Getting Started With the Fortus450 3D Printer

Allowed Materials

• ABS
• ASA
• PLA
• Nylon
• ULTEM
• Plastic

If you are working Pier 9, materials can only be approved and loaded by shop staff.

If you are working from another studio or workshop, refer to the tool's instruction manual to see if your desired material is suitable for tool use.

Our most important safety callouts are highlighted in yellow throughout this course.

The Fortus 450mc uses an additive manufacturing technology called Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). FDM Printers work by heating and extruding a filament of plastic along a path to form a single layer. This process is repeated layer upon layer until the final model is created.

• Parts with an overhang will require support material.
  • It will need to either be removed manually or dissolved in a chemical bath.
• The printer uses a 3D mesh file type called an.STL.
  • This can be created in programs like Fusion 360.
• To print on the Fortus, you must use Insight and Control Center.
  • These software packages are installed on all of the computers in the 3D Printshop.
• Each printer is loaded with a single Model Material and a single Support Material
  • If your desired material is not loaded in any of the Fortus machines you can request a material change from Shop Staff.

• Build Envelope : 14" X 16" X 14" (35.5 x 40.6 x 35.5 cm)
• Layer Heights: 0.005" to 0.020" (0.125 to 0.5 mm)

To make a part, you need to complete each step in order.

1. Open the STL in Insight
2. Configure the modeler (printer)
3. Select infill and support styles
4. Orient the model
5. Slice the model
6. Create supports
7. Create toolpaths
8. Identify problems
9. Send to Control Center
10. Send to the modeler
11. Post process (clean) the model