Cure Your Printed Parts

You are now ready to cure your printed parts. There are two ways to do this:

• Cure the part on the print platform.
• Cure the part on the shelving unit.

For either method, use the following guidelines:

• Ensure that the green part does not touch the UV lamps as you are inserting it in the machine. If any uncured resin transfers to a UV lamp, this material will cure on the lamp, causing it to be less effective in curing future parts.
• Ensure that the green part is not resting against anything in the machine, such as the shelving unit, a UV lamp, or inside wall. Your part should be cured in a position in which it is self-supporting.
• Keep in mind that removing cured supports from a part, and removing cured material from the print platform, is considerable more difficult than doing this while everything is uncured. So only cure on the platform if absolutely necessary to stay in line with the other guidelines above.

Cure the Part on the Print Platform

You may want to keep your part on the print platform for curing if:

• The part is taller than 200 mm
• The part's shape prevents it from standing freely on the shelving unit without touching the shelf frame or any UV lamps

Please complete the following instructions to cure a part on the print platform:

Ensure the shelving unit is NOT inside the machine. Holding the platform holder by the platform supports, lower it carefully into the machine. PINCH POINT: TAKE CARE DURING THIS STEP. THE PLATFORM HOLDER ATTACHES VIA MAGNETS, WHICH GRIP TIGHTLY WHEN THE HOLDER GETS CLOSE TO THEM.
Wearing nitrile gloves, insert the part/platform with the part going in the curing chamber first. Take care not to brush the part against the UV lamps on the way down.
Line the print platform's triangular grooves up on the locating pins on the middle of the part-mount rests. Ensure the print platform is fully seated in the machine.
Close the lid, ensuring that it is fully seated.
Use the four up/down switches on the Timer Panel to set the curing time according to the time prescribed for your resin. Please see your printer's Post-Processing Guide, or the resin's User Guide, for your resin's curing time. The time format is MM/SS. CAUTION: Curing for less time than what is prescribed will leave the part under-cured and not safe to touch with human hands. Curing for more time than prescribed risks over-curing the part. An over-cured part can be discolored and possibly misshapen.
Press the Start button, which is directly to the left of the Timer Panel. You will see the Start button light up and you will hear cooling fans turn on, which is the indication that the curing process has started. When the timer runs out, the parts are done. Use insulated gloves to remove the platform/part from the curing unit, as the part/inside of unit will be hot.
Follow your printer's Post-Processing Guide to properly remove your part(s) from the print platform, and to remove the supports from it. NOTE: If your part has surface tackiness or oiliness, it is not fully cured. Proceed to the Troubleshooting section for more information.

Cure the Part on the Shelving Unit

You may want to cure your part on a glass plate if:

• The part is shorter than 200mm
• The part's shape allows it to stand freely on the shelving unit without touching the shelf frame or any UV lamps

Please complete the following instructions to cure a part on the shelving unit:

Orient your parts on the glass shelves so that all parts are within the confines of the plates. Do NOT put any parts on the top shelf, as it is only there to help keep uniform heat in the curing chamber.
Ensure that the removable platform holder is NOT in the machine. Remove it by grabbing the platform supports and pulling up.
Holding the shelving unit by the top handles (1), carefully lower it into the machine so that the handles rest on the lip at the top of the unit.
Perform Steps 4-7 from the previous section to cure the parts. When you have removed the parts, they are safe to touch without nitrile gloves. They are also ready for any other part finishing you wish to do, such as sanding down the contact points from the supports. NOTE: If your part has surface tackiness or oiliness, it is not fully cured. Proceed to the Troubleshooting section for more information.

You have successfully cured your printed parts with the Figure 4 UV Curing Unit 350!