Basic Concepts

Native Services or Virtual Machine Services

You can import a DLL file to associate it with the machine in session. You can then display a list of services that you can add to or override the native services of the application. You can choose between using native or virtual machine services. The services available are as follows:

• Add or edit rules.
• Best orientation computation: Specify an orientation in which to print a given part.
• Nesting computation: Position the parts to print in the build envelope of the machine for a given set of parts and number of instances required.
  Note:

  You can show the build envelope as a cube surrounding a machine with Hide/Show Build Envelope in the Setup section of the action bar.

  Specify the value of the build envelope in the Rectangular Build Envelope section of the Reference Parameters dialog box.

• Scan path generation: Compute and order the scan path for a set of parts (and their supports) inside the build volume of the machine.
• Post processor services: Translate the geometry, slices, or scan path into a file that you can send to the machine to start the print.

Before importing the DLL file, you must create a reference DLL file implementing the following API:

int ComputeScanPathInAZone(const char* iParamsAsXML, const Object* iSlice, 
	                    Object *& oScanPath)

A file containing the API is available in <V6_install_dir>\startup\Additive\ExternalServices.h. The table below lists the parameters to define in the reference DLL file:

Parameter	Description
iParamsAsXML	Input parameter that corresponds to the XML content. The content describes the parameters to use for computation.
iSlice	Input parameter that corresponds to the C-structure. The structure contains the geometry of the zone where to generate the scan path and other parameters.
oScanPath	Output parameter that corresponds to the structure containing the generated path.

Virtual Machine

You can create a virtual machine based on DLL files provided by machine vendors. The services available are as follows:

• Best orientation computation: Specify an orientation in which to print a given part.
• Nesting computation: Position the parts to print in the build envelope of the machine for a given set of parts and number of instances required.
• Scan path generation: Compute and order the scan path for a set of parts (and their supports) inside the build volume of the machine.
• Post processor services: Translate the geometry, slices, or scan path into a file that you can send to the machine to start the print.

You can also associate a configuration file to virtual machines. Click a configuration file from the Configuration File list under the Services tab in the Reference Parameters dialog box. You can edit the files available in the Configuration File list under Me > Preferences.

Managing Machine Vendor Rules

When creating rules with the virtual machine, you can update the list of rules declared on the machine using the associated machine vendor DLL files. Click Update List of Rules under the Rules tab in the Reference Parameters dialog box.

Scanning Optics Definition

You can define scanning optics to manage lasers during the printing simulation process. You can give each parameter an associated Name and ID, which appears in the Scanning Optics dialog box.

Trajectories generated by the scan path computation are optimized based on each laser's parameters and position. These new trajectories are stated in the output files.

Scanning Optics Parameters

The following parameters are available:

Parameter	Description
Max Scan Speed	Specifies the maximum scanning speed. By default, the value is 10m/s.
Max Scan Power	Specifies the maximum scanning power. By default, the value is 600W.
Max Jump Speed	Specifies the maximum jump speed. By default, the value is 10m/s.

Beam Parameters

The following Beam parameters are available:

Parameter	Description
Focal Diameter	Specifies the beam focal diameter. By default, the value is 0.2mm.
Maximal Defocusing Length	Specifies the maximum defocusing length. By default, the value is 0.1mm.

Scope Parameters

Depending on the Shape Type selected (rectangle or circle), the following parameters are available:

Rectangle	Circle
Parameter Description Length By default, the value is the difference between the minimum and maximum Y value. Width By default, the value is the difference between the minimum and maximum X value.	Parameter Description Radius By default, the value is: 150mm.

You can edit these parameters directly in the work area.

Mirror Mounting Point Parameters

You can also define the Mirror Mounting Point using the X, Y, and Z coordinates. This is in the top center of the build envelop by default.

Chamber

You can define chamber parameters to specify parameters for the additive machine.

Parameter	Description
Gas Inlet Direction	Direction of the gas. By default, the value is along the x-axis (value = 0).
Gas Inlet Distribution Type	Distribution of the gas in the build chamber: lateral or from center to border.
Gas Inlet Area	Area of the entrance of the gas in the build chamber.

Rule Parameters

Depending on the scan path selected, the following parameters are available in the Global Parameters, Compose Strategy, and Scan Path Order tabs:

Global Parameters

The Global Parameters tab lets you detect slicing, upskin, and downskin.

Scan Path Rule: Name of the scan path rule.

Slicing step: Specifies how the part is cut along the z axis. By default, the value is 0.1mm.

Downskin	Upskin
Parameter Description Minimal Skin Width The specific value that a surface is considered downskin. By default, the value is 1mm. Number of Layers The specific number of downskin layers. By default, the value is 1. Restrict Core by Downskin If set to True, the scan path for the core does not overlap the scan path for downskin.	Parameter Description Minimal Skin Width The specific value that a surface is considered upskin. By default, the value is 1mm. Number of Layers The specific number of upskin layers. By default, the value is 1. Restrict Core by Upskin If set to True, the scan path for the core does not overlap the scan path for upskin.

Compose Strategy

The Compose Strategy tab contains the scan path definitions in each zone of application: Core, Downskin, and Upskin.

Zones Type: Core, Downskin, and Upskin.

Contouring

In Fill

Parameter Description Depth Orders the definitions from the most external one to the most internal one inside a zone. Definition Name of the definition. Periodicity Specifies the frequency of the scan path to apply to the slices. By default, the value is 1 (integer). Start Index of the first slice from which the definition is applied. Range Specifies a number of slices on which the scan path definition applies. Action Action available on the definition. You can edit or delete the definition.

Parameter Description Depth Orders the definitions from the most external one to the most internal one inside a zone. Definition Name of the definition. Periodicity Specifies the frequency of the scan path to apply to the slices. By default, the value is 1 (integer). Start Index of the first slice from which the definition is applied. Range Specifies a number of slices on which the scan path definition applies. Action Action available on the definition. You can edit or delete the definition.

Definition Parameters

Scanning Rule: Lists the existing scanning rules that you can link to the scan path definition inside the scan path rules. You can create a new scanning rule here if a rule does not already exist.

Contouring:

Contouring XY Strategy

Contouring Z Strategy

Parameter Description Number contouring pass Specifies the number of contouring passes to create. Radial step Specifies the space between two consecutive paths of the same scan path. By default, the value is 0.1mm. Offset from last contouring Specifies the space between the last contouring pass of the previous scan path and the current scan path. By default, the value is 0mm. Random starting point Starts the scan path at a random point of the contouring trajectory. From inner to outer passes If more than one contouring pass is defined, start the scan path from the inner pass to the outer one.

Parameter Description Periodicity Specifies the frequency of the scan path to apply to the slices. By default, the value is 1 (integer). Apply on a Range of Slice Applies the scan path definition to a certain number of slices. By default, the definition applies to all the slices starting from the value specified for the Starting slice parameter. Starting Slice Specifies a number of slices on which the scan path definition applies. Range of Slice Specifies a number of slices on which the scan path definition applies.

In Fill

Hatching	Stripe	Chessboard
Parameter Description Infill mode Specifies the scan path mode, such as back and forth, or one way. Angle rotation between slices Specifies a rotation angle between a given slice and the previous or next one. This is useful to alternate the direction of hatching for example . Hatching Direction Direction of the hatch pattern when applied for the first time. By default, the value is 0. Radial step Specifies the space between two consecutive paths of the same scan path. By default, the value is 0.1mm. Offset from last contouring Specifies the space between the last contouring pass of the previous scan path and the current scan path. By default, the value is 0mm.	Parameter Description Infill mode Specifies the scan path mode, such as back and forth, or one way. Angle rotation between slices Specifies a rotation angle between a given slice and the previous or next one. This is useful to alternate the direction of hatching for example . Stripe angle to Hatching direction Angle of the stripe toward the hatching direction. By default, the value is 90 degrees. Hatching Direction Direction of the hatch pattern when applied for the first time. By default, the value is 0. Stripe width Distance between two consecutive red dotted lines. Radial step Specifies the space between two consecutive paths of the same scan path. By default, the value is 0.1mm. Offset from last contouring Specifies the space between the last contouring pass of the previous scan path and the current scan path. By default, the value is 0mm.	Parameter Description Infill mode Specifies the scan path mode, such as back and forth, or one way. Angle rotation between slices Specifies a rotation angle between a given slice and the previous or next one. This is useful to alternate the direction of hatching for example . Stripe angle to Hatching direction Angle of the stripe toward the hatching direction. By default, the value is 90 degrees. Hatching Direction Direction of the hatch pattern when applied for the first time. By default, the value is 0. Square size Length of the square. Radial step Specifies the space between two consecutive paths of the same scan path. By default, the value is 0.1mm. Offset from last contouring Specifies the space between the last contouring pass of the previous scan path and the current scan path. By default, the value is 0mm.

Scan Path Order

The Scan Path Order tab lets you modify the order of the scan paths.

Output Formats

You can generate the following file formats when exporting: 3MF, SLC, CLI, STL, and AMF.

You can also select VM's extension to set the output format to that of the virtual machine. In this case, the Input Data Type is Custom Export.

Export Parameters

The following methods are available:

Method	Description
Geometry without support structure	Exports the geometry with the support structure.
Geometry with support structure	Exports the geometry without the support structure.
Only support structure	Exports only the support structure.

Check Build

You can check the build setup by clicking Check Build in the Generate Output dialog box. The resulting information is displayed in the Messages Reporting dialog box.

Generate Documentation

You can generate a shop floor documentation when exporting by selecting Generate Documentation.

If the Save output(s) in Manufacturing Cell option is activated, the documentation will be stored in the same NC container than the output. If not, it will be stored at the same location than the output.

You can generate the documentation along with the output file for the selected position parts. You can use either a default template or a customized template defined in Me > Preferences > Common Preferences > Additive Manufacturing > Powder Bed Fabrication.

See Customizing Preferences