About the Tray User Interface
The Tray tab consists of commands and shortcut menus.
• To print a model, click
File >
Print >
Prepare for 3D Printing.
• To create a new tray assembly, click
File >
New, under
Type select
Manufacturing, and under
Sub-type, select
Additive Manufacturing.
Preparation Group
• Printer—Selects a 3D printer from the list.
◦ Printer > General printer—Allows you to organize your tray assemblies when you are not connected to a printer. Not specific to a certain type of printer.
◦ Printer > Service printers—Printers that are located at a service bureau, to which you send your files for 3D printing.
◦ Printer > Installed printers—Printers that are physically available at your organization. Can be connected directly to the machine, or through a network.
◦ Printer >
Printing Profiles—Opens the
Printing Profiles dialog box.
◦ Printer >
Printer Information—Displays information about the printer you selected.
◦ Printer > Printers List—Opens the 3D Printers dialog box where you add or remove printer definitions.
◦ Printers > Printing Quality—Sets the quality of the printing. You can select High Quality to print every layer, High Speed to print two layers at a time, or Digital Materials to use more than a single material.
| When you print using several materials, you can only print in Digital Materials mode. The quality of the printing is automatically set by the printer. |
• Assemble—Adds a part or an assembly to the printer tray.
• Arrange on Tray ◦ Arrange on Tray—Positions the models on the tray using the
Creo algorithm.
◦ Printer Auto Position—Positions the models on the tray using the 3D printer definition.
◦ Build Direction—Orients the models on the tray according to the z-axis of the build direction analysis. Applies only to part models, not to assemblies.
• Pattern—Adds multiple instances of a part or an assembly.
• Nesting—Automatically positions all the models to utilize the tray volume.
• Global Scale—Sets the size of all the models on the tray.
◦ Scale All—Scales all the models.
◦ Reset All—Resets all the models to their original size.
• Preparation >
Drag Components—Enables moving assembly entities through an allowable range of motion.
• Preparation >
Regenerate ◦ Regenerate—Recalculates the model geometry, incorporating all the changes since the last time you saved the model.
◦ Regeneration Manager—Opens the
Regeneration Manager dialog box so you can view the regeneration status of items, and set preferences for failure handling, backup, and mass properties update.
• Preparation >
Lattice Penetration—Defines the penetration values for lattice structures into the solid wall of the model. Opens the
Penetration and Capping tab:
◦ Lattice Penetration—Defines the penetration depth for all lattice geometry that is adjacent to a solid wall. You can see the overlapping contours of lattice and body structures in the slicing viewer.
◦ Terminate beams with spherical cap check box—For beams lattice, terminates all beams that are adjacent to a solid wall with a spherical cap that penetrates into the wall.
Supports Group
• Generate Support—Generates support structures for the models on the tray when you are connected through a Materialise build processor.
• Edit Support Parameters—Opens the
Support Structure Profiles dialog box so you can apply or edit a support structure profile when you are connected through a Materialise build processor.
Appearance Group
• Model Appearance—Displays the colors that were applied in Creo Parametric.
• 3D Printer Appearance—Enables applying colors that are available in the 3D printer palette and using the automatic matching of colors from the model to the 3D printer.
• Auto-match Colors—Automatically matches colors available in the 3D printer palette, to the colors that were already applied in Creo Parametric.
• Colors—Opens a selection of colors, depending on the selected 3D printer and palette.
Colors >
Palette Selection opens the
Material Selection window. The combination of materials creates the palette.
• Surface Finish—Sets a glossy or a matte surface finish to the printed models.
Analysis Group
The Analysis group consists of commands to perform analysis, both general and specific to additive manufacturing.
• Measure—Measures model geometry, such as lengths, angles, and areas.
• Printability Validation—Initiates printability validation.
◦ Validate Thin Walls—Validates the printability of thin walls, that they will not break during 3D printing or removal of support material.
◦ Validate Narrow Gaps—Validates the printability of narrow gaps like holes.
◦ Validate Lattice Penetration—Validates the printability of lattice structures in the model, based on lattice penetration values compared to lattice resolution.
• Global Interference—Opens the
Global Interference window.
• Calculate Build—Displays the evaluation of the required amount of build material and support material.
• Analysis >
Saved Analysis—Opens the
Saved Analysis dialog box that allows you to view previous analysis.
Note Group
• Note—Adds notes to the tray assembly.
Finish Group
• Preview 3D Printing—Opens the
3D Print tab.