Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k

[Chris333]

Is it a coincidence that the lines, both in this print and the last match up with the rivets/holes on ladder?

In the first boxcar the lines are uniformly spaced and I bet if I sat the lead screw on the model they would line up.

The 2nd boxcar I see 1 or 2 lines that are close to lined up with details, but see another 3-4 that aren't. And none seem to run the whole length of the car like the first print did. Really if I painted up this car it may look fine, but still all this flexing is gonna crack the plastic base of the printer.

If I could just build a concrete block wall around the printer to hold everything still we'd see if the lines went away.

When these printer were first released all the reviews were great. I think it wasn't till after I ordered mine that I found a negative review. On FB everyone who is complaining seems to be about the same things in the bad review and the things that I now see myself.

[SkipGear]

I still see people raving about them even on the Anycubic Facebook group, but every one of these users are printing gaming figures. I have learned to completely dismiss their reviews, they have no eye for accuracy and detail, they are just happy that their monster printed. Even many of these you-tuber's that everybody seems to respect for some reason often contradict each other and generally don't know what they are talking about. (PTFE lube on the FEP sheet, what nut thought that was a good idea, introducing a lubricant onto a surface that the resin co-mingles with.)

[Chris333]

Ha ha yeah I've seen them talk about spraying the FEP.

Also forgot to say the drip bracket I printed also had the 1/16" banding on it.

[rodsup9000]

   Chris,
I think you'll find out that the banding will line up with the leadscrew. When I first got into 3D printing with the FDM printers, some printers I built had them also. Changed out the leadscrews on them and it went away. The leadscrew not being concentric or bent slightly is what causes the problem.
 How hard would it be to install all the guts over to the parts Photon??? The only thing that I see would be a problem would be the screen sizes between the two. That would be a easy fix for me with the mill.
 I've deiced to wait awhile before I buy one for the time being. I got to spend my extra money on a replacement tube for my laser.

[Chris333]

I was wondering if I just added that dampener to the stock motor if that would smooth out the screw, but it's working now...

Think the first plan is to find an aluminum plate about 1/4" thick (don't know how much room there is yet) to back the stock base.

Then if the rail is still bending maybe swap out the whole rail and print head from the Photon.

[wazzou]

Is it just me or is anyone else moderately surprised that these printer manufacturers seem to be limiting their product development and tech reliability to focus on jewelry and war gaming type audiences?

[Chris333]

Well no matter what file you put in, it needs to work.

[wazzou]

Well no matter what file you put in, it needs to work.

Agree 100%!
I seem to see the COSplay and figure people with fewer complaints, possibly because the issues have little noticeable impact on their output?  🤷🏼‍♂️

[Chris333]

If you don't know a thing about 3D and download a figure online to print. And then it prints. You have no idea if it is a good print. People talk about all the detail, but that could mean the detail the designer put into the file not how well the printer works. People try to put the downloaded file right into the machine without slicing it first.

Dentist use these printers as well.

I don't think any of the flaws have to do with what is printed. When I first got my Photon someone else had a Phrozen and said it was the same except for the quality issues. Prozen makes other printers so I don't know if they all have these problems. Maybe they just wanted to cram a 4K screen into a printer and have is still be low cost so the cheaped out on everything else to reach a price point.

I dunno.

[timwatson]

Man, everytime I get the printer back apart you guys have almost filled up another page.


A few things, z banding can happen from lead screw AND rail irregularities. Rail balls can have flat spots that mess with their travel (that z-banding is usually random). Then lead screw issues are usually nut related (unless the rod is bent) and that z-banding is usually equidistant.


Chris I think your new z-axis looks better than the original one. Did you keep the original nut or use the Photon one?


John I did stiffen the base but that didn't do the trick entirely. In examining the machine I don't think any thing busted loose. I think the rail digs into the base and allows it to move more than it previously did. I saw this on the original rail as well. I now have ANOTHER gusset under the rail under the original base. I am hoping that helps.


Tony you're exactly right every success on this machine is a figure or organic shape.


Things I'm working on.
The new z gusset.
I have reconfigured the screw location, it's closer to the rail.
I am printing a new arm design (finished this morning).


Chris I think the issue is they shoved the 4k inside the Sonic Mini everything. So stuff is close but not very good in fit.

[wazzou]

Maybe they just wanted to cram a 4K screen into a printer and have is still be low cost so the cheaped out on everything else to reach a price point.

I dunno.

Likely the most plausible explanation.

[JeffB]

Here's the latest on the mods I've been making with mine...  Still not back together yet, but getting there!

Untitled by jeffB, on Flickr

Untitled by jeffB, on Flickr

Untitled by jeffB, on Flickr

I modified the Z-column support to work by cutting off the mounting tabs and using some heavy aluminum angle stock to attach it to the base instead.  I hope that this mounting stiffens up the flimsy base so that I don't need to bother replacing it with a thicker piece.

I've decided against modifying the mounting for the glass plate and LCD screen.  I'm going to laser cut a plastic shim to fit under the vat, but around the LCD screen so that when the vat is in place, the FEP is more or less flush with the LCD screen.   I'll probably use 0.015" or 0.020" thick plastic sheet, which laser cuts pretty easily.  Just have to take a bunch of measurements and do some test cuts to make sure it'll fit.

Jeff

[Lemosteam]

Tony hit the nail on the head. Our desire for exacting fits and tolerances is so far beyond what most imagine the purpose of these machines to be that the original purpose of RP was for. Rapid Prototyping.

Nebulous prints make the masses happy while we struggle with nuances most would ignore.

However, looking at my Mono X I feel that repeatability and quality of print are driven by minor technicalities and once it’s dialed in, only maintenance should impact those.

What you are going through with this machine, well, I’d have thrown it in a box and shipped it back by now, completely dissayptisfied with having to fix something I just spent much money on. But you guys are tinkerers looking for solutions to the nuances, and I applaud you for that.

My hammer would be dangerously close to that machine, lol.

[Lemosteam]

Here's the latest on the mods I've been making with mine...  Still not back together yet, but getting there!

Untitled by jeffB, on Flickr

Untitled by jeffB, on Flickr

Untitled by jeffB, on Flickr

I modified the Z-column support to work by cutting off the mounting tabs and using some heavy aluminum angle stock to attach it to the base instead.  I hope that this mounting stiffens up the flimsy base so that I don't need to bother replacing it with a thicker piece.

I've decided against modifying the mounting for the glass plate and LCD screen.  I'm going to laser cut a plastic shim to fit under the vat, but around the LCD screen so that when the vat is in place, the FEP is more or less flush with the LCD screen.   I'll probably use 0.015" or 0.020" thick plastic sheet, which laser cuts pretty easily.  Just have to take a bunch of measurements and do some test cuts to make sure it'll fit.

Jeff

Precisely what I was thinking. I might have welded the two angles and machined the perfectly perpendicular to the guide using a fixture.

Be careful with plastic, it compresses and will relax and loosen over heat and time. Acrylic sheet or aluminum might be better.

[Chris333]

Tim,  I used the stock nut with the Photon screw, didn't even realize the nuts were the same.

Jeff, Man is there anything left of the stock machine.

John, My only draw to this machine was the pixel size.