terryb
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:50 am

Horizontal Clearance for multi-process printing

I do a lot of multi-process prints and I've come across issues where hotend/carriage components collide with prints that are already on the bed. For example, I setup a print with 2 processes. Process 1 prints model 1 just fine as it is the only model on the bed. Process 2 then prints a model to the left of model 1. My print fails because model 2 is positioned 25mm left of model 1 and I have a bed leveling sensor 30mm to the right of my nozzle. Not only did my print fail, I also damaged my sensor.
Example 2. Again, 2 processes. Process 1 prints model 1. Process 2 then prints model 2 50mm in front of model 1. Print fails because as it prints, the rollers on the carriage roll over model 1 because the rollers are 60mm behind the nozzle.
Is there a way to tell the printer the boundaries around the hotend assembly where it should not print because a collision will occur? I know I can just measure my hotend and make sure that I don't position models within those boundaries but the problem is other than counting the squares on the grid, I have no accurate way of knowing the distance between my models. If there was a way to set the distance between models based on their outermost edges (not just at the bed but throughout the height of the model) instead of their center points then it would be possible.
KOPrinting
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:42 pm

Re: Horizontal Clearance for multi-process printing

I was thinking about this issue the other day. One possible solution could be to model a cube that represents your hotend, sensor, carriage, etc. You can import the cube as a shape into simplify and place it manually between each model to confirm the clearance.
Instrumentation
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2021 11:04 am

Re: Horizontal Clearance for multi-process printing

Since you do a lot of multi process printing, I'm assuming you're already familiar with the guide page:
https://www.simplify3d.com/support/arti ... -printing/
It does say in there
As you can see, most printers will be able to use sequential printing, but it may require some extra planning and forethought to make sure the models are arranged in such a way to avoid any potential collisions.
As far a precision measurement goes, center to center measurement works since the model properties give you both the size and location. Add your clearance (60 mm) to the size measurement in the axis you're offsetting, and then add that to the location measurement of the axis you're offsetting. If you're not printing copies of the same model, you add the step of adding half of each model's size measurement instead of just one size measurement. That's assuming a grid arrangement, not absolute maximum print density.
KOPrinting wrote: ... model a cube that represents your hotend, sensor, carriage, etc. You can import the cube as a shape into simplify and place it manually between each model to confirm the clearance.
If you just need a spacer, any calibration cube will do, and scale it using the normal model scale tools.

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