I can't answer your question directly the way you asked, but I just confirmed my printer can actually go to 0.001 MM (yes, you read that right) layer hieght, so, even finer than 0.01. I was testing the new(er) litchi slicer (if you're using chitubox, give this slicer a look. It has a lot more out of the box 3d printer and resin presets and WAY more setting control). I did a test print of a tiny learjet (print failed due to poor support structure) but the part of the fueselage that did come out was ridiculously smooth. Will try to remember to post further updates after I get replacement FEPS and can start printing again, but do go check out the litchi slicer.
I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.
GraniteRailroader Yes, 1.2 0.025mm for the non-base layers. Are you sure you're at .010 mm, and not .1 mm? 6 seconds for WW Grey seems way too long - even knowing that the Creality's tend to have more UV output than most of the other offerings on the market. Everything I've read so far on your printer says that it does not support .01 layer height. Try slicing at 0.025mm height with the same exposure you're using now if you don't mind obliging my curiousity for one of the test prints.. and posting the result?
Yes, 1.2 0.025mm for the non-base layers. Are you sure you're at .010 mm, and not .1 mm? 6 seconds for WW Grey seems way too long - even knowing that the Creality's tend to have more UV output than most of the other offerings on the market. Everything I've read so far on your printer says that it does not support .01 layer height. Try slicing at 0.025mm height with the same exposure you're using now if you don't mind obliging my curiousity for one of the test prints.. and posting the result?
I can definitely do that when I get a chance. Am a bit busy with various different projects and to dos at the moment, but I'll give it a shot when I can...
BNSF UP and others modeler 1.2 second cure time at 0.025mm?!?! I used the exact same benchmark print on my water washable grey resin, and I got my most ideal results at 6 second exposure with a layer height of 0.010mm. I tried dabbling in the one and two second exposure range later when I printed small parts, but it wasn't working at all on several fronts. Everything from the supports to the part itself was way underexposed. I believe my exposure is currently at 4 seconds. However, you just accidentally answered one of my long standing questions, and that was the purpose of being able to tweak lift height. To drain the resin properly! I never knew that and it was a big issue with my parts. Now I finally know. I definitely need to tweak that so it lifts above the pool of resin each time. Do you have any recommendations to what I should change the lift speed to?
1.2 second cure time at 0.025mm?!?!
I used the exact same benchmark print on my water washable grey resin, and I got my most ideal results at 6 second exposure with a layer height of 0.010mm.
I tried dabbling in the one and two second exposure range later when I printed small parts, but it wasn't working at all on several fronts. Everything from the supports to the part itself was way underexposed. I believe my exposure is currently at 4 seconds.
However, you just accidentally answered one of my long standing questions, and that was the purpose of being able to tweak lift height. To drain the resin properly! I never knew that and it was a big issue with my parts. Now I finally know. I definitely need to tweak that so it lifts above the pool of resin each time. Do you have any recommendations to what I should change the lift speed to?
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GraniteRailroader I switched one of my vats over to Elegoo Water Washable White. This is 10 layers at 6 seconds per layer for the bottom, and then 1.2 seconds exposure per layer after that. Layer height of .025. I highlighted a couple bits in Sharpie so it hopefully would stand out. On the left side "pin hole" test, you can see that only a few of them have not filled in completely. This is a two part problem - lift height not exitting the resin to allow it to drain out (I meant to put 55mm, I only put 5mm) and slight over exposure. You can see that for the most part the raised cylinders came out as they were suppose to. In the center, the negative relief versus positive center test came out pretty well. On the bottom I got a little overzealous with the sharpie (these pain meds will do that to ya!) and filled in some of the detail. You'll notice the angled portions on the left have some broken bits from me being a little rough while washing the part. This was on a standard aluminum build plate (not one of my flexible plates). The only "treatments" to the build plate and FEP are what I have outlined in previous responses.
I switched one of my vats over to Elegoo Water Washable White. This is 10 layers at 6 seconds per layer for the bottom, and then 1.2 seconds exposure per layer after that. Layer height of .025. I highlighted a couple bits in Sharpie so it hopefully would stand out. On the left side "pin hole" test, you can see that only a few of them have not filled in completely. This is a two part problem - lift height not exitting the resin to allow it to drain out (I meant to put 55mm, I only put 5mm) and slight over exposure. You can see that for the most part the raised cylinders came out as they were suppose to. In the center, the negative relief versus positive center test came out pretty well. On the bottom I got a little overzealous with the sharpie (these pain meds will do that to ya!) and filled in some of the detail. You'll notice the angled portions on the left have some broken bits from me being a little rough while washing the part. This was on a standard aluminum build plate (not one of my flexible plates). The only "treatments" to the build plate and FEP are what I have outlined in previous responses.
Your piers look great. I'm interested in seeing how the corner tower comes out.
rrinker These low cost printers aren't meant to make ulta-precision parts. If you need tolerances in the thousandth of an inch or in tenths, you need a lot more expensive printer. .01 in HO is less than a scale inch, I defy anyone to say they can see the difference without measuring.
rrinker I don't think these low cost printers are the answer if you want to regear a loco, for example. They should work, but with the rather loose tolerances, they will probably be very noisy gears. Detail parts, accessories, things like that - these printers should be fine. Again, you're talking less than a scale inch for HO.
3D Resin Print Project No 2 . . .
Corner turret with witch hat roof for the Maritime Museum. N scale. CAD renderings. Exploded view and assembled view.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
I haven't forgotten about you guys. I plan on replying to everything once I get a moment. Just not enough time to get my Honey-Do list done before surgery AND try to write out replies on here. I'll have plenty of time once I'm laid up for a day or two with the laptop in bed.
BNSF UP and others modeler Those look great! Now the million dollar question... How many hours did it take to print that thing? That looks like a loonnnggg print time...
Those look great!
Now the million dollar question...
How many hours did it take to print that thing? That looks like a loonnnggg print time...
The cap and base took about 90 minutes apiece, and the shaft took just over 8 hours. It is 5-1/16" (5.0625") tall, and at 0.050 mm (50 micron) layer height that works out to 2670 layers. Looking back, I discovered that I could have printed two caps or two bases or two shafts in the exact same time it took to print single individual pieces. Lessons learned along the way . . .
Here are the other parameters. Five bottom layers at 50 seconds each for the base and cap. Six bottom layers at 60 seconds each for the shaft (I wanted to make double extra certain it would stick to the plate, knowing that it would be a very long build). For the rest of the layers, 6.5 seconds exposure with 1 second delay. Anti-alias set to 2.
Typical hollow structure for each piece has 1/16" skin and 1/16" stiffening ribs with 1/16" 'top' surface. The shaft has two 1/2" by 1/4" bosses with small center holes that will be tapped and threaded for 10-32 screws to attach the pier to the plywood deck of the benchwork. For the rest of its length (4-1/2"), the piece has the exact same cross section for well over 2000 layers. About half way through, I started thinking that that might not be such a good idea. It meant that the exact same pixels of the LCD screen would fire repeatedly with only a few seconds of recovery time. Which meant they could overheat, and in turn could cause the FEP to overheat, and then the idea that the piece sticking to the FEP could become a real possibility. You can think about a lot of stuff in eight hours.
Anyhow, things turned out reasonably well. I now have a full five 3D prints under my belt. Onward and upward!
Here're Part B and Part C to go with the photos from earlier. Shown are the pile cap, the pile shaft, and the pile base. Together they make up one of the bridge piers.
They are sitting on a couple of tooling parallels, which are used as references and offsets in machining operations, and are certified to be flat, straight, and square to a tolerance of 0.0002". The 3D resin prints are not nearly to that close a tolerance, but they are good enough for their intended purpose. I have been checking them repeatedly with a digital caliper and they are within 0.010". They started out a little 'fat', but they have shrunk a bit. The shrinkage factor is nowhere near the 3% to 6% figure that I found reported on several websites by 'internet experts'. No idea how they came up with such a number. My guess is that they do not have a firm grasp of mathematics or mechanics, and they pretty much eyeballed it. Then tossed out a wild guess, and went with it. My granny would say that these 'experts' are full of prunes.
Here's the assembled pier:
And one showing the pier in its intended place on the layout replacing the 'place holder' that has been there for a couple of years:
The pieces feel a lot smoother than they look. The plan is to put on two pretty heavy coats of sandable primer and see where that gets us.
That may be true...
But I would also venture to say YMMV between lower cost printer brands as well, which is why I might not be experiencing the problems other might with tolerances in their prints...
These low cost printers aren't meant to make ulta-precision parts. If you need tolerances in the thousandth of an inch or in tenths, you need a lot more expensive printer. .01 in HO is less than a scale inch, I defy anyone to say they can see the difference without measuring.
The pier and cap, both being on the same print, should be fine. It when you print a bunch of components across multiple prints and then try to fit them together where you may have tolerance issues. I don't think these low cost printers are the answer if you want to regear a loco, for example. They should work, but with the rather loose tolerances, they will probably be very noisy gears. Detail parts, accessories, things like that - these printers should be fine. Again, you're talking less than a scale inch for HO.
30 years ago, I worked in a machine shop where we made jet engine parts. Tolerances there were a tenth or two - affordable consumer 3D printers can't come close to that - yet. Neither can affordable consumer CNC machines or laser cutters.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Honestly I'm a bit confused by your problem. I haven't had any issues with shrinkage or expansion once I had my exposure settings ironed out. Perhaps GraniteRailroader can chip in, but honestly, I didn't even know this was a thing.
Perhaps my eye is untrained, but all of my models have come out to the correct scale dimensions AFAIK...
Maybe check to see in chitubox if its doing anything funny?
I've printed a couple more pieces. I suppose now is a good time to discuss deposition dimensions and over-exposure, pre-cure and post-cure shrinkage, and long-term changes to finished resin parts occasionally exposed to sunlight coming in through windows.
In general the few parts I cast so far have come out of the printer a little bit larger than designed. Not much, about 0.010" or so, but 0.010" is still more than zero. I've read online and have seen YouTube videos that indicate shrinkage of 3% to 6% should be expected. And everyone seems to think that is not a big deal. But then again, the vast majority of the online 3D Resin printer people are casting baby Yodas or orcs or robust Amazon Warrior Princesses with large . . . umm . . . shields. So yeah, they don't seem to care much about inaccurate dimensions.
My plan for this technology is to design and produce architectural and structural fittings and details, and a tolerance of 0.010" (or even more) is not suitable. Even the idea of 3% to 6% is intolerable. Plus, is it 3% or is it 6%? I can try to compensate, but even after considerable calculation followed by extensive trial-and-error castings, the resulting pieces and parts still might not fit; and what would be the point?
Here's a photo:
Thanks! I was unaware of this. I will build protection against light bleed into my curing station to prevent further damage to my vision.
The UV exposure to your skin cna cause sunburn, and looking into it can most definitely damage your eyes. Given that I have enough eye issues so as it is, I will be extremely careful around the printer and whatever curing system I come up with, or buy.
The ayes are strange, when it comes to exposure to damaging light, like strong UV, or a laser, by the time you even notice any pain, it's far too late to prevent damage. There's no warning of impending danger like say poking a sharp object into your arm. I'm considering UV protetive goggles. The lack of any real early warning system int he eyes and my general dislike of visiting doctors of any sort, especially when there is nothing wrong, is why I now have lost most of the vision in my right eye. The was a wakeup call. So much of what I enjoy doing involves being able to see, so now I am a bit paranoid when it comes to vision protection
GraniteRailroader,
Thanks for the info and link! I'll have to check that out. Are the magnetic build plates you are using flexible? What about it makes pulling prints off a dream?
Also, do you have a link to where I can get these magnetic plates?
Thanks!
Edit: I watched the video, it shows the automatic homing feature like I mentioned earlier. Additionally, my printer is the elfin 2, and the build quality is much better than the one in the video (all metal build plate). It looks as if I could just put an additional layer on my buildplate and autorecalibrate it and it should work? I might have to just find out for myself. -\(._.)/-
ROBERT PETRICK Here's a photo of my secret design for a curing chamber. Three-gallon stainless steel bucket (seamless, not galvanized). Plywood top (with rectangular hole). 405 nm UV lamp. Bucket with tapered sides and shiny insides disperse and reflect the UV rays all over the place; top keeps the rays inside the bucket to protect human eyes and skin. Robert
Here's a photo of my secret design for a curing chamber. Three-gallon stainless steel bucket (seamless, not galvanized). Plywood top (with rectangular hole). 405 nm UV lamp. Bucket with tapered sides and shiny insides disperse and reflect the UV rays all over the place; top keeps the rays inside the bucket to protect human eyes and skin.
Yep, looks like you got the exact same curing lamp. Nice setup!
You mentioned "protecting humans eyes and skin." Are there any risks with these UV lamps? I wasn't aware other than a couple faint references I've read in the past...
BNSF UP and others modeler Ok so 2 questions then. First, since mine comes autocalibrated, all I would have to do is tell it to find the bottom of the printer again? I also noticed that before every print, it does that anyway before going back down to actually start the print... So maybe I wouldn't have to do anything?
Ok so 2 questions then. First, since mine comes autocalibrated, all I would have to do is tell it to find the bottom of the printer again? I also noticed that before every print, it does that anyway before going back down to actually start the print... So maybe I wouldn't have to do anything?
BNSF UP and others modeler Second, are you saying that my resin prints will still stick perfectly fine to metals other than the build plate surface, e.g. a magnet or maybe even a thin sheet? If so, I would be very interested in trying out sheet metal. I know they have flexible build plates for filament printers, so if we could bring that into resin printing that would be great!
Second, are you saying that my resin prints will still stick perfectly fine to metals other than the build plate surface, e.g. a magnet or maybe even a thin sheet? If so, I would be very interested in trying out sheet metal. I know they have flexible build plates for filament printers, so if we could bring that into resin printing that would be great!
GraniteRailroader With the magnetic build plates you simply recalibrate your z-axis to zero it out with the additional thickness.
With the magnetic build plates you simply recalibrate your z-axis to zero it out with the additional thickness.
BNSF UP and others modeler I don't recall mentioning anything about my prints pulling off on this thread...
I don't recall mentioning anything about my prints pulling off on this thread...
BNSF UP and others modeler Although yes, it was an issue until very recently. I switched to 1.1mm thick supports at 60% density, so now everything stays put on the build plate, but it leaves me with a ton of pock marks under the print after snipping off the supports. I have considered tweaking my lift speed and distance just to tinker, but I might have to try it for this FEP film sticking, which I have had a problem with. It hasn't noticeably affected prints, but I don't want it anyway, I don't hear a "drum" sound exactly, just sounds exactly like the plate pulling up the FEP a bit before it snaps back down.
Although yes, it was an issue until very recently. I switched to 1.1mm thick supports at 60% density, so now everything stays put on the build plate, but it leaves me with a ton of pock marks under the print after snipping off the supports. I have considered tweaking my lift speed and distance just to tinker, but I might have to try it for this FEP film sticking, which I have had a problem with. It hasn't noticeably affected prints, but I don't want it anyway, I don't hear a "drum" sound exactly, just sounds exactly like the plate pulling up the FEP a bit before it snaps back down.
BNSF UP and others modelerI'm confused, however, as to what you mean by lapping the build plate? Also, where can I get these flexible magnetic build plates? And how do you compensate for the sudden additional build plate thickness? Recalibrate the printer's "home"?
BNSF UP and others modeler Your dish soap idea for FEP cleaing is interesting, but I don't know if I need it at present, as I too do not clean my vat often and just leave the resin in for the next print. My only concern here is that since my resin is water washable, some of the residue from this cleaning process could screw with my resin and subsequent prints...
Your dish soap idea for FEP cleaing is interesting, but I don't know if I need it at present, as I too do not clean my vat often and just leave the resin in for the next print. My only concern here is that since my resin is water washable, some of the residue from this cleaning process could screw with my resin and subsequent prints...
BNSF UP and others modeler Sadly, I have no skill at present in G-code, however, I would still like to see if I could figure out how to "jailbreak" my 3d printer somehow to get that insane resolution, as I intend to sell many of the parts I make and eventually print locomotive shells. If you ever find a tutorial online you think would help novices do this, by all means PM me or post it here.
Sadly, I have no skill at present in G-code, however, I would still like to see if I could figure out how to "jailbreak" my 3d printer somehow to get that insane resolution, as I intend to sell many of the parts I make and eventually print locomotive shells. If you ever find a tutorial online you think would help novices do this, by all means PM me or post it here.
I was looking for micro-stepping for your printer. I haven't found anything specific but will keep my eyes open. Aside from all that stuff, you guys should look at the availability of nFEP sheets on Amazon/McMaster Carr/wherever you can find it. PTFE lubricant is also a good option to have for keeping your FEPs healthy.
Yes, I'm pretty sure that's what he meant - just using the printer resin as the 'glue' and curing it with the UV pen. Same concept - I have seen the glue and pen demonstrated somewhere in a video, and that has been around for a couple of years now. As long as the pen produces UV of the correct wavelength to cure the printer resin, it should work exactly the same. Or you could always get a UV LED of the proper wavelength and make your own UV pen.
rrinker There's actually a 'glue' sold just like that, complete with a UV pen light. It's really UV curable resin. Here's one: https://www.amazon.com/Curing-Plastic-Adhesive-Seconds-Anything/dp/B07ZQVH9TR/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=UV+Activated+Glue&qid=1611109110&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRENUNFg2TUdKUzNCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDY5ODk3MVdUNzlGQUI0NE5HViZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODM2NzU1M0dGVDU4UDBZQjBDUiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= --Randy
There's actually a 'glue' sold just like that, complete with a UV pen light. It's really UV curable resin. Here's one:
https://www.amazon.com/Curing-Plastic-Adhesive-Seconds-Anything/dp/B07ZQVH9TR/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=UV+Activated+Glue&qid=1611109110&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRENUNFg2TUdKUzNCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDY5ODk3MVdUNzlGQUI0NE5HViZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODM2NzU1M0dGVDU4UDBZQjBDUiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Oh I see now. I know about those UV glues. I thought he meant he just used the UV light part of the pen, such as those off of "invisible ink" pens.
I would probably opt for just using little bits of resin for now, but the UV glue idea is interesting too...
BNSF UP and others modeler GraniteRailroader I can use a syringe with some of my photo sensitive resin and a UV pen-light and glue up parts. It takes seconds. The bond is the same material (resin) that it's printed from. Or I can glue them like any normal styrene model. Interesting. You also came up with the idea of just using the resin to glue the parts. That UV pen idea is quite clever, I've just been using my curing lamp. I'll have to try that. You mentioned you can also glue your parts like any normal styrene model? What model glues have you found to work? My tamiya liquid cement won't...
GraniteRailroader I can use a syringe with some of my photo sensitive resin and a UV pen-light and glue up parts. It takes seconds. The bond is the same material (resin) that it's printed from. Or I can glue them like any normal styrene model.
I can use a syringe with some of my photo sensitive resin and a UV pen-light and glue up parts. It takes seconds. The bond is the same material (resin) that it's printed from. Or I can glue them like any normal styrene model.
Interesting. You also came up with the idea of just using the resin to glue the parts. That UV pen idea is quite clever, I've just been using my curing lamp. I'll have to try that.
You mentioned you can also glue your parts like any normal styrene model? What model glues have you found to work? My tamiya liquid cement won't...
GraniteRailroader The little bit of "elephants foot" around the base of your print is a result of over exposure and bleed through of light. Your holes on the bottom - how did they measure in comparison to the design?
The little bit of "elephants foot" around the base of your print is a result of over exposure and bleed through of light. Your holes on the bottom - how did they measure in comparison to the design?
Pretty much as expected. I added a rabbet recess around the interior openings the same as the outer perimeter. If I didn't, the bottom layers would drift into the openings the same way certain alphabet letters would tend to fill in if overexposed.
Yes, elephant's foot is caused by overexposure and bleed through. I am fidgeting with the settings as all part of the 'dialing in' process. Lowering the exposure time for the first five or six layers will help, but the trick is to not lower too much too soon or face the dreaded drop off syndrome. I'll get there. I have printed exactly two 3D resin prints in my entire life, so I'm pretty much at the point on the learning curve where I expected to be at this point.
GraniteRailroader Your printers max resolution for layer height is .025mm with a precision of .01mm accuracy on lift height. You could potentially be losing layers setting it at .01mm in Chitu. Just something to take under advisement. You won't really notice any real difference between .01 and .025, other than time. The 15 micron difference is neglible. I'm actually surprised at how high your exposure times are. My Creality 002H's (which at stock are overpowered for uv exposure, but are modded now) are significantly less with minimal fails. I'm thinking your issues with prints pulling off are your lift/retract speed from the FEP. My lift speeds generally never exceed 50mm/min, with a 5mm lift distance. This allowed me to lower my exposure times without having to overcure to the previous layer. Are you hearing the "drum" sound when your printer lifts?The more you print, the sooner you'll want to find one of the flexible magnetic build plates for your printer. They're amazing. If you have the ability, lapping the build plate to fix the imperfections on the surface isn't a bad idea. It'll help with prints failing due to coming off. Also, you may have luck with cleaning your resin vat, and then wiping it gentily with soap and water. Just a damp paper towel (one of the no-lint/no-fuzz ones!!!) with a small drop of dish soap. This will help you relieve some of the adhesion to the FEP. Generally what I do is after cleaning the vat (which isn't often. I leave mine full 24/7, and just put a cover of seran wrap over them when swapping resins and put the next one on) is clean it with IPA, let dry (you'll see the filmy residue) wipe it down with the damp papertowl and dish soap, let dry, and then "polish" it to get rid of the film with a cloth. The dish soap helps resurface the FEP from the resin and UV exposure. You can cure on the build plate, if you're using supports. On thin flimsy parts (think lithophanes, or scale mesh etc) this is an easy way to help prevent warping prior to curing.
Your printers max resolution for layer height is .025mm with a precision of .01mm accuracy on lift height. You could potentially be losing layers setting it at .01mm in Chitu. Just something to take under advisement. You won't really notice any real difference between .01 and .025, other than time. The 15 micron difference is neglible. I'm actually surprised at how high your exposure times are. My Creality 002H's (which at stock are overpowered for uv exposure, but are modded now) are significantly less with minimal fails. I'm thinking your issues with prints pulling off are your lift/retract speed from the FEP. My lift speeds generally never exceed 50mm/min, with a 5mm lift distance. This allowed me to lower my exposure times without having to overcure to the previous layer. Are you hearing the "drum" sound when your printer lifts?The more you print, the sooner you'll want to find one of the flexible magnetic build plates for your printer. They're amazing. If you have the ability, lapping the build plate to fix the imperfections on the surface isn't a bad idea. It'll help with prints failing due to coming off.
Also, you may have luck with cleaning your resin vat, and then wiping it gentily with soap and water. Just a damp paper towel (one of the no-lint/no-fuzz ones!!!) with a small drop of dish soap. This will help you relieve some of the adhesion to the FEP. Generally what I do is after cleaning the vat (which isn't often. I leave mine full 24/7, and just put a cover of seran wrap over them when swapping resins and put the next one on) is clean it with IPA, let dry (you'll see the filmy residue) wipe it down with the damp papertowl and dish soap, let dry, and then "polish" it to get rid of the film with a cloth. The dish soap helps resurface the FEP from the resin and UV exposure.
You can cure on the build plate, if you're using supports. On thin flimsy parts (think lithophanes, or scale mesh etc) this is an easy way to help prevent warping prior to curing.
I have thought about adding a plate to my build plate, as printing directly on the plate without supports would be nice, but often I leave substantial scratches using sharp metal blades to seperate the print. And the provided plastic spudger is no good. I'm confused, however, as to what you mean by lapping the build plate? Also, where can I get these flexible magnetic build plates? And how do you compensate for the sudden additional build plate thickness? Recalibrate the printer's "home"?
Curing my builds on the build plate has crossed my mind as well, but I have (at least at present) decided against it for 2 reasons. One, I remove all my supports prior to curing (less chipping and potential part damage, everything is more brittle after curing) which means the parts would come off the plate anyway. Two, I'm wary of curing prints on the plate becuase I'm pretty sure that it will make the leftover supports even harder to remove after they have been cured. And honestly the warping doesn't bother me that much. I just tape those walkway parts to a flat clear ruler and cure them like that.
ROBERT PETRICK And a photo of actual results . . . Notice I printed directly on the build plate, as I will do for other designs. And notice the slight 'elephant's foot' around the bottom layers. I can compensate for that effect in the CAD file by adding a rabbet around the bottom perimeter. I am still piddling with the settings for this idea, but I think I can get it pretty close. Nothing fell off and nothing got stuck to the FEP. I am using my actual project designs as test prints for right now, but I will meander over to the webpages provided earlier. Robert
And a photo of actual results . . .
Notice I printed directly on the build plate, as I will do for other designs. And notice the slight 'elephant's foot' around the bottom layers. I can compensate for that effect in the CAD file by adding a rabbet around the bottom perimeter. I am still piddling with the settings for this idea, but I think I can get it pretty close. Nothing fell off and nothing got stuck to the FEP.
I am using my actual project designs as test prints for right now, but I will meander over to the webpages provided earlier.
Your solution to the elephant's foot is a good one, I'm guessing you might have found it in a youtube video like I did?
The reason I don't use it is because that much flat surface on the build plate requires a lot of force to seperate, and it requires sanding for me, but if it works for you, more power to you.
I also noticed that for an early print, your results look spectacular! What settings did you use? Are you happy with the resin and the print?