AnyCubic Photon Printer

Bart of the North
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Posts: 5

AnyCubic Photon Printer Nov 16, 2018 4:25:27 GMT

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Post by Bart of the North on Nov 16, 2018 4:25:27 GMT

I’m likely going to pull the plug early next year and buy mysellf a printer. Been watching the developments for several years and I think its time. I was originally set on sticking with FDM technology and going with the gold standard for home printing, the Prusa i3 MK3 in kit form. I know a couple of folks with them, they love them and they are my source for testing the files before I send production volume orders off to 3D Hubs. They don’t seem to do well with the pike files and I ended up going with Iregular for my TYW armies.

Muddy the water..... sold through Amazon, the AnCubix Photon. Resin printer, strong reviews by the magazine reviewers and the modelling community. The price is phenomenal. $520 and the claims in the reviews that the prints are on par with printers 2-3X the cost. My hesitation is a handfull of scathing ratings by Amazon purchasers. I typically write off Amazon reviewers but the complaints are consistant in nature. Mainly bed adhesion (likely poor support additions by users who buy a printer and expect to plug it in and get perfect results without thinking theres a learning curve and the need to do some reading and tweeking) and USB interface hardware/firmware issues.

Anyway, has anyone heard of, own or used one of these printers? I know druid8172 has one as you gave me the lead. Are you still happy with it?

Despite the reputation the the Prusa, this one is calling to me because my main use will be small size modelling.

m.anycubic3d.com/products/show/1359.html

Thanks for any input.

Tim

suntzu
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Posts: 203

AnyCubic Photon Printer Nov 16, 2018 20:57:18 GMT

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Post by suntzu on Nov 16, 2018 20:57:18 GMT

my only thoughts are for post processing of resin printers , you will probably need a UV lamp to harden your prints as the resin is not fully hardened after a print ,also printing with resin means that a well ventilated area and some rubber gloves would be required. You may also find that you have to print at an angle rather than vertically due to the nature of resin as it pools in the centre unless you create drain holes for the uncured resin in the middle of the model

Rob

Bart of the North
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Posts: 5

AnyCubic Photon Printer Nov 20, 2018 7:26:38 GMT

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Post by Bart of the North on Nov 20, 2018 7:26:38 GMT

Thanks Rob, The material properties and photochemistry don’t really worry me. I spent a career doing that as a chemist doing it in the electronics industry however that was all linear/surface issues. I never has to deal with solution trapping and dragout problems. Interesting design consideration, thanks.

I know I’m going to go this route. I was just looking for horror stories. I figure that if I hold off until spring and simply work on what I have sitting on my table, prices will continue to drop and technology increase. Then I can do (or overdo) the added time I’ll do playing around with development early on in the garage where I have a small vented fume hood without freezing. I wonder if resin viscocity will vary polymerization....cool science in addition to making new toys.

druid8172
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Posts: 54

AnyCubic Photon Printer Dec 1, 2018 21:57:34 GMT

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Post by druid8172 on Dec 1, 2018 21:57:34 GMT

There have been a few horror stories about the printer but I would say a lot of the problems seem to be caused by the user expecting the printer to be plug and play. Whilst it is an easy printer to put together out of the box, you just have to screw the knob on the door and put the build plate and resin tank in the printer and in theory you are ready to print. However to get consistent good prints you need to level the build plate and make sure the resin tank is correctly fitted. For large models yes you need to print at an angle. But I have printed several of Zachs buildings by printing flat on the build plate and with no supports without any problems and would imagine the unit models would print the same way.

as Suntzu has said you need to factor in purchasing isopropanol Alcohol, gloves and a uv curing chamber etc but these are not that expensive the IPA I purchased on eBay and got 5l for somewhere around £12 the gloves can be found in most hardware stores and are a must have to prevent resin been absorbed into the skin. I made my own uv resin curing station by purchasing a 2m roll of uv led lights and lining a suitable sized container with Kitchen foil and running strips of the uv leds around inside

There are some great YouTube tutorials available and I would suggest watching a few of those

If you know someone with or have access to a filament printer there are also models available to replace the rear vent plate with a replacement vent that alllows using a large bore hose attached to a bathroom ventilation fan to allow venting of the fumes outside

noshiningarmor Members Posts: 2	AnyCubic Photon Printer Aug 21, 2019 19:51:57 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by noshiningarmor on Aug 21, 2019 19:51:57 GMT Did we ever find out how this venture worked out. Anycubic printers are now only $299-, and in reach as is the ELEGOO MARS. I want to see how these work with 2mm/3mm before I make the plunge.

Post by Bart of the North on Nov 16, 2018 4:25:27 GMT

Post by suntzu on Nov 16, 2018 20:57:18 GMT

Post by Bart of the North on Nov 20, 2018 7:26:38 GMT

Post by druid8172 on Dec 1, 2018 21:57:34 GMT

Post by noshiningarmor on Aug 21, 2019 19:51:57 GMT