BUILDSTATION 5.5 SLA MACHINE CONTROL SOFTWARE RELEASE NOTES Overview The enhancements implemented in Buildstation 5.5 machine control software provides the user with better part manipulation commands, flexibility in modifying part and recoat parameters during a build, optimized scanning, and Windows XP Professional software support. Additional features have also been incorporated into Buildstation 5.5 software and are listed in the succeeding pages. Contents This document includes information regarding: SLA systems supported Compatibility with previous versions Functional enhancements since the release of Buildstation 5.4 software Issues that are still outstanding in this version Installation and licensing instructions Please read these release notes carefully before attempting to install or use this software.
ii SLA Systems Supported Buildstation 5.5 software supports the following SLA systems: Viper SLA system Viper HA SLA system SLA 350 system SLA 500 system SLA 5000 system SLA 7000 system SLA 3500 system NOTE! Buildstation 5.5 software does not support SLA 190 or SLA 250 systems. Compatibility with Previous Versions 3D Systems recommends that you use the corresponding release of 3D Lightyear software, version 1.5, to create BFF files for the SLA systems running Buildstation 5.5 software. A BFF file created in older versions of 3D Lightyear software will successfully build on SLA systems running Buildstation 5.5 software. The advantages of the new features in Buildstation 5.5 software will also apply to BFF files created in older versions of the 3D Lightyear software. Buildstation 5.5 software is tested and qualified on Windows XP Professional running on the system controller. Buildstation 5.5 software accepts BFF files created in 3D Lightyear 1.5, 1.4, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, and 1.0 software versions.
Functional Enhancements iii This section identifies the major feature and function enhancements in Buildstation 5.5 software. Recoat Parameters Change recoat parameters before the build starts or when the build has been paused. Changes will be applied to the next layer. Part Build Parameters Change build parameters before the build starts or when the build has been paused. Changes will be applied to the next layer. Parameters that are not selectable must be modified with Lightyear 1.5 software, which will require the part to be re-sliced and Z-corrected. In addition, some recoat parameters cannot be selected because they require changing the preferred blade gap, which can only be done at the start of a build. NOTE Some modifiable options may not be selectable unless you click the View button first.
iv BFF Displayed in 3D Graphics Select the View button to see your BFF file displayed in 3D Graphics. The benefits of this feature include the ability to examine, view, or select: Individual parts for manipulation The entire BFF before a build The BFF isometrically NOTE You can view the current layer being drawn, even if you did not push the View button beforehand (exceptionally helpful for larger BFF files and slower controllers). IMPORTANT! IF THE BFF IS LARGE, THE FOLLOWING WARNING MESSAGE MAY BE POSTED, WARNING, THE BUILD FILE TO BE VIEWED IS LARGER THAN THE PHYSICAL MEMORY AND IT MAY NEGATIVELY IMPACT PERFORMANCE. IT IS RECOMMENDED TO ADD MORE MEMORY OR UPGRADE THE MACHINE CONTROL PC. It may take up to several minutes for the file to load and view, particularly if the BFF is large and the message described above is posted. Just like Lightyear software, the origin in the graphical display is the left-front corner. Builds are still centered in the vat, unless you have unchecked Strict Part Positioning and Automatic Part Placement in the Customize dialog box.! Un-checking or clearing the Strict Part Positioning and Automatic Part Placement check boxes will disable verification that the parts fit on the platform. Part Manipulation Part manipulation has been enhanced to provide individual part manipulation and simple Auto Part Placement. Plus, the user can delete, translate, rotate, and copy selected parts before the build has started. The Delete command can be used at the start of the build or during the build. The Copy, Rotate, and Move command can only be used at the start of the build.
Select the Auto Part Placement v icon to adjust the part spacing and margins in both X and Y. Job Tree The View button is now available in the Job tree. In addition, the Reset, Reload, and Save buttons increase usability. Select the Reset button to return to the original BFF platform layout. Select the Reload button to return to the previously saved platform layout. Select the Save button to save your current layout, including the position, orientation, and the number of copies. However, the Save button will not save changes to the Build and Recoat parameters. NOTE If you momentarily stop a build, Do NOT use the Reset and Reload Saved functions. Supports Supports are automatically manipulated with the associated part as long as the support name is *_s.stl (where the part name is *.stl). Build Time Estimator (BTE) The BTE is now available from the menu and shows the time breakdown of each portion of a build (sweep time, part scan time, etc.). Scanning Sequence Options The default scan order is the same order that the STL files were opened in Lightyear. This can be overridden in two ways: In Lightyear, open the Select Parts dialog and click the Move Up or Move Down button to set the order. In Buildstation, select the X / Y Drawing Sequence option in the Customize dialog. This will optimize the scan order such that the lowest part in the Y-axis (closest to the front window in the SLA system) is drawn first. Then the parts are drawn in order as determined by the shortest jump distance.
vi New DSP Integrated C6713 DSP support. NOTE Buildstation 5.5 continues to support the older C30 and C31 DSP cards as well. Layer Caching The data for the next layer to be drawn is cached into memory, improving throughput and decreasing jump-to-rest problems. Windows XP Buildstation 5.5 supports Windows XP. Viper HA Buildstation 5.5 supports Viper HA dual-vat systems. Customize XY Offset Positions Compensate for calibration offsets by entering X-offset values and Y-offset values (inches) in the Customize dialog, Coordinate Offsets group box.! Offset values will affect all future builds! Change or delete these values if you do not wish to apply them to future builds.! Using these options will affect the build accuracy since you are introducing inconsistencies with the geometric calibration.
Outstanding Issues vii Although the Reset and Reload Saved commands are available after stopping a build, selecting one of these commands may cause build artifacts or failures. Deleting your only active build window, then choosing the Setup menu, will cause Buildstation to crash. Buildstation will fail to start after the error message Error - cannot create a.3dd file is posted. This is caused by being a non-administrative user and not having write permissions to the directory structure Buildstation is installed in (default directory c:\winsla). Buildstation sometimes stops responding when starting or restarting a build. Stopping a build while Checking Resin is displayed, then restarting the build, will abort resin volume verification, initial leveling, and elevator positioning. The build will continue with these incorrect conditions. The Edit Copies function from previous Buildstation versions is no longer available. Now you must select, copy, and position each STL file separately. Manually translating parts after using Auto Part Placement will alter the drawing sequence. Selecting Copy more than once without changing the location will cause multiple copies of the part to be drawn in the same location. A red X in a blank error box occurs if you try to install Buildstation without administrative rights. Multiple part selection key strokes are not synonymous with Lightyear 1.5 software (Lightyear uses Ctrl>Click and Buildstation uses Shift>Click). Hitting the Enter key after typing values into a window aborts the entry rather than implementing the change. The recoat values for millimeter builds are displayed in inch units. The Build Progress Indicator (% complete bar) does not clear after aborting one build and selecting another. Cannot get part information for a build that is stopped (information button is not available, even with the part selected).
viii Activating or deactivating the X / Y Drawing Sequence check box will not take effect if you have the job highlighted in the project tree. To overcome this, highlight a different job in the project tree, then go back and highlight the original job for the activation or deactivation of the drawing sequence to take effect. For some complex builds, Build Preview may take an excessive amount of time to display. A Build Time Estimation (BTE) value of zero (0) may occur if the parts are off the platform. Manually position the parts on the platform, then run BTE. XY-offset positions in the Customize dialog may be lost when you restart the controller.
Installing Buildstation 5.5 Software ix 3D Systems recommends that you install Buildstation 5.5 into the default c:\winsla directory, thus overwriting the existing installation of Buildstation. Installing Buildstation this way will help you avoid licensing conflicts, incompatible file formats, and conflicting critical file locations. If you choose to maintain your existing Buildstation software until you are comfortable with Buildstation 5.5, install version 5.5 into a different directory. However, once you are familiar with Buildstation 5.5, delete the entire old Buildstation directory structure. This will ensure that any critical files referenced by Buildstation 5.5 are moved under its corresponding directory structure and referenced correctly in the registry. During the installation of Buildstation 5.5 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. However, 3D Systems also recommends that you back up the 3D Systems registry key before installing the software. Backing Up the Registry Key in Windows NT 4.0 1 On the taskbar, click the Start button, and then click Run. 2 Type regedt32, and then click OK. 3 Click the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on the Local Machine hive. 4 Click Software, and then click 3D Systems. 5 In the menu bar, click Registry, and then click Save Key (see Figure 1 on page x for details).
x Figure 1 Selecting the Save Key option Backing Up the Registry Key in Windows XP Professional 1 On the taskbar, click the Start button, and then click Run. 2 Type regedt32, and then click OK. 3 Click the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on the Local Machine hive. 4 Click Software, and then click 3D Systems. 5 Right-click Registry in the menu bar, and then click Export.
Installing Buildstation 5.5 Software NOTE! If you normally use a virus protection program on your SLA system controller, turn it off, or override its monitoring of the system before installing Buildstation 5.5 software. Manually run virus protection between builds. Running virus protection automatically can cause build failures. Also, add virus protection updates manually between builds. 1 If you are installing from a compact disk (CD), insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive of the controller on your SLA system and proceed to Step 3. If you are installing the software from a zip archive, extract the installation files to a temporary directory. To obtain the software from 3D Systems web site, proceed to Obtaining and Installing Your Buildstation 5.5 Software License on page xii. 2 Using Windows Explorer, locate the drive and directory that contains the installation files. This would be the CD-ROM drive if you are installing the software from the CD-ROM, or the temporary directory to which you extracted the files in Step 1. Double-click the Setup.exe file to launch the automatic installation program. 3 When the Welcome dialog appears, click Next. 4 Read the licensing agreement in the Software License Agreement dialog box and select YES to accept the terms of the agreement. 5 Review the Readme File in the Information dialog box and the click Next. 6 When the Choose Destination Location dialog appears, choose Browse to display the Choose Folder dialog. Type in a valid folder name, or use the Browse button to select a folder. If you type in a non-existent folder name, the dialog will ask if you want to create the folder. When ready, accept the location and continue the installation by clicking Next to bring up the Select Components dialog. 7 From the list of machine types, select the one that matches your system and then click Next. 8 When the Select Program Folder dialog appears, click Next to place the Buildstation software launch icon on your Start>Programs menu. xi
xii Click this program icon whenever you wish to start the Buildstation software. 9 When the Setup Complete dialog appears, click the check box if you wish to view the readme file, and then click Finish. Obtaining and Installing Your Buildstation 5.5 Software License In order to use this software, you must obtain a valid software license for each SLA system on which you intend to run the software. Obtain the license files from the 3D Systems web site. Before visiting the web site, have the following information available: SLA machine type and machine serial number. The machine serial number is located on the rear panel of the machine. Current Lightyear and Buildstation software versions. Your company name, complete mailing address, and phone number. The HOST IDs of the SLA systems for which you wish to obtain license files. The HOSTID (sometimes referred to as the physical address of the Ethernet card, or the MAC address) can be determined as follows: 1 Open the Command Prompt (DOS window) window. a On the taskbar, click the Start button, and then click Run. b Type cmd then click OK. 2 Use the DOS Change Directory command to navigate to the \bin directory where Buildstation 5.5 software is installed. If you accept the default installation directory, type the following commands: a Type C: and press <Enter>. b Type cd c:\winsla\bin (or appropriate path). c Press <Enter>. 3 From the \bin directory, type the command Imutil Imhostid and press <Enter>.
xiii This command queries your system and returns a unique serial number (HOSTID) from your network card. 4 Record the HOSTID code. 5 Repeat Step 1 through Step 4 for each machine. NOTE You will be required to install the resulting license file on this SLA system. License files are SLA system-specific; so if you are installing Buildstation 5.5 software on multiple machines, take steps now to identify this machine with its unique host identification code. 6 Go to 3D Systems web site at www.3dsystems.com and navigate to the software download page. 7 On the software download page, fill in all the fields on the form, and then press the Submit button. 8 You will be prompted for information needed to create your licenses before you download the software. Be prepared to enter the serial number of the SLA system and the associated HOSTID. Repeat this process if you have more than one SLA system that you wish to license. After you have entered all of the HOSTIDS, choose to download the software. The license files will be E-mailed to the address you listed on the form. Upon receiving the license files, copy the appropriate license.dat file to the \bin folder of each machine and rename the file to license.dat. ************************************** 2005 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 Viper are trademarks of 3D Systems. All other product names or services are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.
xiv This page has been intentionally left blank.