Ilios 3D is proud to present the latest update for their Ilios 3D Suite with many additions and improvements. Based on user feedback and requests new functions were developed and implemented which make printing even easier and much more refined than before.
Projection Calibration
This topic has been discussed so many times that i even lost count of all the E-mails and requests for it. All DLP projectors have lenses and in most cases unless the projector was made specifically for a certain task, those lenses are optimized for distant projections on a wall, where deformation is calibrated to be minimal. In the 3D printing applications however this creates problems since the projectors are commonly very close to the build area and the image begins to distort if the lens was made for wide angles.
In our case we want the most resolution and the largest area for building models and sometimes one can affect the other dramatically. If you move the projector too close then the image will generate a “Barrel” effect and there is very little you can do about it unless different optics are used or the model is modified to compensate for this in advance.
Since this is such a big deal, Ilios took upon them to develop the tools to correct this error through software, so very little is required from the user to achieve the best results. Now you can calibrate the projected layer shape without resorting to complex solutions directly from the Ilios 3D Suite. You can adjust the Alignment, shape and most importantly “Barrel” distortions which will affect each and every layer during the build process.
These settings can also be saved and loaded on demand so you can have predefined sets of parameters for any given situation. The feature has been requested by many and is one of the most important functions and abilities for printing with a DLP projector.
Support Brightness
Creating supports for a model is a very simple process in Ilios 3D Suite, however sometimes the supports can be located in very strange places and can be even close to important model features which are better left alone. After a lot of development Ilios is happy to say that now you can adjust the brightness of the support structures separately from the main model, thus exposing these areas for less time and creating weaker structures which can be removed easily.
Feel free to play around with the support brightness settings before your print, to achieve the optimal result since for each projector and resin the settings may vary. General rule of thumb is that the intensity in most cases doesn’t need to have dramatic differences from the main structure. Make small adjustments for each print so you do not have problems during a support creation and dim the intensity just enough to do what you need.
Platform unification & Shape
It is critical to say that almost all models printed through DLP projections or generally through SLA may require supporting platforms on which they will reside during a print. A platform is what adheres the entire model to the lift and is critical while printing since the model has to stay firmly on the lift during a print to achieve the best result.
The shape of the platform also plays a big role in its adhesion as well as in its detachment after the print is complete. When all the print parameters are considered, the platform of a single or multiple models may become a complex structure which could take time to perfect for optimal results. This is why Ilios made the effort and added automated platform creation and unification which also can be rounded and thickened based on your needs. The whole process is automated and only uses few slide bars to achieve an optimal result. This is definitely going to make your life a lot easier and give you the ability to concentrate more on the print rather than its preparation.
Ilios 3D Suite is available at ilios3d.com
For a more detailed report on the additions make sure to check out their Forum, where they describe all the fixes, additions and improvements in a more detailed manner.
