Introduction

At times, you may find yourself needing to drain the vat whether to change out material, inspect/replace the membrane, or to clean up a spill. There are two ways to drain the vat: using the peristaltic pump or manually draining it with a syringe. 

Draining the vat with the pump is slower in most cases but is useful for more automated workflows or if you prefer that the machine drain itself rather unattended. As mentioned in the filling the vat guide, each material requires its own nozzle/hose, as they cannot be easily cleaned and can cross contaminate resin. You can purchase additional Material Changeover Kits and read about how to use them here.

The syringe method works well if you prefer rapid draining or are working with high viscosity resins (it is recommended you cut a large hole in the syringe opening with high viscosity resins). You will need a funnel, a filter and the syringe (all included in your starter kit). A soft-tipped syringe should be used to avoid damaging the membrane.

Video Overview

Instructions

Step 1, Option 1 | Using the Pump

• Prepare resin container for draining
  • Use cap with hose fitting and attach hose to cap
  • Place container on load cell
  • Ensure the hose is well seated inside the pump and broken in

• Clip nozzle to the vat.
• Go to Dashboard on the touchscreen and press Drain under the Resin Vat section.
• You should hear the pump kick on and after a few seconds the nozzle will start suctioning out the resin.

• As the resin level gets low, use the spatula to push resin towards the nozzle.
• Press Stop on the touchscreen when you are done. 

Step 1, Option 2 | Using the Soft-Tipped Syringe

• Place a funnel with a filter over the resin bottle. The filter ensures cured pieces of resin and debris don't get drain back into your supply of resin. 

• Use the included syringe to suction out resin. The syringe should have a few cm of elastic hose on the tip.
• Hold the syringe at an angle.
• Work outside the printable area of the membrane.
• For viscous material you can cut the syringe tip larger, but cover with soft hose to prevent membrane damage. If you lost the hose, any soft material with 8mm ID will work (such as viton flouroelastomer hose with 1mm wall)

• As the resin gets low, use the spatula to pool the resin up into a corner, making it easier to suction out with the syringe. 

Step 2 | Clean the Membrane & Vat

• Wipe the excess resin off the vat and membrane surface. Attempt to get most of it off in this manner
• Wipe down the surfaces using IPA now to better clean the surface

• Unclamp the vat and pull it out upside down to avoid dripping resin
• Wipe the underside of the vat that seals against the membrane with IPA. 

• With IPA, wipe the remaining resin on the membrane that pooled up near the seal
• Once your membrane is clean, you can use it with another resin.

Updated July 21, 2023 16:33