Features
Dimensions (W x D x H): 760 x 696 x 1760 mm (30 x 27.5 x 69.3 in)
Weight: 231 kg ( 510 lbs)
Build Envelope: 189 x 118 x 326 mm (7.4 x 4.6 x 12.8 in)
Pixel Size: 75 µm
Dimensions (W x D x H): 760 x 696 x 1760 mm (30 x 27.5 x 69.3 in)
Weight: 249 kg ( 550 lbs)
Build Envelope: 307 x 163 x 305 mm (12.1 x 6.4 x 12 in)
Pixel Size: 75 µm
For information about facility requirements for installation, please refer to General Site Prep Resources or Dental Site Prep Resources.
The foot switch, located underneath the front edge of the printer, allows the user to open and close the door by placing their foot under the printer and pushing up on the button.
Pressing and holding the switch will both close the door and start a print when the printer is ready for operation.
In case of emergency, press the Emergency Stop (E-stop) button. When pressed, power will be cut to most printer systems and all printer motion will cease.
- Your in-progress print will be lost if the Emergency Stop button is pushed. Any partially printed parts will need to be discarded and reprinted.
The service door is opened by inserting an 8 mm allen wrench into the access lock hole and turning the wrench an 1/4 of a turn clockwise to release the door open.
DO NOT turn counter-clockwise.
The bridge holds the platform and moves it vertically during printing.
The platform is a removable appliance with a flat surface upon which parts are printed.
The cassette is a highly engineered optical device that is a critical component of the Digital Light Synthesis™ platform. It is a removable appliance that holds the liquid resin used to make parts.
The window must be properly maintained to ensure print quality. Improper maintenance or damage to the window will reduce print quality and may result in failed prints and production delays.
The printer's exhaust vent resides in the rear window at the base of the build area.
The printer deck is the flat surface that lines the bottom of the build area. The cassette resides on the printer deck.
This is an opening in the printer deck that is typically covered by the cassette.
UV light from the light engine passes up through this space from the printer cavity onto the cassette window.
More information provided below.
The build area sides come in three configurations:
Bellows
A corrugated cover.
Roller shades
A flat sheet of material.
Coverless
No covering.
The bellows and roller shade covers are for cosmetic purposes only. To reduce user maintenance, newer printers will not have either cover in place.
During normal use, you shouldn’t need to touch the back of the printer, but you will need access for setup and maintenance.
Do not attempt to open or remove any of the printer panels unless instructed to do so.
Standard RJ-45 port for connecting the printer to your network via ethernet cable.
An External E-Stop Jumper (provided by Carbon) must be installed in this port at all times. Without this jumper in place, the printer will be in an e-stopped state.
This jumper also allows the usage of a remote E-Stop device.
- v2 - Compact e-stop jumper is pre-installed
The power switch must be turned on to supply power to the printer.
Select maintenance tasks will require shutting down power with this switch.
Power socket for the printer.
Electrical Inlet Connection: IEC 320-C19
The printer requires a connection to compressed air.
- Air Inlet: ¼” NPT female bulkhead connector
Air from the build area is passed through the exhaust at the back of the printer.
- The printer must be connected to mechanical ventilation via a 4 inch diameter duct.
The M3 / M3 Max printer uses next-gen oxygen permeable optics with the M3 / M3 Max cassette.
The cassette sits on the deck and holds liquid resin during printing. The transparent window in the center creates the dead zone that unlocks the speed and quality of the Digital Light Synthesis™ process. During printing, light from the light engine in the body of the M3 / M3 Max printer shines through the window and cures liquid resin to build parts.
The standard M3/M3 Max cassette is labelled D1.
The window must be properly maintained to ensure print quality. Improper maintenance or damage to the window will reduce print quality and may result in failed prints and production delays.
- M3
- Dimensions: 332 x 256 x 89 mm (13.1 10.1 x 3.5 in)
- Weight empty: 3.4 kg (7.5 lbs)
- Weight full: 5.2 kg (11.5 lbs)
- Resin Capacity: 1700 mL
- M3 Max
- Dimensions: 415 x 360.4 x 118.6 mm (16.4 x 14.2 x 4.7 in)
- Weight empty: 6.4 kg (14 lbs)
- Weight full: 9.5 kg (21 lbs)
- Resin Capacity: 3200 mL
Graduation lines indicate volume in milliliters.
The lines may be used as an approximation of resin amount when dispensing. (Other options also available.)
The window in the bottom of the cassette allows light and oxygen to pass through into the resin during printing.
The transparent window is not a simple piece of glass. It is a complex light- and oxygen-permeable membrane that is precious and delicate, like the surface of your eye.
The cassette contains four pull studs, one at each corner. The pull studs hold the cassette in place during printing with pneumatic power.
The window in the bottom of the cassette allows light and oxygen to pass through into the resin during printing.
The transparent window is not a simple piece of glass. It is a complex light- and oxygen-permeable membrane that is precious and delicate, like the surface of your eye.
The seam is where the window meets the frame.
Do not use sharp tools to clean residual resin from the seam as this will damage the window.
The cassette contains four pull studs, one at each corner. The pull studs hold the cassette in place during printing with pneumatic power.
- AO Polishing Cassette: Developed specifically for oral health applications, this cassette features light scattering technology to improve surface quality and reduce the need for manually finishing splints.
- The M3 and M3 Max AO Polishing Cassettes are labeled D4.
- This cassette can also be used for non-dental applications. Contact Carbon Support for more information.
The M3 cassette lid is a UV-resistant cover that enables resin to be stored in a cassette outside of a printer. The lid keeps light, dust and debris from getting to the resin stored in the cassette, keeping the resin safe for reuse. The lid is especially helpful for oral health customers that use one-part resins.
Only one-part resins can be stored in the cassette. Two-part resins cannot be stored due to their limited pot life. Two-part resins that are past their pot life may damage the cassette.
Stackable
The lid design is stackable, to enable easier storage of multiple cassettes.
Easy labeling
The cassette lid features a shiny surface that is designed to be used with a chalk marker. Be sure to write the name of the stored resin on the shiny surface. The writing can easily be erased with a towel moistened with IPA or water.
The lid must be removed from the cassette before printing.
Additional lids can be ordered from the Carbon Shop in quantities of two. Login is required.
The platform is a flat surface upon which parts are printed. It is held in place by the bridge which moves vertically to build parts. When printing is completed, the platform is removed from the printer so that parts can be processed.
- The platform can be scratched by steel tools such as the yellow scraper when removing parts.
- Keep all bladed tools parallel with the platform during part removal to minimize chances of damaging the platform.
- Scratches and dings on the platform’s printing surface will show on parts where they contact the platform.
- Dents, bumps, and scratches on the platform can damage the window of the cassette. It is critical to clean it carefully and always treat the platform gently. Inspect the platform for damage before loading it into the printer.
- M3
- Weight: 1.67 kg (3.69 lbs)
- Dimensions: 241 x 185 x 63.75 mm (9.49 x 7.28 x 2.51 in)
- M3 Max
- Weight: 3.4 kg (7.5 lbs)
- Dimension: 388 x 210 x 63.75 mm (15.28 x 8.27 x 2.51 in)
The bridge is supported from the sides of the build area over the cassette. It holds the platform and moves it vertically during printing.
Operators will interface with three components of the bridge.
For Printing
- Guide Rails are where the platform slides onto the bridge.
For Inspection
- Print Head Clamp Pot ensures the proper seating of the platform.
- Platform NFC Antenna reads the identity of the platform.
The projection volume is the opening in the deck below an installed cassette.
Operators will interface with three components in the projection volume.
For Inspection and Cleaning
- Deck Clamp Pots ensures the proper seating of the cassette.
- Heaters span the projection volume opening. It is used to warm certain resins during printing to decrease viscosity. Use caution with the heating element as it may be hot.
- Light Engine Spill Window is located below the deck surface, at the bottom of the projection volume. It protects the light engine's sensitive electronics from spills and debris.
The display shows the printer’s status and has touchscreen functionality for performing basic functions.
The Home screen shows the current status of the printer.
When idle, the home screen prompts you with the next expected action. Ready to Print screen shown here, with information about the next print in the queue and the Start button in the upper right.
When printing, the display shows the UV image projected into the resin as well as the remaining printing time and other print stats (shown below).
Printer Status
The light bar at the top of the printer provides a quick indicator of the printer's status.
Light Bar Pattern | Idle | Needs Hardware | Printing | Warning | Needs Attention | Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Color |  |  |  |  |  | |
Solid | - | Needs Platform | Ready to Print | Power Restore Needed | E-Stop Engaged | Service Door Open |
| - | Needs Cassette | Printing | - | Printer Halted | - |
Chasing | Default (bootup, etc) | - | Preparing to Print | - | - | Software Update in Progress |
| Setup Mode in Process | - | - | - | - | - |
Pulsing | Needs Part Removal | - | Print Finishing | Factory Mode | Print Error | Service Mode |
| - | - | User Aborted Print Finishing | - | - | - |
Sound | Scenarios | Initiated By |
|---|---|---|
Tap | User touches touchscreen | User |
Confirmation | Print started | User |
Completion | Print finished | Printer |
Alert | 1. Print Aborts 2. Error alert sets | Printer |
Halted | 1. E-stop pressed 2. Printer enters halted state (unable to print) | User or printer |
Force feedback means the printer adapts in real-time to respond to suction forces and resin flow. This leads to more first print successes and fewer print defects.
As the printer measures forces, the printer reacts by adjusting how far the platform moves up between slices, how fast the platform moves up and down, and how long to wait before exposing each slice to UV light. The adjustments are also influenced by the geometry of the parts, the resin and its viscosity, and how the ambient temperature of the room all affect printing.
What happens during one slice of printing
- The platform moves up, pulling resin into the dead zone
- When forces stabilize, the platform moves down to the curing position
- Then the platform remains stationary while the forces and resin flow relax
- When stabilized, the UV Curing occurs for the slice
Force feedback means that print time estimates are approximate.
Estimates lean conservative, meaning that actual print time will often result in faster prints than the estimate. Occasionally, the print time may adjust slightly longer. Either way, print time adjusts in real-time on the printer status page or touchscreen, so you can check on the print as it progresses.