Meet the 3D Printers!

At TPZ, we have an entire print farm with 10 Dremel 3D45 printers, located in the entrance hallway on the first floor. They print with PLA (polylactic acid) plastic in various colors. On the lower shelves we have our printers labelled L1-L5 and the top shelves we have M1-M5. On 3DPrinterOS you’ll see the name of the printer along with the material and color (ex. L2 - PLA - Red). You’ll get to know these printers very well as you use them throughout your time at TPZ!

Getting Ready

1. Go to 3DPrinterOS.
2. Sign in using your JumpCloud information.
3. You are all set to start using 3DPrinterOS!

Upload Your File

1. On the homepage, click the green Add Files button towards the top right corner.

1. Click the Select from Computer button, select the file(s) you wish to upload, and click the Open button.

Prep Your File

1. On the file you just uploaded, select the white Layout button to reorient the model.

2. On the Layout page, you have tools to help with reorientation. You can move the viewing position by right clicking and holding your mouse within the print box and moving it around. You can use any of the following tools at the top of the screen to adjust the layout of your file:
• MOVE- The page opens with the Move button selected by default. Go to the right and select the Center button and the On Bed button. If the model is out of the print box, a red message will appear at the top telling you. If you don’t want the model in the center, you can use the arrows on the model OR you can type in the position value in the X/Y/Z (mm) boxes.

• ROTATE- You want the file to be laying on a flat surface of the model to help best with adhering to the print surface, while also retaining the best possible details and strength. To do this, select the Rotate button. You can use either the rotational arrows on the model itself OR you can simply type in the degree of rotation for the axes shown. You can also select the -/+90 buttons to simplify the rotation.


*If your model has no flat surfaces, or you’re unsure of how to best orient the print, you can select the Optimal Rotate button and the program will orient it for you.

• SCALE- Your print should ideally already be scaled to the correct proportions you want, but if it's not, no problem! You can select the Scale button and use the tools on the right to get it to the correct scale. If you want to make sure your print will scale proportionally, make sure the Keep Proportions switch is switched on. You can either type in the exact dimensions you want in the X/Y/Z (mm) boxes or the percent scale in the X/Y/Z (%) boxes. Make sure after you get it scale that the model is within the print box.

3. Once the model is oriented the way you want, select the green Slice button

in the top right corner. This will not slice it with the profiles available, but it will save the model as you set it to slice properly afterwards. Hit the white X button when the print window pops up, and you will see your file above the default file you uploaded earlier.

4. If you’d like, you can select the white dotted button on the right, click edit, rename the file, and select the green Save Changes button. Your file is moved to the Projects folder and is now ready to slice!

Slice Your File

1. On the model you want to send to the printer, select the green Slice button, or the green arrow button next to it and select Slicer 5 (Beta).
2. A window will pop up with the model and print settings. At the top is the Profile menu, where you can select which profile you wish to use for your print.
1. PLA Rough is best for a quick prototype of your product to help give you a general idea of a real world product. This profile will print quickest, but will not retain smaller details very well and provides a rougher resolution.
2. PLA Standard is best for well detailed products that gives a better idea for a final product, or even can be used for finalization and mass production if you’re happy with it. This profile will print at average speed and provides decent print resolution.
3. PLA Fine is best for a highly detailed final product that can be used for finalization and mass production. This profile will take the longest but provide great detail and very fine print resolution.

3. Once you have your profile selection, you’ll see boxes with various settings. We advise NOT changing the settings for the Material, Layer Height, Wall Thickness, or the Printing and Build Plate Temperatures. You can, however, adjust the Infill Density and Build Plate Adhesion Type if you’d like.
1. The higher the infill, the denser and stronger the print will be, but it will also mean increasing your print time and how much filament is used.
2. The different adhesion types are Brim, Skirt, Raft, and None. They appear as such:

4. If you would like the model to print with supports for the overhanging surfaces, make sure that Generate Support at the bottom left of the settings is checked. You can switch it off if you’d like, but know that any overhanging angles and surfaces could potentially print as a mess of stringy plastic as a result.
5. If you’re happy with the settings, you can go ahead and select the green Slice and Toolpath Preview button. You can see how the machine will print the model by either sliding the Range slider or by pressing the play button on the Animation option to see it play.

Time to Print!

1. Select the green Print button in the top right corner, and a selection window with all our 3D printers will come up. The ones with a green icon on the left are available for printing, and the ones with a gray icon are currently in use.

2. Select the printer you wish to use, and click the orange camera button to ensure the print bed is clear. Once you do, click out of the camera window and select the orange Print button at the bottom. * If there are no printers available, or the one you want is taken, don’t worry! You can find one you want and add it to the print queue by selecting the green Queue button.
3. A small questionnaire will pop up, asking about your print and what it's for. Please answer the prompts before continuing.

4. Once the printer is selected and the prompts are answered, select the green Continue with Print button and you’re all set! Your file has been sent to your printer and you’ll soon have a physical print in hand! Well done!

*Some Things to Note

1. If you change your mind after sending the print, you can select the white Cancel button, followed by the green Cancel Job button on the confirmation window. A window will pop up asking what the reason is for canceling. You can answer if you’d like, but you can just select the green Ok button or the white Close button to close the window.
2. If you’d like to see the progress on your print remotely, you can click on the Printers menu option at the top of the main page and select either the green camera icon next to your printer, or by clicking the Liveview Wall option toward the top left of the screen and see the progress of ALL the printers at once!