If you are using Castable Resin, then you know post-curing is an essential step to prepare your model for casting and have a successful burnout process. I just wanted to share some specs that our Materials team recommended looking for in purchasing your own post-curing chamber. Specifically, you want to look for “a fluorescent lamp, ~30W nail spa that emits in the UVA range.”
A sterilizer is a much lower wattage, so you would have to post-cure longer when using one. So, while sterilizers look flashy they are less effective so you’re best to start with something similar to a cheap nail spa!
The Materials team also put together this extensive PDF that explains how UV curing affects SLA 3D printed parts. Read it to find out the best way to post-cure your parts; Standard, Tough, and Castable resin all require different post-curing.
Does anyone else have experience post-curing parts they could share here?
I created the DIY UV Box mentioned in #1 above to fit in with my Form1+. Q: Why don’t you guys make a better version of it out of the same sheetmetal you use in your printer, and sell them as a pair? You definitely have my permission to use the design, but I’m sure it can be improved upon. I know you’d sell them.
I second this @ChristopherBarr, I would say that the machine is useless without a curing chamber. Every other SLA printer manufacturer sells a dedicated curing chamber which comes as part of the package for the machine.
Hi- I followed the suggestion with the UV led strips. I bought enough material to make two curing chambers. I built one and noticed after a couple of months of infrequent use that the LED’s seemed dim. I put the unused strips into service along side of the original ones and there is a huge difference. My theory is that the rubber used to encapsulate the LED’s is not UV resistant, and is yellowing. I’ll try to upload a photo. Anyway, My chamber worked a lot better when I added the new ones in there; the performance had been gradually degrading. So, I’d suggest getting your LED’s without any encapsulating material around them.
Hi,
For those of you using the CUREbox: Could you report on the light intensity distribution in the chamber? Do you think the samples are cured uniformely and with enough power?
Thanks for your help!
We’re excited to update this thread and announce Form Wash and Form Cure, new automated systems for powerful post-curing. Form Wash and Cure complete the SLA engine by providing streamlined post-processing solutions with consistent, high-quality results.
Parts can be directly transferred from the printer to Form Wash or removed from the build platform and placed in a basket. Set Form Wash for the desired amount of time, and your parts will descend into the IPA. An impeller agitates the IPA for thorough part cleaning and after the time is up, the basket will automatically raise and allow your parts to dry.
Form Cure is a robust and reliable post-curing solution that maximizes the material properties of your SLA parts. It combines the power of 405nm LEDs with precise temperature control to take the guesswork out of post-curing your printed parts.
