Do you want to go in depth? Let´s unlock the black box!

Depending on the chosen 3D printer, its design, configuration, light wavelength, light power, its light power distribution across the vat, and the cumulative operating time, the "real" light power available across the vat for printing varies and upon use decays significantly, affecting the printing settings.

Any light emitting source, either laser, LED, or lamp suffer a natural decay of light power over time. Similarly, LCD panels used in LCD printers despite not emitting light, suffer a decay of light transmittance over time. LED arrays are often used as backlight to illuminate the LCD panels which function is transmit or block the backlight in certain areas to define the 3D shape during printing, normally layer by layer. Unfortunately, specially multicolor LCD panels are very sensitive to degradation caused by UV light and heat.

The following graph shows the typical light output decay vs cumulative operating time of multicolor LCD panels, monochrome LCD panels, digital lamp projectors, and LED projectors used in SLA, DLP & LCD 3D printers.

LED projectors despite having lifetimes of over 15000 hours suffer a gradual light power decay. LEDs last longer than bulb lamps projectors, which have similar lifetimes to monochrome LCD panels of around 2000 hours. Multicolor LCD panels have much shorter lifetimes of around 400 hours and need to be replaced regularly as consumables.

Lack of power control, monitorization, and prevention of its decay are some of the main reasons for frustration, printing problems and quality variability.

Specific printing settings and exposure times provided for generic printer types are too generic since exposure times depend on the available light power for curing the 3D resins across the vat: the lower the power the longer the exposure time needed for curing the resin in the printer.

Unfortunately light power varies from printer to printer of the same type and technology. Even different units of the same model, new as supplied, often have 10-20% power differences due to small configuration differences, which affect the printing settings: Power difference of DLP, LCD & MLCD printers and its consequences

Additionally, as shown on the graph above, light power decays versus the cumulative operating time of the printer. This means that, sooner or later, printers, including plug & play printers, will need longer exposure times for curing the same 3D resin.

Variability in specifications for the different printers and lack of light power control over time can be overcome with our support.

3Dresyns basic instructions will help you to get in just simple steps the fingerprint and best printing settings of our 3D resins for the existing "state" of your 3D printer, but cannot resolve any variability or power decay related to your printer. We sell 3D resins, not printers!

Optional ordering of the curing rate table

The optional ordering of the curing rate table has a cost of 40 Euro. The curing rate table provides the thickness of the chosen 3D resin cured at a light power similar to the chosen DLP/LCD printer during ordering. 3Dresyns curing rate table of the ordered 3D resin is measured by curing the resin with a 405 nm light wavelength at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75, and 100 seconds. The thickness of the cured resin at the mentioned times is used for filling up the curing rate table.

Light power matching "synchronisation"

For getting exact curing rate values we recommend you ordering the same light meter as ours, the Chitu Systems Digital UV Light Meter. 3Dresyns has chosen this model due to its affordability and realibility since its spectral range of 402-407 nm coincides with most printers light wavelength (405 nm).

The ordered curing rate table can be much more accurately measured after sharing your exact printer power since this will permit the 3Dresyns team to measure the curing rate table of your ordered 3D resins with the same power as yours since we will match your light power (light power matching) for fast & accurate finding your optimum printing settings: Fast and accurate Instructions for Use "IFU" for DLP & LCD printers

Consulting services

Our online consulting and training services can help you to select the "right for your needs" 3D printer, and prevent and avoid these basic power decay problems.

If you are struggling with your existing printer in a "black box" approach and feel that you need more control and understanding of the fundamental 3D printing variables for ensuring maximum performance (printability and resolution) and consistency (reliability and constancy), or if you do not have a printer yet, or need a new one, then consider contracting our consulting services for designing the right 3D Printing System for your specific needs and goals, which will include recommendations of all the required instrumentation, tools, instructions, material recommendations, consulting, and training for professional 3D printing.

Professional printing requires "constant", non variable printing conditions, so consider saving time and money by contracting our services to prevent any frustration and waste of time!!

For printing technical products a basic understanding of the basic printing principles is required. Technical products required trained technicians.

Plug & play "black box" printing needs to be unlocked since suffer from the same previously mentioned problems and limitations.

Biocompatible and food contact applications specially require maximum control of printing and post curing settings to ensure maximum safety for final users.

3Dresyns can help you to get the best 3D printer setup/configuration for your budget with all the basic tools and materials for printing professionally straight away with maximum quality.

3Dresyns consulting services include recommendations of the best 3D printing systems for your needs and protocols for preventing the natural light power decay, which is normally responsible for print failure and frustration.