Removing parts from Build Plate and Washing

Once a print is complete, the build plate should be left on the arm for a few minutes to allow as much excess liquid resin as possible to drain away. After allowing at least five minutes for the print to drip, remove the build plate by lowering the build plate lever and sliding the build plate away from the arm.

Note: Always be sure to wear protective nitrile gloves when handling liquid materials and solvents to protect from uncured material!

The finishing tray from the finish kit can be used as a work surface for part removal. Place the build on the tray with the print facing upward. Sit the build plate at an angle with a short edge of the build plate sitting against the tray so that the adhering print faces away from you.

Hold the build plate steady by the handle with your non-dominant hand, and use the metal scraper as a lever to ease parts off of the plate.

Caution: The scraper is a sharp object and can cause injury. Always cut away from hands and body!

Once parts are removed from the build plate, they're ready for washing. The finish kit provides a wash container with a wire basket that nests inside. Fill the wash container with solvent enough so that the parts will be submerged when they are sitting in the bottom of the basket.

We recommend washing with with 90% or higher concentration Isopropyl Alcohol, or xClean. 98% IPA is most recommended, but lower concentrations can work also; lower concentrations of IPA will require longer wash times. Parts washed in xClean will require an additional water rinse to get completely clean.

Place your printed parts into the wash basket, and place the basket in the wash container so that the parts are completely submerged. Use the handles of the basket to agitate the parts in the solvent bath.

Parts should be agitated in the solvent bath for at least two minutes, and should not be submerged for longer than 20 minutes. Let parts air-dry for at least 30 minutes before curing.

If you're using the Wash+Cure, take a look at our Using Wash Mode article for some guidelines on best practices and recommended wash times.

Post-Curing Parts

Once prints are washed, a post-cure is recommended to allow for materials to reach their maximum tensile strength. The Wash+Cure can be used for post-curing parts, or parts can be post-cured in direct sunlight.

While post-curing times may vary depending on the thickness of the printed part, most materials will require about an hour of post-curing. Flip the parts halfway through the cure time so that each side gets 30 minutes of post-curing.

If using the Wash+Cure, we'd recommend taking a look at our Using Cure Mode article for some guidelines on recommended post-curing times and best practices.

Specialized Material Requirements

KeyModel Ultra requires less cure time, but may still vary depending on the thickness of the printed part. We generally recommend around 15 minutes of curing time on each side of the part, flipping in between, as the material only needs about 30 minutes to reach maximum tensile strength.

xPEEK147-Black will require an additional heat cycle to reach maximum tensile strength.

1. Heat up with oven at 1.5°C increment per minute

2. After reaching 170°C, bake for 3hrs.

3. After baking, cool down with oven.

Caution: do not bake an oven that is also used for cooking food!

Removing Support Structures

Most builds will have support structures and thus will require removing them at some point during post processing. In many cases you can remove the scaffolding by hand, but it is recommended to use tools such as flush cutters, tweezers and files to safely and efficiently remove the support. For large scaffold structures, work around the perimeter to take pieces off, then repeat.

There are upsides and downsides for removing the support structures at different stages. Here are the most common options:

Remove support immediately after printing (before washing)

Removing the support right away minimizes the chances of getting surface divots, or chipping away at the part. Additionally, it will also require much less solvent to clean the part as the support can be discarded and the build plate can be used immediately.

Remove support after curing

The part may continue to warp during the curing process, so it is generally recommended to cure the part while still attached to both the support and build plate. This limits the deformation that is most common in thin wall parts or parts printed in less than ideal orientations.

Sanding and Filing Printed Parts

Sanding and Filing your prints are a necessary part of post processing to achieve a perfect print. There will be small marks where the support contact points meet the part, and these can be removed using the files that come in your finishing kit or using additional sandpaper.

Updated July 19, 2023 14:44