General Rapid Prototyping Questions

Q: What is SLA^®?

A: The acronym SLA^® stands for Stereolithography Apparatus. Stereolithography is an additive fabrication process utilizing a vat of liquid UV-curable photopolymer "resin" and a UV laser to build parts one layer at a time. Benchmark Parts built with Stereolithography are highly accurate and have a good surface finish. For more information feel free to visit the SLA^® Wikipedia entry. If you'd like to learn more about the various 3D Systems^®' SLA^® offerings, please visit our SLA^® product pages.

Q: What is SLS^®?

A: The acronym SLS^® stands for Selective Laser Sintering. It is an additive rapid manufacturing technique that uses a high power laser (for example, a carbon dioxide laser) to fuse small particles of plastic, metal, or ceramic powders into a mass representing a desired 3-dimensional object. Benchmark Parts built via Selective Laser Sintering are accurate and quite durable. For more information feel free to visit the SLS^® Wikipedia entry. If you'd like to learn more about the various 3D Systems^®' SLS^® offerings, please visit our SLS^® product pages.

Q: What is an STL file?

A: The STL file is the industry standard for rapid prototyping and the format required to get instant on-line quotes. The STL file format is simply a mesh of triangles wrapped around a CAD model. The size of the STL file is driven by two factors, the complexity of the surface and the faceting options used to create the STL file The more complex the surface, the more triangles produced. For example, if using simple geometry (not a lot of curves) the file may only be a couple hundred kilobytes. For complex models, 1 - 5MB file sizes will produce good parts. The key faceting options are Chord Tolerance (deviation) and Angular Control (angle tolerance). These options will change the number of triangles and therefore the faceting or resolution on your STL file. The faceting or resolution will determine the relative coarseness or smoothness of a curved area. Additionally the more triangles placed on the surface of the model, the larger the STL file.

Q: How do I create an STL file?

A: Always save STL files in binary format to reduce the file size. Some CAD systems will generate error messages during STL conversion showing that some part geometry is outside of the positive X, Y, Z quadrant or is in negative space. These warning messages can be ignored.

FROM SOLIDWORKS

• Click on File > Save As. Select the path where you wish to save the file
• For File Type, use the drop-down arrow, choose .stl. Click Options
• Options - select Binary for file type
• Options - Total Quality: Choices are Coarse, Fine, and Custom. Choosing Custom allows access to Total Quality and Detail Quality sliders and fields
• In most cases, selecting Fine will produce an acceptable file. For custom, enter .001" or .002" for Deviation and 10 degrees for Angle Tolerance

FROM PROENGINEER

• Click on File > Save As
• Select the file type STL
• In the Export STL dialog box, set Format to Binary
• Set the Chord Height to .001". The field will be replaced by a minimum acceptable value for the geometry of the model
• Set Angle Control to .5
• Name the file and click the OK button
• Pro/Engineer will save your STL file, and display your triangles on the screen

FROM UNIGRAPHICS

• Select File, Export, then Rapid Prototyping
• Ensure it's binary. Set triangle to .001'' or .025mm
• Type in the file name, make sure the extension is .stl. Then select OK
• In class selection, select All, then OK
• Then discontinue, then OK

FROM INVENTOR

• Click on File > Save Copy As
• Select STL
• Choose Options > Set to High
• Enter File Name
• Save

Q: What Technology should I use for my build?

A: The answer to this question boils down to the application of your benchmark part. Follow the link to our Material Selector Guide for a better understanding of the different technologies and how they can work for you.

Q: Which Material should I use for my build?

A: We produce many proven materials with a variety of different properties. Follow the link to our Material Selector Guide for a better understanding of the different materials and how they could be applied for you.

Q: What Finish levels are available?

A: After your benchmark part has been built, it will go through some basic post processing. The levels of post processing can vary based upon the technology and material selected. The three finish options that we offer are as follows:

• Unfinished (Supports Removed, Clean Any Uncured Resin And Cure Parts)
• Natural Finish (Includes Unfinished Options Plus Wet Sanding To 320 Grit)
• Standard Matte (Includes Natural Finish Options Plus A Blasted Exterior Matte Finish)

Q: What do the different Style options mean?

A: Build styles relate to different methods of performing a build. Any of the following may or may not be available to you based on the technology and material that you select for your benchmark part build.

• Exact - An SLA^® build style that is accurate to 0.003 of an inch.
• Fast - An SLA^® build style that is accurate to 0.005 of an inch.
• High Resolution - An SLA^® build style that is accurate to 0.0015 of an inch using a High Resolution beam.
• HD - A ProJet^™ build style with a minimum layer thickness of 0.0016 inches and a resolution of 328(X) x 328(Y) x 606(Z) DPI.
• Tooling - An SLA^® build style for injection tooling applications that is accurate to 0.0001 of an inch.
• UHD - A ProJet^™ build style with a minimum layer thickness of 0.0012 inches and a resolution of 656(X) x 656(Y) x 800(Z) DPI.
• Quickcast - A hollow, honeycomb, build style intended for investment casting that is accurate to 0.004 of an inch.

Q: Why is the Part Orientation important?

A: The orientation of part impacts a build in a few different ways. Firstly, the rotation of the part impacts the quality of the finished product. On SLA^® builds, the down facing surface must be supported. These supports, while small, must be removed in post processing. The part can be cleaned and/or sanded, but the supported surface quality may not match the non supported surfaces. Cost is another factor. The Z height of a part impacts the amount of time needed to build your part. The taller the build, the longer it takes, and subsequently, the more it costs. To keep costs down, our quotation system assumes that your part will be built with the minimum Z height. The technician will balance part quality with build speed to derive the optimal build. If however, you are familiar with the build process and require your part to be built a certain way, then please check the "Build As Sent" option for your quote.

Q: Why do I have to enter in my part's Measurement Units?

A: Unfortunately, the STL file format does not include the unit of measure of your part. In order to build your part correctly, we need you to enter in this information.

Ordering Questions

Q: How long will it take to receive my benchmark part build?

A: Ship dates are dependent on the material selected and the size of the build. Our technicians will be in touch with you, once you save your quote, to give you an accurate estimate.

Q: Who do I contact with questions about my build?

A: If you have questions about your order, feel free to contact customer service at (803) 326-4080, or you can use the Contact Form.

Q: Is my data secure?

A: Your files don't leave your computer until you place an order. We use Java technology to process your file; we then send the part data (not the file itself) to the server for a quote. All data is protected with 128 bit encryption over https. Once your files are on our servers, they will protected in a secure directory, and they will only be accessible by our technicians. Once your part is built, your file will be deleted from our servers. Your data security is our highest priority and we take it seriously.

Q: Why am I being asked to submit a manual quote?

A: If you submit a part for quote that is larger than the size of our build platform, then you will be asked to submit a manual quote. Double check your measurement units before submitting a manual quote. It's possible you meant to submit your part in mm, but selected inches instead.

Q: What forms of payment do you accept?

A: At present, we accept all major forms of credit card.

Q: How long are saved quotes valid?

A: Saved quotes will be valid for 30 days from the date of submission. Please note that you will be required to send your file(s) to our servers prior to saving a quote. We will store you files until your order is build, or the 30 day window expires, whichever comes first.

Q: Can I cancel my order?

A: Due to the nature of this type of transaction, you cannot cancel your order online. However, if the build process has yet to start, we will accept cancellations over the phone. Please contact customer service at (803) 326-4080.

Technical Website Questions

Q: Who do I contact with questions about this website?

A: Technical questions can logged with the Contact Form.

Q: What is Java and why am I being asked to install it?

A: Java is a technology that was developed by SUN Microsystems. It enables us to load and process your stl files on your local machine. Most service bureaus require that you send your entire file to their servers before you receive a quote. This method of quotation takes more time, and requires you to trust someone else with your proprietary data prior to an order being submitted. The Java Plugin allows us to process your file from any major browser, and on just about every computer Operating System. To read more about Java, please visit SUN Microsystems.

Q: I'm being told that ActiveX is disabled, how do I enable ActiveX?

A: If you're using Internet Explorer, Microsoft requires that you have ActiveX enabled in order to install and run the Java Plugin.

To enable ActiveX for IE 6.x and 7.0 for Windows: you can do the following:

• Click on "Tools" menu in the browser.
• Select "Internet Options" from the pull-down menu.
• Click on the "Security" tab on the top portion.
• Click on the "Custom Level" button on the 'Internet' zone option.

You will see a scroll-down menu with radio buttons. Select the 'Enable' radio button for the following menu choices:

• Run ActiveX Controls and Plugins
• Script ActiveX Controls Marked Safe for Scripting

Then do the following:

• Click on the "Ok" button to exit and save.
• Click on the "Ok" button again to exit out of Internet Options menu.
• Now, exit your browser and restart! ActiveX should now be enabled. You're all set!

Q: I'm being asked to install a Quotation Applet, is it safe?

A: In order to process your files, we had to create an "applet" that uses Java technology. The first time you run the applet, you will be prompted to accept a security certificate. This certificate grants our applet the right to open, and process, your STL files. You must accept this certificate if you would like to use our online quotation service. We assure you that it is completely secure and that your data is safe.

Q: What are the prerequisites to use the quotation website?

A: This website should work on any major operating system that is running Microsoft's Internet Explorer (6.0+), Firefox (2.0+), Opera (9.2+), and Safari (3.1+). If you encounter any technical issues, please contact technical support with the

Contact Form.

Q: When my files are uploaded to your servers, are they secure?

A: Your proprietary data is treated with the highest respect. All data is encrypted before it is sent to our servers. Once on our servers, your data is stored in a secured directory that is only accessible by a select set of build technicians. As soon as your build has completed, your files will be deleted from our servers.

Q: Why am I being asked to register?

A: We require that you register with the site for your security as well as ours. We assure you that your personal information is safe, and that we'll never sell your private data to any third parties.