SLA /MSLA 3D printing with an Elegoo Mars Ultra - with a model making inclination

[Allen Dewire]

I have been following this thread for a while and it is very interesting. When I saw what Gary purchased, it piqued my interest even more. I did some searching on the Elegoo website and found, to my amazement, that the 3D printer, wash station, and a kg of resin was surprisingly cheaper than I had ever thought. I would have no idea where to set this up in my small apartment, or what I would print with it......But,

The big question in the windmills of my mind, is how hard is the software to learn and how powerful does your computer/laptop have to be to do this whole shebang? I also noted that they make a 10 watt laser engraver/cutter with a 40x40 cm base plate for €217, delivered. It can cut up to 8 mm thick basswood and also alu/steel. Again, it comes down to how hard the software is to learn and what are the computer/laptop requirements to run it? The 20 watt laser unit does cost twice as much and I guess it has advantages over the 10 watt unit. Just wondering about all this..........

Prost
Allen

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

Hi Gary, may I offer some advice, having played with mine for 18 months now (settle down, rabble!)?

1. have a dedicated work area covered with a plastic sheet .It will get sticky very quickly and it's easier to clean or replace. You will need space to work around the machines-including somewhere to put the lids while you're doing stuff in the printer
2. you've already mentioned gloves, but you should wear them for every operation-except touching the memory stick. always remove them before you go to the pc or your pc will soon get sticky. LIGHT BULB MOMENT! I've just realised that must be the benefit of having a wi-fi connection(which I don't have on my machine)
3. when your first batch of IPA gets a bit too murky to properly clean the models, don't bin it straight away, put it in another container and use it as a rinse stage , which will prolong the life of the IPA in the wash and cure station
4. You will need a BIG roll of paper wipes - always cure my used wipes for 5 mins in the UV before binning them-we don't want uncured resin going into land fill
5. I also have a tub of IPA wipes for cleaning hands and tools(I originally used the IPA from the wash station and it doesn't work because it's already contaminated with resin ,DOH!)
6. get a pair of magnetic build plates. The plate makes it much easier to remove your prints, and having two means you can start the next print straight away

that's all I can think of for now- good luck
Neil

My intensions.

1. making an enclosure for the printer and possibly the wash station, which will allow me to keep lids off as doors will keep light out from printer , a 12" greenhouse heater bar to get temp up to 26 degrees ish,, and a dividing partition keeping cure station/wash station on other side.
Table/surface slightly lower down with another slap mat on it to place the build plate while removing the prints.
Working on design to allow venting to exterior thru a wooden wall, its the front door porch on an old estate house ( as in country estate cottage )
2. gloves on at all times if chems involved , 100 black nitrile gloves ( minus 2 used ) sitting beside machines
slap mats under both devices in temp location, and yes , it can get everywhere.
3. intention is to pour the murky ipa back into a see thru container and ''cure'' it in the sun ( summer ) or in curing station ( cold days , little sun ) after letting it settle for a while. need to order a second 5 litre container of it.
4. going to get a big blue roll ( stuff mechanics etc use )
5. will look for ipa wipes
6. holding off on the magnetic plate at present. newer surfaces on the mars 4 ultra apparently allows for relatively easy removal of prints, has so far for the tests I di that proved it needs to be warmer.

heater is in the hands of hermes/evri so at least another 48 hours before they deam it possible to deliver as far North as me., its been stuck in the first depot for nearly 48 hours already.

Its all hurry up and wait at present , room stuff is in at present is sub 10 degrees = useless for resin printing

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

I have been following this thread for a while and it is very interesting. When I saw what Gary purchased, it piqued my interest even more. I did some searching on the Elegoo website and found, to my amazement, that the 3D printer, wash station, and a kg of resin was surprisingly cheaper than I had ever thought. I would have no idea where to set this up in my small apartment, or what I would print with it......But,

The big question in the windmills of my mind, is how hard is the software to learn and how powerful does your computer/laptop have to be to do this whole shebang? I also noted that they make a 10 watt laser engraver/cutter with a 40x40 cm base plate for €217, delivered. It can cut up to 8 mm thick basswood and also alu/steel. Again, it comes down to how hard the software is to learn and what are the computer/laptop requirements to run it? The 20 watt laser unit does cost twice as much and I guess it has advantages over the 10 watt unit. Just wondering about all this..........

Prost
Allen

to design stuff : a good mind and a steep learning curve , and I last did design in 1987 ish

have a look at Autodesk Fusion 360 -- free for non commercial use.


to use the slicing software for printing or lightburn software for cutting : I would rate it as hard as using any program where you set up some values , check them and run it.

to perfect slicing and cutting = time to work out quirks etc

lots of good stuff on youtube , you'll soon work out which style of presenter you like and who actually knows what they are talking about.

 

[Dave Ward]

I have been following this thread for a while and it is very interesting. When I saw what Gary purchased, it piqued my interest even more. I did some searching on the Elegoo website and found, to my amazement, that the 3D printer, wash station, and a kg of resin was surprisingly cheaper than I had ever thought. I would have no idea where to set this up in my small apartment, or what I would print with it......But,

The big question in the windmills of my mind, is how hard is the software to learn and how powerful does your computer/laptop have to be to do this whole shebang? I also noted that they make a 10 watt laser engraver/cutter with a 40x40 cm base plate for €217, delivered. It can cut up to 8 mm thick basswood and also alu/steel. Again, it comes down to how hard the software is to learn and what are the computer/laptop requirements to run it? The 20 watt laser unit does cost twice as much and I guess it has advantages over the 10 watt unit. Just wondering about all this..........

Prost
Allen

Allen,
two sides to this - the software for running the printer, and the software for designing models.
The first is pretty easy, the model files are processed by a slicer program -printers often come with their own bespoke version, but Cura & Prusa are 3rd party ubiquitous slicer programmes. The programmes run on my long in the tooth Windows 10 PC ( no graphics card!, albeit a bit slowly at times. ). The programs all have a very similat interface, so its comparatively easy to swap from one to another. & using default settings can produce acceptable results straight away. The time consuming part is the number of settings you can tweak to improve prints. Often these changes are interconnectedm so altering one can have a ripple effect - just a matter of experinenting, and what may work well on one model may not work on another.
Learning to use the slicer, you'll probably be better off by using pre-existing downloaded models. BUT, when you want to design your own stuff, that's a whole new ball game. You need a CAD programme - and you need to learn how to use it, so a mainstream programme, which has good forums & tutorials on the 'net is best. The computer needed will have to have a fast processor & good graphics. I attempted to use AutoDesk Fusion 360 on my PC - nope - instant lock up! So you'd have to check on the requirements needed for the particular programme. There are any number of programmes around, some free for personal use, others subscription - a question of research & asking around! You have to have a particular mindset to use CAD, it can be learnt, but some people find it natural ( I'm one of the lucky ones! ), even so, it's a steep learning curve before you can produce models beyond simple geometrical shapes.
I use FDM printing, but all the above is applicable to resin printing.
I first started using 2D CAD as a design draughtsman in 1989, then progressed to 3D CAD as a design engineer, part of a team designing diesel engines. I ended up as senior engineer heading the design section for a European Diesel Engine Maker. Engine blocks & cylinder heads were my particular forte. The computer prorammes we used were originally on a mainframe, then dedicated IBM workstatiions & finally on top spec PCs
Dave

 

[Allen Dewire]

Thanks so much Guys! It appears there is quite a bit to be learned about this art form. Like you, Dave, I live in a small apartment and the resin casting setup would be too much to use and have proper ventilation for. The Elegoo engraver/cutter is still quite interesting as one could make dio accessories such as window frames, buildings and other dio parts from basswood. It has it'S own venting filter and safety features against fire and level changes too. I will have to dig a bit deeper into it though. There are some things I would like to make and it would be a perfect answer for them...

My laptop is an older model without a graphics card. My son installed a 1TB SSD hard drive and she runs pretty well. Learning the programming is another story as I have never used anything or program for designing stuff. I ain't getting any younger, so it's time to hit the web and see just how hard it would be to cut wood...

Thanks again
Allen

 

[Neil Merryweather]

I can't add anything useful to the above, Allen, sounds like you've got to spend some money one way or another, though, if you want to proceed. I would have thought most new basic laptops could cope with the graphics required for 2D CAD- (you won't really need 3D capability for laser cutting) given they are often configured with gaming in mind these days.
I don't know if you have a tablet of any kind, but some drawing programmes are now compatible with Ipad etc, so might be worth looking at those.
keep us in formed
N

 

[Peter Gillson]

like many this is something I find interesting, but a whole new world for learning since I am an absolute beginner, and much is like a foreign language!

I found this site which explains some of the technical stuff, but since I know nothing I am not sure how accurate it is - can any knowledgable person let me know if what they say is ok, and if so it may be a useful read for other newcomers to this dark art.

SLA vs. DLP vs. MSLA vs. LCD: Guide to Resin 3D Printers

Explore the key differences between SLA, DLP, MSLA, and LCD resin 3D printers, and compare resolution, speed, accuracy, workflow, quality, and more.

formlabs.com

Peter

 

[Neil Merryweather]

like many this is something I find interesting, but a whole new world for learning since I am an absolute beginner, and much is like a foreign language!

I found this site which explains some of the technical stuff, but since I know nothing I am not sure how accurate it is - can any knowledgable person let me know if what they say is ok, and if so it may be a useful read for other newcomers to this dark art.

SLA vs. DLP vs. MSLA vs. LCD: Guide to Resin 3D Printers

Explore the key differences between SLA, DLP, MSLA, and LCD resin 3D printers, and compare resolution, speed, accuracy, workflow, quality, and more.

formlabs.com

Peter

Formlabs sell higher end SLA printers so they are unlikely to be unbiased.....

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

I hope this makes sense.

1. dlp is cheaper to replace the projector unit per print than any present printer using LCD technology. ( dlp's last many times as long as a LCD screen ) but a replacement projector will be more expensive than a single LCD screen.
2. dlp at present is of a lower resolution than many of the newer LCD screened units, and by that I mean it has less individual spots per screen inch than any new printer with the same print bed area , and each dot is larger.

DLP was the new technology that looked like it was going to revolutionise sla printing, but only Texas Instruments apparently make the light units and they aren't making higher resolution units yet.
The same problem they had with DLP tv's

Ignore 12k , 9k , 8k , 2k ...... worry about the size of each element of the display, a 9k 7" screen ( 18μm square ''pixels'' ) will when fine-tuned, make a smoother print than a fine-tuned 12k 10" screen ( 19×24μm (rectangular))

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

I have been messing about with a few CAD programs, and so far the easiest to use is Openscad, for basic shapes.
I need to see if I can get my head around adding bits inside a hollowed cuboid.

difference() {
cube([56,82,60]);
translate([1,1,0]) cube([54,80,59]);
translate([10.5,0,0]) cube([35,40,40]);
translate([-5,18,23]) cube([23,23,12]);
}

Gets me a cuboid , no floor , walls 1mm thick , with a door and a window opening

I'll get there

v3

difference() {
cube([56,82,60]);

translate([1,1,0]) cube([54,80,59]);
translate([10.5,0,0]) cube([35,40,40]);
translate([-5,20,25]) color("red") cube([25,41,15]);
$fn=100;
translate([28,41,55]) cylinder(h=20,r=15);
}
difference() {
translate([0,0,20]) cube([3,80,3]);
translate ([0,0,21]) cube ([2,80,2]);
}
difference() {
$fn=360;
translate([28,41,58]) cylinder(h=3,r=17);
translate([28,41,55]) cylinder(h=40,r=13);
}

gets me

A hollow cuboid , a doorway , a window , and a u-channel below and above the window on the inside
The idea being sliding doors/shutters can run in the channels.
And a cupola cutout in the roof

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi gary

i am starting to appreciate just how little I know so I hope you do not mind me summerising my understanding so you can point put where i am wrong!!

there are theee elements to this:


1 - the design process, using a CAD program for 'hard' edge shapes, or sculptng programs such as Nomad sculpt for more organic shapes
2 - asplitter program t prepare the design for printing
3 - printing, either resin or filiment

peter

 

[David Lovell]

Keep it all comming ive no intention of ever 3d printing god I struggle with rhe mobile phone this has all gone straight over the bald patch ,but because one knows its out there and is partly the future of our hobby I find it really interesting reading thanks all who are contributing to this. Dave

 

[Jim R]

Like Dave I'll almost certainly never enter the world of 3D printing but I recognise it's place in the future of the hobby. It's interesting to see your progress.

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

Hi gary

i am starting to appreciate just how little I know so I hope you do not mind me summerising my understanding so you can point put where i am wrong!!

there are theee elements to this:


1 - the design process, using a CAD program for 'hard' edge shapes, or sculptng programs such as Nomad sculpt for more organic shapes
2 - asplitter program t prepare the design for printing
3 - printing, either resin or filiment

peter

yes , thats the basic idea if you start from scratch.
However,
there are now thousands of good model files out there that you can get free , cheaply , or like many model kits , expensive , and print on your own printer.

e.g.

Dodge WC-54 - 1/35 scale model kit

My favorite truck from the MASH TV series, the Dodge WC-54 ambulance. Model is in 1/35 scale and it's designed with maximum attention to detail. Each part is optimized for printing on a resin 3D printer. The set has ~ 50 unique parts. Package contains STL files, an assembly guide and chitubox...

cults3d.com

25.00 euro

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

Why i get annoyed with software and logic.


Cab roof and window design

But add the code to the body code and you get this.



i now need to work out why this happens , or maybe stick to doing the designs for each bit in a seperate file.

Update , my fault , i thought I had removed a bit of code , i hadn't ....... logic is working , so on the right tracks

need to see if I can assign colours to each section , will spot problems quicker , eyesight isn't up to this until I get new glasses




//main box
color("red")
difference() {
cube([56,82,60]);

translate([1,1,0]) cube([54,80,59]);
translate([10.5,0,0]) cube([35,40,40]);
translate([-5,20,25]) cube([25,41,15]);
$fn=100;
translate([28,41,55]) cylinder(h=20,r=15);
}
//runners
color ("green")
difference() {
translate([0,0,20]) cube([3,80,3]);
translate ([0,0,21]) cube ([2,80,2]);
}
color ("green")
difference() {
translate([0,0,47]) cube([3,80,3]);
translate ([0,0,47]) cube ([2,80,2]);
}
difference() {
$fn=360;
translate([28,41,58]) cylinder(h=3,r=17);
translate([28,41,55]) cylinder(h=40,r=13);
}
//cab


CubePoints1 = [
[ 0, 82, 22 ], //0
[ 56, 82, 22], //1
[ 48, 112, 22 ], //2
[ 8, 112, 22 ], //3
[ 0, 82, 23 ], //4
[ 56, 82, 23 ], //5
[48,112,23 ], //6
[8,112,23 ]]; //7

CubeFaces1 = [
[0,1,2,3], // bottom
[4,5,1,0], // front
[7,6,5,4], // top
[5,6,2,1], // right
[6,7,3,2], // back
[7,4,0,3]]; // left

color ("purple")
polyhedron( CubePoints1, CubeFaces1 );

difference() {

CubePoints2 = [
[ 8, 111, 4 ], //0
[ 48, 111, 4], //1
[ 48, 112, 4 ], //2
[ 8, 112, 4 ], //3
[ 8, 111, 23 ], //4
[ 48, 111, 23 ], //5
[48,112,23 ], //6
[8,112,23 ]]; //7

CubeFaces2 = [
[0,1,2,3], // bottom
[4,5,1,0], // front
[7,6,5,4], // top
[5,6,2,1], // right
[6,7,3,2], // back
[7,4,0,3]]; // left
color ("purple")
polyhedron( CubePoints2, CubeFaces2 );

color ("yellow")
translate ([13,85,9]) cube ([30,30,8]);
}

 

[scottie3158]

Gary,
How long have you been speaking Latin lol, I wouldn't know where to start.

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

Gary,
How long have you been speaking Latin lol, I wouldn't know where to start.

Neither did I 48 hours ago

 

[Peter Gillson]

hi Gary

Thanks for the reply, and confirming my limited understanding is ok

Am I also right in thinking that 3d sculpting software does not work in terms of scales or cm measurements but rather in terms of units which are then sized to a scale by the printing software, so the same file can be used to print the same model in multiple scales?

I amthinking of using Nomad sculpt to sculpt some highly detailed medals (such as the order of the bath), and then having them printed by a local company in 1/10 scale to use on the master of a bust I am working on .

being only a couple of mm thick they should not be expensive - does this sound plausable?
'

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

Very plausible.
Most software allows you to choose a scale, so you could choose to tell it that the diameter of the medal is 3" , but that can be any size on screen with as many ''pixels'' as you want , however you will be limited when it comes to printing as to resolution of a printer , although some of the new metal printers can do silly levels of detail ( airplane turbine blades etc with very tight tolerances )
I haven't tried nomad sculpt , but many have.

I like this guy and he usually shoots from the hip, so he will call out problems.

 

[Peter Gillson]

Very plausible.
Most software allows you to choose a scale, so you could choose to tell it that the diameter of the medal is 3" , but that can be any size on screen with as many ''pixels'' as you want , however you will be limited when it comes to printing as to resolution of a printer , although some of the new metal printers can do silly levels of detail ( airplane turbine blades etc with very tight tolerances )
I haven't tried nomad sculpt , but many have.

I like this guy and he usually shoots from the hip, so he will call out problems.

Will watch the video with interest - many thanks.

when i'm back in - guernsey I'll find out about the printer Just Tec have.