3D printed model quality

[Rich H]

What doi you see as the difference between them?  They use the same tech dont they?

[YPU]

You mean resin Vs resin right? Size of the laser and level of play in all moving parts really. I recently compared some of my form one prints to those made by White dragon envisiontech printer. Looking close up I could see a lot of minor flaws in my prints by comparison, but then the envisiontech is ten times the price of mine!

[Rich H]

I was thinking Form1 vs Anycubic actually. 
I pondered a Form1 and a Dupicator i7 but the anycubic won on cost.

[YPU]

I mostly called it a step up since I paid a zero more on the end back when I got the form 1. I've never worked with the anycubic personally so I can only repeat what I have heard in reviews etc, so take that with a grain of salt or 2. First of the anycubic is a darn good printer, as your work well shows! In comparison though, the formlabs machine has a more complex and powerful peeling mechanism which increases reliability. According to a lot of reviewers, the construction of the Z-axis worm gear is also a lot more sturdy reducing the chance of layer shifting and other failures. That being said, if you end up printing everything twice and taking the best result on an anycubic, that might well give you equal results to a form 1 in the long run, for cheaper. of course the form 1 is now long obsolete, as the form 3 is the current machine in production!

[Rich H]

Thanks.

The z on the anycubic is a little underwhelming but it does work.  Occasionally get a bit of Z-wobble on larger objects and the occasional minor but annoying layer shift. 

People do all sorts to 'upgrade' them but many of them, to me, look pretty dubious.  Unless you have some pretty serious machine tools (Or some very serious skills) I don't see how the home enthusiast can guarantee everything is straight let alone perpendicular.  But what do I know...  I 'm just a lowly aircraft engineer. 

I've pondered changing the cheapo lead screw adn nut for a similar sized ballscrew, that mightn't require much more than a hole drilling out but I'm not sure it'll fit without loads of complex mods.

[OSHIROmodels]

There's a youtube video (I'll see if I can dig it out later) that shows how to take the photon apart to sort out the z-axis. I'm not brave enough to do it yet but I'll need to soon as it's become a visible problem. There are no machining elements to it as far as I can remember, just taking it apart, re-aligning/tightening some parts and putting it back together again.

[Rich H]

There's a youtube video (I'll see if I can dig it out later) that shows how to take the photon apart to sort out the z-axis. I'm not brave enough to do it yet but I'll need to soon as it's become a visible problem. There are no machining elements to it as far as I can remember, just taking it apart, re-aligning/tightening some parts and putting it back together again.

Yes seen that but it doesn't address the fundamental weakness of the 3 roller design. 
It's reliant on adjustment of the third roller but to do it you need to take the whole machine to bits. 
Given the price it's completely understandable.  It's why people add linear rails instead but that needs the machining capability.

[OSHIROmodels]

Fair enough, I couldn't quite remember what it entailed. Still worth a go though and if it's been done once it should be easier the second time 

[Rich H]

Be careful if you try - some reports of stripped or snapped screws.

[OSHIROmodels]

Thanks