Considering how profoundly popular resin 3D printing has become in the past few years, it’s no surprise that we get asked a lot of questions about the large format resin 3D printer series from Peopoly: the Phenom. While it comes in several different sizes, the questions we get asked the most apply pretty uniformly across the board to each of the Phenoms. The Pros at MatterHackers are here to lend a hand and answer your questions about the Phenom, let’s jump right in.

What is the maximum length of printing time you can get before you need to replace the LCD?

MSLA 3D printers work by shining a high-intensity UV lamp up through the bottom of the printer into a vat full of resin above it. To be able to selectively cure the resin into the required shape for each layer, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is used between the lamp and vat to selectively mask the UV light (that’s the MS of MSLA). Depending on which model of Phenom you are working with (Original, L, Noir, Prime), the life expectancy of the LCD can change. In the case of the Noir, its specifications dictate that it has an average lifespan of 1200 print hours, whereas the LCDs used in the original and L are only specced for an average of 400 print hours. “Print hours” refers to the period of time that a print is actively running, so if you have a 24 hour print, that’s 24 hours into the lifespan. If you cancel that print halfway through, then it’s 12 hours off the lifespan. There is some variance to the longevity an LCD can last based on the resin used, layer height, any print failures, and even how much resin you keep in the vat; all of these factors can make an LCD last longer or shorter than the specified average. At its basics, the thing that ruins an LCD is heat and each of these factors generate or diminish heat: different resins give off more or less heat, thicker layers cure more resin and need more UV so more heat with be generates, print failures won’t let the heat sink into the print, and full vat acts like a giant heatsink to suck away heat from the LCD.

A failed resin print stuck to the vat, in need of removal before starting the next print.
A failed resin print stuck to the vat, in need of removal before starting the next print.

Which resins are compatible with this, or do I have to use deft resin? Peopoly makes Deft resin for the Phenom, but can I use resins from other manufacturers as well?

Like most other MSLA 3D printers, the Phenoms are open-resin platforms, so you can use whatever resin you would like. Peopoly developed Deft resin for the specific purpose of being the exact chemical makeup to print extraordinarily well on a Phenom, whereas other resins will have variable results based on the print settings you come up with through experimentation. 

The vat of a Peopoly 3D printer full of orange epoxy-free MH Build resin.
The vat of a Peopoly 3D printer full of orange epoxy-free MH Build resin.

How strong is Peopoly Deft resin?

While we don’t have specific data to quantify the strength of Deft resin, in my experience the flexibility of Deft 3D prints entirely depends on the cross-sectional area of specific parts of the prints. For thin sections, there is very limited flex before it cracks, and for larger sections it will take considerable force to get it to flex before it snaps. When it does break, unlike FDM 3D prints, it tends to break along stress cracks, not necessarily along layer lines; MSLA 3D prints are much more homogenous than FDM prints.

An array of different models 3D printed in Peopoly's Deft resins.
An array of different models 3D printed in Peopoly's Deft resins.

How is the Peopoly Noir able to 3D print objects so much faster than other resin printers and even other Phenoms?

The Peopoly Noir excels at printing speeds for one reason: it’s monochromatic LCD (hence the name “Noir”). Other MSLA 3D printers use traditional LCDs, just like the LCDs found in a standard computer monitor. Rather than getting into the details of how an LCD screen works, the simplest way to explain it is that a traditional LCD doesn’t display white nearly as well as the white of a monochromatic LCD, which in the case of MSLA means that monochromatic lets more UV light through than normal. More UV means less time to cure resin to the same degree as a traditional LCD, which is why with the same resin you can get a layer to cure in ¼ of the time.

The Peopoly Noir, ready to start the next print.
The Peopoly Noir, ready to start the next print.

What is the post-processing routine like with Phenom 3D printers?

Compared to FDM 3D printers, the post processing is a bit more involved. PPE is required for all steps of post processing to prevent exposure to the resin. Removing 3D prints from the bed means wiping as much resin off the build plate back into the vat to prevent drips, use a rubber spatula to carefully pry off the print, and dunk it in a bath of ultrasonic cleaning fluid for several minutes to remove the thin layer of uncured resin on the outside of the finished print. Once it’s done cleaning, a rinse in tap water and scrubbing with a toothbrush will help break down any remaining particulate and cleaning solution left on the surface. A quick drying cycle with a blast of air from an air compressor and spending some time in a UV curing station to fully cure the 3D print, will prevent it from slowly curing over time and having a “gummy” surface texture. Actively, there isn’t a lot of time and labor involved in cleaning a resin 3D print as most of the post-processing is sitting in a machine and waiting for it to finish up. 

This finished exhaust manifold prototype will need to go through the entire array of cleaning procedures before it can be handled.
This finished exhaust manifold prototype will need to go through the entire array of cleaning procedures before it can be handled.

What kind of maintenance is involved with Phenom 3D printers? 

Like any type of machine or tool, you’ll want to keep your Phenom clean and tidy, so wipe down the chamber with isopropyl alcohol and paper towels to prevent any sticky buildup of resin and just stay on top of keeping your work area clean. The LCD panel is considered a consumable, so you may begin to notice dead pixels in your 3D prints, holes, or uneven curing when it's nearing the end of its life, at which point you will want to replace it. Each Phenom printer’s LCD has different lengths of life, so you will have to pay attention to your printing results and identify the degradation to know it’s time to swap to a new one.

Replacing the FEP film is easy and should be done regularly to keep the entire printing process easy and manageable.
Replacing the FEP film is easy and should be done regularly to keep the entire printing process easy and manageable.

Desktop large-format resin 3D printing is a new and exciting prospect that continues to grow and find its place in the 3D printing industry with the Phenom leading the charge. To learn more and to order your own Phenom 3D printer today, check out the collection here.