3D Printing Resin: 9 Important Settings
Resin 3D printing is naturally sluggish. For the resin to cure in each layer, light is necessary. The next step is for the build plate to remove the cured layer. Progress is gradual. Therefore, no magic button will magically increase speed. You get it by fine-tuning a lot of little parameters. You may significantly reduce print times by carefully adjusting each parameter. Quicker resin printing without sacrificing quality is possible by adjusting nine critical variables, as outlined in this article.
Why Resin Print Speed is Critical in 3D Printing?
How fast the machine moves and how fast each layer cures determine the resin printing speed. Resin printers cure entire layers simultaneously, in contrast to filament printers. Determining the cycle time is the light-exposure period and the movement between layers. Over hundreds or thousands of layers, any improvement in these stages adds up. You can shorten the print time in general by adjusting the exposure, lifting, and layer settings.
1. Adjust Layer Height for Fewer Layers
The height of a printed layer is its thickness. Details are better captured by thinner layers. They do, however, add more layers overall. There will be more cycles and a longer print time with more layers. Minimal changes to the layer height result in fewer exposures overall. When it comes to saving time and looking beautiful, many models still benefit from a modest layer height.
Increase the Layer Thickness: An increase in layer thickness can significantly improve performance if the level of detail is not paramount. One of the most crucial aspects of speed is the height of the layers. You can nearly cut the number of layers in half by increasing it from 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm. Peel cycles and exposure time are both decreased as a result. Before beginning a large-scale project, make sure the layer height you've chosen works on a tiny calibration print.
2. Reduce Number of Bottom Layers
The sculpture remains firmly attached to the build plate by printing the bottom layers at a greater exposure. A few of these layers are typically pre-set by slicers. It simply takes a few strong layers for the majority of prints to stick. It is more efficient to reduce this number. Less need for lengthy, high-exposure cycles is a direct result of a reduction in the number of bottom layers. To prevent failed prints, make sure there is enough adhesion.
Once you're sure your model will stick, only then can you reduce the bottom layers. See if the little test pieces separate after printing. When adhesion is stable, printing with fewer layers at the bottom becomes safe. This easy adjustment cuts down on time without sacrificing quality. You can usually adjust the number of bottom or burn-in layers in most slicers. In contrast to the default settings, which can comprise six or more layers, three to five bottom layers are typically sufficient for fast prints, allowing for strong adhesion without excessive curing time.
3. Lower Bottom Layer Exposure Time
In order to ensure adhesion, the bottom layer cures longer than the regular layer. However, each layer takes longer due to the increased exposure. You can lessen the bottom exposure if your model stays put. Reducing it to a reasonable level preserves the print quality without requiring needless additional curing time. Particularly for little, light prints, this works well. For the bottom layers, we use extra long exposure to make sure they stick to the construction plate. Older printers and resins that don't dry quickly can have standard values that are 25 to 60 seconds or longer. Yet, "fast" modes are available on a lot of printers, which reduce the bottom exposure time to about 15 seconds without sacrificing quality.
There are newer printers and resins that don't require lengthy bottom exposure because they cure fast. Lower the exposure level little by little while testing a few prints. Once adhesion is no longer reliable, stop lowering. That is the quickest way to expose your bottom safely.
4. Shorten Normal Layer Exposure
The amount of time that light remains on each layer is known as its normal exposure. To cure, resin needs energy, but there's a wide range of exposure times that most resins can handle. Minimizing exposure by milliseconds can result in substantial cost savings. Use slightly faster exposure settings to print the test models. Evaluate outcomes in parallel. Reduced exposure is often sufficient when there are just subtle variations in surface finish.
Every single layer uses this parameter, thus reducing normal exposure alone can cut a lot of print time. As you reduce exposure, be sure to keep an eye out for indicators of under-curing or poor layer bonding.
5. Reduce Wait Times Between Movements
The layer cycle of many printers includes additional pauses. Examples of such parameters are the amount of time to rest before and after a lift. Before or after repositioning the plate, they cause the machine to halt. They may build up on lengthy prints, but for many resins, they don't really enhance the end product's quality. It is common to be able to set these breaks to zero. This eliminates downtime and increases print speeds. Be cautious, though, because even brief pauses might facilitate the flow of thick or sticky resin.
Conceptually, the same holds for light-off delay or rest period following retract. A little waiting time to settle is still helpful for some resins. However, there are usually no additional delays when using rapid rigid resins. Cutting down on these delays saves time on each layer.
6. Lower Lift Height for Faster Cycles
The construct plate's lift height measures the distance it raises between levels. Because each layer must separated from the film, space is required between them. However, a lot of pre-configured options make unnecessary use of lift distance. You can save time on each layer's trip by lowering the lift height to the absolute minimum. It takes more time to complete the cycle for every millimeter of lift distance. You can find the lowest safe lift height by testing your printer and resin.
The viscosity of your resin and the stiffness of your tank film determine this parameter. You might have to use a little more lift for a softer film. But cutting down on distance often speeds up prints without sacrificing quality.
7. Increase Lift and Retract Speeds
You can adjust the construction plate's height and the speed at which it retracts. Cut down on cycle time with faster motion. Typically, high speeds are not a problem for modern printers. Prints of tiny or stiff resin objects benefit greatly from rapid speeds. However, supports could shift or break if lifted too quickly on fragile components. Find the maximum safe speed by experimenting slowly, as is the case with all settings.
"Vroom settings" allow some slicers to combine rapid lift, drop, and retract rates. Using these can significantly cut down on print times, particularly for subsequent runs.
Many printers now include pre-built fast modes that adjust all these settings in one go. For example, the Anycubic Photon Mono M7 family of printers offers normal vs fast printing mode settings. In fast mode, the layer height increases, lift distances decrease, and both lift and retract speeds increase compared to standard mode. Fast mode values for this model include 0.1 mm layer height, 15 mm/s lift/retract speed, and shorter exposure times.
8. Use a Less Sticky Tank Film
Peeling off layers of resin requires varying amounts of force, depending on the film at the bottom of the vat. More lift distance and slower lifts may be necessary for traditional films due to their increased stickiness. Coatings with low friction or newer films, such as polyfluoroacetate (PFA), lessen sticking. These films make it easier for layers to release. So, you may move quickly and with fewer steps without worrying about crashing.
Even though it's not a direct slicer parameter, this is crucial for making resin prints go faster. You may find that your other speed settings work better after switching to a film with less stickiness.
9. Choose Fast-Curing Resin
Lastly, the resin you choose is important. A faster curing time is an advantage of certain resins over others. When contrasted with regular resins, speed resins drastically cut down on exposure time. These cure in a matter of seconds, layer by layer. You may drastically reduce the total print time by using a fast resin and optimizing the settings. Some speed resins, for instance, cure in as little as one or two seconds each layer, while regular resins take eight to ten seconds.
Combine quick resin with the other presets for optimal performance. There will be no noticeable drop in quality while you experience significant time savings. Maintain a balance between speed and the strength or finish required of your product at all times.
Best 3D Modeling Software
Having discussed the best settings for faster resign 3d printing, it's important to have a look the best 3D modeling software that you can use to create your 3D models. There are many that are available, but we recommend using SelfCAD. It's a powerful software that comes with all the features required to create a model and prepare it for 3D printing. It comes with powerful but easy to use freehand drawing and sketching tools, image to 3D model for converting images to 3D models. The video below shows the overview of the software.
There are also poweful 3D sculpting brushes, easy to use selection modes, as well as various 3D shape generators that makes it easier for you to create your 3D models. SelfCAD also includes an in-built online slicer that you can use to slice your models.
Conclusion
Improving the speed of resin 3D printing requires adjusting a number of parameters. Everything from exposure durations to layer heights, lift movements, and rest intervals adds up to the total build time. It is important to test many of these options slowly and carefully. You can find out what works with your printer and resin by changing them one by one. Minimal compromises in detail or adherence are usually necessary for faster printing. However, if you find the sweet spot, you can drastically reduce print time without sacrificing quality or cleanliness.