Customize Parts and Increase Efficiency With New PreForm Features & Shareable Print Settings

Post-processing small or fragile SLS 3D printed parts can be tedious and time-consuming, requiring focus and additional care. Part Cages allow for batch post-processing of small parts, reducing the time spent cleaning each individual part. Simply shake out the powder when sifting and media blast before breaking open the cage using a pair of pliers or a Dremel. When it comes to fragile parts, suspending them in a Part Cage can reduce the damage to parts when cleaning with other parts.

We recommend the following when using Part Cages: 

• Using a wall thickness of 1.5 mm for most cages helps the structure stay intact during post-processing while being easy enough to break open afterward. Most users use pliers or a Dremel to open cages, but at 1.5 mm, cages can often be opened with your hands in most cases. Eye protection should always be worn when opening cages.
• Always try to make sure your bar spacing — the size of the holes in your cage — is less than or equal to the size of the parts in your cage so they do not fall out. Larger holes are easier to clean and use less powder. 

To learn more ways to level up the post-processing of SLS 3D printed parts, check out our webinar on advanced post-processing techniques.

Hollowing models creates an internal cavity that reduces the amount of material used for a print. Hollow parts aren’t as strong as solid parts, so it is recommended that hollowing be used for models and not functional parts. When using hollowing, it’s strongly recommended to add drain holes to the model using the Hole feature to ensure resin can flow out of the hollow cavity, thereby preventing print failures.

In addition to using drain holes to enable the resin to escape hollow parts, you can also use them when cups — areas where liquid resin can pool — are detected in a build and there’s no way to reorient the model to avoid them. PreForm will alert you to the presence of cups, with yellow shading indicating the cup's location. 

To ensure a successful print, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind when creating hollow models or adding drain holes to a model:

• Don’t make the walls too thin as this has the potential to lead to print failures. 
• Adding drain holes is strongly recommended when using hollowing for SLA 3D printing. When printing hollow parts with SLA, failure to use the Holes feature in hollow parts can cause resin to collect in the hollow cavity and can cause print failures. 
• Place the drain hole at the bottom of the part so the resin can flow out with gravity. 
• Placing too many drain holes may reduce the structural integrity of the part, potentially leading to print failures.

In February, we released Formlabs Texture Engine, a free, web-based tool built to apply textures and patterns to the surface of 3D printed models. The latest update adds this tool to PreForm, enabling the addition of textures and patterns to models directly in PreForm.

Texturing changes the look and feel of 3D printed parts, so you can achieve a custom finish. We recommend experimenting with patterns and textures, and customizing and changing settings to see what works best for your application. Note that due to the power of this tool, complex textures might slow down PreForm performance.

Prior to this update, users wishing to add labels to parts for customization or part tracking needed to add this information to a model before bringing it into PreForm for print setup. Now, it’s easy to add labels anywhere on a model within PreForm. 

Labels can be embossed or engraved on models. Users can scale the size of the label, place it anywhere on a model, and even control the depth of engraved text or the height of embossed text.

In healthcare settings, labels are used to track parts from model through post-processing to finished part, ensuring customized, patient-matched parts reach their intended recipient. However, labeling parts can benefit numerous industries, minimizing communication errors and increasing efficiency. 

Enhance customization by personalizing parts with serial numbers, customer names, or other relevant information to improve part management, for easier identification throughout the production process. Rather than risk mixing up paperwork, relaying messages, or dealing with workflow disruptions, labeling ensures parts move through post-processing as efficiently as is possible while reducing the potential for errors.