Excess Resin

13 min

Excess Resin

Shiny patches on parts or clogged gaps.

How to Identify

Excess Resin can be diagnosed as follows:

Shiny or glossy patches
Inconsistent surface sheen
Clogged gaps in a lattice

This defect is related to the Salt Baked Into Part defect, which stems from the same issue but manifests differently.

Cause - Inconclusive

Troubleshooting

It is recommended that you review all the possible solutions before taking action to ensure you are pursuing the best course of action.

If the best course of action is not apparent, try the troubleshooting options in the order listed. Refer here for more tips.

Process, Material, and Hardware Checks

If any of these conditions apply to your print, take the corrective action and reprint to see if the problem is resolved.

Touch up parts with additional cleaning to remove resin (shiny areas)

Use lint-free wipes
Use swabs
Use compressed air cabinet

Reference Washing for more information.

Print Preparation or Part Design Adjustments

The following solutions will address print or part-related causes of the defects. Choose among the suggested actions below and select the best approach for your application. Usually only one type of adjustment is needed.

If problems persist, please reach out to Carbon Support.

Explanation & Causes

Explanation

When parts are not fully cleaned, liquid resin remains on the part after washing and cures into the part.

Features prone to collecting liquid resin and not getting fully cleaned:
- Blind holesSmall openings with only one access point
- Tight corners (acute angles ≤ 90°)
- Tightly packed features
- Difficult to access spaces
  Areas that solvent cannot access easily
- Small features and openings
  Such as in a lattice

Blind Hole Example

This example shows a blind hole without drainage and with a drain hole.

The blind hole with a drain hole at the base of the feature allows resin to wash out of the feature with solvent. With a swab, you can see that the blind hole retains liquid resin after washing while the drained hole comes out clean.

Causes

Post-Processing

How the part is handled in post-processing is causing the defect.

Root Issue	Problem	Why Defect Presents
Washing	Blind Holes	Solvent cannot effectively reach part features when the surface tension of the liquid resin is stronger than the solvent's ability to flow through the feature.
	Corners
	Tight Corners ≤ 90°
	Tightly Packed Features
	Difficult to Access Spaces
	Small Features and Openings

Print Preparation or Part Design

How the part is oriented, supported, or designed is causing the defect.

Root Issue	Problem	Why Defect Presents
Design	Blind Holes	Tight spaces create areas where the surface tension of the liquid resin is stronger than the solvent's ability to flow through during washing.
	Tight Corners ≤ 90°
	Tightly Packed Features
	Difficult to Access Spaces
	Small Features and Openings
	Small Features and Openings