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Author Topic: Anycubic Photon S AAR  (Read 1344 times)

Offline Kelly_

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Anycubic Photon S AAR
« on: May 21, 2022, 08:46:10 PM »
My Anycubic Photon S has finally reached the end of its life, and I thought I would put up some statistics on its final output totals...

LCD Screen
When dialing in the best settings for this printer, I recorded each of the changes and those results; after adding up both the models and failed prints, my best estimate is 305 projects run through the printer from 5-14-19 up to 5-07-22.  The sizes were all different, so a constant to measure the effective life of the LCD screen would be total layers printed, which came out to 256517 layers overall.

Drive
If all those layers were combined into a single project, the total resin height would have been an object 27.5 feet tall, but that doesn't take into account how much drive movement occurred in-project across all of the actual prints.  This measure is a much looser approximation, adding in 250 mm for the initial and final movements of the print plate for each project and the 10 mm average retraction on each layer, the drive moved at least 1.63 miles in total.

UV Source
The exposure times are also a rough estimate, due to controller issues in the past two months, but accounting for the initial affixing and regular layer exposures, the UV source was on for around 585 hours.

There are multiple component failures now which is why I am writing off the printer, but there were minor issues that came up on each of the above I was able to work around up until this point.  For the drives, minor slip artifacts started occurring at project 202, layer 216436, which were mitigated by changing the orientation of prints.  For the LCD screen and controller, errors began occurring at project 230, layer 240813, which required tests before each new print.  For the UV source, it finally failed after project 305, layer 256517.

Overall, I printed over 800 miniatures and am pleased with its performance since there were no real quality issues until it was over 2 years old, but I hope it is a long time before I have to do another postmortem on a printer.
If my wife asks, I only spent half as much as I wanted to...

Offline Verderer

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2022, 11:10:10 AM »
Out of curiosity, what failed on the printer? I assume it wasn't fixable (or too expensive) with spare parts?

I am considering an affordable resin printer, but have dared yet...

Offline Kelly_

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2022, 11:34:24 PM »
Out of curiosity, what failed on the printer? I assume it wasn't fixable (or too expensive) with spare parts?

The LCD screen started failing first, which is a replaceable component; then the UV light in short order, which is technically replaceable; and I believe a controller issue also started occurring, which in theory is also replaceable.  But those all add up to more than half the cost of a current new printer, not counting the several hours required for disassembly.

I am considering an affordable resin printer, but have dared yet...

I would rather it lasted forever, but I did get great value out of the printer before the end, so I am happy with its affordability...  they are dropping in price and increasing in value each year: the Photon S was $449.00 on sale when I got it, and for its replacement I am looking at several under $300.00 all with larger build volumes.

Offline Codsticker

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2022, 03:56:52 AM »
Interesting info, thank you. I am toying with getting a resin printer for making terrain details.

Offline Verderer

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2022, 08:54:48 AM »
Yes, thanks for the explanation Kelly. It's the same thing with my Ender 3... I've certainly printed enough stuff to make it worth it at the price you can buy one. The only thing that's holding me back from buying a resin printer is concern for 'stink' and fiddling with troublesome chemicals (alcohol and resin mainly). How to dispose the trash etc. It just sounds like a lot of trouble, having accustomed using acrylics in airbrushing and painting...

I guess it's not actually that bad and I might have gotten the wrong impression watching youtube videos etc. They are developing less stinky resins, some more 'ecological' alternatives, and I've even read about resin you can clean with water instead of alcohol. So I am runing out of excuses little by little. lol

Take for example, I am looking at buying some Blade Runner / Alien minis from Black Site Studios... getting them from USA is rather expensive, and the minis arent very cheap in physical form either. But they also sell the STL's for almost half the price. Now if I had a resin printer, I could print practically unlimited number of them and save money too.

Offline Daeothar

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2022, 09:40:53 AM »
...Now if I had a resin printer, I could print practically unlimited number of them and save money too.

That's the entire thing, isn't it? ;)

I've had my Elegoo Mars 2 Pro since december last year. Granted; I've not printed all that much just yet, but I've had a 100% success-rate so far.

The resin smell is virtually non-existant. And I've used up an old bottle that came with a Sparkmaker resin printer several years back. The new bottle of Elegoo ABS-like resin is also as good as odorless.

And working with Isopropyl Alcohol, or IPA (NOT the beer btw  ;D ), has been pretty uneventful too. Water-washable resins are pretty common now as well as you mentioned, but I have no experience with those yet.

All in all, I'd say that resin printing is getting pretty darn close to printing paper by now; working straight out of the box, and very easy to operate. It has been for me at least; I've heard other people's experiences and they have different stories to tell, but so far I don't know who's the outlier; me or them...
Miniatures you say? Well I too, like to live dangerously...
Find a Way, or make one!

Offline Verderer

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2022, 09:47:03 AM »
Sounds good, I guess it doesn't hurt to have experience in FDM printers before moving to SLA printers? Even if the techniques are different, there some mutual principles involved?

I guess it's now a matter of choosing which printer to get, I'd like to purchase it locally, if the prices are competitive enough.

Offline Verderer

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2022, 04:19:39 PM »
Incidentally, I am considering the Anycubic Photon Mono X 6K - any thoughts on that? Seems good on paper at least

Offline clibinarium

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2022, 04:50:02 PM »
On water washable resin- I started out with one, but quickly realised that they aren't really easier to deal with. The prints are harder to clean with water, there was more uncured resin left on a print, giving a white powdery finish which was just a mess. My wash station propellor started to rust quickly with water in it.
The initial attraction was that I didn't have to deal with the ethanol and resultant residue/waste, as I saw a promotional video of a print being washed in a sink. Didn't take long to work out that you absolutely cannot do that, unless you want to poison your locality's water supply. The residue is just as toxic, but with alcohol you can allow it to evaporate relatively quickly, but my fist bucket of water run-off took months to do so. You end up with the same cured run-off in both cases to dispose of.
The advantage maybe its better for the environment in the manufacturing stage, or maybe it's less harmful to be around its gases, but the clean-up is no easier than with resins that need to be washed in alcohol. Alcohol needs to be treated with more caution, but it's not difficult.
The other problem, though this may just be me, is that the water washable stuff was just much harder to get good prints from.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2022, 04:52:31 PM by clibinarium »

Offline Verderer

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2022, 12:55:04 PM »
Hm, yes. I purchased Anycubic Photon Ultra and have printed a couple of minis to try it out. I don't fancy the smell of the cleaning solution, in this case I used Formfutura Easy Clean, and the stink is strong. Not as bad as IPA, granted, and not as flammable either, but still. I am inclined to try out water washable resin for certain, just to see how it goes. At least it don't stink, and it's way cheaper to use, especially with the Anycubic wash station which has a huge reservoir for the liquid stuff...

Naturally, as you said, you can't pour the wash water in the sink or sewer, and you need to use the same methods to cure the resin residue, so it can be disposed safely. That goes with IPA etc. as well.

My first prints came out okay, I didn't try anything too ambitious. Just basic stuff to get the settings ok. I got pretty good results on the Siraya tech test print at first go, using the default settings, so I didn't fiddle around too much. Here's a couple of snapshots:


Some 10mm orcs for bofa/warmaster


Colonial Marine in EVA suit

One early learning point was that you need to be really careful with the FEP diaphgram on the bottom of the resin vat. If you screw that you need to replace it, and it can be annoying. So any hardered resin needs to be carefully removed without scraping or puncturing the FEP. And you need to keep it cristal clean too... So I am preparing to ordering some spares ASAP.

Offline Two Inches of Felt

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2022, 01:55:40 PM »
Wow, it sounds like you got a lot out of your printer for being a 2019 model.

The funny thing is that for $200 now you can get a Mono printer that will probably get 10x as many miniatures printed with less hassle than the Photon S that used to sell for $450..

The 3d printing technology has advanced so fast.

Offline Verderer

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2022, 02:56:15 PM »
By the way, has there been discussion on whether LAF should have a dedicated 3D printing sub-forum section at all?

Offline Two Inches of Felt

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2022, 03:51:17 PM »
I would say yes,  it's a key component of my games and will be growing in the hobby rapidly,  especially with each generation of younger players.

I know some people are against the 3d printing movement but it's inevitable.

Offline Kelly_

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2022, 02:45:24 AM »
Wow, it sounds like you got a lot out of your printer for being a 2019 model.

The funny thing is that for $200 now you can get a Mono printer that will probably get 10x as many miniatures printed with less hassle than the Photon S that used to sell for $450..

The 3d printing technology has advanced so fast.
My replacement arrived this week, a Photon Mono SE, only a few percent more of print volume, but almost half the first resin printer's price.  My main criteria for this one was the physical footprint of the printer, almost identical, so I would not have to rearrange any shelves, and since almost everything I print is under 5 inches, space elements to 6mm scale at the maximum, I did not really consider any of the larger format printers...




One early learning point was that you need to be really careful with the FEP diaphgram on the bottom of the resin vat. If you screw that you need to replace it, and it can be annoying. So any hardered resin needs to be carefully removed without scraping or puncturing the FEP. And you need to keep it cristal clean too... So I am preparing to ordering some spares ASAP.
Absolutely correct!  I tell everyone who asks about resin printing that extra FEP on hand is essential, and finding a rounded silicone tool or pan scraper is the best thing for fishing out any pieces or supports that may fall into the resin vat.

Offline Two Inches of Felt

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Re: Anycubic Photon S AAR
« Reply #14 on: June 22, 2022, 06:25:33 AM »
Nice! That's the same printer I have and I've been very pleased with it after owning a regular photon first.  It improves almost every aspect of the equipment.  The only downside is that monos don't have built in screen protection so you need to add your own.