Print settings for Elegoo ABS-like Clear (on a Mars 3 Pro)

[Evil Eye]

I'm running a bit low on my favourite resin (Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Navy Grey), and I still have an unopened bottle of Elegoo's Clear ABS-like which I got as a Christmas present. I was thinking of using it for a bit, as it's pretty tough, allows for the printing of clear parts (surprise surprise) and printing "normal" parts isn't really a problem as they'll be painted anyway.
 

However, I've had a lot of problems with it the last time I used it. Specifically, I found getting a "sweet spot" of exposure very difficult- underexpose and the parts wouldn't stick to the supports at all. Overexpose and you got these hideous lumps of overcured resin around supports, ruining the print. I know clear resin is in general a bit of a sod to print, but if anyone has any settings they'd recommend using for the stuff on an Elegoo Mars 3 Pro I'd appreciate it, preferably at 30 μm (I've found even aside from the improved surface detail it seems to print better and more reliably, making the slight increase in print time worth it). I don't mean to be lazy, but if someone's already got the perfect settings for that resin on this machine/layer height it'd save a lot of resin!

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Problem is that even someone with the same printer and resin could have settings that would fail every single time for you because there's so many variables that go into a successful print. I've even talked to some people on 3d printing discord servers that have 2 or more of the same printer using the same resin and each one has slightly different settings (and is apparently a nightmare to remember to choose the right one when slicing something).

 

I've never used clear resin myself, but I've read that because it's clear the cure times can be really low and if you keep having prints not sticking to the supports, to try thicker layer heights. I wish I had some more useful info to help.

[Grotsmasha]

Even things like when you print can effect settings. My printer is in a garage, and if I print overnight, I get more fails due to temp variation.

[Evil Eye]

Thanks both. I'm running a test print now, will report back.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

I don't know what STL you use to dial in settings, but this is the validation print I use the most: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4707289

 

This part on the left side is the most important and what you're looking for is the same number of posts and holes, or as close as you can get them. More posts and less holes means you're overexposing and more holes and less posts is under.

 

 

Edited June 23 by Brother-Chaplain Kage

[Evil Eye]

Thanks so much, that's one of the best calibration models I've ever seen- quick to print, accurate AND easy to read.

 

I've definitely been underexposing; 5.6 seconds showed a few of the smaller posts missing. I'm increasing it to 5.8 seconds next and will be increasing exposure times in 0.2 second increments until I hit the sweet spot.

[Evil Eye]

So small update: I THINK I have the exposure times down. Problem: It takes 8.5 seconds per layer, and even then I'm not entirely convinced it's quite fully exposed. I'm risking doing some models (Puppetswar's Poison Bugs, which are well supported, something I've printed multiple times, and also very cool models).

 

I'd originally thought it'd make sense, if printing models with clear parts, to just print everything clear and just prime the opaque parts, but if I can possibly do so I think it would be prudent to have a separate printer for "secondary" resins (clears etc) rather than having to either deal with the horrors of clear resin for everything, or having to switch resins to print one lot of models. In any event, multi-printer setup or no I'm definitely going to be looking for a better clear resin.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Yeah, I've considered playing around with clear resin a few times but the deep clean I'd have to do on the vat of one of my printers just to run a single plate or maybe two? Yeah, nah, mate.

[Bung]

I printed some Clear Resin stuff but i use different printer and settings.

I use Saturn 3 with Anycubic ABS Like Resin.

I ended using the same settings for Clear and colored resin of the Anycubic ABS Like.

(Did a failure while slicing and printed the Clear with my normal settings and it worked :D)

[Evil Eye]

So I'm gonna have to re-run the print with lower exposure. This time the lower points of some of the parts fused themselves to the plate in an ugly blob, rendering them useless.

 

I hate this resin so, so much.

[Bung]

On 6/24/2024 at 3:55 PM, Evil Eye said:

So I'm gonna have to re-run the print with lower exposure. This time the lower points of some of the parts fused themselves to the plate in an ugly blob, rendering them useless.

 

I hate this resin so, so much.

 

What you can try is getting Lychee Slicer.

They have a good Database for Printer Resin Combinations i only need to tweak a bit.

That could give you a starting Point.

[Tyriks]

On 6/24/2024 at 12:00 AM, Brother-Chaplain Kage said:

Yeah, I've considered playing around with clear resin a few times but the deep clean I'd have to do on the vat of one of my printers just to run a single plate or maybe two? Yeah, nah, mate.

I bought a second vat and swap between the two. No real effort involved to switch resins. I do this at home and at work.

Edited June 25 by Tyriks
oopsie doopsie

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

I feel dumb for not thinking of that. >_<  But thanks!

[Evil Eye]

4 hours ago, Bung said:

 

What you can try is getting Lychee Slicer.

They have a good Database for Printer Resin Combinations i only need to tweak a bit.

That could give you a starting Point.

I was already doing that, alas.

 

I have, however, come to a conclusion- this resin is just really not very good and in particular, needs very specific supporting. I've re-supported the files to hopefully provide better results, with less dense supports and the parts being lifted a fair bit away from the build plate. Now, let's see if it worked...

[Evil Eye]

Yeah, this resin is garbage. I got results of underexposure (supports failing) AND overexposure (blobbing) ON THE SAME PARTS. And this was with full resupporting of the parts!

I'm giving this one more go, and if this fails I'm giving up on this stuff. I've got some clear resin from Anycubic coming in the post which I have on good authority is very good, so that's something.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Oof, that sounds terrible. The new stuff should be better, and as an Anycubic resin user for 3+ years (not clear, but still) I can say its pretty dependable.

[Evil Eye]

Alright, turns out Anycubic ABS-Like Pro 2 is the way to go for clear parts. At 30 μm layer height, with 2.4s exposure, I got absolutely perfect results. It has a very slightly yellow tinge to it, but not horrible- it's only really noticeable on thicker bits, and is a complete non-issue for parts that will be painted with a clear colour anyway.

Here's a before and after of the freshly printed models pre and post airbrushing! Still some detail work to add but I'm liking how creepy they look.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Good to see you got it sorted out