...
The Nanoscribe uses solution sets which are paired to an objective in order to slice a CAD model. In general, each objective has a Solid, Shell and Scaffold, and Swift printing mode.
| Mode | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Solid | Slowest printing method, generates parts which do not require post-process UV curing generally. High resolution printing. Used for delicate or initricate parts where strength is a priority or long development times are required. |
| Shell and Scaffold | Faster than solid, speed dependent on part complexity and infill percentage. Parts have a high resolution shell with coarse infill to balance speed and high resolution. Will require UV cure. Used for intricate parts where development times are short (<1hr). |
| Swift | Fastest printing method, prints coarsely in a layer-wise fashion in half the time of most shell and scaffold prints. Parts usually do not require UV cure. Balanced Swift is higher resolution than Swift, but longer print times. Used for bases or support structures where dimensional accuracy is not critical. |
Comparison of printing solutions by part resolution and print speed. Image from Nanoguide
...
Metrology & Post Processing
Aspect
...
Ratio & Selectivity
Model UV Curing
- Curing Box [Under Construction]
...
- Load your substrate in a sample holder. If the substrate is thicker or thinner than the holder depth (i.e. 700 microns thick for the Multi-DiLL holder), it is important to measure how much taller or shorter your substrate is.
- Add resin to your substrate and the objective.
- Load your sample as you would normally, select the correct holder and click OK.
- Do not click Approach Sample at any point.
- In the advanced camera settings, ensure that the light source is correct for your substrate - for opaque substrates use a Reflective Illumination, but for transparent substrates you will be better served with Transmission Illumination with all objectives.
- Approach the sample with the manual Z control. You may use coarse control initially until you reach a Z-height on the order of 9000um. For thicker substrates, it is recommended to stop earlier, substract your substrate height above the holder from 9000.
- During this step you should see the lens contact the resin, it will be very obvious, looking like a bubble moving across the microscope. Keeping Auto Contrast and Auto Exposure.
- Using the fine control, move the microscope slowly; you should slowly begin to resolve the substrate.
- For a 700um thick substrate this is typically a Z-value greater than 9800um.
- Turning off auto-contrast and auto exposure can be helpful; ensuring short exposure times but also smaller Gain (<15) will result in a clearer image.
- Once the substrate appears in view, turn off the microscope in NanoWrite and open AxioVision.
- While AxioVision loads, in the NanoWrite Advanced Settings console type ManualControl and click Submit.
- On the left hand side of the Manual Control interface is a section with Shutter Control. Set the laser power to a low value, typically 5%
- With AxioVision loaded, open the shutter. If you see a small white dot, this is the laser. If you cannot see it, you are either too close to the substrate and its focal length is past the surface of your substrate. Alternately, you may be too far from the substrate, however this is typically not the case if you have your substrate in focus.
- Using the fine Z control, slowly adjust the Z location towards your substrate until the white dot just disappears. Note this Z location - switching the microscope control unit to XYZ mode is helpful for this process as the Manual Control interface is not ideal for this step.
- Close the Shutter in Manual Control.
- Close AxioVision and Manual Control. Enable the NanoWrite microscope.
- Note: closing AxioVision and renabling the microscope will automatically turn on Auto-Contrast, you may wish to disable this again.
- Your substrate should eventually come into sharp focus, move the substrate on X and Y until you have identified where you would like to print.
- Modify your _data.gwl file:
- It will contain the line FindInterfaceAt $interfacePos, comment this out by adding "%" before the line
- If this line is not removed or commented out, the microscope will lose the position and attempt to automatically find the interface
- DeScribe v2.7 and higher allows you to disable automatic interface finding in the Output section of the Import STL window. Under "Interface finder", select "Skip." Do Doing so should obviate this step.
- Load your print job and begin printing
- It may be valuable to have a small object (e.g. a cube) to test the print before starting a longer one. This can help validate your starting point and ensure that your print isn't floating or the laser is focused past your substrate.
- When your print is complete, click Exchange Sample Holder. This will back the objective from your print as normal.
...