Okay, here’s a blog post based on the provided text, detailing the 3D printer mishap and repair:
My 3D Printer Disaster and Rescue
Sometimes, the best-laid plans go awry, especially when you’re juggling multiple projects and succumb to a bit of creative “ADHD”. I recently found myself in a bit of a predicament with my Anycubic Photon S 3D printer. Instead of using it in my usual upstairs workspace, I decided to move it to my outside workshop to avoid the unpleasant odours associated with SLA printing. This seemed like a genius idea at the time, as it would allow me to continue using my office for my day job and other projects.
The move, however, didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped. In my haste, I neglected to remove the resin bath, which still contained resin. As careful as I thought I was, I ended up spilling a good amount of it inside the machine. This resulted in a sticky mess, with resin dripping out of the back of the printer, making it unsafe to power on. It was clear that a repair was needed.
The Repair Process
My first step was to try to seal up the cracks and crevices with a UV curing light to stop further leakage. Next, I started dismantling the machine’s base. I removed four hex head bolts at the bottom to take off the bottom panel. Then, after removing two side screws and two internal screws, I was able to remove the side panel. It was at this point that I realised just how much resin had gotten inside the machine, so I made sure to put on some gloves.
With gloves on, I used isopropyl alcohol and a tissue to dilute and clean the resin from the panels. The resin had made its way everywhere so this was a thorough clean-up job. After removing as much of the hardened resin as possible, I turned my attention to the screen and air filter, cleaning them as well.
Inside an SLA Printer
While the printer was open, I took the opportunity to examine the internals to see how it works. An SLA printer is relatively simple compared to an FDM printer. Key components include:
- A Z-axis that moves the build plate.
- A build plate that goes into the resin vat.
- A screen that displays an image of each layer.
- A UV light source that projects the layer image through the screen onto the resin, causing it to solidify and stick to the build plate.
- The printer then moves up incrementally, by small layer heights of 25 to 50 microns, offering more precise control than an FDM printer.
The printer also features a mainboard with an Ethernet port (its purpose is unknown to me, but if you know feel free to leave a comment), a ribbon cable that goes to the display, and an onboard stepper driver for the Z-axis motor. There is also some sort of logic system to convert the image layer and height information and drive the printing process. The process involves moving the plate up and down and exposing the resin to light, repeating the cycle for each layer.
Back in Action
After putting the printer back together, it was time for the moment of truth. Would it work? I started a print, but this would take three hours to complete before I could check. Thankfully, the printer was back in action! It was printing successfully, and I could finally get back to my side project. This adventure highlighted the importance of careful handling of resin and the satisfaction of getting things working again.