Rigid resin curing to the resin tray instead of build plate

[louisemunro]

Hi,

We are currently printing with the new Rigid Resin. Instead of printing on the base plate, it cured on the base of the resin tray. The failed part is cured to the bottom of the resin tray and we cannot take it off easily without potentially scratching the tray. We have not had trouble with other materials so we are wondering if anyone is having issues with the new Rigid Resin.

Any ideas how to fix this problem? Will we have to replace the tray?

Thanks in advance.

[rkagerer]

Here are Formlabs instructions for removing a failed print from an LT tank. Scroll down to Cleaning Resin Tank LT:

https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Resin-Tank-LT-Maintenance-and-Care

It’s similar to scraping a normal tank (but as you noticed the LT’s are a little more delicate):
https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Cleaning-after-a-Failed-Print-Form2

Be sure to use a scraper with rounded corners. If you unintentionally gouge, puncture, scratch or indent the tank it may need replacement (see Diagnosing damage and wear on that first link)

If it’s really stubborn, you might try heating the tank in the printer (install it without a build platform and pretend you’re going to do a print, but cancel it before the laser starts) which should make the cured resin a bit more pliable.

I’ve had a similar failure with Rigid and it was a pain to get off, but doable. I managed it without significantly damaging the tank, but there remained a fair bit of ghosting underneath. You may want to position the next attempt on a different portion of the tray.

As for getting better build platform adhesion on your next attempt… Is that a Preform-generated raft, or are you printing directly on the base? If the latter, how large is the raft?

Here are some tips to diagnose adherence issues: https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Non-Adherence

You might want to filter the resin to ensure there aren’t any failed bits left behind in it.

Contamination in the optical path can exacerbate adhesion issues. Inspect and (if needed) clean the underside of the tank’s clear acrylic window (with Novus #1 plastic polish and a clean microfiber cloth - instructions are in the first link), and inspect and clean (if needed) your Form 2’s glass optical window.

You can also try lowering the Z-Offset a couple ticks:
https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Fine-Tuning-the-Form-2

How long has the resin been sitting in the tank? If it’s been there for months that might be a contributing factor (again, I’ve successfully done it, but I think they recommend a month or two max). Either way, definitely make sure you mix it well before printing (liberally stir any resin in the tank, and shake the cartridge well). Make sure the resin hasn’t expired.

Here are some more general tips for using Rigid:
https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Using-Rigid-Resin

Have you had any issues with other resins, or just Rigid?

Also suggest if you’re stuck or concerned, to open a ticket right away with Support as they’d be best equipped to help (and if you damage something under warranty while following their instructions it’s more likely they may be inclined to replace it).

Good luck!

[louisemunro]

Hi, thanks for your reply!

We tried with another tray with grey resin and the same thing happened. We used a full raft and auto generated supports for the second try and it did not work. The optical path was fine, the tray didn’t have any cloudiness. We cleaned the underside of the tank with the microfiber cloth as well. The resin level was normal.

We have now replaced the tray with brand new resin and new tank. We are now getting a resin sensor error without any luck of a print.

Thanks again for your help!

[rkagerer]

Sorry to hear. Definitely worth reaching out to Support. Let us know how it goes!