How to do washing and curing after 3d printing

Removing Prints From the Building Plate

Once a printing session is finished, resin prints must be carefully removed to prevent potential accidents or damage to the building plate. Follow the instructions below to remove resin prints safely.

Removing the Prints

  1. Carefully place the building plate at an angle on a clean, flat, and stable surface.
  2. Use the metal scraper included in the toolbox and slide it down at the edge of the model’s bottom layer.
  3. Remove the print from the building plate.
  4. Check if there is any cured resin left on the building plate.
Note:
Gloves are necessary to prevent your skin from contacting liquid resin, as resin might cause irritations. For more information, please check our MSDS documents.

Choosing the Ideal Cleaning Liquid

Why is Post Processing Important?

After every printing session, prints need to go through washing and post-curing. It is extremely important to know how to post-process your resin 3D prints. In this post, we will be sharing the ideal cleaning liquids that could maximize the quality and strength of your prints.

What Can I Use to Clean My Resin 3D Prints?

While 95 % Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) and Ethanol Alcohol are our top recommendations for washing resin 3D prints, detergents such as Phrozen Wash: Resin Cleaner can also be used to wash your resin 3D prints.

  • For the Water-Washable series, you can use water to clean your models.
  • For other Phrozen resins, you will need to use 95% alcohol or other detergents to rinse off your models. 
Tip:
Check this post and learn how to clean and wash your 3D prints properly.

Washing 3D Prints

After removing your 3D model from the building plate, the prints must be cleaned, washed, and post-processed thoroughly. The following guide includes two washing methods: The dunk and wash method and the Ultrasonic Cleaner method.

The Dunk and Wash

Step 1: Fill two basins with Phrozen Wash or 95% alcohol, IPA.

Step 2: Rinse your 3D model in each basin and rinse for roughly 1 minute. Continue to wash the model until its surface is clean. 

Tip:
You may use a soft brush and lightly brush the model for better results. However, a toothbrush is not recommended as it may cause scratches on the 3D print.
Danger:
DO NOT immerse your models for long periods into sanitizing alcohol, as this may cause models to break.

Step 3: Once it’s done, place the 3D model to dry in a shaded area for 30-60 minutes before moving onto the post-curing process. You can also use a compressed air gun to fasten the process.

Step 4: After ensuring the 3D model is dry, you can now move onto the post-curing process.

The Ultrasonic Cleaner

The Ultrasonic Cleaner is one of the most efficient ways for cleaning 3D prints. In the following guide, we will demonstrate with Phrozen Ultrasonic Cleaner, which is currently available in our official store.

Preparing

Step 1: Fill one basin and the Phrozen Ultrasonic Cleaner with Phrozen Wash or 95% alcohol, IPA.

Danger:
Cleaning liquids may become flammable and could evaporate fast, so please make sure you do not use the heating function, and operate the device within sight.

Step 2: Rinse your 3D model in the basin for roughly 1 minute several rounds; this is for removing the majority of uncured resin.

Step 3: Once it’s done, turn on the switch placed behind the Phrozen Ultrasonic Cleaner.

Step 4: On the front panel, switch the left ON/OFF to OFF.

Step 5: The right indicates how long the machine is active. Set the time for at least 30 seconds but below 3 minutes.

Washing with Phrozen's Ultrasonic Cleaner

Step 1: Carefully place your 3D model into the basket of the Ultrasonic Cleaner.

Step 2: Turn ON the device by pressing the ON/OFF placed on the right of the front panel.

Danger:
Cleaning liquids may become flammable and could evaporate fast, so please make sure you do not use the heating function, and operate the device within sight.

Step 3: Once the cleaning process is over. Switch off the Ultrasonic Cleaner, then remove the model from the basket.

Step 4: Place the 3D model to dry in a shaded area for 30-60 minutes before moving onto the post-curing process. You can also use a compressed air gun to fasten the process.

Step 5: After ensuring the model is dry, you can now move on to post-curing.

Tip:
After cleaning, make sure to store the cleaning liquid in an airtight container and avoid exposing it to direct sunlight.

Curing 3D Prints

After every printing session, prints need to be done through washing and post-curing; it is crucial to know how to post-cure your resin 3D prints, finalize the material properties, and strengthen the 3D Prints. In this post, we will share several methods and the process of curing 3D prints.

Drying the Prints

Before curing, make sure the 3D print is completely dry. Simply place the washed 3D prints in a shaded area for roughly 30-60 minutes. You can also use a compressed air gun to fasten the process.

Tip:
If the 3D print is hollowed, make sure to dry the model's inner parts. 

Curing the Prints

Curing Lamps

The suggested curing time is 20~30 minutes. Curing with a 405nm Phrozen Curing Unit ensures that your models are cured evenly by receiving an equivalent amount of UV light exposure to every part of the model. We currently have three UV curing lamps available:

Direct Sunlight

The suggested curing time is at least a day. If you cure your models under direct sunlight, you will need to turn it around every few hours so that every part of the model is exposed to sunlight.

Tip:
Sunlight may not provide equal light exposure to every part of the model as it changes throughout the day. This may cause 3D prints to cure unevenly, resulting in discoloration.
If you have more 3d technical questions, please read our 3D technology. If our article can't solve your problem, you can send your problem to service@antinsky.com

Newsletter

A short sentence describing what someone will receive by subscribing