Manufacturing > Additive Manufacturing > Preparing Models for 3D Printing > To Create a Tray Assembly
To Create a Tray Assembly
This procedure provides information on how to add parts and assemblies to a tray, position them on the tray, change their sizes, and create a pattern.
1. To create a new tray assembly:
a. Click File > New, under Type select Manufacturing, and under Sub-type, select Additive Manufacturing.
b. To select a template, follows these steps:
a. Clear the Use default template option and click OK. The New File Options dialog box opens.
b. Select a template from the list, or click Browse to select another template.
c. Under Parameters, edit the required values.
c. Click OK. The Tray tab opens.
2. To add models to the tray:
a. Click Assemble. The Open dialog box opens. Select a model to add to the tray and click Open. The model is added to the tray with a dragger, and the Component Placement tab is displayed.
b. Place the model on the tray. Define constraints if necessary. When you exit the placement tool, the constraints are removed to allow movement of models on the tray.
c. On the Component Placement tab, click .
Models that are visible on the tray will be printed. Hidden items are not printed.
d. Continue adding parts and assemblies to the tray.
3. To automatically position the models on the tray, click Arrange on Tray and select one of the following options:
◦ To position the models using the Creo algorithm, click Arrange on Tray.
◦ To position the models using the 3D printer algorithm, click Printer Auto Position. This option is available when a 3D printer is connected.
◦ To orient the models on the tray according to the z-axis of the build direction analysis, click Build Direction. See About the Build Direction.
This applies only to part models. For assemblies, even if an assembly includes a part that contains a build direction analysis feature, the assembly is placed on the tray in the same way as for Arrange on Tray. A build direction analysis at any level of the assembly is ignored.
* 
You can lock the position or the rotation of a model on the tray. Right-click the model and select Fix Location or Fix Rotation. When a model is locked, automatic position does not affect it.
4. To create a pattern that allows you to print several copies of a model, click Pattern, and follow these steps:
a. Select the model to duplicate. The Pattern tab opens, with the default Fill pattern type selected.
b. To define the number of copies to create, use the draggers.
c. Optionally, under Select Pattern Type, select a different pattern type, and then define the required parameters.
d. Click . The Pattern tab closes.
5. To move the models on the tray using a dragger, click the model, and on the mini toolbar, click Edit Definition and position the model.
6. To move assembly entities through an allowable range of motion, click Preparation > Drag Components, and select the entity you want to move.
7. To automatically position all the models to utilize the tray volume, click Preparation > Nesting. The models change their position.
8. To modify the size of the models, click Preparation > Global Scale > Scale All and on the Scale tab, use the slider or type a value in the box. The new scale is set to be the actual size.
9. To reset the scale of the models to the original size, click Preparation > Global Scale > Reset All.
10. To prevent the lattice from detaching from the solid body when the build process is completed, set the lattice penetration:
a. Click Preparation > Lattice Penetration. The Penetration and Capping tab opens.
b. Type a penetration value in the Lattice Penetration box.
c. For models that contain beams lattice, you can select the Terminate beams with spherical cap check box instead of defining a penetration value. This terminates the beams adjacent to the solid wall with a spherical cap that penetrates the wall.
d. Click Done. The Penetration and Capping tab closes.
You can see the overlapping contours of the lattice and body structures in the slicing viewer.
11. When you connect to a printer through a Materialise build processor, to generate support structures, click Generate Support. Support structures are generated for all the models in the tray assembly. See About Support Structures.
12. To simulate the process of 3D printing the model, visualize the stresses, predict failures, and generate a predeformed compensated model, click Simulate. The simulation is performed on the tray, powered by Amphyon. It could take a long time to run.
The simulation is intended to happen at the end of the preparation for printing, when the model is already the way you want it, and you do not want additional changes. Integrating the model with Amphyon is intended to preserve the model at this point, so you cannot change the model parametrically on the tray.
When the simulation finishes, you can choose to replace the original model on the tray with the resulting faceted, compensated model.
When you leave Amphyon, you return to the tray and can continue working.
Amphyon is a third-party application that is not available from PTC. It can be purchased, and a license can be obtained, from Additive Works. The documentation for the deformation simulation is provided by Additive Works once you open Amphyon.
13. When a printer is connected through a Materialise build processor, to assign a printing profile to items:
a. In the Model Tree, right-click bodies, parts, or subassemblies, and select Printing Profiles. The Printing Profiles dialog box opens.
b. Define the printing profile, and click OK.
* 
• A printing profile is a set of parameters, associated with the connected 3D printer, that drives the characteristics of the printing process. Different 3D printers can have different parameters.
• The printing profile is assigned to all the support structures contained in the support component. You cannot assign a printing profile to an individual support structure ( facet feature).
14. Optionally, to reset the printing profiles of bodies, parts, or subassemblies back to their original definition, in the Model Tree, select the items to reset, and then right-click and select Reset Printing Profile.
About Tray Assembly
About the Pattern Feature