Washing

overview remove the platform from the printer per printer protocols m1/m2 printer docid 6pwz7jx jb4l5 xwkojm3/m3 max printer docid 3yymggihdvaowg01eay6ll1 printer docid\ on8otjugbxoth6qmqw2om wash parts per preferred method and follow details in this course smart part washer (recommended) manual washing equipment and consumables the following items will be needed for washing printed parts where noted, certain items will only be needed for manual washing or for using the smart part washer respectively additional items may be needed when using supplemental washing methods as always, be sure to wear appropriate safety docid\ eplnolhpoetra wxrrpjd when washing parts or whenever you are in the lab/production area washers these powered devices offer automated washing in an enclosed chamber use these products for production applications that require more control and greater part volumes smart part washer docid\ hvgvbthckek4hxjqqfpo formlabs form wash docid\ uqieq5peg3cklftphtl3opostprocess demi 910 docid 93lfgiaqg51aw2hhu080g manual washing equipment and tools orbital shaker powered table that oscillates to agitate solvent washtub lidded container that contains parts and solvent while sitting on the orbital shaker timer used to keep track of time so parts washed on orbital shaker are not overexposed to solvent scraper razor edged tool used to remove parts from the platform deadblow hammer used to gently strike the scraper when removing parts from the platform tweezers used to remove supports from parts flammable storage container for storing dpm consumables smart part washer only solvent different solvents are required depending on the resin and method of washing solvents include ipa (isopropyl alcohol) vf 1 dpm (di(propylene glycol) methyl ether) consult the protocol sheet for the specific resin to be washed spinners these devices use centrifugal forces to spin resin and solvent off of parts can be used before washing or in some cases instead of washing commercial salad spinner manual 5 gallon spinner honey spinner motorized spinner heinzen spinner industrial spinner compatible with l1 platforms consumables blue shop towels industrial strength paper towels swabs foam cleaning implements used to touch up parts after the initial wash available in many sizes and shapes general washing notes do not let parts sit too long before cleaning always wash parts within the pot life of the resin parts will not achieve final strength until secondary curing, so use care when handling parts in the partially cured green state, especially delicate features green state refers to the initial uv curing of the parts during printing parts remain in this unfinished state until final mechanical properties are reached with secondary curing smart part washer the smart part washer provides an effective, repeatable, and traceable washing process to improve part quality and reduce labor for production carbon recommends washing parts with the smart part washer instead of manual washing always check that the printed resin is compatible with the part washer and the solvent loaded in the washer go to smart part washer docid\ hvgvbthckek4hxjqqfpo to learn how to operate and optimize this carbon product hardware compatibility compatible with m2 and m3 (with accessories docid\ p6zgflme2odrjvpfw5u5c ) m3 max and l1 platforms are not compatible with the smart part washer parts can be removed from the platform and then placed in the accessories docid\ p6zgflme2odrjvpfw5u5c resin compatibility all carbon resins are compatible with the part washer except ce 221 solvent compatibility only solvents validated for the part washer may be used always check that the resin being washed is compatible with the solvent loaded in the part washer reference solvents docid\ o0r4zxsr e4snor4snji0 for more details on the following solvents vf 1 (custom vertrel based formulation) 99% di(propylene glycol) methyl ether (dpm) 99% diacetone alcohol (daa) workflow video video text open the part washer when washer is available activate foot switch install platform (or basket) slide in if using the part washer basket or an m3 platform adapter, select the print to be washed this ensures the proper wash times are used this ensures the proper wash times are used m2 platforms will automatically recognize the print select "start wash default" or select more wash options to choose another wash cycle lid lowers automatically and wash begins wash runs for the resin's wash time raise lid when wash complete activate foot switch remove platform (or basket) slide out place on clean towel/tray if using dpm solvent in the part washer dunk parts into ipa 10 times over 10 seconds air dry or dry with compressed air proceed to remove parts from platform read the full smart part washer docid\ hvgvbthckek4hxjqqfpo for more information about operating, optimizing and maintaining the washer manual washing with orbital shaker manual washing involves placing parts into a container of ipa and placing it on an orbital shaker parts can be washed off the platform or the platform and parts can be washed together see below for details the basic workflow is remove parts from platform place parts in washtub on orbital shaker fill tub with ipa set timer turn on orbital shaker remove parts from washtub dry parts orbital shaker specifications https //archbee doc uploads s3 amazonaws com/iujopuvpv7qlymc62cjks u9d1 ka74povyqmqwszm8 20240822 181535 pdf notes solvent exposure parts should not be exposed to solvent for more time than specified in resin protocols longer exposure negatively affects mechanical properties solvent exposure is cumulative example orbital wash 2 min + orbital wash 2 min + squirt with solvent/ dry in compressed air cabinet 30 sec = 4 min 30 sec solvent can be used, on average, for 3 4 washes, or until the solvent has turned opaque (unless noted otherwise in the solvent protocol) on platform or off platform? it is often preferable to leave parts on the platform during manual washing recommended for m series prints washing on the platform is especially useful when printing many smaller parts at once the platform serves as a handle throughout post processing and reduces the chance of abrading the parts during washing more solvent and a larger washtub are needed parts may also be washed off the platform follow the steps for removing parts from the platform first required for l1 prints the l1 platform is too heavy ( 12 lbs) for manual washing on the orbital shaker useful for parts that have platform facing geometries that may be difficult for solvent to reach if left on the platform useful when using a spinning wash method reference washing /#touchup methods below parts on platform outlined below is the most common recommended breakdown listed in the resin protocol sheets you may make adjustments as needed to suit your application, so long as you do not exceed the total maximum solvent exposure example adjustments reduce or increase the recommended rpm (lower for delicate geometries, higher for stable geometries) reduce or increase total number of washes (one longer wash if the geometry doesn't require touchup, multiple shorter washes if the geometry requires more touch up in between) video text optional pre remove liquid resin from parts wipe or swab resin (or use compressed air) unhandled content type fill washtub with protocol solvent to 75% part height, unless otherwise noted (u o n ) place parts in washtub and close lid wash in orbital shaker per resin protocol recommended rpm solvent exposure time solvent exposure time observe the agitation and ensure the top of parts are exposed to solvent add more if needed remove parts from washtub for mid wash touchup time is partway through total solvent exposure time time is partway through total solvent exposure time 5allow solvent to drain on clean towel and let parts dry 1 3 minutes mid wash touchup to remove wet resin (appears shiny) wipe swab inside corners and small holes common inside corners and small holes common compressed air pay attention to blind holes pay attention to blind holes spinning rarely used on platform due to setup requirements repeat orbital wash per protocol and remove parts do no exceed maximum solvent exposure do no exceed maximum solvent exposure allow parts to fully dry air dry 3 5 minutes minimum or use compressed air proceed to remove parts from platform parts off platform video text remove parts from platform using the scrapper tool (remove supports if applicable) place parts in washtub fill washtub with protocol solvent to 100% part height, unless otherwise noted (u o n ) close lid wash in orbital shaker per resin protocol recommended rpm solvent exposure time (do not exceed maximum solvent exposure) remove parts from washtub allow solvent to drain on clean towel and let parts dry remove parts from platform safety notes do not remove parts holding the platform suspended in mid air always put platform on a sturdy surface and hold in place to avoid injury always go slow and cut away from yourself when using the scraper process video video text elastomeric resins securely hold the platform against a flat surface clean blue towel on tray press scraper blade on platform firmly enough to flatten curve in blade this ensures full platform contact to prevent part damage this ensures full platform contact to prevent part damage use scraper blade to carefully and slowly detach part always aim blade away from you always aim blade away from you do not use the blade as a pry bar you will tear the part and/or damage the platform do not use the blade as a pry bar you will tear the part and/or damage the platform elastomeric resins require the blade to release all areas of platform contact reposition the platform and blade as needed to access all areas rigid resins (01 09) securely hold the platform against a flat surface clean blue towel on tray press scraper blade on platform firmly enough to flatten curve in blade this ensures full platform contact to prevent part damage this ensures full platform contact to prevent part damage use scraper blade to carefully and slowly detach part do not use the blade as a pry bar you will break the part and/or damage the platform do not use the blade as a pry bar you will break the part and/or damage the platform always aim blade away from you and down towards the table always aim blade away from you and down towards the table rigid resins will break free from the platform suddenly and you want the blade's momentum aimed at the table, not you rigid resins will break free from the platform suddenly and you want the blade's momentum aimed at the table, not you using the deadblow hammer most of the time the scraper tool alone will remove your parts when too much force is needed with this method, you risk breaking the part in these cases of strong adhesion, you may use the dead blow hammer align the scraper blade with the part tap the back of the scraper tool lightly like a chisel use a very gentle tap let the weight of the hammer do the work and do not use force using release film release film can be used with resins and parts that have strong adhesion for detailed information, refer to release film docid\ yrnqplrg4ymfck1m5tccv video text hold platform steady with one hand use scraper blade to lift corner of release film run blade along edge of platform (short edge best) continue running blade along length of film under parts hold up film if needed, keeping hand away from blade peel parts off film (but many parts will fall off in process) removing supports and touchup for most parts, it is best to remove supports before curing, as cured supports are much stronger and more difficult to remove remove supports from parts using gloved fingers (tweezers or clippers may be used carefully as needed) supports come off easily, but be gentle process remove supports with gloved fingers or carefully use tweezers if supports are difficult to reach touch up parts to remove shiny areas of wet resin foam tipped swabs (shown in the video below) are very useful for this task lightly dampen swabs with resin specific solvent blot swab on towel to remove excessive solvent lightly wipe parts to remove resin residue see below for more washing /#touchup methods process video video text remove supports touch up parts to remove we resin (appears shiny) lightly dampen swabs with resin specific solvent blot swab on towel lightly wipe parts to remove remaining resin proceed to curing touchup methods touchup describes detailed, manual cleaning to remove residual, uncured resin from the part that was not removed by the primary washing technique uncured resin typically appears as shiny areas on the part these shiny areas need to be cleaned or "touched up" there are three ways to touchup parts washing docid\ avn2rnslshhmuz9rbykmn washing docid\ avn2rnslshhmuz9rbykmnwashing /#spinning verify shiny spots are resin this step only applies to parts washed with dpm solvent in the smart part washer docid\ hvgvbthckek4hxjqqfpo dpm may linger in small corners or features, even after the ipa dunking step this lingering solvent will also appear shiny to confirm if shiny spots are solvent instead of resin method 1 allow parts to air dry for at least one hour to see if shiny spots have evaporated method 2 bake a test print without touchup to see if shiny spots evaporate in the oven test swabbing shiny spots is not recommended to tell the difference between lingering solvent vs resin resin color may appear on the swab from abrading the part surface rather than from remaining liquid resin, thus offering misleading results swabbing swabbing parts with foam swabs is a great way to remove residual resin swabs are gentle on the part surface and come in many different shapes and sizes to reach into holes and tight spaces when swabbing parts, pay particular attention to inside corners edges that printed on the platform small holes blind holes dry swabbing dry swabs can be an effective method for a final wipe of solvent or shiny spots using a dry swab, gently wipe any areas that appear shiny be careful to wipe with the face of the swab the seams of swabs can scratch the parts in their green state damp swabbing damp swabs are effective for trouble spots that a dry swab cannot fully clean do not exceed maximum total solvent exposure time 1\ squirt ipa on a swab and blot on a towel blot on a towel wiped parts should evaporate quickly swabs that are too wet will leave behind too much solvent leave behind too much solvent 2\ gently wipe parts to remove shiny spots compressed air cabinet the compressed air cabinet is an effective method of removing resin & solvent by using pressurized air compressed air can make quick work of cleaning a full platform of parts parts with small features, corners and other difficult or impossible to access features are ideally suited to using compressed air put on a fresh pair of gloves before using the blow off cabinet to avoid getting resin inside the cabinet’s gloves holding the platform with a towel inside the cabinet can help maintain your grip follow a methodical path with the air the purpose is to follow the flow of resin rather than blow it around the air gun trigger is pressure sensitive you can pull lightly to get a feel for the pressure watch parts closely if parts are flexing too much, lighten up on the trigger to reduce pressure use caution on delicate parts or features always start far away and get closer to the part to minimize your chances of damaging the part process it is strongly recommended to keep parts on platform the operator can use the platform as a handle to maneuver parts without touching them use compressed air to blow off liquid resin if there are areas that air alone are not cleaning, you may use additional solvent squirt parts with solvent from a squeeze bottle you can also dip the parts and platform into a container of solvent inside the cabinet, instead of squirting from a bottle use compressed air to blow off solvent and liquid resin do not exceed total solvent exposure time technical documents product manual https //archbee doc uploads s3 amazonaws com/iujopuvpv7qlymc62cjks rnavpmjez1kqngfieqvn5 20240822 184127 pdf specifications https //archbee doc uploads s3 amazonaws com/iujopuvpv7qlymc62cjks mlfcalqsyz8o0al8j5pvp 20240822 184201 pdf spinning spinning parts is an effective method of removing resin and solvent by utilizing centrifugal force parts with small features that are difficult to access with swabs and parts that are too delicate for compressed air are ideally suited to spinning spinning can be used before parts are washed this is especially useful for latticed parts that can trap large amounts of liquid resin spinning removes much of the liquid resin making the washing process more effective solvent free washing industrial spinners such as a honey spinner or the heinzen spinner docid\ f6fklfsr3m 56pimdwach can replace solvent washing entirely the high centrifugal forces generated are able to completely remove all resin from the part surface elastomeric lattices benefit greatly from spinning as the relatively small strut sizes are sensitive to overexposure to solvent production applications can also benefit from the cost savings of a solvent free process parts need to be properly designed to take full advantage of spinning so that resin is not trapped in blind holes or cavities features survive the centrifugal forces parts can fit into the spinner parts off platform best suited for parts with many small features that are difficult to access while parts are on the platform, including lattices assign the air spin only wash profile to the project in the print controls docid\ n9rcre4j391hmxwvp udg remove parts from platform and place in the part washer basket override the air spin only wash profile by selecting one of the wash cycles (gentle, default, or extreme) at the part washer to run a solvent wash before and/or after air spinning run the operation docid\ wqf74frjkkxuo1vajrdqa (the default wash assigned to the project) prep a piece of foil and place a blue towel on top place a part or two near the end of the blue towel wrap the part in the blue towel wrap foil over the towel and platform, fold and seal edges to contain resin and solvent spin for 30 seconds – 5 minutes at high speed wash per standard protocols this process can be followed once, or repeated multiple times if repeating the steps, use a portion of the total solvent exposure time during the washing step a small manual spinner is shown in the video below an industrial spinner can also be used if available parts on platform spinning parts still on the platform is also an option, best suited for many parts at once and lattices with medium to thick struts (> 1 0 mm strut diameter) the heinzen spinner docid\ f6fklfsr3m 56pimdwach requires parts to be on an l1 platform assign the air spin only wash profile to the project in the print controls docid\ n9rcre4j391hmxwvp udg leave the parts on the platform attach the part washer adapter if using an m3 platform override the air spin only wash profile by selecting one of the wash cycles (gentle, default, or extreme) at the part washer to run a solvent wash before and/or after air spinning run the operation docid\ wqf74frjkkxuo1vajrdqa (the default wash assigned to the project) place a blue towel over part to absorb resin and solvent during spin wrap foil over the towel and platform, fold and seal edges to contain resin and solvent apply towel and foil loosely over parts to avoid damaging them but seal tightly contain solvent place in spinner, along with fixturing to keep the platform in place and a counter weight (another platform) spin for 30 seconds – 5 minutes at high speed wash per standard protocols this process can be followed once, or repeated multiple times if repeating the steps, use a portion of the total solvent exposure time during the washing step an industrial spinner is recommended when spinning on the platform due to the additional weight involved see accessories & supplies docid 95twe3ttl 5ihi6dnl4xi or heinzen spinner docid\ f6fklfsr3m 56pimdwach