Print On Pencil Bags - GrabCAD Print Pro
This tutorial will guide you through utilizing the new GrabCAD Print Pro features with the J55 Prime 3D printer to print custom designs on canvas pencil bags.
The design and setup techniques demonstrated here can also be applied to printing on various other substrates.
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Step 1: Getting Started
First, gather the necessary supplies. You will need:
- Your J3 or J5 Printer
- GrabCAD Print Pro Software
- Double Sided Tape - LINK
- Pencil Bags - LINK
- Foam or Printed Insert Block
- Optional - Stratasys 2D23D Design Software - LINK
- Example Files for Tutorial - LINK
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Step 2: Creating The Design
Fabric printing has unique design requirements based on the need for the materials to bend and change shape. Large blocky geometries can lead to printed parts cracking, especially with rigid Vero materials. It is recommended that large individual elements and large flat surfaces be avoided to avoid print quality issues. For more details about design for printing on fabric, check out this learning module - LINK
To easily convert 2D images into 3D printable fabric designs, check out the free 2D23D software tool. The download link for the program can be found in Step 1.
Your final design should include 3 elements: bag locators, an air body, and the model to be printed on the object. These three elements need to be brought into GrabCAD Print as an assembly. Using a program like KeyShot, Magics, or Blender is recommended to align your bodies if they are not all designed within the same program.
- The Locators show you where to place the bag on the print tray to align the final design to the bag
- The Air Void body is the same height as the object you are attempting to print on. It is recommended to leave a small gap of 1 to 2 mm to account for tape and the print head offset
- The Model is what you want printed on top of your inserted object.
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Step 3: Importing The Design
Load your design and center it on the build tray. It is important to keep in mind the extra space required for the bag to fit on the tray. On a J55 Prime printer, two pencil bags can be fit on the build tray at once.
For this example, the design is an assembly of three different .3MF files. To import them properly the Add as Assembly option is used under the File dropdown menu.
The design includes all three elements needed - locators, an air-void body, and the final model. Be sure to write down or save the total height of the air-void body. This will define the pause height in the following steps.
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Step 4: GrabCAD Print Set Up
Open GrabCAD Print and set up your printer settings. For this example, a J55 Prime is used in a full-color configuration (VeroUltraWhiteS, VeroUltraBlackS, VeroCyan, VeroMagenta, VeroYellow)
You must make sure the Print Directly on Tray checkbox is checked within your Tray Settings. This ensures the design will print directly on the tray and object with no bed of support material.
Assign the locators any unique color and assign the Air Void body as an Air Void within the Tray Materials menu. Also, verify that within the Model Settings menu, your assembly is set to Glossy part finish. It is highly recommended to not use support material when printing on fabric.
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Step 5: Print on Object Menu
Once the assembly is aligned on the build tray, open the Print on Object menu. Click the Add a Stop button to add a pause within the build. A layer number or height can be designated to pause the printer to insert your pencil bag. For this example, the pencil bag is about 12mm tall with the printed insert inside the bag. The stop height is set to 13mm (0.51") to account for the tape and a slight gap between the roller and insert pencil bag.
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Step 6: Send Job to Printer
Click the Print button to send the job to the printer. Verify all the print settings and pause height are correct within the Print Summary window and click Send.
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Step 7: Pre-Print
Before starting the job, grab a pencil bag, double-sided tape, and a printed or foam insert. The insert helps keep the pencil bag flat during printing. Place a small piece of double-sided tape at the top of the insert and place it within the pencil bag. Try to center the insert within the bag for best results.
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Step 8: Starting the Job & Pause
Start the job by clicking the start arrow on the main printer screen. After the job starts printing, you can leave the machine and come back after it pauses. This example pauses after about 30 min. of printing.
Once the job pauses, open the printer door and inspect the locator markers. If they are printed where expected, cut a piece of double-sided tape slightly longer than the pencil bag and place it directly in the middle of the locators.
Place and align the pencil bag on top of the tape using the locators for reference. Ensure the top surface is flat and secure the edges of the pencil bag to the tape to prevent them from lifting and contacting the roller.
In this example, the locators are designed to align with the insert, not the edges of the bag itself.
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Step 9: Tray Height Adjustment
When a pause is inserted in the job using the Print On Object menu, the printer will automatically open the Tray Height Adjustment wizard during the pause.
There are three types of tray height adjustment available in the wizard:
- Continue from Planned Stop - This is used if the object is placed inside a jig or locator and the top surface of the insert does not exceed the height of the jig. This can also be used if you have an air body in your model to account for the height of the insert.
- Semi-Automatic - The user defines the height of the inserted object. The printer rotates the bed and raises the Z-axis until the roller is activated. This is ideal for rigid inserts that are properly secured in place.
- Manual - The user defines the height of the inserted object and verifies the height manually by rotating the tray and adjusting the final tray height.
For this example, the Continue with Planned Stop option is selected. The height of the pencil bag is accounted for in the air body of the model.
Once the wizard is complete, restart the job by clicking on the start arrow on the main menu again.
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Step 10: Final Part
After the printer is finished remove the pencil bag from the tape and remove the insert from within the pencil bag. Use the printer scrapper to remove the locators and tape from the build tray
Congratulations! You have your design on a pencil bag!
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