Analysis, troubleshooting skills, and solutions for resin 3D printers that cannot print anything
Possible reasons for no printing results on resin 3D printers
Resin 3D printing is a relatively complex process, and the failure of printing may be caused by a combination of factors or a single factor.
From the perspective of resin properties
- Sensitive to the environment : Resin materials themselves have certain requirements for the environment. For example, photosensitive resins are more sensitive to temperature and light. If the ambient temperature is too low, it may affect its fluidity and curing speed, resulting in the inability to print normally. The normal printing temperature range is determined by resin manufacturers through a large number of experiments. Different types of resins may have different upper and lower temperature requirements. Moreover, if exposed to ultraviolet light that is not required for printing during the printing process, it may accidentally cause partial curing of the resin, thereby affecting the normal printing process.
- Quality issues : The quality of resin materials is directly related to the printing results. If the resin is mixed with impurities during the production process or stored improperly, the quality will decrease. For example, if the container for storing the resin is not sealed, dust and other impurities will mix in, and impurities may clog the nozzle or affect parameters such as resin viscosity during printing, resulting in no printing results.
From a hardware perspective
- Light source failure : Resin 3D printers mostly rely on specific light sources (such as lasers, DLP projectors, etc.) to cure the resin. If the light source equipment fails, such as bulb damage, laser emitter failure, etc., the resin cannot be cured normally, resulting in no printing results. In DLP printers, if the DLP module fails, the light source of its LCD screen cannot irradiate the resin normally, and the cured layer cannot be formed. In resin 3D printers using SLS (selective laser sintering) technology, the power and stability of the laser are crucial, and failures will directly affect printing.
- Building Board Problem : The state of the building board is crucial. If the building board is not clean and there is residual resin or debris on it, it will affect the adhesion between the resin and the building board, which may cause the parts to not stick to the building board at all, and even no thin layer of plastic is attached to the building board, resulting in no printing results. In addition, inaccurate calibration of the building board is also a common problem. Improper calibration will cause uneven contact between the first layer of resin printed and the building board, affecting the curing and stacking of subsequent resin layers. If the building board is tilted relative to the print head, it may cause some areas of resin to fail to cure normally.
- Nozzle blockage : For some resin 3D printing technologies, such as nozzles with similar extrusion mechanisms, if the nozzle is blocked, the resin cannot be produced. There are many reasons for nozzle blockage, such as impurities in the resin, resin drying in the nozzle, etc. When the nozzle is blocked, the resin cannot be normally extruded to the corresponding position for solidification and molding, and naturally there is no printing result.
- Transmission component failure : The transmission components of the printer, such as motors, belts, and rods, will affect the normal movement of the print head or building board if they fail. For example, if the motor fails and loses power, the belt sags and cannot be accurately transmitted, and the rod card causes the movement accuracy to be inaccurate, all of which will lead to printing interruption or inability to start printing normally. In LCD light-cured 3D printers, if the accuracy of the guide rail slide rail movement decreases, it will affect the accurate stacking of the cured layer, ultimately causing printing failure, because the accumulated deviation of the resin layer will eventually make the printed product lose its proper shape or cannot form a complete printed product.
From a software and setup perspective
- Slicing software issues : Slicing software is used to convert 3D models into instructions that printers can recognize. If the slicing software malfunctions, such as program crashes, slicing algorithm errors, etc., the generated instructions may not correctly guide the printer to print. Some slicing software may have poor compatibility with printers after updates, or may not correctly recognize the structural characteristics of the model during the slicing process, and set unreasonable parameters such as layer thickness and path planning. For example, setting the layer thickness smaller than the minimum value that the printer’s accuracy can support can lead to unforeseen problems during the printing process, resulting in no printed results.
- Incorrect Printing Parameter Setting : Improper printing parameter setting is a common problem. For example, incorrect settings such as bottom exposure time, exposure time of regular layers, parameters generated by support, and lifting speed may affect the printing results. If the bottom exposure time is too short, the resin on the construction board may not adhere firmly, and problems such as delamination or displacement are prone to occur as the printing process progresses, resulting in the failure of the entire printing; while unreasonable support parameters, such as thin support thickness or unreasonable support distribution, may cause some structures to collapse without sufficient support during the printing process, which cannot obtain complete printing results.
Resin 3D printer without output solution
Solutions for equipment hardware related failures
- Light source failure :
- If it is a light bulb type of light source, check whether the light bulb needs to be replaced and whether the service life of the light bulb has expired. For example, for the projection light bulb of a DLP printer, it is generally necessary to replace it after using it for a certain number of hours (such as 1000-2000 hours) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- If it is a laser light source, checking whether the laser generator is faulty may require the use of professional instruments to detect whether the laser power is within the normal range. If the laser power is too low, you can increase the laser power reasonably according to the function of the printer, but be careful not to adjust it too high to avoid problems such as surface blooming of printed products and damage to the interface layer inside the resin tank. You can find the best exposure point by increasing it slightly each time (such as 2-5% initial power).
- Building board issues :
- When the construction board is not clean, use specialized cleaning tools (such as alcohol cotton balls) to carefully clean the surface of the construction board, remove residual resin and debris, and ensure that the surface is clean, flat, and free of pollutants such as oil stains.
- If the build board is not calibrated properly, use the calibration tool provided by the printer to recalibrate the build board. For example, some advanced resin 3D printers have an automatic calibration function for the build board in the equipment menu, which can be operated according to the prompts. If there is no automatic calibration function, the levelness of the build board needs to be manually adjusted, usually by adjusting the bolts below the build board and using tools such as a level to assist in calibration, so that the build board reaches the optimal position relative to the print head.
- Nozzle clogging :
- For the case of nozzle blockage, if the blockage is not serious, you can try to heat the nozzle (according to the temperature range applicable to the nozzle, such as room temperature to about 100 ℃), make the resin soft, and then gently blow the nozzle with compressed air to try to remove the blockage.
- If the blockage is severe, the nozzle can be disassembled for cleaning. However, disassembling the nozzle requires careful operation to avoid damaging the precise structure inside the nozzle. After disassembly, use professional nozzle cleaning solution to soak the nozzle components for a period of time (such as 1-2 hours), then rinse with clean water and reassemble the nozzle.
- Transmission component failure :
- When the motor fails, if it is a simple circuit connection problem, check whether the power cord of the motor is well connected and whether there is a short circuit or an open circuit. If the motor itself is damaged, it may be necessary to replace the motor of the same model.
- Adjust the tension of the belt when it is loose. Different printers may have different adjustment methods. Generally, the position or tensioning device of the pulley can be adjusted. For example, in some XYZ structure 3D printers, the tensioning wheel of the belt can be found, and the position of the tensioning wheel can be adjusted to restore the appropriate tension of the belt.
- The wire rod card needs to be checked for impurities or wear on the wire rod. If dirt is found on the surface of the wire rod, you can use degreased cotton dipped in an appropriate amount of lubricant (such as special wire rod lubricating oil) to wipe the wire rod, remove the dirt and make the wire rod move smoothly. If the wire rod is worn, it may be necessary to replace the wire rod parts.
Solutions to software and setup-related failures
- Slicing software issues :
- If the slicing software crashes, restart the slicing software. If there are still problems after restarting, you can consider reinstalling the slicing software. When reinstalling, make sure to download and install the latest version from official channels to avoid installing Cracked Version or software from unknown sources, in order to avoid introducing viruses or compatibility issues.
- If the compatibility between the slicing software and the printer deteriorates, you can check the official websites of the printer and slicing software to see if there are any updated patches for compatibility issues. If so, download and install the updated patches in a timely manner to improve compatibility.
- To solve the problem of unreasonable slice parameters, refer to the instructions of the resin material or the recommended parameters of the printer manufacturer to reset the slice parameters. For example, if it is a problem with the exposure time setting of the resin, it can be adjusted according to the basic exposure time parameters of different types of resins provided by the resin manufacturer (usually in seconds, such as 0.5-3 seconds), combined with factors such as the size and complexity of the actual printed model.
- Print parameter setting error :
- When the bottom exposure time setting is not enough to cause the build board to fail to adhere, increase the bottom exposure time appropriately. Generally, the test can be performed by increasing the exposure time by 1-2 seconds each time, while observing whether the printing effect improves.
- For the problem of regular layer layering, the exposure time of the regular layer can be increased. Usually, the test is performed in increments of 0.5-1 second each time to find the appropriate exposure time to ensure the adhesion between layers.
- In the case of support failure, if the support thickness is not enough, the thickness of the support can be appropriately increased, for example, from the original 0.2mm to about 0.3mm. The specific value can be adjusted according to the size of the model and structural requirements. Issues such as the thickness of the support tip and the support intersection point can be enhanced by increasing relevant values to enhance the stability of the support structure. For speed-related issues (such as improper lifting and retracting speeds), these speeds can be reasonably reduced, such as reducing the lifting speed from the original 5mm/s to 3mm/s, and observe the printing effect after adjustment.
How to troubleshoot the problem of resin 3D printer not printing
Basic equipment condition check
- Power Check : First, check whether the printer’s power is connected. Check whether the power plug is plugged in and whether the plug and socket are in good contact. You can try to re-plug the power plug to ensure that the connection is normal. In addition, check whether the printer’s power switch is turned on. If it is a printer connected to an external power adapter, check whether the power adapter is working normally, such as whether there are signs of normal work such as heating. If the printer has a power indicator light, observe whether the indicator light is on. Under normal circumstances, the indicator light should be on after the power is turned on, indicating that the power supply is normal.
- Connection check : Check the connection between the printer and the computer (if controlled by the computer) or other control devices. For USB-connected printers, check whether the USB cable is plugged in, whether there is any looseness, damage, etc. If it is a network-connected printer, check whether the network connection is normal, ensure that the printer is set up correctly in the network, and whether the network can communicate normally. For example, you can try using the ping command (on the computer side) to test the network connection status with the printer.
- Equipment integrity check : Check whether the printer equipment itself has damaged parts. Check whether the shell is damaged, and whether there are obvious signs of damage to internal components such as the construction board, nozzle, light source, etc. For example, whether there are scratches on the surface of the construction board, whether the nozzle is deformed, whether the light source component has a burnt smell or obvious physical damage, etc. If so, please repair or replace the damaged parts in time.
Resin material related inspection
- Resin quantity check : First, check whether the resin quantity in the resin material tank is sufficient. If the resin quantity is too small or there is no resin in the resin material tank, printing cannot be performed. You can check the resin quantity according to the scale or observation window of the resin material tank, and add an appropriate amount of resin when necessary. When adding resin, pay attention to the instructions for resin use to avoid mixing impurities.
- Resin Quality Inspection : Check the quality of the resin. Check if there are any abnormal conditions such as discoloration, precipitation, or odor. If there are these conditions, it may indicate that the resin has deteriorated or been contaminated and is not suitable for printing. It can be compared and observed with new, unopened resins of the same type. The problematic resin should be replaced with a new, good quality resin.
Printer Settings Check
- Slicing software settings :
- Check whether the models in the slicing software are imported and placed correctly. Ensure that the imported models are complete and without any damage or partial missing. Check the position and placement direction of the model in the slicing software. Sometimes, improper placement of the model at an angle may cause printing failure, such as overhanging structure without reasonable support or directly inverting the model, which may result in abnormal printing.
- Check the slicing parameter settings in the slicing software, including whether the layer thickness, exposure time, support parameters, etc. are set reasonably. You can refer to the recommended parameters provided by the resin material and the performance parameters of the printer, such as the maximum and minimum layer thickness range of the printer marked by the manufacturer, the normal exposure time range of different types of resins, etc., and adjust the unreasonable parameters.
- Printer’s own settings :
- Check the hardware-related settings of the printer, such as the build board temperature (if the printer has a build board heating function). If the build board temperature is too low, it may affect the adhesion and curing of the resin. Generally, different resin materials may have different requirements for the build board temperature. For example, some special engineering resins may require a higher build board temperature (such as 80-100 ℃), while ordinary photosensitive resins may only require a build board temperature of 30-50 ℃.
- Check the movement speed settings of the printer. For example, the movement speed of the print head, the lifting speed of the building board, etc. If the speed setting is too fast, it may cause problems such as uneven resin flow, incomplete curing, or interlayer adhesion. You can appropriately reduce the speed for testing according to the performance of the printer and the characteristics of the resin.