Resin prints looking awful on support side

[Evil Eye]

I've been having difficulties recently with getting my 3D prints to not look terrible on the side facing the support raft/build plate. The screen-facing side looks great...

But the other side is borderline unusably bad!

What's doing this, and how do I fix it? I'm using Ekegoo ABS-like 2.0 in a Mars 3 Pro, with an exposure time of 2.95 seconds per layer and layer thickness of 30 micrometres.

[Grotsmasha]

Are you using a wash station to clean the prints? If yes, clean with the supports on, then boil some water and submerge the prints, no too long 30srcs should do it. The supports should pull off will little to minimal scarring, then cure.

A small amount of fine sanding may still be needed for any slight bumps.

Additionally in your slicer software you can reduce the contact diameter and depth of the supports, this will reduce scarring, and make support removal easier, but it will also make it easier for the print to fail and pull off the supports during printing.

[Evil Eye]

I'm using a cheapish ultrasonic cleaner to clean the prints rather than a dedicated wash station. However I will try that.

 

My main issue is how the details of the parts themselves seem to be visibly softer and mushier on the support side. The panel line on the legs, for instance; on the screen side it's nice and crisp, on the support side it's barely visible.

[Grotsmasha]

That sort of loss of detail can be caused by excess resin that hasn't been thoroughly cleaned off and then cured in place. In this case, I'd add a second wash after support removal adding in a light scrub with an old toothbrush to loosen any excess resin.

[OttoVonAwesome]

Smaller supports definitely helps, I found also Anti aliasing in lychee for detail sharpness helps but things like feet still end up mushy. It has to do with the density of the supports placed too I think it's trapped resin getting cured I don't know if lowering the exposure or increasing it will help I haven't tried. If I do figure it out I'll be sure to share the info. That does look alot like what went on with my earlier prints when I used chitubox auto supports with no tweaking whatsoever.

Edited January 21 by OttoVonAwesome

[Evil Eye]

OK, so major props to Grotsmasha for the cleaning process suggestion; cleaning on the supports, dunking in boiling water and then cleaning again after desupporting massively improved the results! Unfortunately I completely botched the support process on one of the parts (the main torso) and the damn thing ended up with a weirdly wonky "sag" to the shape of the entire piece. I'm having another go at printing the piece, this time hollowed and with a lot of time spent on the supports,

[Grotsmasha]

Excellent to hear

 

Supporting models can be a PITA, but taking the extra time on them saves more time in reprints.

[Evil Eye]

Oh boy.

 

Nearly got a perfect print...save for a heavy support going through the body, in a spot I didn't even place a support.

 

I think this file might be cursed.

[Grotsmasha]

That's a shame, but good to hear you're making progress.

[Evil Eye]

FINALLY! An acceptable print! There is a slight error in an out-of-the-way bit of the model but at this point I'm just going to cover it with a purity seal or something.

[Evil Eye]

Still need to attach the flamer and camera under the torso but anyway! Got there in the end!

Going forward I might try out Siraya Tech's Navy Grey as I hear it's extremely well-behaved.