@DKirch most customers simply vote with their feet. I had some Grey v4 problems, searched on the forums and saw the other users frustrations, and simply haven’t bought it again. The latest black is pretty bad too and so again I haven’t bought it again. I have the most success with white and tough at the moment.
Grey V4. Please take this product off the shelf
eaelec
#11
I tried one litre of grey V4 and had so many problems I just switched to a 3rd party resin.
Here is one of my posts:
Gareth
#12
As the original poster of Grey v4 always slightly deformed/skewed
I can confirm that the issue was absolutely not resolved with optics cleaning (attempted multiple times).
In fact I have since given up on using the Form 2 because of this, as I haven’t been able to get a useable print from it. I don’t quite have the time or willingness to invest in a whole new resin tank and cartridge to rule those two out as problems, especially as I’m not the only one with these kind of problems I think it might be a futile effort and a (further) waste of money.
Cory_Davis
#13
This is precisely why I think Formlabs needs to take a step back and stop defending Grey V4. There are obviously variables out there that are causing issues with the resin that Formlabs has not taken into consideration. I think one of the primary issues that it has is the lack of crisp edges around support touchpoints. I.E. if a cube were printed at an angle (based on automatic setup via Preform) the point at which the touchpoint meets the part will bridge to the next touchpoint on the default settings from Preform. Here is a sketch of this issue:
The dotted line is where the edge should be. Solid line what the result normally is in this situation.
Gareth
#14
Yep, I get that too. Working with jewellery where a tiny touchpoint makes a lot of difference between a good prototype for the customer to proceed and a terrible one, I’m not really happy with this result (if it actually prints).
vitorarimas
#15
Since I started using gray v4 I have never had a good impression. With gray v3 I never had any problems. I bought a new tank, cleaned the mirrors and it doesn’t improve anything. I spent a lot of money on a new tank without having to, spent almost an entire cartridge repeating jobs and testing every possible position with no result. People who aren’t complaining about V4 are probably not printing small, thin parts but only a blind person can’t see the various complaining topics about gray v4.
Zenica
#16
On the issue of black, I agree. I have not had a formulation of Formlabs black that worked, consistently.
I voiced my concern via a troubleshooting ticket and moved on…right to the Grey V4 and haven’t looked back.
I have not had a failed print in Grey V4 that wasn’t due to an error of my design. Either in not using enough supports (trying to save on post clean up) or not checking the tank’s clarity first. The Grey V4 is my go-to resin followed by clear and then white.
I print parts that have very thin walls, 1.0-1.5mm and some overhang. I am unable to post images due to copyright but I’m not just printing big things lacking fine details. If that were the case, I’d have kept my FDM printers.
Zenica
#20
I can show some, from limited angles and with some areas redacted. The thinnest area which did print fine is .376mm thick. These are the areas where the light easily penetrates through.
I inserted arrows to areas that were not crisp angles as they should have been.
This was printed at .025 and yet I have lines so I’m trying a different orientation.
eaelec
#21
The problem I had was when the thin wall connects directly to the support points like this:
My failure rate for these prints was close to 100%
Sculptingman
#22
I just printed 2 whole liters of grey V4- producing about 140 parts and every one was perfect.
Several of the parts were large scale- as big as would fit in the volume- and were positive and negative mold parts that had to fit to within about 3 thousandths of an inch.
They fit perfectly.
moreover- I used minirafts which i absolutely LOVE because they do Not stick to the platform as severely as the regular rafts. And I have to say that the contact points which prior versions of preform created in such a way that breaking off the supports often left a crater in the part- now are breaking off just slightly proud of the part… so I have the ability to trim them truly flush.
( I suspect the drawing shown above of the curious geometry of the support connections, where there is a narrow spot just off the surface of the part is an intentional modification of the support geometry as it results in being able to just snap the supports off and have them break at that narrow spot )
All in all- I find Grey V 4 to work just fine. And the newer version of preform to result in a much easier time getting the supports off the part without marring the part. And the minirafts to save time and resin.
Gareth
#23
Where do you live?
It’s probably a long shot, but maybe Grey v4 doesn’t travel well. I’ve seen people mention ruined resin that got caught in freezing temperatures due to weather trapping delivery vehicles. I live in the UK, and if it’s getting too cold somewhere en route maybe that’s affecting it.
eaelec
#24
I’m in Canada and I’ve encountered frozen resin problems before (this was with black resin caught for days in a massive blizzard). Formlabs was no help at all, when I asked them what symptoms I could expect if resin was frozen, they didn’t know. But the reseller gave me a refund when I complained.
The grey V4 was shipped in July from a reseller in Toronto, so there is no chance it froze going from there to my location. I have no way to know when it was shipped to the reseller.
Now I order my 3rd party resin directly from Texas, I stock up for a full year in the summer.
Zenica
#25
Which 3rd party resin? I’ve tried AppliedLabWorks resins but that stuff SMELLS and doesn’t seem to cure as hard, even with post curing under UV.
Your picture shows something I have not experienced and I have printed parts that have a similar characteristic of a thin wall and a support on several sides/angles to hold it.
Sculptingman
#26
I am in San Diego- and I ordered from a company in chicago.
all I know is that I have never had a problem with grey.
eaelec
#27
Digital Forge is what I use. Works great, $79 per litre and does not smell as bad as ALW.
Zenica
#28
Just got a liter from them to test out. From the onset, the smell isn’t anywhere near as offensive.