New 3rd party Resin from ApplyLabWork (Page 1 of 2)

how thick is it?  looking at the the msds it listed 50 to 3000 cps. that's a wide range. for the saffire I need it to low viscosity.

@ MArk
This stuff is almost as thick as FormLabs.  I don't have the MSDS sheets, but if I find the info, I'll post it here.  It's definitely a lot thicker than the stuff from MakerJuice.

@ Carl
I have a Zvat.  There are 2 main differences between it, and the original vats.  The body is made of polycarbonate, so it's not affected by IPA (no cracking during cleaning), and the bottom is made of glass, so you don't have to worry about scratches.

But as far as the PDMS is concerned, it will last just as long as any other PDMS coating.  In fact Sylgard, which is what the ZVat is coated with, will last about 75~80% as long as the original FormLabs.  But then again, Sylgard is cheap (about $35.00), and you can coat 7-8 tanks with one bottle.

Well, for my Form 1+ printer, this resin is great, not only does it produce really great print, but it also cleans very nice and dry, no tackiness at all.

And the price is great.

For me it's a keeper.

If you already have a some FormLabs vats, use those, and recoat them as needed. 

Just don't use any IPA to clean them or the acrylic they're made from will develop hairline cracks.  I soak them in water and Dawn dishwashing liquid.  That does a very good job of cleaning it, then I simply let them air dry.  Don't use any glass cleaner either as it contains something that leaves a film on it.

A day or do later, after they're thoroughly dry, I apply the coating.  I used Sylgard which I bought on eBay, and out of that jar I got 3 vats the first time, and another 4 later.  I think I might have been able to get 8 total if I would have done them all at one time.

Anyway, the ZVat's advantage is that is made from polycarbonate and is not affected by IPA, and the bottom is clear glass which makes it more resilient scratches.  But if you take care of the FormLabs one, they should last a few recoatings too.

So get whichever you want.

As for the resin, I found that it works great for me, but then again, anyone's mileage may vary, so before you buy " a few bottles", buy one and try it out, then if you like it buy more.  They're in California, and ship for free anywhere in the US within a couple of days, which means you don't have to buy a lot of it to start with.

Good luck.

I did and I have issues. Looks like light bleed. The prints are coming out with a thin layer of cured resin hanging from them like thin layer of skin. Not sure at this time if it is the resin or the printer. It is a Form 1 and my theory at this time is the resin is too thick for this machine and not enough resin is flowing back into the print area aftet a peel and plate lower. I may have to bite the bullet and by some actual Form 1 resin from FL to confirm the machine is not the issue. Or figure out how to thin resin.

Yep I printed out the tips sheet and did exactly what it said. I still get layers of skin hanging from the print. I am trying another resin now to see if it does the same. Then I will try the clear I normally use with my Duplicator 7. I just want to see if the weird skins are from the resin or the printer. If from the printer that means the laser is wandering off on a layer or two and exposing a larger area around the model. I really don't see this happening on a random layer. If it had mechanical issues with the galvos it would happen on every or most layers, not a few layers. I also can do a dry print with paper in place of resin and see very clean lines from the laser and galvos. Maybe their resin is not so compatible with the From 1. As I mentioned I may have to by some FL Form 1 resin and give it a try to see if it works. If I can get this printer working right and confirm it works, I may sell it or sell the Duplicaotr 7. I really have no need for two SLA printers. I am not by any means a volume builder. 

The beige I got from them has the consistency of honey if I pour it in one corner it takes several seconds to reach the other corners and level out. I am watching the time between peels and I really don't think enough time is being allowed for the resin to fully flow back into the void left after the peel.

I'll have to take a look at the optical path and see if it may be dirty. I just hope it's the main and/or the secondary mirror and not the galvos.

Update:

Well once I got home and looked, I did find a faint smudge on the primary mirror near the middle. It was only visible with my really bright LED flashlight. I cleaned it up along with a bit of dust and looks to be printing normal so far. Will know for sure in another hour.

I was comparing the ALW beige  to the FL clear, since that's what I'm currently using. 

The statement was not based on any specs or scientific proof, just my observations on the flow of the 2 resins.  The ALW pours out of the bottle faster, and seems to flow easier than the clear.

BTW, where did you find the information on the ALW resin?  The MSDS sheets are pretty vague as to the viscosity of the resin (50-3000 cps).

I thought it might be. I remember when I had my Form 1+ the resin flowed fairly quick across the vat and leveled out to where I could see the fill level almost as soon as I poured. This stuff I literally have to pour a little and with a few seconds, pour a little more and wait to make sure I am not over or under filling. I suspect part of the problem I am seeing is that the the resin is no flowing fully back into the void before the model comes back down and the laser starts the next scan. So it is only getting a partial layer. The when the peel happens that partial layer is being pulled and folded over like a flap when it comes back down into the resin again. I have some clear non-pigment stuff that is much thinner for my DUV. I may see if it will mix with the ALW stuff and thin it some. I would use the clear stuff but it does not have an inhibitor and I am afraid the laser will just cause too much light bleed to get an accurate print.

It might work for a FORM 1+, but my FORM 1 does not seem to like it. Even after checking the optics and making sure they are spotless I still get these little flakes that are about 1mm larger than the object and about 1 layer thick at random layers. Usually in places that transition to a smaller width. I might also try and older version of Preform that is closer to the FORM 1's era before the 1+.

You are probably right. I just wanted to avoid having to tear it down again. The smaller mirror and galvos are near impossible to get to unless I take off the cover again. The laser is even more of a beast, but I know where to get new ones that are OEM new and not a bad price.

I don't know what to tell you.  I think we would both agree that neither print is acceptable.  The beige one exhibits overcuring and rashing, the right one is undercured, and is lifting.

I don't know what is wrong, but there's something wrong with the printer, most likely the laser.  I had similar problems with my original F1+, only not quite as extreme.  In my case I could print fine with certain resins (like clear), but not anything else, and it was because of a weak laser.

Once I bought the new (er) unit, all my problems were solved.  I can now print with the majority of resins available, and I can also print at the finer resolutions which was a problem before.

As for the ALW resin, as I said before, your mileage may vary, except in you case, your mileage is terrible.  Nonetheless, on the FormLabs forum, nearly everyone that has tried this resin in both the F1+ and the F2, has had nothing but good feedback.

I wish I can suggest something, but I don't really have a good idea.

If you're really sure the optical path is spotless, then I would consider replacing the laser with another identical one (they're available).  I understand that each printer's laser was individually calibrated at the factory, and a a power level table is embedded in the firmware, but I don't think the deviations from unit to unit would be that great that it wouldn't work, so I would try a replacement to see what happens.

BTW, have you actually gotten any useful prints done with that thing?

I have not got a useful print out of it yet and am about ready to put it on ebay as a parts unit. I will look into a new laser, just need to find a source for them. I was hoping to give this one a chance as I could use the larger print area as opposed to the D7.  I can't really afford the average price of a F1+ and this one I got for a steal but I may have been the one that got stolen from. The seller said it was being sold due to a resin spill inside. I cleaned all that out and repaired the tilt motor.I can't see nor find any resin on critical parts like motors or optics. So I assumed it was good now but I am still having issues and am about ready to throw in the towel.