3d Printing Best Practices:
Welcome to our guide! We hope you find this helpful.
Start Here:
Before printing, here are the 10 fundamentals you can double-check to make sure you’re going to get an awesome print the first time around.
- There is nothing between the Resin Vat and the LCD screen, plastic film, resin, debris, etc...
- Build plate is clean and free of any debris
- Build plate leveled and secured tightly
- FEP is clean of any debris
- Resin vat screws secured
- Resin is clean and filtered
- Resin is shaken
- Temperature of printing room is between 25*C and 30*C -
- Adequate power is being provided for the printer (100-240V 50/60Hz 24V 7.5A) (average power outlets provide 120 volts AC at 60 Hz and 15 amps which is generally more than enough.)
- Run a successful calibration test
3d Printing Troubleshooting Guide
FAQ
Q: What lift speed should I use?
This is an interesting subject with a lot of research going into it. Engineers studying the subject suggest that lower lift speeds apply low amounts of separation force over a high amount of time, but don’t cross a stress threshold, thus damaging the print. The alternative is to apply a high amount of separation force over a short amount of time, reducing the amount of time that the stress is applied to the 3d print, thus preventing damage. There is a “dead-zone” between 60mm/min and 180mm/min where print failure rates increase by 30%. So the prevailing logic is either a relatively slow lift speed between 40mm/min and 60mm/min, or what are called “vroom” settings which is +180mm/min.
We personally use “vroom” settings, as we’ve found great success with printing using the higher lift speeds.
We recommend newer users to get comfortable with slower settings trying the vroom settings, and anyone who has a printer made of lower quality parts that may not be able to handle the higher settings.
Lychee Slicer has the option to have variable lift speeds, and this should greatly increase your success rate.
In a study conducted on the effects of acceleration on the separation force in SLA printers, it was found that an acceleration introduced into the separation force produced far greater results than an abrupt change in speed. Thus a dynamic lift speed is ideal
Q: How long can I leave my prints on the build plate?
A:You can leave your prints hanging on the Build plate almost indefinitely with little to no warping. Just wait until you have the time and energy to clean them. I have personally left prints that had keyed contact points hanging for up to 3 months with no difference in fit. Research indicates that SLA resin prints have very little warp value due to the heat and UV curing process.