That's correct! What controls print time in a resin machine is layer thickness, exposure time per layer and the height of the model. Since each layer is displayed and exposed in one shot, no matter how many things get illuminated makes no difference. I really didn't get much done today. I was thwarted by taking back a box of Phillips LED replacement tubes to THD. I mentioned that they weren't working except for two tubes in one fixture, so I wanted to return the box with 8 tubes. I was willing to pay the $16 for the two that I was keeping, but they said that since it was purchased on line, they had to accept the entire box and had no control over the transaction. They're apparently two separate companies. So I was forced to go back home, remove the remaining LEDs and re-box them, and then bring the whole deal back to the store. I got the full refund on my PayPal.
So I didn't glue any engine house walls together, nor will I until we return in two weeks.
I did make a test print of the 567 head. It was a total failure. I believe the cause was a damage teflon sheet at the reservoir's bottom. A little bit of material was stuck to it and I had seen a video on how to clean it off. I used the plastic scraper and took off the little bit, but then I made a mistake. I cleaned the sheet with alcohol and dried it off with a paper towel. The towel scratched the film and the fine scratches made the resin stick to it and pull off all of the supports. When it was done, all I had hanging on the platen was the supports. Anything resembling a model was stuck firmly to the teflon. It looked like something that was caught in a Star Trek Transportor that didn't work quite right.
The machine came with an additional sheet. The film holder is a two-part affair. You first remove a number of screws that attach the frame to the reservoir bottom. Then you turn it over and remove 24 smaller screws that hold the two halves together. I watched how this is done in a vid and you're supposed to leave slack in the film since it is ultimately pulled drum tight when the frame is tighten over an elevated lip on the reservoir rim. To keep the slack I put a couple of thicknesses of heavy cardboard when lighting the 24 frame screws.
With new film in place, I'm making another print of the same part with the same settings just to eliminate the slicing scheme as a problem. I know now to not use anything harsh to wipe the film. After cleaning with alcohol, I'm just going to blow it dry with an airbrush with no paint.
You can pause the print at anytime and the platen goes up to the home position so you examine progress. I did this and saw that the cylinder head was actually sticking to the supports and not the teflon. I'm taking that as good news and will see the finished product at around 9:00p.m. tonight.
Meanwhile, I got some support on how to create the texture on the Roots blowers, and have started defining the front end detailing including piping, governor, low-pressure fuel pump, and water pumps. The tail end is basically the blowers with their ducting into the airbox and the big flywheel.
I'm going to buy more film since this is clearly a maintenance item with this kind of machine. On filament machines it's the hot-end that gives you the most grief. Everything has its Achilles Heel.
