Elegoo Mars Uv Photocuring Lcd 3d Printer Review
Most affordable 3D printers use FDM (Fusion Deposition Modeling), a process which involves extruding hot plastics. Resin-based printers commonly offer more detail and smoother surfaces, merely they as well cost more. Enter the Elegoo Mars, which uses precise resin curing to provide impressive output for a very-affordable $259. This printer is sleek, affordable, easy-to-use and more than than capable of standing up to expensive competitors.
Specifications
| Printer | ELEGOO Mars UV Photocuring LCD 3D Printer |
| Dimensions | 7.87 x seven.87 ten xvi.14 inches (xx 10 twenty 10 41cm) |
| Build Book | 4.7" x 2.6" x 6.1" (120 x 68 x 155mm) |
| Press | Photopolymer Resin |
| Interface | Touchscreen |
| LCD | 2560×1440 2K HD masking LCD |
| UV | 40W |
Print Quality
The impress quality on the Elegoo Mars is incredible. This printer gives higher-priced competitors a run for their coin. The X/Y resolution is 0.00185" (0.047mm), and then the quality on everything you print is already miles ahead of your standard FDM printer. Here's a quick comparing of the same castle printed on an FDM printer adjacent to one printed on the Mars.
Everything I printed on the Mars was so precise that no touchups were needed. Small details and tiny designs are very much visible and easily printed. The print quality definitely stands up to similar (albeit more expensive) printers on the market.
Blueprint
The Elegoo Mars leans on the smaller side. Information technology doesn't take up much infinite and offers a small build volume. But that isn't necessarily a downside! The price factor and performance more than makeup for the size.
The Elegoo Mars design is remarkable given the price. The aluminum base lines up perfectly with the orange UV cover—information technology looks really sleek on a workbench but your taste may vary. It has a relatively small footprint, taking up a 7.87" x 7.87" (20cm x 20cm) square space and reaching xvi.xiv" (41cm) high.
Yous'll find a bear on screen interface on the front of the base. It's force per unit area-sensitive, which is always welcome when you're working in nylon gloves. The UI is easy to navigate and intuitive in blueprint. Everything you would expect is available—basic printer settings, leveling tools, and access to the flash bulldoze storage.
Prints are loaded onto a wink bulldoze (one is included with the printer) which can be plugged into the USB slot on the dorsum of the printer. The dorsum panel too houses the ability button and power string port.
In the Box
The box comes with merely enough materials to assistance start your first impress. You will need to purchase your own resin and 99% booze for cleaning final prints. In the box, you tin expect:
- The Elegoo Mars Printer
- UV Cover
- Build platform
- Power Adapter
- Instruction Manual
- Tool Kit
The Tool Kit is a separate package containing smaller tools and components. You'll observe:
- Gloves
- Masks
- Filter funnels
- Hex keys
- Measuring loving cup
- Wire cutters
- Scraper
- Flash drive
These tools will become you through your beginning couple of prints, but before long you will need to replenish your resources. Information technology's a good idea to stock up on gloves and masks. The most difficult item to locate volition be the filter funnels, simply those can be found online.
Setup
There isn't much to do in the fashion of associates—the printer is shipped ready to use. The about you'll have to get together is the UV embrace and build plate when pouring resin or removing prints.
Connect the Mars to power using the ability adapter provided by Elegoo. The wink drive contains a test file that can exist printed immediately. With the printer powered and wink drive connected, pour resin into 1/3 of the tank. Exist sure to gear upward with gloves and a mask earlier working with photopolymer resin. The test file can be selected using the affect screen interface on the front end of the printer.
Setting up a custom impress will involve the utilise of slicing software on a computer. Elegoo recommends using ChiTu Box to create printable files for the Mars.
Printing Procedure
The printer uses photopolymer resin to 3D print objects. With resin poured into the tray, the build platform is raised and lowered while the UV calorie-free underneath cures the resin into a hardened layer to create the object. This resin is not safe to touch without gloves.
The resin tray is simple to remove on the Elegoo Mars. There are two thumbscrews that release the tray when loosened. In the corner of the resin tray is a groove which makes pouring leftover resin through the funnel easier.
The build platform provides a building volume infinite of 4.vii" x 2.6" x six.1" (120mm x 68mm 10 155mm). It attaches to the z-axis with a convenient knob spiral and so the build plate tin can be removed, something you will do often when resin printing.
I didn't have any trouble with initial layers nor have I had a impress fall from the plate. My biggest result was quite the reverse—with many of my prints sticking to the plate. I had to purchase a pack of razors to pry my final prints loose.
It's too worth noting the printer will make a loud, somewhat startling beep during the initial layers and when a print job is complete. It may audio like a warning, but the beep is consistent on every print and cannot be disabled.
Resin
The most expensive aspect of resin printing is the cost of resin. Elegoo is unique in that they manufacture both resin printers and printer resin. They provide a limited choice of photopolymer resin guaranteed to work with the Elegoo Mars printer on the official website.
The price of resin varies between each colour. This table features the current supply of resin featured on the Elegoo website. The cost assay shows a breakdown of each product and cost per ounce of resin.
| Color | Size | Cost | Cost Per Ounce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 500g (17.6oz) | $27.99 (€25.38) | $1.threescore (€1.45) |
| Black | 1000g (35.3oz) | $44.99 (€forty.79) | $1.27 (€1.15) |
| Blue | 500g (17.6oz) | $27.99 (€25.38) | $i.threescore (€i.45) |
| Clear Dark-green | 1000g (35.3oz) | $44.99 (€40.79) | $1.27 (€1.15) |
| Clear Greenish | 500g (17.6oz) | $27.99 (€25.38) | $1.60 (€1.45) |
| Greyness | 1000g (35.3oz) | $44.99 (€40.79) | $1.27 (€1.15) |
| Grey | 500g (17.6oz) | $27.99 (€25.38) | $1.threescore (€1.45) |
| Maroon | 1000g (35.3oz) | $44.99 (€40.79) | $ane.27 (€1.15) |
| Translucent | 1000g (35.3oz) | $39.99 (€36.25) | $ane.13 (€1.02) |
| Translucent | 500g (17.6oz) | $24.99 (€22.66) | $1.41 (€i.28) |
| White | 1000g (35.3oz) | $39.99 (€36.25) | $1.13 (€1.02) |
| White | 500g (17.6oz) | $27.99 (€25.38) | $1.lx (€1.45) |
| Yellowish | 500g (17.6oz) | $24.99 (€22.66) | $1.41 (€i.28) |
A common complaint when resin press is the overwhelming smell of resin. You should always avoid printing in closed spaces and exercise caution with air quality. You lot demand to article of clothing a mask when working with resin printers not but because of the aroma just its toxicity when inhaled.
I experienced very little resin odor with the Elegoo Mars using the official resin. It'south important to use a well-ventilated room when press and information technology's worth noting that I did accept multiple fans running. But I don't believe information technology would take been enough to cover your standard resin pungence. This resin definitely had a light olfactory property that dissipated quickly after printing.
Cleaning upwardly fresh prints requires a decent amount of alcohol—99% is preferable to the 70% or 91% varieties you'll find on most store shelves. I also recommend a dedicated container for submerging concluding prints. Alcohol is less expensive than the cost of resin, simply it is a persistent textile yous will need when using this printer.
Once a impress is consummate, the backlog resin can exist stored for reuse on another print. You volition need specialized funnels to filter the resin before putting it back into the resin canteen. Elegoo provides 10 funnels with screens in the lesser. They are a chip on the beefy side and tin can exist awkward to fit higher up the bottle, only they definitely help filter the leftover resin. It's like shooting fish in a barrel to get through these rapidly, you'll need more than equally you continue to use the printer.
Once the unused resin is put back in the canteen, the tray needs to be cleaned. You can utilise 99% alcohol to clean the inner surface of the resin tray. Information technology's also useful for cleaning drops of resin that may have splattered around the piece of work surface area.
Compatible Files and Software
STLs and other 3D files tin't exist sliced with most FDM printer software—so don't expect to employ Cura here. Elegoo recommends ChiTu Box for slicing prints on the Mars. It'southward worth noting there are enough of other options for slicing resin printer files. However, I decided to use their recommended program as this tin sometimes impact performance and quality in final prints.
If yous want to use a tertiary party slicer, yous volition need to create a custom profile for the Elegoo Mars. These specs can be used to create an accurate contour for slicing.
| Spec | Elegoo Mars |
|---|---|
| Printer Proper name | Elegoo Mars |
| Resolution X / Y | 1440px / 2560px |
| Size 10 / Y / Z | 68.04mm / 120.96mm / 150mm |
| Mirror | LCD Mirror |
| Resin Type | Normal |
| Resin Density | 1.one chiliad/ml |
Since objects impress upside downward, you sometimes need creative solutions for complicated objects. Supports are just as necessary with resin printers as they are for FDM printers. These tin can exist created manually before slicing an object or automatically generated with slicing software like ChiTu Box.
Tip: Pay attention to infill settings when slicing on a resin printer. Slicing a hollow object volition salve a lot of resin when creating big objects.
Printing Process
The overall printing process on the Mars is straightforward and painless. Level the build plate, pour the resin, select a file to print and clean it up when information technology's finished. My examination prints required very little maintenance when slicing and printing. Some objects may require a brim along the build plate to aid with adhesion while printing. In those cases, yous would need to remove the skirt from the bottom of the terminal impress.
You can automatically level the build platform using a tool built into the printer UI. Yous will demand a canvass of A1 paper to place betwixt the build platform and UV LCD panel when leveling. You don't need to level earlier every impress. The platform can sometimes move off-rest after a number of prints. When the initial layers cease adhering to your prints, that'south a good indicator that yous demand to level it again.
When setting up for a print, the resin tank only needs to be filled about 2/3 of the way. If you run out of resin while printing an object, yous can e'er pause the print to add together more. For virtually small-scale prints, you won't need to refill the tank. But haveing that pick for larger prints is always a plus.
The printing process on the Elegoo Mars tin can take as long as a standard FDM printer. Most of the exam prints in the example pictures took at least 2 hours to complete. The ChiTu Box impress fourth dimension estimates were surprisingly authentic when slicing. If you want to speed up the 3D printing procedure, slice your object with less infill or make it hollow.
As with all resin printers, y'all will need to make clean your terminal objects earlier they can exist handled. Excess resin is removable with 99% alcohol. I highly recommend completely submerging your prints in alcohol to ensure the remaining balance is completely removed. Continue your gloves on for this progress.
Upcoming Version
Elegoo will presently be releasing a slightly-improved version of this printer which will exist called the Mars Pro and feature a matrix UV lamp, a new filter organization, and a quieter Z-axis. It is expected to cost $299, a $40 premium over the regular Mars. We volition be testing and publishing a review.
Bottom Line
The Elegoo Mars UV Photocuring LCD 3D Printer is an fantabulous printer for the price. It looks squeamish, performs well, and doesn't take up much space on a workbench. The quality you get out of this machine compared to similar printers is more than noteworthy.
The Mars user interface is easy to use and the overall press process is actually simple. This is a great introductory machine for resin printing newbies. It's an opportunity to explore the resin printing process without investing twice the price. And of course, the impress quality is hard to ignore—especially when compared to FDM printers in a similar price range.
Whether you're an experienced 3D press enthusiast or a curious party ready to try resin press, the Elegoo Mars is a fantastic option.
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Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/elegoo-mars-3d-printer
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