Large scale composite 3D

Printer

Instruction Manual
 Premises
© Copyright 2023 Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

No. 172 (Old No. 345), Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR), Shollinganallur, Chennai, 600119.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, mechanical, electronic,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Tvasta
Manufacturing Solutions Pvt. Ltd. No patent liability is assumed concerning the use of the
information contained herein. Moreover, because Tvasta is constantly striving to improve its
high-quality products, the information contained in this manual is subject to change
without notice. Every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this manual.
Nevertheless, Tvasta assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any
liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained in this
publication.

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 Table of Contents
● General Information 6
● Supplier Information 6
● Printer Overview 7
● Operational Safety checks 7
● Warranty and maintenance notes 8
● Editorial Pictograms 8
Introduction to Composite 3D Printing 10
● Basic information on the composite 3D printing 10
Co-extrusion Process 10
● Factors that affect the quality of printed parts 12
● Printer Specifications 13
● Material Characteristics and Specifications 14
Technical details 15
Reinforced Carbon fiber filament 15
Applications 16
● Software Pre-processing 17
● Process Flow 17
● Facility Layout and Requirements 18
● Print Processes 19
Pre-Print Processes 19
Slicing 19
● Generating robot program from RoboDK 19
● Machine Maintenance 28
● General Warnings - Emergency Situations 28
● Troubleshooting Guide 28
● Mechanical 28
IP Address Activation 32
Preprint checklist 35
Software 36

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● General Information
● Supplier Information
Tvasta Large Format Composite Printer is a proprietary model of Tvasta
Manufacturing Solutions Private Limited, incorporated on the Second day of August
Two thousand sixteen under the Companies Act, 2013, by the Ministry of Corporate
Affairs, Government of India.

Thank you for choosing a product from Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions Private
Limited. Since our incorporation, we have aimed to find innovative and ergonomic
ways of improving and rationalizing our client's needs for all kinds of research and
development activities.

We have strong sales and service support that consists of highly trained
professionals with extensive product knowledge and application experience. We
offer satisfactory product support and expertise to ensure our customers can work
at maximum efficiency at all times.

For more information, contact us:

Email id: [email protected]

Address: No. 172 (Old No. 345),
Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR), Sholinganallur,
Chennai, 600119.
Contact Number: +91 8925812335

The aim and purpose of this manual is to provide the user with knowledge of how to
use the Large-scale composite 3D Printer in a safe, and efficient manner. The
instructions also include general guidelines for regular maintenance on the printer
for longevity and high printing quality.

Before using the printer for the first time, you must carefully read these instructions
and understand them thoroughly.

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 ● Printer Overview
Large-scale composite 3D printers are advanced manufacturing machines capable
of producing large and complex objects using composite materials. Unlike
traditional 3D printers that typically use plastics or metals, composite 3D printers
can work with a variety of materials, such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, Kevlar, and
other reinforcing fibers, combined with a matrix material like thermoplastics or
resins.

The extruder setup is attached to a 6-axis industrial robot. In this envisioned setup,
the extruder's movements are synchronized with the motion of the robot arm. Also,
the print is done on a heated bed print.

Overall, the combination of these features provides a durable and reliable platform
for high-quality 3D printing using Large scale composite 3D printers.

● Operational Safety checks

Due to the increased complexity and range of motion of the system.
Here are some operational safety checks specific to this setup;

● Ensure that the robotic arm is calibrated correctly to prevent collisions or

erratic movements during operation.

● Check the end-effector (tool or extruder) attached to the robotic arm for
proper installation and secure attachment. Ensure that it does not pose a
risk of falling or detaching during operation.

● Verify that the robotic arm's programming is correct and does not cause
sudden or unexpected movements. Test the program in a controlled
environment before full-scale operation.

● Monitor the workspace around the robotic arm to detect any

obstructions or unauthorized personnel entering the area.

● Avoid using flammable or toxic solvents such as petrol, benzene, ether, and
alcohol for cleaning.

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● Warranty and maintenance notes
● Only authorized Tvasta personnel should carry out repairs and inspections.

● During cleaning operations, maintenance jobs, or when changing parts, the

Power switch must be off and the machine must be unplugged by removing
the Power cable from the socket.

● During maintenance jobs, affix a notice to the appliance indicating

“MACHINE BEING SERVICED, DO NOT START”.

● Do not adjust controls that are not described in the manual.

● Refer to the warranty booklet provided.

● Editorial Pictograms
The machine is fitted with several mandatory and warning signs. The following list is
for a better understanding.

Do not touch indicated surfaces when in operation

Control panel to be opened under authorised personnel

supervision

This warning symbol indicates that special precautionary

measures must be taken.
If the safety precautions are not observed, it may lead to
hazardous conditions and result in personal injury or
damage to property.

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 This sign indicates an electrical hazard and the user to be
extremely cautious while working with equipment having
this sign.

This is a warning sign indicating a potential mechanical

hazard.

Mandatory protective gears must be worn while working with the machine

Watch out for general precautionary signs

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Introduction to Composite 3D printing
● Basic information on the composite 3D printing
Composite 3D printing combines traditional 3D printing techniques with the ability to
reinforce parts with continuous carbon fiber. This process enables the creation of strong,
lightweight, and complex parts that are ideal for a variety of applications, including
aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing.

Composite Fiber Co-extrusion (CFC) represents an additive manufacturing technique

aimed at crafting intricate structures and internal configurations, yielding lightweight and
robust composite components. This process relies on integrating continuous composite
fibers into melted plastic via a custom-designed print head. This is particularly useful in
industries where weight savings are critical, such as aerospace and automotive.

Additionally, composite 3D printing allows for the creation of parts with complex
geometries that would be difficult or impossible to achieve using traditional methods. This
can lead to cost savings and improved performance in a wide range of applications.

Co-extrusion Process
The print head consists of two extruders which are plastic extruder (FFF) and composite
extruder. The composite extruder process typically involves the co-extruding of two main
components: a base material, such as thermoplastic polymers like ABS or nylon, and
continuous carbon fiber filaments; it has two inlets and one nozzle.

Whereas a plastic extruder has one inlet for filament and one nozzle. These materials are
fed into the 3D printer, which then deposits them layer by layer to build up the final part.
The carbon fiber filaments are laid down in a specific orientation to provide strength and
stiffness where needed, resulting in parts that are both lightweight and durable.

Co-extrusion allows for the precise deposition of both the base material and the carbon
fiber with melted polymer. This enables the creation of parts with varying fiber orientations
and volume fractions, which can greatly influence the mechanical properties of the final
part.

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 Fig 2: Geometry deposition model from extruder (a) Overall picture (b) resulting cross-sectional area
during deposition

Source:Rakshith Badarinath, Vittaldas Prabhu (2021). Integration and evaluation of robotic fused filament fabrication system

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 ● Factors that affect the quality of printed parts
● Material Quality: The quality of the base material and continuous carbon fibre is
crucial. Using high-quality filaments with consistent properties can help ensure
uniform print quality.
● Printing Parameters: Parameters such as print temperature, print speed, layer height,
and infill density can significantly impact print quality. Optimizing these parameters
for the specific material and part geometry is essential.
● Layer Adhesion: Ensuring good adhesion between layers is essential for print strength.
This can be achieved through proper bed adhesion methods, such as using a heated
bed or applying adhesion promoters.
● Support Structures: Properly designed support structures are essential for printing
complex geometries. Inadequate support can lead to print failure or poor surface
finish.
● Cooling: Proper cooling of the printed part is necessary to prevent warping and ensure
dimensional accuracy. This can be achieved through active cooling systems or
controlled cooling chambers.

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 ● Printer Specifications
General Specifications

Print bed size 2000 mm x 2000 mm x 2000 mm

Two extruders (Plastic extruder (FFF) and Composite

Print Head
filament co-extruder (CFC))

FFF nozzle diameter 1 mm

Co-extruder nozzle
1 mm
diameter

Plastic filament diameter 1.75 mm

Compatible plastics Plastics with printing temperature up to 270°C

CFC filament 1.5k-3k prepreg CCF

Print Speed for FFF 60 mm/sec (default speed)

Print speed for

Upto 20-25mm/sec
Co-extruder

Build Plate surface Aluminium

Printer size

Temperature

Print head operating

Upto 270°C
temperature, max.

Build plate operating

Upto 100°C
temperature, max.

Ambient operating
18-35°C
temperature

Softwares

Slicer Cura

Post Processor Tvasta Falcon

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 Robot code generator RoboDK

OS support Windows 10 or 11

Min. 16GB RAM, Storage Min. 256GB SSD, Graphics

System Requirement
Min. 2GB and Processor i7 or better

Power Requirements

Voltage (50/60Hz 3
380-575
phase)-robot

Heated bed voltage

Max 12 KV
requirement

● Material Characteristics and Specifications

Plastic extruders (FFF) typically use thermoplastic filaments as their printing material. The
most common materials compatible with FFF extruders include:

● PLA (Polylactic Acid): PLA is a biodegradable thermoplastic that is easy to print with
and is commonly used for general-purpose 3D printing.
● ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): ABS is a strong and impact-resistant
thermoplastic, but it can be more challenging to print with than PLA due to its
higher printing temperature and tendency to warp.
● Nylon: Nylon is a strong and lightweight thermoplastic that offers good chemical
and abrasion resistance, but it requires a heated print bed and an enclosed printing
environment.

These are just a few examples of the materials that are compatible with FFF extruders.
There are many other specialty filaments available for specific applications, such as carbon
fiber-infused filaments for added strength.

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 Technical details
Print
Special Density Difficulty to Temperature Bed Temperature
Filament Properties Strength (kg/m3) Flexibility print (°C) (°C) Printing notes

Easy to print No heated bed is

Biodegradable, needed or,
though only in 60-80C is
very specific recommended
PLA conditions Medium 1240 Low Low 180 - 230 also

Durable and
ABS Impact resistant Medium 1010 Medium Medium 210 - 250 50 - 100

More flexible
PETG (XT, than PLA or ABS No heated bed
N‑Vent) and Durable Medium 1270 High Medium 220 - 235 needed

Hygroscopic,
Strong, Flexible keep sealed
Nylon and Durable High 1020 High Medium 220 - 260 50 - 100 when not in use

Rigid and
PLA Carbon Stronger than No heated bed Use hardened
Fiber Pure PLA Medium Low Medium 195 - 220 needed nozzle

Reinforced Carbon fiber filament

Our machine is compatible with 1.5k CCF reinforcing fiber in the form of a tow made of
thousands of ultrathin carbon filaments, impregnated with a special polymer composition
ensuring high-quality impregnation and adhesion between the polymers and the fiber.
Composite fiber is used to reinforce the plastic during the manufacturing of the part.

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Applications
● Aerospace: Lightweight and strong composite parts are used in aerospace for
components such as interior panels, ducting, brackets, and prototypes.
● Automotive: 3D printed composite parts are used in automotive for components
such as interior panels, brackets, and prototypes. Plastic parts are used for
prototyping, custom tooling, and some end-use parts.
● Medical: 3D-printed plastic parts are used in the medical field for applications such
as prosthetics, surgical guides, and anatomical models. Composite parts may be
used in specialized applications where strength and durability are required.
● Consumer Goods: 3D-printed plastic parts are used in the production of consumer
goods such as electronics housings, toys, and fashion accessories. Composite parts
may be used for high-performance applications.
● Industrial Manufacturing: Plastic and composite 3D printed parts are used in
industrial manufacturing for jigs, fixtures, tooling, and customized parts for
machinery.
● Architecture and Construction: 3D-printed plastic parts are used in architecture and
construction for models, prototypes, and building components. Composite parts
may be used for structural components.
● Education and Research: 3D-printed plastic parts are used in education and research
for prototypes, models, and experimental setups. Composite parts may be used for
specialized research applications.

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Storage of materials
Many plastics used in 3D printing are prone to absorbing moisture (hygroscopic). This
moisture can cause issues during printing, such as uneven plastic flow and defects in the
final part. While some plastics are less affected by moisture, it's generally recommended to
store filaments in low-moisture environments to maintain surface quality. Using a dryer
before printing can help alleviate this issue.

Carbon fiber, a component of composite filaments, absorbs less moisture than plastics but
is also hygroscopic. To ensure its integrity, it's advisable to store carbon fiber in
environments with minimal moisture.

Getting started with the printer

● Software Pre-processing
To produce the GCode data required for the composite co-extrusion process,
pre-processing of CAD data is necessary. The main objective is the transformation
of three-dimensional (3D) structures into a series of 2D levels, referred to as "slices"
Additional requirements, which may include the need to repair, cut, or scale 3D
structures, depending on the particular step in the sequence from CAD design. The
STL format, which corresponds to the part geometry by a net of triangles, is always
used as the initial format for the production of the "slices."

● Process Flow
Printing using the large-scale composite 3D printer should be carried out as per the
following steps:

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● Facility Layout and Requirements

Fig 12 : Layout (units in metres)

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 ● Print Processes

Pre-Print Processes
The pre-printing processes involve preparing the printer and its subsystems for
proper printing.

Slicing

● Generating robot program from RoboDK

A predefined robot station will be provided which will include the robot and heated Bed
and defined TCP of both the extruders (Plastic and composite extruder) which will be
named T0 and T1 respectively.

● Before each print cross check the TCP and User frame value between Robodk and
robot TP (In Tool frame and user frame)
● In case of removing the extruder for cleaning should calibrate the TCP (Preferred to
use the Six-point method for defining TCP in robot TP.

Follow the following steps to generate a robot program in RoboDK;

1. Double-click the desktop shortcut to start RoboDK. You should see the RoboDK
shortcut on your desktop after you install RoboDK from the website. Double-click
the shortcut to start RoboDK.

2. The RoboDK window contains a Main Menu, a Toolbar, a Status Bar and the Main
Screen. The Station Tree in the Main Screen contains all the items available in the
station, such as robots, reference frames, tools, programs, etc. From the Main menu
File-Open-Fanuc RoboDk station.

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 Fig 13 : RoboDK station

3. Pre-defined post-processors (RJ3 DripFeed) and program events will be defined

according to the robot settings. Also, make sure whether the RJ3 post processor is
selected. In order to confirm the selection of the post-processor double click on the
robot, and small window pop-ups on the right side of the Fanuc R-2000iC/210L
panel which show the cartesian jog and joint axis jog. On the top right corner there is
a Parameters button, click on it.

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 Fig 14 : Fanuc 210L panel in RoboDK

Fig 15 : Parameters of robot

On the post processor, make sure the Fanuc RJ3 DripFeed is selected before generating the
robot program. Even the speed and acceleration of the robot can be seen here.

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4. Select the Robot Machining project which is present in the station tree which will
have the robot, reference frame, and initial active tool selected already, and also the
program events which convert G-codes to robot programs with the help of a
post-processor pre-defined in RoboDk.

Fig 16 : Robot Machining Project

5. Right-click on the program generated on the station tree, select ‘Generate Robot
Program as’, and define the path for saving the files.

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 Fig 17: Generating robot program

6. RoboDK generates LS and TP file formats for Fanuc robots. TP files are
write-protected and can only be opened on the robot Teach Pendant. Additionally,
the program file will be divided into multiple smaller program files, including the
main program and subprograms, based on the size of the model where the main
program will call the subprograms in order.

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 Fig 18: Completion of generating robot programs

This window pops up after generating the robot programs and click on cancel on the
pop-up window in order to view the files generated in the path defined earlier.

7. The files will be generated in order as shown below.

Fig 19: Files generated in path

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● Things to consider before generating the robot programs
1. Make the TCP in the orientation shown below;

Fig 20: Tool 1 TCP position when printing

Fig 21: Tool 2 TCP position when printing

Make sure the Z-axis points downwards, X-axis points front ways and Y-axis sideways of
the extended arm.

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2. Make sure the user frame is also defined as shown below;

Fig 22: User frame defined on the print bed.

3. Cross-check the TCP values of Tool 1 and 2 and also the user frame defined
the same as in robot TP. In Robodk double click on Tool 1 and 2 even user
frame distances from the robot flange (J6) and distance from the robot base
can be seen respectively and can be selected from the drop-down menu in
the window.

Fig 23: Distances of Tool 1 and 2 from J6 and User Frame from robot base

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 ● Drip Feed of program files through Falcon software

Fig # : Drip Feed Process files

Drip-Feed Process :

When the main(eg: M_B5) .tp file is uploaded by clicking the “Load Files” button, its
sub-files listed in the directory folder are ready to be picked and processed one by
one by the software.

[Note: These Gcode files contain the content of the STL model, and the software will
read those values to start printing.]

Once the first file (e.g., B5.TP, as shown in the above figure) is picked and executed,
the status of the file changes from “Not Started” to “Completed,” and then the next
file is picked and starts execution.

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● Machine Maintenance
The maintenance procedure needs to be strictly followed after every print cycle.
Cleaning of the nozzle head and also checking the PTFE guiding tube and properly
arranging from the spool box to the extruder present on the robot.

● General Warnings - Emergency Situations

During an emergency or undesired circumstances, follow the below
procedures.

1. In case of noise, vibrations, or heating of any component, stop the

machine immediately and apply lubricants. If the problem persists,
contact the manufacturer.
2. In case of component failure, stop the machine immediately and
contact the manufacturer.
3. In case of external power shut down, make sure that the Control
Panel is fully switched OFF.

● Troubleshooting Guide
● Mechanical
1. If the part is detaching from the build plate during printing;

1.1 Verify if the build plate temperature aligns with the recommended temperature
for the plastic.

1.2 Ensure an adequate amount of adhesive is applied to the build plate surface;
consider increasing the amount.

1.3 If the build plate temperature and adhesive amount are correct, the issue may be
due to incorrect initial layer height then has to re-calibrate the TCP (Tool Centre
point) of the robot or adjust Z axis height.

2. Plastic is not being extruded from the nozzle;

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 2.1 Verify that the plastic is correctly loaded in the feeder and is feeding to the print
head.

2.2 Ensure that the extruder temperature matches the recommended processing
temperature for the plastic.

2.3 If the above steps are correct, the nozzle may be clogged. Use the plastic nozzle
cleaning kit or consider replacing the nozzle.

Fig #: Consist of L-shaped wrench, brass cleaning brush, Tweezers and Cleaning pins.

3. Fibre is not being extruded from the nozzle;

3.1 Verify that the fiber is correctly loaded in the feeder and is feeding to the print
head.
3.2 Ensure that the composite extruder temperature matches the recommended
processing temperature for the fiber.
3.3 Other chances are the fiber being clogged inside the composite extruder.

4. Poor surface quality and strings of printed parts;

Issues that may cause poor quality of the final part, including plastic
under-extrusion,
plastic stringing etc.

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 Fig #: Plastic stringing and under extrusion

4.1 Verify if the plastic was properly dried before printing. Moisture absorption can
impact print quality. Dry plastics according to material specifications if necessary.
4.2 Ensure the nozzle surface is clean. Use a brass brush from the tool kit for
cleaning if needed.
4.3 If steps 1 and 2 are followed and the issue persists, the nozzle may be worn out.
Prolonged use can lead to wear, visible as strips, gallings, or roughness on the inner
surface, necessitating nozzle replacement.

Fig #: Comparison between new and worn-out nozzle

5. Leakage from the composite heat block inlet;

5.1 Several factors can lead to plastic leakage. If this happens, heat the composite
extruder and use tweezers to remove any plastic that has leaked from the heat block
inlet. Prior to this, ensure to cancel any active print.

5.2 After removing the plastic, calibrate TCP and Z axis (Tool Frame) again if the heat
block is removed.

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 5.3 Verify if the composite plastic was properly dried before printing. Moisture in the
filament can lead to liquid boiling during printing, resulting in uneven distribution of
the composite plastic. Dry plastics according to the material specifications if
necessary.

5.4 The absence of composite fiber in the heat block or interruption of its feed can
lead to a plastic leak from the composite heat block inlet. This occurrence may arise
during the loading of composite plastic or its manual feed, causing the plastic to fill
the heat block and exit through both the nozzle and the inlet simultaneously.

6. Fibre clogged inside the composite extruder;

6.1 Due to incorrect printing parameters or improper maintenance can be the main
reason for fiber clogging inside the composite heat block.

6.2 Heat the composite extruder to the printing temperature of the composite
plastic or slightly higher.

6.3 If there are any fibers protruding from the heat block, carefully remove them by
pulling them down with tweezers.

6.4 Use a brass wire brush from the cleaning tools set to clean the contact surface of
the composite nozzle.

6.5 Insert the barbed needle from the cleaning tools set into the composite nozzle.
Spin the needle and push it through the extruder until the end of the needle reaches
the inlet hole of the extruder. Be cautious not to break the needle. Pull the needle
back and clean it with tweezers to ensure the barbs are clear. You may need to exert
force to push or pull the needle if the fibre is tightly clogged; use pliers for this if
necessary. Remove any material pushed out of the extruder's inlet with tweezers.

6.6 Repeat step 4 until the needle is clean and no more material is pushed out of
the extruder's inlet hole.

7. If fiber is clogged inside the cutter then the blade of the fiber cutter has to be
changed, the sharpness of the blades would have been worn out over time.
8. Fibre is broken before reaching the cutter in the PTFE guiding tube;

8.1 Sharp bends from the filament box to the extruder may lead to the breakage of
the filament.

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 8.2 If the cutter is not positioned correctly, the fibre may be unable to pass through
it and could break inside the PTFE guiding tube.

IP Address Activation
To set up an IP address for managing the connection between machines, follow these
steps:

● Open the Control Panel from the search bar, then select "View network
status and tasks" under the Network and Internet option, as shown below.

● Check the connection. Once the Ethernet is connected, the network status
will change to "Ethernet."

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 ● Click the ethernet connection and the below popup will appear and click on
properties as shown below.

● The popup window will appear and select the IPV4 option as shown below.

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● On clicking the above option, the below screen will appear.

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 Select the "Use the following IP address" option, enter the IP address, click on the
Subnet Mask field to have it activated automatically, and click “OK” to close all the
tabs.

Preprint checklist
● Ensure the robot and PLC emergency stops are released.
● Filaments should be loaded correctly; check their availability.
● Check if the software is connected to the machine properly.
● Verify that the bed heaters and nozzle heaters are turned on.
● Confirm that no M_A main file is present in the pendant.

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 Software
To run the Tvasta FalconSoftware, follow these steps:

1. Run the Tvasta FalconSoftware.exe file.

2. A software screen will appear without any models loaded (Fig. 1 - Loading Screen).

Loading Page :

Fig 24: Loading Page

Follow the instructions :

1. Load Model :
To load a model on the loading page, kindly follow the below steps:

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 Fig 25: Load Gcode from menu option as shown

1.1 Click on the "File" option as shown.

1.2 Select the "Load Gcode" option as shown above, or click the "Load Gcode" button
on the screen.

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 Fig 26: Load Gcode file pop up

1.3 The following popup will appear as shown in the figure above..
1.4 From the popup, select the model from the list as mentioned.
1.5 Then click "Open" to load the model on the loading screen bed.

1.1 Before Post Processing:

● The layer view slider, allows you to slide through all the layers of the model.
● Clicking the “+create Band” button (4) allows you to specify where the co-extrusion
should be applied (e.g., P - Perimeter, I - Infill, S - Skirt) Click the “Post Process
Gcode” button to apply the cutting mechanism and generate a Gcode file

Fig 27: Model preview before post-processing

Once the model is loaded, the band settings area is enabled to create bands and view the
model from different 3D angles.

● The color of the model layers will change to black after applying bands (Marked as 1).
● The “Create Band” button is to apply co-extrusion to the selected layers (Marked as
2) - [Note: The process is explained above as a 2nd bulleted point].
● The length of the total “Carbon fibre” required to print on the layers where the
bands are applied is displayed (Marked as 3).

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 1.6 Co-Extrusion Speed :

Fig 28: Setting up Co-extrusion speed.

● The checkbox must be ticked to enable the speed textbox.

● Once done, enter the required speed (e.g., 20-25 mm/sec) for the speed to
apply only during the co-extrusion.
● The newly entered speed will override the speed in the Gcode file once the
"Post Process Gcode" button is clicked.

1.7 Once the bands are created click on “Post Process Gcode” to apply the changes
and click on the “Save" button to save the processed Gcode file, as shown below.

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 Fig 29: Save post-process gcode file popup

1.2 After Post-Processing Gcode:

Once the changes are applied, the below changes should be present.

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 Fig 30: Post Process Changes applied

● It is the point where cutting will occur on the specific layers where bands are
applied to the perimeter as shown (marked as 1).
● It indicates the post-calculation of the total length of carbon fiber required
for the layers where bands are applied (marked as 2).

Process:

● After clicking the “Post Process Gcode” button, it will create a post process code file

Printing Page :

Fig 31: Printing tab

1. Usage of Post Processing Gcode file :

● Click on the “Load Files” button to upload .tp extension files that are
processed from the RoboDK application.
● The entire RoboDK process is explained in the “Generating Robot
Program from RoboDK” section.

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 [Process: Upload the post-processed Gcode file into the RoboDK
application. Make the necessary changes and retrieve .tp and .ls files.
Use those files here.].
● Then, the popup shown below will appear; select the file name that starts
with “M” as the main file to process its other .tp subfiles.

Fig 32: Print Files section popup.

2. Printing tab usage:

Once the files are uploaded, the changes will be applied as shown below.

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 Fig 33 Print file tab Section
● Print Files Section: The process described below is called the “Drip-Feed Process.”
It is explained in the section above, "Drip Feed of Program Files through Falcon
Software."
Upload the .tp files extracted from the RoboDK process, along with its subfiles, as
shown above [fig.33-printing tab sections].
● Send Single files to Robot :
1. If the printing process stops, you can resume by uploading the next file.
2. For example, if it stopped at file 20, upload file 21.
3. Click the button to continue the printing process.
Progress Bar: It displays the print completion percentage.

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 Fig 34 Printing tab Sections

● Print Summary Section: Totally it has 4 sections “File Name”, “Total Files”,
“Start File from” and “Printing Layer No” (Marked as 7).
❖ File Name: It displays the main file name (e.g., M_A, M_A1, M_B5) that
was selected for upload as shown in the fig.33 [Printing tab sections].
❖ Total Files: It displays the number of files uploaded in the “Print Files
Section.
❖ Start File From: To resume printing from where it stopped, enter the file
number as eg. 5, and click on the set button to continue the print
seamlessly.
❖ Printing Layer No. 0/0: The first number(0) shows the ongoing printing
layer number and the next number indicates the total number of layers.
❖ Profile Setting: On clicking the “Edit” button, the following figure
appears, displaying the printing parameters. These parameters can be
directly edited and saved, with the changes automatically reflected in the
printing page's temperature and calibration settings. Please verify this
functionality.
On clicking the "+" button, a new profile will appear, copying the settings
from the profile currently selected in the dropdown.

Save Profile : Clicking this button saves the details internally for future
use, and they will be accessible from the dropdown.

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On clicking the “-” button, the below popup message appears which confirms the
deletion of the current profile setting.

● Temperature Graph

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 The temperature graph displays the temperature of each sensor for 4 beds and 2 hot
ends. Clicking each temperature controller above the graph will read the temperature
and plot it on the graph along the x-axis and y-axis as shown below (Marked as 1).

● Temperature Control Section :

In total, there are 6 options to control each heating sensor(Marked as 2).

❖ Bed Temp1, Bed Temp2, Bed Temp3, Bed Temp 4 : It is used to control the
bed temperature sensor located on each edge of the bed.

Controls:

● There is one toggle button for each sensor to turn the bed heater on
and off.
● It has 2 text boxes: the first one displays the actual temperature of the
bed, and the second one is used to set the target temperature.

❖ HotTemp1 & HotTemp2: It is used to control the hot end temperature sensor,
which melts the filament on each extruder.

Controls:

● There is one toggle button for each sensor to turn the sensor heater on
and off.
● It has 2 text boxes: the first one displays the actual temperature of the
hot end, and the second one is used to set the target temperature.

● Extrusion Mode Controller:

In total, there are 4 options to control each extrusion mode manually(Marked as 3).

❖ Mode 0 (No Extrusion): Select the “Mode 0” radio button, which is primarily
used for dry run testing.

❖ Mode 1 (NylonCF): Select the “Mode 1” radio button, which is primarily used
for testing the mixture of polymer and chopped fiber filament extrusion.

❖ Mode 2 (Nylon and CF) : Select the “Mode 2” radio button, which is primarily
used for testing the “Co-Extrusion” mode of two filaments.

❖ Mode 3 (Nylon): Select the “Mode 3” radio button, which is primarily used for
testing “Nylon” filament extrusion.

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 ● Calibration Setting :
Filament Dia:It has three sections - Polymer, Co-extrusion, and Fibre. It will
display the default diameter measurements for each section, and these fields are
disabled to prevent any edits
Line Width: This is an editable section where the line width of all three filaments
- Polymer, Co-extrusion, and Fibre—can be defined.
Layer Height: This is an editable section where the layer height of all three
filaments - Polymer, Co-extrusion, and Fibre—can be defined.

Motor Control:

● In total, there are 3 extruder motors used to control the filament extrusion
speed of the three motors (E1, E2, E3).
● The extruder motor control section has a toggle that switches between
"Automatic" and "Manual" modes.
● In "Auto" mode, it shows the actual speed of the Robot
● When switched to "Manual" mode, the speed of the extrusion can be edited
according to the requirement and click on the button to set the speed.
● Feedback Section: It has 7 divisions (Robot on, Bed Heater, Robot Fault, P Heater,
Co Heater, E1 filament present, E2 Filament Present) and a red light will be displayed
in the check section if any of the 7 parts are turned on and if it is turned off it will be
displayed in the grey colour in the checkbox if( Robot off, heaters off, Robot Reset
mode, P heater off and Co-heater off, If no filament) (Marked as 5).
● Stop Button: On clicking the stop button, the robot will stop immediately, and then
automatically it will turn into a “Start” button(marked as 2 in below image) for the
continuation process(Marked as 8).
● Start Button: Clicking the start button allows access to the robot only through the
pendant or software.

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 Fig 35: Fans and start button

● FDM Fan and CO-EXTRUSION: Clicking this toggle button switches both fans on or
off (Marked as 1 in the above image).
● Connect Button: Clicking the connect button will establish a connection to the
machine.
● Start Print button: Clicking the “Start Print” button sends the main M_A file and two
subfiles to the pendant.
● Feeder Setting :

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 Fig 36: Feeder Setting setup

● Clicking "Feeder Setting" from the "Advanced" menu will switch from calibration settings to
"Feeder Setting" in the section marked above.
● It is used to load and unload filament from extruder in specific measurements for all three
filaments: Polymer, Co-extrusion Setting, and Fibre.
● It has 4 settings: Speed, Length, Load, and Unload.
● This setting allows for loading and unloading filament from the extruder based on the
specified speed and length.
● Speed and length settings can be edited based on the requirements.

Initial Push :

There are 3 filament types: polymer, fiber, and co-extrusion. It can manually adjust these
settings to fill in the composition of the robot movement by editing the speed and distance
as needed.

Import Graph :

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Clicking "Import Graph" under the Advanced menu will display the screen shown below.

Select the folder as shown above, and the graph with the previously saved details will be displayed
in the format shown below.

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Gcode :

Certain G-code commands are used for various machine functions. Below are a few commands and
their usages.

● M50: This command selects the extrusion mode.

● M54: Total Layer Number
● M51: Triggers the cutting tool.
● M53: Current Layer Number.

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