Two tests 1. Medium supports at 20% density + 3 heavy supports place at each end of the sill and 1 in the middle 2. Medium supports only but denity increased to 40% The density is the amount of supports the higher the value the more supports there are. And the results are Both worked Test 1 Lh is the front view, Rh the rear side Close up of the front side Test 2 Lh is the front view, Rh the rear side Close up of the front side Front view of both prints with the supports removed LH is test 1, RH is test 2 No cleanup, you can see the pip from the heavy support in the middle - a quick rub with a nail file will clean that up. Paul
A little bit of an update I have found the printer was becomming susceptable to prints failing in the center area - detaching from the supports or supports failing altogether. I did increase the raise height to 10mm from 8mm which iomproved things but not fixed. I also looked at the build plate, using a straight edge accross the plate and noticed daylight in the center area indicating the plate was concave and not flat. It didn't appear to be a curring setting ast the prints were difficult to remove from the build plate. I contacted Anycubic Cubic support and gat a fairly quick response, telling me to increase the raise height from 8 to 10mm (already ahead of them), and to tighten up the fep sheet. And also sent a copy of the R_E_R_F.pwmx file (Resin Exposure Range Finder). Anycubic produce different versions of this file for all of thier printers (the file extension will change depending on the printer model) Eight models are printed with differing eposures - Print 1 with the Normal exposure time of 0.80 seconds, each subsequent prints exposure is increased by 0.4 sec (note this increase is different for other printers - The Photon increases by 1 second per model and I think starts at 8 seconds). Once completed you compare the results and pick the best looking print and use that for your new Normal Exposure time. Ok time to see if the corrections suggested worked - i.e. tensioning up the FEP, and use the R_E_R_F.pwmx to check the exposure time. First up the prints all stuck to the build plate, so the tensioning worked - It appeared tensioned before, and I had less than 1 turn left on each screw, but the results speak for them selves. Next the exposure, I am using Anycubic Basic Grey resin, most of the detail failed on print 1 & 2, prints 6 to 8 appeared to look the best, which would give an exposure time of 2.8, 3.2 or 3.6 seconds On the last full test I carried out hear was the settings I had manually changed the Z lift on the printer to 10, but the file has 8mm So comparing the two files I need to change the following settings Normal Exposure to 3.2 or 3.6 from 2.0 Bottom Exposure time to 45 sec from 40 Increase number of base layers to 8 from 6 Z lift to 10mm Z retract speed to 4.0 mm/s from 3mm/s which will speed up the movement Seems like another test print will be needed. However, with the print 1 & 2 detail fails - they stuck to the FEP sheet, on trying to remove to bits the fep shhet got a ding - not all the way through, but I aint risking it. I have FEP sheets on order but they aint arrived yet. This is my only gripe with the Mono X printer, both of my standard Photons came with a spare FEP, this one didn't, it wouldn't have been too bad, but the standard Photon FEP sheets are too small for the Mono X. Now while waiting for the sheets to arrive I stumbled accross this video. For a firmware update, the results are impressive, and yes I've downloaded the update and applied it. Paul
I’ve been doing some looking on a Facebook forum and there were one or two comments that the original FEP as it comes is not up to much and distorted after a few prints. Don’t know if that’s of help?
Hi Andy I had seen that as well, I've got 10 sheets on order fom Amazon and 5 sheets from an Ebay store. I'm not surprised that the sheets may deform quicker as they are being distorted in the center more just due to the size of the print surface - just think how much more the 13" printer must have to move. The R_E_R_F test prints will be useful in the future for testing different Resins, and probably more importantly, lower temps that we have. I've some youtube video's where they recommend warming the resin to 30 and keeping the room temp to something similar, in Dundee in the winter we struggle to get 30F never mind 30C, we rarely 30C in the height of summer - I think I start to melt above 24C . Fingers crossed one of the orders arrive soon (Amazon estimated delivery is 21 to 28th Jan, and Ebay 25th Jan oh hum). I'm not risking the print with a damaged FEP as any leaking of resin on to the screen can can be an absolute bstard to clean up and can permanently damage the screen, and not sure on the availabilty of spare ones just yet. Paul
Have you fitted a screen protector to the screen? I’ve heard the IPad ones work? And put some kapton tape round the edges. down side is, I’ve never yet put one of these screen protectors on without bubbles....so I’m not sure what would happen if I had a printer ? They member mention that on their postings! Lol. Good luck, following with interest. which slicer are you using? I read of many using lichee or something? Is there a problem with the factory one that comes with it? the firmware improvement looks good, also read about others who have seen a marked improvement! And yes, your right, the bigger the space the more leverage!
Hi Bob Amazon - Luntus 0.1mm FEP 280 x 200mm Sheets Mine arrived today so has taken approx 3 weeks, as I ordered them on the 24th Dec, for a scheduled 19th to 28th Jan delivery Paul
Short update All prints came out spot on - and I hadn't tightened up the build plate fully - which is a miracle. With the new FEP and current tightness, I reckon I could lower the Z lift as I heard the FEP Ping while the plate was still raising, and maybe speed up the movement, but at the moment It WORKS !!!, so I'm happy Paul