So I have a tool I was trying to print and it hasn’t been going well with the Black v4. I have a rectangular aperture sized at 0.025" x 0.5" that I am having difficulty getting to print. I was able to successfully print this part with the Black V2 a while back but with every new resin change, I am finding it increasingly more difficult to achieve these parts.
My most recent attempt at printing this part at least gave me some form of hope that I can still achieve this. I finally found an orientation that allowed an open aperture to be printed. The issue is it only had 1 flat edge with the other sides being slightly curved.
Along with the aperture coming out incomplete, the base of the tool (which should also be a rectangle and flat) is bowed. In order for the tool to be aligned correctly, I need that to be a flat finish.
I have also noticed recently that my prints are coming out looking a little rough straight from the printer. Instead of the smooth finish I’m used to seeing, the parts are textured. and grainy in appearance.
This is a close up of the failed aperture as well as the rough finish of the print.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what my issue might be? The resin tank was changed at the start of the resin cartridge that is currently in use. The IPA I am using is 99%. I have the Form Wash and the Form Cure systems as well. This was only the 2nd use of those stations but my parts have been starting to come out more rough like this in the past month.
Is your form 2’s window spotless, The window the tray is above, try cleaning it, and have you tried printing at a thinner layer height like .05, I had no luck with the black v4 hard time just getting it to stick.
I’ll be checking the window and following Form’s recommended cleaning process (if necessary) to try and see if that helps a bit. I will also be trying to use a high resolution to see if this helps at all. It terms of printing small features, V2 has worked the best so far. It seems most of the parts need to be tweaked or re-oriented to work with the V4.
We’ve noticed a higher incidence of printing issues with the Black v4 resin as compared to the other materials, and are working towards improving the material profile. Are you on the latest PreForm update? That will ensure that you have access to the most up-to-date settings.
I have seen the motor movement error before but after a reboot I haven’t seen it since.
I cleaned off the dust from the window (using dry method) so the finish looks a little better than before. I also adjusted the resolution to 0.025. The aperture came out a little better but still has only a minor portion with the expected opening. The base was also flat this time.
Since this one was the closest thing I’ve gotten recently to a usable item, I went to attempt to see how it would perform and found another dimension that has an issue. There is suppose to be a clearance hole in the side that should measure 0.075". This clearance hole is measuring roughly 0.055". The location of this hole makes it a bit difficult to get an exact measurement. Luckily I had a short enough drill bit (0.055") to get a good estimate. The bit fit fairly snug into the clearance hole. The pin that will be put into this hole came out measuring 0.066"
Aperture with 0.025 Resolution print after window cleaning. The splatter on the right hand side of this image is from post print clean up. I did a poor job of verifying the hole was clear from resin and IPA before curing.
I agree with Zachary- the print shows a definitive periodic flaw. On good quality prints, the layer lines are essentially indistinguishable from one another. The kinds of flaws I see in the print are ones I associate with print pauses.
Have you paused the print multiple times as it built or have you had print errors that paused the print?
Thanks for doing a bit of troubleshooting by cleaning the optical window and attempting this with different layer heights. It looks like something might be amiss with the optics, and our support team is going to be best suited to troubleshoot this. A member of our team will be in touch with you over email to help out.
