Voxelizer tab

Terms and conditions

By using the Voxelizer service you agree to our terms of use.

Intended use

• The Voxelizer is a cloud service that converts STL files to CERES print files
• The print files give best results in combination with the Exaddon ionink [Cu] bright and a 300-nm-diameter iontip
• The Exaddon ionink [Cu] standard may also give acceptable printing results
• Exaddon ionink [Au] is not intended to be used
• The cloud service is interfaced in the Voxelizer tab of the VCG (see screenshot below)

STL file and requirements

Use the Load STL button to load a .stl file for voxelizing.

File requirements:

• Do not use the symbol ‘#’ in the file name.
• Only binary .stl files are supported
• The STL file is fully ready. The VCG does not offer any editing capability.
• The STL file does not contain an array of structures. Each STL file must contain an individual structure. The Print File Generator tab can be used to create arrays and/or combine structures.
• The structure has the desired orientation. The printing is from bottom to top along the positive z direction.
• The structure is exactly aligned with its lowest point at z=0
• If a structure has multiple elements that start at z=0, all these elements must be at z=0.
• There are no smaller features in the resulting print file than the Feature size. Note that the size of the features in the loaded STL file will be scaled by the Scale height setting.
• Overhangs larger than 90 degree are not processed by the voxelizer.
• The STL mesh must be regular: no defects, no double triangles, no lines, etc.
• Size limit: 100 MB

Hints:

• Software like Meshmixer can be used to improve an STL file (rotate, align with z=0, create a regular mesh, etc.)
• Start with simple files.
• Start creating small print files (Scale height) and gradually increase the height of the structure.
• Make the design either completely hollow or completely filled. A combination may lead to unexpected results when using the Hull mode.

Parameters and starting the voxelizing

The following parameters are available:

Parameters	Explanation
Feature size (µm)	Features (edges, corners, protrusions, indents, etc.) smaller than Feature size are lost. This number is representative of the spatial resolution of print. Recommended is 3 µm.
Plating speed (µm/s)	Saturation speed in Iontip Calibrator (at 500 nm voxel height, pillar printing). Currently it is highly recommended to use 1.3 µm/s. Note that pillar printing speed must be set to this value (@ 500 nm voxel height) prior to printing the generated print file.
Resolution (µm)	Discretization grid (cubic) on which the print file coordinates are simulated. Decreasing this number quickly leads to extremely long duration for the voxelizing process. Recommended is 0.25 µm.
Scale height (µm)	Height of structure in the print file. Everything will be scaled accordingly. Note that the final height may deviate due to overhang or feature size violations.
Pressure (mbar)	Printing pressure, nominal value.
Stop height (µm)	If not -1, the voxelizer stops at the height provided here.
Hull mode	Off prints the file as in the design. On makes solid bodies hollow. A hull is printed at a thickness in accordance with the Feature size.

After setting the parameters the Voxelize button starts the voxelizing process:

• The .stl file is uploaded to the Exaddon cloud
• The voxelization process starts using the parameters provided if the thread is free

Data security

Each Exaddon customer has a separate space on the Exaddon cloud. The spaces are protected and only accessible by a unique key that Exaddon provides to one customer only.

Data retention

Voxelized files remain in the cloud for 60 days. They are automatically deleted afterwards.

Processing capability

Each unique key can initiate one thread upon uploading a voxelizing task. Uploading more voxelizing tasks in the same secured customer space leads to queing. The voxelizing process automatically proceeds with the next file in the queue (first in, first out).

Progress tracking and download

The table that shows the files currently present in the secured space.

Status can be:

Parameters	Explanation
done	Voxelizing is done, file is available for download.
processing (x/y)	Voxelizing is in progress. x denotes the active layer, y denotes the total amount of layers. y is usually close to Scale height over Resolution.
uploading	STL file upload is in progress
queued	Voxelizing task is currently queued
rejected	Voxelizing task is rejected by the cloud service (task too big, etc.)
canceled	Voxelizing task has been canceled. No resume possible.
failed	Voxelizing task failed (e.g., out-of-memory error)

Context menu for the Cloud files table

The context menu options for the table displaying the Files in cloud

• Refresh list Refresh the data in the table (sync with the cloud).
• Download Downloads the selected file to the local hard disk. Download only works if Status = done.
• Cancel task Cancels the voxelizing task. Canceling can only be done if Status = queued or Status = processing.

Local print file management

Use the table that displays the Local files to select a voxelized file.

• The # of voxels in the print file is displayed
• Upon selecting a local file the corresponding Parameters are displayed in the Parameter table (bottom left)
• Optionally (checked by default): a simulated version of how the print job will look like is displayed in the axes bottom right.
• Optionally (unchecked by default): a list of voxels, their x, y and z coordinates including an estimated duration to print each voxel. The duration is in arbitrary units.

Context menu for the Local files table

The context menu options for the table displaying the Files in cloud

• Send to Print File Generator Send the print file the the Print File Generator tab. The print file can be added to a design by selecting the Voxelizer script in the script list.

• Show STL result Checkbox to show the simulated STL file. The simulated files can be >1 GB in size. To reduce loading times, it is sometimes useful to disable the check box. Default: checked.

• Show voxel list Checkbox to show to display a list of all the voxels, their x, y and z coordinates including an estimated duration to print each voxel. The duration is in arbitrary units. Default: unchecked.

• Delete voxelizing result Deletes all files associated to the voxelizing result from the local hard disk. The files in the cloud are left untouched.

• Refresh list Refresh the list display (sync with local content).

• Open in Explorer Opens the folder containing the voxelizer results in a Windows Explorer window. Note that moving files to another location on the hard disk makes them inaccessible for the Local files table.