A general guide to setting up a SLA 3d printer

Introduction

There is a wide variety of stereolithography 3D printers. Therefore, you can find out the specific recommended settings for the print modes of your printer HERE .

So this page contains general tips for setting up 3D printers to work with HARZ Labs resins . The page is divided into several sections, each section will be different for individual printers (for example, whether the resin tray uses PDMS foil or FEP foil ). Each printer requires individual settings. Even within one 3D printer model, different settings may be required (mainly applies to SLA printers with DLP technology). We have collected a wealth of information about 3D printer and resin settings for better user comfort and to achieve the highest possible print quality.

Model testing

All 3D printer settings must follow a certain procedure, which is based on the result of printing test models. In our practice, we use two test models to set print parameters.

The first model - for rough quick settings, it is enough for standard models The second model - for precise settings, recommended for printing in dentistry
Download the 3d model for quick setup Download the 3d model for precise tuning

You can of course use your own models to set up the printer.

Layer thickness

Depending on the level of the printer used, the layer thickness can vary from 4 μm (0.004 mm) to 300 μm (0.3 mm).

However, the most commonly used values ​​of layer thickness range from 20 μm (0.02 mm) to 100 μm (0.1 mm). In addition to the printer resolution, there is also the resin properties to consider.

Resins designed for printing in 100 μm and 20 μm layers are different and have different critical cure depths.

Minimum layer thickness of HARZLabs resin according to color

Color
Minimum layer thickness μm / mm
Red 40μm / 0.04mm
Cherry 4 μm / 0.004 mm
Transparent 40μm / 0.04mm
White 40μm / 0.04mm
Grey 40μm / 0.04mm
Black 20μm / 0.02mm

Curing time

The curing time of the resin depends primarily on the type of UV radiation source and its strength . The curing time of the resin also depends on the activity of the resin, or the amount of photopolymers in the resin (Diphenyl), which also determine the color of the resin. More active resins require less time to cure the layer, which means you can print the model faster. In contrast, a less active resin is ideal for PDMS and FEP. The goal of HARZ Labs development is to find a balance between these two parameters.

Lower layers require longer curing time. Our general recommendation: The curing time of the first layer is 3-4 times longer than for the other layers.

Lift height in the Z axis

The lift height of the platform in the Z axis depends on many factors. However, the type of printer is decisive.

In other words, different settings for horizontal Z stroke printers or tray tilt printers, what kind of film is used in the tray, what cure length you have set, etc.

If the tray is with FEP foil , the minimum lift height of the printing platform depends on the area of ​​the model. The resin sticks to the FEP film when it cures (unlike PDMS).

Recommended lift height of platform according to foil for SLA 3d printer
FEP 2 mm - 6 mm
PDMS 0 - 3 mm


Time to rest / Enlightenment delay 

The pause between layers is determined by two parameters.

The first depends on the mechanics of the printer, i.e. the type of foil and whether the tray tilts or the Z-axis rises.

The types depend on the viscosity of the resin. Less viscous resin (more fluid) = shorter delay after launching the platform with the model.

Viscosity / recommended delay
Low viscosity 0.2s - 0.5s
Medium viscosity 0.5s - 1.5s
High viscosity 1.5 s - 10 s

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