper systems only, the Go To Start button is unavailable in the Motion Control dialog when the elevator has not yet been moved to the Home location. To move the Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

17 iv elevator to the start position, click the Elevator Home button on the main screen of the software and then click Go To Start. This is only true on Viper systems. Desktop Buildstation software may hang when a build preview is stopped on an SLA 7000 system. You will need to abort the Buildstation software and restart it. In some cases, if the Duplicate all Build Job Parameters option is disabled, the new build will still inherit build information from the current Build Job Project. The Post Hatch Delay parameter does not count down the delay time correctly for multiple parts in a single BFF file. If the copies are made in Buildstation software, the Post Hatch Delay time seems to work fine, but if the copies are made in Lightyear software, the Post Hatch Delay time is incorrect or ignored. In the Field Service dialog of the SLA 3500 and Viper si2 SLA systems, there is a selection called Sensor 4" which is for the calibration plate. Also, on Viper systems the High Resolution sensors list as Sensor 5 and Sensor 6, where Sensor 5 should be Sensor 1 HR and Sensor 6 should be Sensor 2 HR. An Incorrect Function error message is displayed when launching Buildstation software with no network connection and Enable Network Broadcasting enabled. The Buildstation project tree has a file name length limitation of 47 characters. Two situations occur if the chamber door is opened during a Vat Unload or Vat Load process. If the elevator was still in motion, you must click the Stop button to enable the other control buttons on the dialog. In addition, if the elevator had finished moving but the vat had not finished moving to the bottom of its travel, an incorrect status message of Vat Load Completed or Vat Unload Completed is displayed. When the machine is building, opening multiple build windows and previewing other large builds causes the laser power to drop to a very low power (seen dropping from 825 mw to 30 mw). Build stops without an error message can occur when an invalid resin file is used. For example, Dp=0 and Ec=0. Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

18 Installing Buildstation 5.3 Software from the CD-ROM v Note! The default directory where most files are located for the Buildstation 5.1 software is C:\Winsla5. The default directory where most files are located for the Buildstation 5.2 software is C:\Winsla\bin. If you installed the Buildstation 5.1 or 5.2 software in a directory other than these default directories, you should perform the backing up operations on the directory structure you used. 1. Back up the params.dat file from the default directory listed above, any *.GEO and *.CAL files, and procyon.mdb and license.dat. Place them in a folder that is not in the directory structure listed above such as C:\Backup. Warning! You must back up these files before continuing, or you run the risk of eliminating files that are critical to your machine s calibration and performance. Note! Failure to back up the procyon.mdb file will eliminate the custom resin files, and builds in the job tree will no longer launch after the software upgrade. There are two ways to alleviate this situation if maintaining old resin and build files is a concern. One is to write down all the shrink factors, etc. associated with any of the BFFs you may wish to build again from the project tree, and then re-enter these factors after you have installed the new software. The other is to create the directory structure you are going to use for the Buildstation 5.3 software installation (for example, C:\Winsla53\bin). Then copy the backed up procyon.mdb into the bin directory prior to software installation (This will merge the two procyon.mdb files upon installation, giving you access to the previous builds and custom resin files, etc. with the new procyon.mdb.) Important! 3D Systems recommends that you delete any older versions of the Buildstation software before installing the new version. This will avoid any licensing conflicts and problems with incompatible file formats. Do not uninstall the older versions of the software. 2. Delete the entire installation directory structure using either Windows NT Explorer or File Manager. Note! If you normally use a virus protection program on you SLA system controller, turn it off, or override its monitoring of the system before installing Buildstation 5.3 software. After completing the installation, you should restart the virus protection program. However, we are concerned that anti-virus software may interfere with normal build operation. 3. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive of the controller on your SLA system. 4. Click the Windows Start button in the lower left corner of the Windows Task bar. Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

19 vi 5. Click the Run command. 6. Inside the Open text box, type the command D:\Bldsta53_Install\setup.exe where D is the letter designation for your CD-ROM drive. Click OK. 7. When the Welcome dialog appears, click Next. 8. When the Choose Destination Location dialog appears, notice that C:\Winsla appears as the default destination folder. You can use the Browse button to change the location of the Buildstation 5.3 software installation if desired. When ready, accept the location and continue the installation by clicking Next. 9. In the Select Components dialog box, select the machine type on which you are installing the software and click Next. 10. When the Select Program Folder dialog appears, click Next to place an icon for the Buildstation software on your Start>Programs menu to aid in launching the program. You can change the name of the icon before accepting if desired. 11. When the Start Copying Files dialog appears, click Next to copy the files to the hard drive of the controller and install the software. 12. Click OK to the prompt that appears regarding installing a file into Windows. 13. When the Setup Complete dialog appears, click Finish. Proceed to Obtaining and Installing Your Buildstation 5.3 Software License. Downloading Buildstation 5.3 Software from the Web Note! The default directory where most files are located for the Buildstation 5.1 software is C:\Winsla5. The default directory where most files are located for the Buildstation 5.2 software is C:\Winsla\bin. If you installed the Buildstation 5.1 or 5.2 software in a directory other than these default directories, you should perform the backing up operations on the directory structure you used. 1. Back up the params.dat file from the default directory listed above, any *.GEO and *.CAL files, and procyon.mdb and license.dat. Place them in a folder that is not in the directory structure listed above such as C:\Backup. Warning! You must back up these files before continuing, or you run the risk of eliminating files that are critical to your machine s calibration and performance. Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

20 Note! Failure to back up the procyon.mdb file will eliminate the custom resin files, and builds in the job tree will no longer launch after the software upgrade. There are two ways to alleviate this situation if maintaining old resin and build files is a concern. One is to write down all the shrink factors, etc. associated with any of the BFFs you may wish to build again from the project tree, and then re-enter these factors after you have installed the new software. The other is to create the directory structure you are going to use for the Buildstation 5.3 software installation (for example, C:\Winsla53\bin). Then copy the backed up procyon.mdb into the bin directory prior to software installation (This will merge the two procyon.mdb files upon installation, giving you access to the previous builds and custom resin files, etc. with the new procyon.mdb.) Important! 3D Systems recommends that you delete any older versions of the Buildstation software before installing the new version. This will avoid any licensing conflicts and problems with incompatible file formats. Do not uninstall the older versions of the software. 2. Delete the entire installation directory structure using either Windows NT Explorer or File Manager. Note! If you normally use a virus protection program on you SLA system controller, turn it off, or override its monitoring of the system before installing Buildstation 5.3 software. After completing the installation, you should restart the virus protection program. However, we are concerned that anti-virus software may interfere with normal build operation. 3. Go to the 3D Systems web site at and navigate to 3-D Toolbox, Software Download. 4. To download Buildstation 5.3 Software, right click with your mouse (Windows users) on the file name Buildstation 5.3 Install and choose the Save this program to disk option. 5. Save the file to a temporary directory. 6. From Windows NT Explorer, double click on the file C:\temp\Bldsta53_Install.exe to decompress the files. 7. Decompress the files into the same temporary directory. 8. From Windows NT Explorer, double click on the folder C:\temp\Bldsta53. Double click on Setup.exe. to start the Install Wizard. Follow the prompts to automatically install the software into the correct directory. vii Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

21 viii Preserving Your Calibration Files These steps are very important in preserving your machine-specific calibration data. 1. Copy the params.dat file that you previously backed up into the C:\Winsla\Bin folder. 2. Copy all the *.CAL and *.GEO files into the C:\Winsla\Config folder. 3. Copy the procyon.mdb file to the C:\Winsla\Bin folder. Your software is now installed and you are ready to obtain and install your license file. Note! When rebooting after installing Buildstation software, a prompt may appear regarding no default calibration file. Simply go into the Setup menu and select Choose Geometric Calibration File, then browse to the new geo file location. Obtaining and Installing Your Buildstation 5.3 Software License Warning! Do not attempt to launch the Buildstation 5.3 software until you have installed the correct license file. Obtaining a license is a multi-step process. Before starting, make sure you have successfully completed the steps to install the software. 1. Open a Command Prompt (DOS Window). 2. Using the DOS Change Directory command, navigate to the bin directory where you installed Buildstation 5.3 software. If you accepted the default installation directory, you would type the command cd C:\Winsla\bin and press <Enter>. 3. From the bin directory, type the command lmutil lmhostid and press <Enter>. This command queries your system and returns the unique serial number (HOSTID) from your network card. 4. Record the HOSTID code. Later you will install the license file on this SLA system controller. License files are controller specific, so if you are installing Buildstation 5.3 software on multiple SLA system controllers, take steps now to identify this controller with its unique host identification code. 5. Repeat steps 1-4 for each SLA system controller upon which the Buildstation 5.3 software will be installed. 6. Go to the 3D Systems web site at and navigate to the Technical Support Software Licensing page. In the first Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

22 screen of the licensing page, type in the Authorization Code that was included in the software package and click Next. The Authorization Code is case sensitive and must be entered in all capital letters. 7. In the second screen, type in the HOSTID code you obtained from the system controller. The HOSTID is case sensitive and must be entered in lower case letters without hyphens or spaces. 8. The license generator will return the text of the license file. Copy and paste it into a text file using Notepad (NOT Wordpad) and save it as license.dat or you may download and rename the file. 9. Repeat steps 6-8 for each SLA system controller for which you need a license. Remember that each system controller requires a unique license, so make sure you have a way of distinguishing between them if you obtain multiple licenses. 10. Copy the appropriate license.dat file to the bin folder of each controller. If you used different names to designate separate files for multiple controllers, remember to rename each to license.dat when you install them on the correct controllers. Setting the Default License File 1. Launch the Buildstation 5.3 software. The first time you launch the software, the FlexLM License Manager will likely appear. 2. When prompted, choose the Select License File button and click Next. 3. Use the Browse button to navigate to and select the license.dat file you just installed and click Next. 4. Finally, select the Save Setting check box and click Finish. The splash screen for the 3D Buildstation 5.3 software will appear as the program opens. Note! If problems are encountered during this installation, or if the HOSTID query yields the resultant ffffffff, ensure that the computer is properly communicating with the network, then call the Technical Support Call Center at (800) in the U.S., or contact your regional Customer Service Office. ************************************** 2002 by 3D Systems. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice. The 3D logo and SLA are registered trademarks of 3D Systems. Lightyear, Buildstation, and si2 are trademarks of 3D Systems. All other product names or services are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies. ix Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

23 x This page has been intentionally left blank. Buildstation 5.3 Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N12-00

24 Buildstation 5.4 SLA Machine Control Software Release Notes Overview The changes contained in the Buildstation 5.4 software are primarily directed at providing compatibility with the corresponding release of 3D Lightyear 1.4 software. Included in this document is information regarding: Compatibility with previous versions Changes in functionality since the Buildstation 5.3 software release Issues that have been resolved in this version Issues that are still outstanding in this version Installation and licensing Instructions System Support and Compatibility With Previous Versions Buildstation 5.4 software supports the Viper, SLA 500, SLA 350/3500, SLA 5000, and SLA 7000 systems. It does not support SLA 190 or SLA 250 systems. 3D Systems recommends that you use the corresponding release of 3D Lightyear software, version 1.4, to create BFF files for SLA systems running the Buildstation 5.4 software. However, the format of the BFF files has not changed between versions 5.3 and 5.4 of the Buildstation software. Therefore, a BFF file created with versions 1.3 or 1.4 of 3D Lightyear software will successfully build on SLA systems running Buildstation 5.4 software. Buildstation 5.4 software requires Windows NT4 O/S with Service Pack 3 or later, running on the system controller. Buildstation 5.4 software will not run on earlier versions of the Windows O/S, and has not been certified to run on Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional. Feature-Function Changes There are no major feature-function changes in this new release. Buildstation 5.4 SLA System Control Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions P/N N13-00

25 ii Resolved Issues The Add Resin prompt no longer interferes with Delayed Builds. The Adjust Resin Volume process no longer takes an inordinate amount of time to complete on Viper SLA systems. Jumping to the rest position from a profiler on a Viper SLA system no longer cures resin. The installation errors that occurred if a prior version was moved or deleted have been resolved. The installation program now backs up critical files before installing a new version and re-installs them for use with the updated version. The installation program now installs resin files for 3D Systems Accura SL materials. Issues with the Remote function have been resolved. Issues with supporting some SLA 500 system configurations have been resolved. Outstanding Issues Under certain circumstances on a Viper SLA system, adding and building a Normal-Res platform immediately following a High-Res platform can cause an erratic build exhibiting longer-than-normal build time and overexposed supports. Clear the job tree, or keep High-Res and Normal-Res builds in separate job trees. Starting a build on a Viper SLA system with the resin well below the lower metal tab on the vat and with the vat near the top limit has resulted in the system failing to prompt for added resin and eventually encountering a leveling error during the build that does not respond to an abort command. Always check the resin level before a build and if it is below the lower metal tab, add resin so that the level is between the tabs, but not close to the upper tab. Following this procedure resolves multiple build start and leveling issues on a Viper system. A Delayed Build on a Viper SLA system can take a very long time during the Checking Resin operation with no indication that the system is doing anything. Depending on how far the system is from level, the process can take five minutes or more. Continue to monitor the system until the Delayed Build window appears. If the system loses its network connection and Network Broadcasting is enabled, the system repeatedly displays the message Incorrect Function. Check and reset the network connection. Various errors can occur if the operating system s Screen Saver function is enabled. Instead of using Screen Saver, power the monitor off during unattended periods. There have been several cases where the Buildstation clock is off by exactly one or two hours even though the operating system s clock is correct. The workaround is to calculate Delayed Builds based on the apparent time as displayed in the Buildstation software. Buildstation 5.4 SLA System Control Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions PN N13-00

26 iii Systems with a Coherent 328 laser can have difficulty with the restart delay routines following a Continue Build command. Manually turn the laser on using the Field Service functions, and then restart the build. In certain cases, creating numerous multiple copies of a part in 3D Lightyear software using a PHD style can take longer to build than when those copies are created in the Buildstation software. The message area in the Motion Control dialog is not cleared properly when a new motion is initiated after stopping a previous motion. There are significant issues with the accuracy of the Build Time Estimator (BTE). For High-Res builds on a Viper SLA system, the BTE does not take into account the fact that applying Best Surface Finish significantly increases build time. Also, the BTE does not properly account for the post-hatch delay in PHD styles. Other factors as well can significantly affect the accuracy of the BTE. There are intermittent issues with the Autodrain function on SLA 350 and SLA 500 systems. If the system is directed to use an invalid resin file (e.g., a file with D p =0 and E c =0), the build will stop without displaying an error message. An application error can occur if you stop a build preview before completion. (This has been observed when previewing on the SLA 7000 system, but could occur on other system types as well.) Builds with numerous short vectors can cause the laser to frequently jump to the rest position, thus increasing build times. Ignoring the message Need to Add More Resin at the start of a build (particularly on the Viper system) may cause the system to eventually reach a point where it cannot level and issue the confusing message Layer Thickness Out of Range. The true condition is that the system doesn t have enough resin to continue. Adding resin will allow the build to continue. Opening multiple build windows (which should not be done to preview another build) while the system is building can cause the system s Max Laser Power to drop considerably. This has been observed on the SLA 7000 system with large BFF files (which take a long time to preview), but could happen on any system. Preview builds on a desktop version of the Buildstation software. The Square Layout option does not follow a square pattern in every situation. For example, for three copies the layout is square, which is one above two. However, when adding a fourth copy the system creates a one-above-three layout, and when a fifth copy is added, the system correctly creates a two-above-three layout, and so forth. Selecting a job in the build tree that has no associated BFF file (i.e., it has been deleted or moved using Windows Explorer) can lead to application errors. One such situation is when you highlight a job with a non-existent BFF file, then press Defaults. The system does not beep to signal the user to stop adding or removing resin if the door interlock is defeated. The system displays the non-descriptive error message Database write error if a file is added to the project tree with a file name greater than 47 characters. Buildstation 5.4 SLA System Control Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions PN N13-00

27 iv Under certain circumstances, a build can start without completing the leveling operation. Two known circumstances are: o o When beginning a build with the vat at the upper limit and No Init selected, the system issues the message Limit reached during leveling leveling aborted. Clicking OK clears the message, but the build continues without completing the leveling operation. If you open a door during the check resin or leveling operation at the start of a build, the system issues the message door opened during leveling leveling aborted. Just as in the scenario above, clearing the message continues the build without performing the leveling operation. Pressing Stop Build when the system is drawing the first layer can hang up the system. Only stop a build during a period when the system is not drawing. Opening a door when a Vat Unload is in progress can lead to loss of vat control and/or the system to issue incorrect and misleading status messages. The system does not check the BFF file for completeness before it begins the build. The system will start building, then issue an error message when it reaches a bad end-of-file. The Restart Build icon is enabled after a build is finished. If you click this icon following a completed build, the system resets the platform and draws the last layer again. Installation and Licensing Instructions NOTE: If you normally use a virus protection program on your Buildstation software controller, turn it off, or override its monitoring of the system before installing the Buildstation 5.4 software. Virus protection should always be run manually between builds. Running virus protection continuously can cause build failures. Also, add virus protection updates between builds. Important! During the installation of Buildstation 5.4 software, the system automatically creates a backup of the latest cal, geo, calibration.ini, license.dat, params.dat and procyon.mbd files before writing any new files to the hard drive. Installing the Software 1. If you are installing from a CD, insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive on your SLA system controller and proceed to step 2. If you are installing the software from a zip archive, unzip the installation files to a temporary directory. 2. Using Windows Explorer, locate the drive and directory that contains the installation files. This would be the CD-ROM drive if loading via CD-ROM, or the temporary directory to which you unzipped the files in step one. Doubleclick the setup.exe file to launch the automatic installation program. 3. When the Welcome dialog appears, click Next. Buildstation 5.4 SLA System Control Software Release Notes and Installation Instructions PN N13-00