v1.36
Welcome to printer software v1.36!
In this release, we’ve included the following improvements to your print process:
- Fine-tuned timing mechanisms for increased fidelity to the print plan
- Faster print times for EPU 41 Black
- Additional auto-orientation options
- New manual supports interface
- Editable parameters for support structures
- New print profile for EPU prints on L1 printers
- New wash profiles for the Smart Part Washer
- Improvements to the user experience on the new M3 printer
- Various issue resolutions
We look forward to hearing from you about this release. Keep printing great parts and sharing your feedback. If you have any questions, please contact the Carbon Support Team at [email protected].
Version Details
- v1.36.0-1288-83 released to select printers 7/21/2022
- v1.36.0-1288-94 released to select printers 8/4/2022
- v1.36.0-1288.97 released to select printers 8/18/2022 through 9/09/2022
- v1.36.0-1288.98 released to M3 printers 9/1/2022 through 9/12/2022
As part of an ongoing effort to provide industry-leading accuracy, reliability, and repeatability, the printer’s timing mechanisms before, during, and after each slice have been fine-tuned by eliminating a minor communication latency at some steps within the printing process to protect against the possibility of unintended deviation from the print plan.
This change brings increased precision and consistency to the amount of light delivered to the parts (the “dose”). There is, on average, a <1% increase in delivered dose based on the eliminated communication latency (with no change to commanded light intensity or exposure time). Importantly, this change does not alter the print plan used to produce your parts, the way the printer interprets the print plan, or the mechanical properties of printed parts.
You may notice a very slight reduction in print time (roughly a 10-second reduction per hour of print time, depending on key factors such as your slice thickness and other print plan details).
In order to provide faster print times for parts printed in EPU 41 Black, this resin will be heated to a minimum of 35oC to lower resin viscosity. This change reflects best practices from the field based on existing production applications of this resin. Mechanical properties of printed parts and the pot life of liquid resin are not meaningfully impacted by this change.
Note that this change only applies when the resin is used with hardware with heating capabilities (L1, M3, and M2 printers using a C5 heated cassette).
Our popular auto-orient tool has exited its beta phase and is now fully released. As part of this evolution, the tool now provides up to three options for your part:
- Recommended Orientation: Carbon’s primary recommended orientation that weighs key factors such as a part’s cross-sections, resin flow distance, unvented volumes, overhangs, islands, and z-height to suggest an orientation likely to achieve a successful print.
- Easier to Support: This option prioritizes a part that is more self-supporting. You may find that this option suggests an orientation that you find easier to work with.
- Reduce Z-Height: This option offers a low-profile orientation that still may offer a good printing outcome. You may find that this option is attractive if you are printing just one or a few parts and are looking for a fast print time.
In some cases, you may find that suggestions are duplicated (for example, the second or third option may be the same as the first option). In this case, the algorithm was not able to find an outcome that out-performed the displayed option for the factors considered.
An additional minor change: when using auto-orientation, you have always been able to specify whether you would like your part orientated for printing on- or above-platform (with “above-platform” indicating that you intend to elevate your part on a bed of supports). However, in printer software v1.32-1.35, if you opted for “above-platform,” your part would not actually be moved off the platform until you chose “above-platform” in the Supports workflow. With this v1.36 software update, this behavior has been altered to be more intuitive: if you opt for an above-platform orientation using the auto-orient tool, your part will automatically be moved 6 millimeters above the platform.
The auto-orientation tool is not validated for dental applications.
Functionality for adding manual supports has been integrated into the supports panel on the right-hand side of your screen. This change provides a cleaner, easier-to-use interface and allows for more fulsome support capabilities in this and future releases. You’ll find an updated layout to set or confirm your part position (on- or above-platform); select the part(s) you want to support; and access patch, fence, and bar support tools.
As a part of this change, the following improvements are also available:
- You can now select, view, and work on multiple parts (rather than just one at a time) when adding support structures. This will streamline workflows for prints that include multiple parts. Note that you will still need to click on a part to select it before adding supports.
- Generated supports and ungenerated support points or patches can be bulk-deleted by clicking and dragging to form a box around the desired supports and support points. To begin selecting an area with your cursor off a part, simply click and drag. To begin selecting an area with your cursor on a part, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) while clicking and dragging (as clicking without the associated keyboard shortcut will simply select the part).
- When you generate multiple bar supports, structures will now only truss with other supports generated at the same time, and not with previously-generated support structures. This change provides better predictability and transparency about how supports will behave.
- The order in which support types are accessed via the user interface (left to right) is now patch, fence, bar (rather than bar, fence, patch), to better reflect Carbon’s recommendations about the utility of each support option. Note that the dedicated button to add/remove a single bar support has been removed (you can still delete a single bar support by selecting it, then pressing your “delete” key).
- Controls for patch supports are now located in the right-hand pane, rather than as a pop-out tooltip, to allow for more visibility of the area you are working to support.
To allow for greater flexibility, you can now specify key parameters for your bar and fence supports. Suggested values are provided and depend on your resin selection. Making no changes to support attributes will continue to use Carbon’s default settings.
Possible applications of changing your support parameters include:
- Selecting smaller support tips (the part that touches your part) to support very fine features, or to simplify post-processing
- Selecting wider support bases (the part that touches the platform) or tips (the part that touches the part) for taller z-heights, or to troubleshoot situations in which supports have detached from the part or platform during printing
- Using thicker bars or fences to provide greater stability without increasing attachment points
- … and more, depending on your print goals
Note that you can create support structures on different areas of your part with different parameters by generating multiple sets of supports, applying the appropriate parameters each time.
If you rely on Carbon-published best practices or SOPs for certain types of parts (eg, dental models or appliances), please keep in mind that no alterations to support parameters have been specifically validated for these applications at this time. However, you are welcome to experiment with changes to workflows that you believe may suit your needs at your own discretion.
The patch support tool is not affected by this release, but will offer additional editable parameters in future releases. Basic and Advanced (FEA) auto-supports continue to offer the same functionality, and can be accessed by selecting “Automatic” in the supports user interface.
You can learn more about using supports – and get a refresh on other functionality – by reviewing the “Printer UI” course on Carbon Academy. Sign in, then search for the course name or click this link Supports (note that you must be signed in to Carbon Academy in order for the direct link to bring you to the course).
As more customers are showing an interest in printing parts in EPU resins on L1 printers, we’ve made it easier to achieve better outcomes from the get-go with a print plan optimized for this use case. This new print profile, “L1 B1 EPU Default,” can be selected from the Print profile dropdown (in the Print Controls section of the print preparation interface).
This print profile may provide a better starting point for certain geometries printed on an L1 using EPU 40 or EPU 41 Black, compared to the Default print plan. Please take note of the following points:
- While the print profile is specifically validated for use on Type B cassettes, it is expected to also work well with Type C cassettes.
- You may expect better printability and faster print times compared to the Default print plan; though keep in mind that results may vary depending on part geometry and the specifics of your build.
- This print profile cannot be used with M-series printers.
- Print times produced by the print planner may be inaccurate, as this print profile is heavily dependent on Force Feedback to react to the real forces of each print. The amount of variability will differ by project, but may be significant. When quoting projects that use this print profile, we recommend that you print at least once and use the actual print time rather than the print planner estimate to avoid under- or over-quoting based on expected print time.
This print profile has been optimized to print well for a wide variety of applications. However, your specific project may have different needs. Based on our testing, we suggest that you be aware of the following parameters:
- Adhesion: At the base of the part, this print profile uses 15x the nominal exposure for each resin. If you see flashing at the base of your part, this setting may be too high for your application. To adjust, use Advanced Controls to lower the base exposure. Begin by trying a 10x base exposure multiplier and, if needed, decrease by an additional 1x each print until the issue is resolved. If problems persist, reach out to Carbon for assistance.
- Motor Pump Speeds: This print profile uses a relatively conservative motor pump speed. If you find that your part prints successfully, and you would like to try to optimize print time, use Advanced Controls to increase the pump speeds. Conversely, if you see defects in your print, use Advanced Controls to decrease the pump speeds to ~50% of the default value. If problems persist, reach out to Carbon for assistance.
- Pre-Exposure Delays: This print profile may suggest conservative pre-exposure delays, which may improve print outcomes but also increase print times. If your part is printing successfully but you would like to decrease print time, use Advanced Controls to decrease the pre-exposure delays to 50% or less of the suggested value. Note that decreasing the pre-exposure delays may cause defects in some parts.
If you do not have access to Advanced Controls, but would like to make any of the adjustments noted above, contact Carbon for assistance.
To enable wash techniques suited to a broader range of part applications, the Carbon Smart Part Washer now has four new wash profiles that you can select when preparing your build.
The new wash profiles are as follows:
- Extreme – 5 Cycles: Uses more wash cycles (five shorter cycles instead of three longer ones, netting the same total solvent exposure time), increased wash torque, and a longer final spin; best suited for parts with small features and/or holes (such as connectors) or vertically oriented housings with small areas facing the platform
- Extreme – Single Cycle: Uses just a single wash cycle to result in a fast wash time; best suited for post-processing on production runs with very short print times
- Solvent Submerge Only: Offers a solvent dunk only, with no spin; best suited for large parts that may fall off the platform if spun
- Air Spin Only: Spins parts without solvent exposure; best suited for parts that are very sensitive to solvent exposure, or as a secondary wash cycle following a solvent wash
- Note: The Smart Part Washer is not designed to be used to only run Air Spin cycles, as this could result in a build-up of liquid resin on interior washer walls. Alternate Air Spin cycles with solvent-based cycles for washer health. If you have an application that may be a candidate for solventless cleaning, contact Carbon to discuss alternate cleaning solutions.
To select a wash profile, navigate to the Print Controls section of the print preparation interface. There, you will find a new Wash Profile section, where you can choose your desired wash profile from a drop-down menu. New wash profiles must be selected as part of print preparation, and cannot be selected at the washer. Wash profiles are compatible with accessories such as the M3 platform adapter and the washer basket (for washing parts off-platform).
Choosing a wash profile is optional; you are still able to select any of the three original wash plans (Gentle, Default, and Extreme) at the Smart Part Washer front screen when starting a wash. Controls at the washer may also be used to override the wash profile selected during print preparation if desired.
Update for v1.36.0-1288.94
- Resolved an issue that caused the on-washer display to show unclear names for these new wash profiles.
While the features described above are the most noticeable and impactful changes in this software release, there are a few more minor changes you might want to be aware of.
- Adjusted the door opening/closing settings for M3 printers to ensure a consistent door opening/closing experience
- Added slice thickness measurements (in addition to existing indications of Standard/Fine/Super-fine) to the print prep UI to provide more thorough information about your print
- Added a safety check to abort the print if a platform becomes unlocked during printing (rare)
- Resolved an issue that caused the sound on some M3 printers to function incorrectly; note that with this adjustment, the sound on all M3 printers will reset to defaults (sound on; volume at 60%); please adjust your settings if you previously chose to mute or change the volume of your printer (on the touchscreen of your printer, go to Settings -> Adjust Volume)
- Reduced the incidence of unnecessary alerts (particularly regarding the oxygen system) for M3 printers
- Resolved an issue that blocked users from accessing the Project Analysis for prints in which an M2C5 heated cassette has been explicitly selected
- Resolved an issue that occasionally erroneously caused L1 prints to abort due to an indication that the LED was overtemperature (when in fact the LED temperature was fine)
- Resolved two issues to provide clearer, more accurate status messages after a printer is power-cycled during platform homing after a print (rare)
- Resolved several related issues that were causing a sub-optimal workflow when restoring functionality after a printer loses power during a print (rare)
- Resolved an issue that prevented cross-printer queuing
- Resolved an issue in which an unnecessary error message was temporarily displayed before some prints (rare)
- Adjusted the oxygen system controller to avoid unnecessarily aborting prints due to transient errors
- Resolved an issue with the oxygen concentrator that caused aborted prints on some M3 printers
We love hearing from you about your workflow, your parts, and how to improve. Keep your insightful feedback and ratings coming. We read them carefully and follow up when you request that we contact you. If you prefer real-time feedback, you can always email the Carbon Service Team, [email protected].