There is a question many ask who have never come into contact with 3D printing.
3DDruckBoss helps you master the first steps and hurdles in additive manufacturing and prevents you from paying for mistakes.
FDM or SLA?
3D printing is a generic term that branches out into many different directions. Here, we have limited ourselves to the two most common methods and want to explain them a bit:
- SLA = Stereolithography
- FDM = Fused deposition modeling
SLA Stereolithography
3D printers that work with this process are excellent for producing detailed objects. However, you should know that for this manufacturing process you also need to take certain precautions and require a few other things besides the 3D printer.
Here is a short checklist of what you need for an SLA printer:
- 3D printer
- Wash & Cure (washing and curing station)
- Resin (resin mixture with 405nm)
- Gloves (nitrile disposable gloves)
- Mask (3M half mask with filter inserts)
- Isopropanol (99.9%)
- Plastic spatula
- Paper towels
- FEP film (the first one is already installed with every new printer purchase)
- Slicer (program to prepare files for printing)
- STL file
- USB stick (usually included when buying a new printer)
Here we take a closer look at the individual points:
Which SLA 3D printer?
Brands like Elegoo and Anycubic are really perfect for getting started, especially considering that many freelancers also produce in series with these 3D printers - including us!
With the quality that comes out of it, even today we sometimes are left breathless.
Elegoo Mars 2 Pro is suitable for every beginner and is very user-friendly.
Which Wash & Cure?
Wash & Cure is a two-in-one device and in our opinion worth every cent! It allows you to wash your finished prints and cure them after a few simple steps.
Preferably, we would suggest sourcing the Wash & Cure from the same brand as your printer, simply because many adapter options from manufacturers are specifically designed to provide you with easier handling during use.
The device saves you a lot of mess and can be closed with the supplied hood, making it less harmful to you during cleaning. And that brings us to the next important point that many do not take seriously.
Hazardous Substances SLA Printing
Isopropanol (IPA) and resin should not be underestimated, and everyone should thoroughly inform themselves about all risks to properly protect themselves when working with this process.
Probably the most important are disposable gloves and a good mask with filter inserts. Resin is non-toxic and even food-safe only in its cured state. But before curing, you should ideally avoid contact with it, because even the vapors produced are rather odor-neutral but still toxic.
The same applies to isopropanol. There is a so-called water-washable resin that can be washed off with water, so you can also do without isopropanol and thus protect yourself even more. Unfortunately, we have experienced that water-washable resin is not suitable for series production because we cannot completely remove the outermost film. However, there are plenty of people who are completely satisfied with it.
Other Accessories for SLA Printers
To remove the finished objects from your build plate, we recommend a plastic spatula. The reason is that it damages the platform as little as possible, and with a bit of skill, you can cleanly remove the prints. A little tip: prepare a Tupperware container lined with paper towels, where the print can gently fall.
Replace FEP Film
Your new 3D printer is usually delivered ready to print, but after a few hours of printing, you will inevitably have to replace the FEP film. You can recognize a damaged FEP film either by faulty prints or, if you look at it more closely, you can see that parts of the film are warped or damaged. When replacing it, the tank/container should be completely free of resin. Then you loosen all the small screws on the back and remove the frame that clamps the film. After that, we recommend thoroughly cleaning all components. Now you can place the new FEP film into the mold, but be careful – most FEP films have a protective film on both sides that must be removed before installation, and you should also pay close attention to which side is up and which is down; you can best find this out from the supplied manual.
What is slicing?
Slicer programs like Chitubox or Lychee Slicer are specially made for SLA printers. Both programs are free and are completely sufficient to achieve perfect results. We work with Chitubox and explain here in short steps how to get a file ready for printing.
Here you can download the slicer:
Once that's done, go through the tutorial steps and set up your printer. If there is no ready-made profile for your printer yet, feel free to contact us and we will find the right settings together.
Now you still need a file; here we recommend browsing Thingiverse, cults3d, or yeggi.
Once you have found something passable, download the STL file and open it in the slicer. You can now scale, rotate, and move the object in the build space. To guarantee an excellent print, you should tilt the file by 45 degrees; this way your layers will be printed perfectly and evenly, and the automatic support will support the part well.
To activate the automatic support, switch the tab on the right side, at the top. There you can now choose how strong your auto support should be. We would recommend Light for rather small prints, as there is a risk that the object will detach during printing. In 90% of cases, we work with Medium support strength, and for very large objects, we occasionally add strong supports. Once you have decided on a support strength, press "All" at the bottom and your automatic support will be set. At first glance, it looks a bit confusing, but that's how it has to be!
Now you can switch the tab again and click on "Write" or "Slice." Now onto the USB stick and you can get started. From now on, it's time to wait.
Which FDM 3D printer?
The market offers a huge selection, which is primarily overwhelming. But you can definitely say which 3D printers are excellent for beginners. Because where there is a community behind it, you can really simplify many things, as many questions will come from you once you have the device at home. Some problems can occur, there's no sugarcoating that.
Brands like Anycubic, Creality, or Elegoo have a large community on networks like Facebook. There you can specifically search for the exact printer you have chosen and join the groups. The good thing is, if you have a question, you can ask it there and ideally get an immediate answer. Better than any support ticket! You are also welcome to join our Telegram channel, where many smart minds are also represented and can possibly help you right away.
Which slicer?
Programs like Prusaslicer, IdeaMaker, Cura or Simplify3d have been well rated in the FDM field and are also used by us. Primarily, we work with IdeaMaker and can give you an unpaid recommendation here. Most slicers are free, or in a stripped-down version also free and completely sufficient.
Setting supports correctly
The steps from commissioning to the finished object are somewhat simpler with FDM printing and involve considerably fewer hazardous substances than with SLA printing, which is why FDM printing is definitely more popular and widespread.
Here you just need to know how to place the object in the build space to ideally avoid support structures.
We have a little tip for you on how to visualize the whole thing well:
Just imagine you're trying to build your object from bottom to top with a hot glue gun, in as few passes as possible, and wherever there is an overhang, you logically can't continue in the air and would theoretically need a support structure in that area to bridge it.
This tip is only for visual representation. Normally, your slicer does all of this automatically.
With good settings, your printer can also bridge larger distances in the air, but this should be properly adjusted, for example, with a temperature tower or other test STL files.
What else is needed for FDM printing?
Basically, just the 3D printer, a PC/Laptop, and a lot of imagination! Because now everything is possible! This is not just said lightly... the deeper you dive into the world of additive manufacturing, the more you'll realize that there are absolutely no limits. You can also design yourself with various programs and create and print your own models. For programs like Autodesk Fusion 360 or Tinkercad, there are plenty of tutorial videos for beginners.
Here's a short checklist of what is needed for FDM printing:
- 3D printer
- PC/Laptop
- USB stick (or cloud-based 3D printer)
- STL file
- Slicer software
- Spatula
- Tweezers
- Side cutters
As you can see, there are significantly fewer precautions to take than with SLA printing.
FDM Printing Problems
A brief overview of various causes of errors that are quite common in the field of FDM printing. In another blog post, we will go into these causes in more detail with pictures and will explain extensively how to counteract them:
- Under-extrusion
- Over-extrusion
- Bumps / Blobs / Zits (Pimples)
- Supports / Support
- Stringing
- Ghosting
- Liability
- Elephant's foot
- Offset / Steps
- Infill
We only wrote down these terms so that you have at least heard of them. ;-)
Hopefully we were able to help you a little and thank you for reading this post!
If you have any questions/suggestions for improvement or other concerns, just get in touch with us! We are always here to help you with advice and support.
