There are some important considerations to be aware of before you export your geometry from the CAD program:
Part geometry files are in .stl format.
Only one part can be simulated. There can be multiple bodies, but they have to be on the same part file.
Do not include supports in the part geometry file. You will have an opportunity to import supports separately or have the Additive application create supports automatically for the part. If you have designed supports along with the part, keep them as separate bodies and save them to a separate file.
Do not include a baseplate (build plate) in the part geometry file. The Additive application takes the baseplate into consideration internally in the simulation and it never needs to be explicitly modeled.
Dimensions of the part must be in units of millimeters (mm). While .stl files are unitless, the Additive application does not provide the ability to switch unit systems and Metric units of millimeters are assumed.
The allowable build size depends on whether you import a part or import a build file, and on simulation type. "Build size" includes the part and the supports. Be aware that the larger the part, the greater the memory required for solution.
When importing a part that is not a build file Simulation Type Build Size Limit (x, y, z) Assumed Strain 1000 x 1000 x 1000 mm Scan Pattern 250 x 250 x 1000 mm Thermal Strain 250 x 250 x 1000 mm Thermal History 250 x 250 x 1000 mm When importing a build file Simulation Type Build Size Limit (x, y, z) Assumed Strain 1000 x 1000 x 1000 mm Scan Pattern 1000 x 1000 x 1000 mm Thermal Strain 1000 x 1000 x 1000 mm Thermal History 1000 x 1000 x 1000 mm The part .stl file must have the part positioned in the orientation in which it will be printed.
A part with its longest dimension in the Z direction will require the longest simulation time. While the domain volume doesn’t change with part orientation, the number of voxel layers changes, which means more calculations in the solver are being performed. Alternatively, a part with the smallest dimension in the Z direction will have the shortest simulation time. (Note that parts oriented with their longest dimension in the Z direction will similarly take longer to print on the machine because more layers are required. Powder recoating/spreading time is an order of magnitude higher than laser printing time.)
The time required to slice and voxelize an .stl file exponentially increases with the number of triangles. Given two .stl files for the same geometry, the file with the smallest number of triangles will be processed faster. (Slicing, as used here, refers to the internal process of dividing a part into scan vectors according to the scan pattern input parameters that will be used in the 3D build process. Voxelization refers to the dividing of a part into voxels, or elements, used in the mathematical simulation. See Voxel Size.)