Introduction

xPRO410 was developed with material partner LoctiteAM / Henkel. This is a fast printing, rigid photopolymer that can be printed with high resolution features. It’s ideal for quick design verification models, accurate prototypes and any small series production that require up to 70°C HDT.  

Storage Requirements

Store in original container away from direct sunlight in a cool, dry and well ventilated area. Keep container tightly closed and sealed until ready to use. Prior to dispensing, shake the container vigorously as contents may have separated.

Printing Tips

The default print settings for xPRO410 are reliable for medium sized constant wall thickness parts printed between 30-60° from horizontal.

When printing fine details with high resolution, it is advised those features should be facing the membrane during printing. The least important features / surfaces of the print should be facing the build plate during printing as the down-skin usually has a poorer surface finish and support nubs will require sanding to get an acceptable surface quality.

Recommended part orientation – Slight angle to avoid large cross sections on layers, supports on flat surfaces, detailed features are unsupported & on up-skin (facing membrane)

The recommended minimum wall thickness for xPRO410 is 0.5mm, however, with vertical orientation and no supports on surface you can achieve a wall thickness as low as 0.3mm.

If the build platform is densely populated or parts have layers with thick sections, slow down the retract speed and increase the z-stage lift distance to ensure membrane separation and material squeeze out.

The most common problem observed with xPRO410 is build plate adhesion failure. This is due to the high detail formulation limiting cure-through into the build plate slots. Default base layer quantity defaults to 12 layers. Increasing the base exposure by 10-20% may be required to anchor parts with thick sections prone to warpage.

Similar to most SLA resins, xPRO410 shrinks about 1% when printing large cross sections. We advise not to orient parts completely horizontal on the build platform and to have them building at a slight angle (10-30°) to minimize shrinkage. When orienting parts at an angle, consider adding cone supports (0.4mm tip radius, 2.5mm bottom radius) to provide additional stability and to minimize support separation caused by warping. Place these on the outside edge where they may be cut with snippers.

Cone supports generated around the edges of a large part

In order to minimize shrinkage related surface defects, we recommend hollowing out solid cross sections and to generate lattice structures. As a general guideline, a wall thickness of 2.0mm on the outer walls and 1mm lattice beam thickness along with 6mm inner cell size on NexaX is recommended.

This material is a somewhat fast curing resin and generates heat (exotherm) when curing.  When high density builds (>25% of the layer is exposed), it’s a good idea to print in Low Power setting and to make sure the vat is filled with at least half way to limit the resin temperature during printing. Increasing the wait time between each layer will also allow the resin pool to cool down during the printing process and improve dimensional accuracy.

Post Processing

Validated Workflows (based on 4mm tensile coupons)

If parts are printed directly on the build platform, the slots on the platform will be imprinted on the down-facing skin and will require sanding to remove the stripe-like pattern. In general, xPRO410 supports can be easily removed and supported areas can be sanded off to get a nice clean surface finish. If you are dealing with thin wall parts, it is recommended to post-cure the parts with supports still attached so that the amount of deforming/warping can be controlled. When there is a large supported area, the most complete washing and curing can be achieved with supports removed.

Washing

xPRO parts should be put through 2 xClean baths (dirty and clean) for 1-2mins each. Parts can then be rinsed off in IPA as the final bath. Make sure the parts are completely dry before post-curing them in the xCure unit. Rinse off of the xCLEAN with water instead of IPA is acceptable with this material.

Curing

60min with UV only in the xCure is recommended. Post cure parts with supports still attached so that they will hold their shapes + minimize deformation during post-curing (parts < 2mm wall thickness).  Heated curing and extended cure time may help improve cure depth on thick parts (>4mm wall thickness).

Updated June 21, 2022 17:40