Z Corporation ZPRINTER 310 PLUS, Hardware Manual

ZPrinter

®

 310 Plus Hardware Manual

Overview

zcentral.zcorp.com

1

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2/11/09

1

Overview

Welcome to the exciting world of 3D Printing!

This manual will instruct you on how to take care of your printer and give you an introduction to 3D Printing. 
In addition, you can find information about 3D printing and its many applications and techniques on our 
3DP User Web site at

 zcentral.zcorp.com

.

This Web site is tailored to both beginner and advanced customers. We recommend that you register 
immediately to receive free, unlimited access to this excellent resource.

1.1 How the ZPrinter 310 Plus Works

Z Corporation 3D Printer processes are based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s patented 
3DP™ (Three-Dimensional Printing) technology.

The proprietary ZPrint Software first converts a three-dimensional design file (built using 3D CAD) into 
cross-sections or slices that are between 0.0035" – .008" (0.0889 - 0.2032 mm) thick. The printer then 
prints these cross-sections, one after another, from the bottom of the design to the top.

Inside the ZPrinter 310 Plus there are two pistons. In the diagram below the 

feed piston 

is on the left and is 

shown in the ‘down’ position filled with powder. The 

build piston

 is the piston on the right, shown below in 

the ‘up’ position. Also represented in the diagrams is the 

roller

 (drawn as a circle) and the 

print assembly

(drawn as a square). On the printer, the roller and the print assembly are mounted together on the 

gantry 

which moves horizontally across the build area.

To begin the 3D printing process, the printer first spreads a layer of zp

®

 series powder in the same thick-

ness as the cross section to be printed. The print head then applies a binder solution to the powder, caus-
ing the powder particles to bind to one another and to the printed cross-section one level below. 

To print the next layer, the feed piston moves up and the build piston moves down, each by the thickness of 
one layer. The roller then spreads the powder from the feed piston over onto the build piston, and the print 
assembly prints the pattern of the next layer using binder.

The printer keeps repeating this same process over and over until a 3-dimensional part is created in the 
powder.