{"id":1221,"date":"2020-12-04T00:36:29","date_gmt":"2020-12-04T00:36:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gorillaoutput.com\/?p=1221"},"modified":"2020-12-21T05:32:10","modified_gmt":"2020-12-21T05:32:10","slug":"how-long-does-3d-resin-take-to-cure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gorillaoutput.com\/how-long-does-3d-resin-take-to-cure\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does 3D Resin Take To Cure?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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If you have ever wondered how long it takes for 3D resins to cure, you will find the answer in this post. We wanted to know the time required for adequate 3D curing to occur, so our team set out to research and make our findings on the matter. Read on to find out the details of our findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long does 3D resin take to cure? Small to average-sized standard resins can be cured in about 15 to 30 minutes or even less. The duration for post-curing, however, varies slightly for white, black, grey, and black standard resins. Contrary to standard resins, engineering resins can take as long as 1 hour or more to cure. In essence, the type and color of resin and the size of your 3D part will affect how long the post-curing process would take.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t allow your 3D printed resin to cure for the appropriate length of time, it would not attain optimum rigidity, temperature-resistance, and strength. This can, in turn, affect the structural integrity and durability of the 3D model. As you read on, we will talk about the ideal duration for curing and what it means to over-cure a 3D printed part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Long Does 3D Resin Take to Cure Under UV Light?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

You can cure resin 3D prints<\/a> in just a minute or even within seconds if they are very small and you are using a high UV wavelength. But curing average-sized prints could take as much as 30 minutes<\/a> in the same conditions. Lower UV intensities (e.g. from sunlight) will take more time to cure your 3D prints, and larger prints will take more time to cure too.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures above are not absolute. If you check your 3D resin after the recommended length of time and the result is not satisfactory, you can continue post-curing for a bit longer. Ultimately, the duration for curing 3D resin<\/a> will depend on the resin type, its color, model size, and the method of curing you\u2019re using.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same material that will cure in 15 minutes in a UV curing station may take several hours under sunlight. More so, curing resin under sunlight might cause some color change.<\/a> Some high-end washing and curing machines are much faster and can cure the same material in about minutes. However, even for these machines, the settings you use will determine the duration and efficiency of the curing process. An ideal setting will deliver efficient results in the shortest possible time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factors Affecting How Long It Takes 3D Resin To Cure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Several factors including the surface area, geometry, and color or a 3D resin model can affect the duration of post-curing. Other factors that affect how long 3D resin takes to cure include the UV strength you are using, as well as temperature level.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the sections that follow, we will look at some of these factors in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surface Area and Geometry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Large-sized resin 3D prints require more time than small-sized or miniature prints. Besides, 3D parts with complex geometry also take a longer time to cure. For such 3D resin prints, you should use UV chambers with rotating plates. They cure complex 3D resins faster and more evenly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resin Color<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Opaque materials like black or gray require more time than clear materials. Transparent or clear resin often requires less time because UV light penetrates through them more easily. Colored resin, on the other hand, is harder to penetrate and as such, takes a longer time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UV Strength<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lower wavelengths (e.g. UV rays from direct sunlight) take more time than higher wavelengths, such as UV light from special UV curing stations. Besides, some UV stations have small lights while some others have huge ones. Larger curing lights consume more power than the smaller ones but they cure 3D resins faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are using sunlight, you should be prepared to stay longer for the post-curing process. To start with, the UV strength is usually subject to varying weather conditions. So the UV strength is not stable and you can\u2019t easily determine how long curing would take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

High heat helps resin post-curing to be faster because it makes the resins polymer network more available for cross-linking. So when temperature increases, the duration of curing would decrease. The light bulbs from UV chambers also provide heat, so this makes curing faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2705 Video – CURE UV RESIN FASTER, WITH WATER<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This video explains how water helps UV resin to cure faster. Oxygen from the atmosphere usually diffuses into resins\u2019 surface layer while printing. This can prevent 3D resin prints from curing completely. But when you submerge it in water, water counters oxygen inhibition and makes the post-curing process faster. Watch this video for a live demo on curing UV resin faster with water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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