Hey all. So about a couple of months ago my prints were coming out pretty flawlessly. Though I have recently been noticing very fine lines on the surface. They really kill the detail of the heads I print.
I’ve seen threads where these appear on flat surfaces and look much harsher. I changed the resin tank which improved the detail in the prints, though still getting those lines.
I have been printing quite a number of these heads since the first good version so I’m wondering if the constant printing has gradually mis-aligned something.
Could this be anything to do with the platform axel rod grease not being enough? Or possibly dirty mirrors? I gave the mirrors (though not the galvos) a dry wipe with a pec pad, though still the same results. Build platform feels secure, though not sure if there even is a way to tighten it more. I do have the printer in an encasement and there is an extractor fan on it that has a slight vibration, so not sure if that is affecting anything.
Any pointers or theories from anyone experience would be great as this makes my printer only good for prototyping right now. Also I think the lines are much worse to the left direction when looking top down in preform.
Here are the lines at their worst (they vary from bad to not so bad) also the resin tank was foggy hence why this version looks more blurry detail than the one above.
It could still be the tank. I haven’t had this issue as yet, but there have been a number of postings from other users with a similar complaint, and swapping to a new tank addressed the problem. But I’d pull and reset the tank you’re using and try again to see if that makes a difference.
ok thanks Randy, will try pulling out and pushing in again. Could a dusty/dirty galvo mirror cause this? Also if the axel rod for the build platform is insufficiently greased could that also be a cause?
I think the first test would be to eliminate the fan on my enclosure to see if the vibrations are affecting it.
I think dirty optics could contribute, yes. And vibration could cause problems as well. The galvos aren’t servo-controlled, they’re “open loop”. Like the needle on a voltmeter. And you can make the needle move around by wiggling the meter around, so you can probably do the same with the printer’s galvos.
Ah that’s interesting. I did use the extractor fan on the good print, though I think it got dropped and went louder. Will try printing without the fan and see as vibrations goud be slightly moving the galvos. Though please keep any other suggestions going
Alternatively, the issue could be that your build platform is not securely fastened. When inserting, be sure to align the platform with the platform carrier and push it into place, locking the handle down to secure. This will prevent the platform from wobbling each layer, which could cause the horizontal artifacts you’re seeing in your prints.
However, if that doesn’t resolve the issue, I’d recommend reaching out to our support team. They’ll be happy to take a closer look at what might be going on!
Hello @FormBeast
Offtopic:
I’m newbie, may I ask you which resin it is?
Looks like “grey resin”, but the details are amazing.
I would be very happy about a tip
I did check the build plate and it seems as securely fixed as I can get it. Unless there is a screw or something I can further tighten?
One thing I can see is that the deep peel lines are inconsistent. I have been noticing my prints are taking longer than estimated by the printer. I’m wondering if the printer is stopping at intervals for long periods of time as I read this was an issue with someone else getting bad peel lines. Is it something to do with the sensor? I’m not getting any sensor errors.
The cartridge is pretty full still and temp inside should be well maintained. Not had any messages come up. I’m also not sure if this is something to do with the new firmware as the print time seemed to be shorter after updating from the old firmware (with the first print)
I did notice that these lines are considerably worse on on the left side of the platform (looking top down on preform) Is this a calibration issue or something? Is there anything anyone can suggest to try?
hoontee, did you delete the post as the firmware wasn’t the issue? Is it possible to install older firmware? I noticed the later firmware had much shorter print times by an hour, though thats when these issues started happening
It was regarding the Form 3 instead of the Form 2 which is what this post is listed under, so I deleted it.
However I did claim in the post that it was caused by a firmware update but in actuality I’m not sure what happened. The version was still listed as 1.13.3 (June 15th) when the print speed increased and the problems started occurring on Aug 18th.
Ok so did a print last night for the first time in a while. The extractor fan that was giving out a hum and very mild vibration to the enclosure the printer is in, I moved to the window, so just the extractor hose attached to the enclosure. No lines on the prints! I think after the print in the first image my silent extractor fan was dropped and had a bit of a loud noise. This is most likely the cause of the fine lines. So even something like this subtle hum was affecting the prints just in case anyone is having the same issue and may have some other equipment affecting the laser.
I also thickened the walls of the head and that seemed to help the stability as the previous walls were very thin.
