LAB:// ADDITIVE_SCIENCE

> FDM_3D_PRINTING

> FDM_PRINTING_101 // THE_FUNDAMENTALS

• What it is: FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) melts plastic filament and extrudes it layer by layer through a heated nozzle. Think of it as a computer-controlled hot glue gun that builds objects from the bottom up, one thin layer at a time.
• Core components: Hotend (heats filament to melting point), extruder (gears that push filament), heated bed (keeps first layers stuck), motion system (CoreXY on the S1 — fast and accurate).
• Layer height: Thinner layers = smoother surface, longer print. Thicker layers = faster, visible lines. Typical: 0.16mm (balanced), 0.08mm (fine detail), 0.28mm (fast/draft). Our standard is 0.16–0.20mm unless the job calls for otherwise.
• First layer is everything: If the first layer doesn't stick, the print fails. Bed must be level, clean, and at the right temperature. PLA bed ~60°C. ASA bed ~100°C in an enclosure. Watch the first layer go down before walking away.
• Supports: Overhangs > 45° need support material underneath. Supports break away after printing. Tree/organic supports (PrusaSlicer) are easier to remove than grid supports. Design parts to minimize overhangs when possible.
• Infill: Interior structure density. 0% = hollow, 100% = solid. 15–20% grid/gyroid for most parts. Higher for structural/load-bearing parts. Gyroid pattern is strongest for weight. Infill doesn't need to match wall count — 3 walls + 15% infill is usually stronger than 1 wall + 50% infill.
• Filament storage: PLA absorbs moisture slowly — keep in sealed bag with desiccant. ASA is less hygroscopic but still benefits. Nylon and PC MUST be dried before printing — they absorb water from the air and will bubble/steam/pop during extrusion. A filament dryer is not optional for engineering materials.
• Common failures: Warping (part lifts from bed — usually bed adhesion or draft), stringing (thin hairs between parts — retraction settings or wet filament), layer shift (belt skipped — check tension), spaghetti (print detached mid-job — watch the first few layers).
• Post-processing: Remove supports → sand if needed (start 120 grit, work up) → optional: primer + paint, vapor smooth (ASA only — acetone vapor), or leave as-printed. PLA sands poorly (it gums) — ASA and PC sand cleanly.
• Z-offset: The distance between nozzle and bed at Z=0. Too high = filament doesn't stick, curls up. Too low = nozzle digs into bed, no filament comes out. A sheet of paper should drag slightly between nozzle and bed. Calibrate when changing nozzles or after a failed print.

> RESIN_3D_PRINTING

// ALSO_AVAILABLE — INDUSTRIAL_GRADE

> RESIN_PRINTING_101 // THE_FUNDAMENTALS

• What it is: MSLA (Masked Stereolithography) uses a UV light source shining through an LCD screen to cure liquid photopolymer resin one entire layer at a time. Unlike FDM (which draws lines), resin prints cure the whole layer simultaneously — much faster per layer, vastly higher detail.
• How it works: A build plate dips into a vat of liquid resin. UV light projects the layer shape through the bottom of the vat (or from above). The cured layer sticks to the build plate. The plate lifts, fresh resin flows in, and the next layer cures. This repeats until the part is built — upside-down.
• Resolution is insane: The Saturn 16K has 0.014mm (14µm) XY pixels. For comparison, FDM nozzles are 0.4mm. That's 28× finer. Layer heights as low as 0.01mm (10µm). You literally cannot see layer lines on a well-printed resin part.
• Resin is toxic — PPE is mandatory: Liquid resin is a sensitizer and irritant. Nitrile gloves ALWAYS when handling liquid resin or uncured prints. Safety glasses. Work in a ventilated area. Resin fumes are not harmless — the HEPA scrubber should be running. Cured (fully hardened) resin is safe to handle bare-handed.
• Post-processing is NOT optional: Print → remove from plate → IPA wash (removes uncured resin from surface) → support removal → UV post-cure (fully hardens the part). Skipping any step = sticky, weak, dimensionally wrong parts. IPA bath: 3–5 min agitation. Post-cure: 5–15 min under UV (varies by resin).
• Supports are structural: Resin prints need supports more than FDM. The part hangs from the build plate — islands (areas with nothing below them) will fail. Supports also anchor the part against suction forces as it peels from the FEP film. Auto-support in the slicer, then inspect manually.
• FEP film is a consumable: The transparent film at the bottom of the vat. It wears out — gets cloudy, scratched, or dented. Replace when prints start failing in the same spot. Never scrape the FEP with metal tools. Plastic spatula only.
• Resin temperature matters: Resin viscosity changes with temperature. Cold resin = thick = slow flow = print failures. Ideal: 20–30°C (68–86°F). In winter, the lab may need a vat heater or enclosure pre-warm.
• Never pour used resin back into the bottle: It's contaminated with partially cured particles. Filter it through a fine mesh paint strainer if you must reuse. Better: keep a "working vat" and top up as needed. Empty and clean the vat completely between resin type changes.
• Blends are encouraged: Pure standard resin is brittle. Adding 5–10% Tenacious (flexible resin) dramatically improves toughness without visible loss of detail. Different jobs, different blends. Document what ratio you used — reproducibility matters.

> UV_DIRECT_PRINT

> UV_PRINTING_101 // THE_FUNDAMENTALS

• What it is: UV direct printing uses UV-curable ink jetted directly onto a surface, cured instantly by a UV LED lamp next to the print head. Unlike screen printing (which needs screens/stencils) or sublimation (which needs heat transfer), UV ink goes directly from print head to substrate and hardens on contact. No drying time. No transfer step.
• CMYK-W + Gloss layering: Our EufyMake E1 prints: White base (opacity + adhesion on dark/transparent materials) → CMYK color layers → optional White spot color → Gloss clear coat. The white underbase is critical for printing on dark, clear, or colored substrates — it's what makes colors pop instead of looking muddied.
• AP3155 adhesion promoter: This is the secret sauce. Wipe it on the substrate before printing. It chemically bonds the UV ink to surfaces that ink alone won't stick to — glass, metal, acrylic. Without it, prints peel off. Apply thin, even coat. Let it flash dry (30–60 seconds). Then print.
• Multi-pass registration: The print head makes multiple passes over the same area to build layers. White → cure → CMYK → cure → gloss → cure. Registration keeps each pass aligned. The machine auto-registers, but the substrate must not move between passes.
• Substrate must be FLAT and CLEAN: The print head has a fixed focal distance. Warped or uneven surfaces cause banding or head strikes. Clean with isopropyl alcohol before AP3155. Dust, fingerprints, or oil = print defects. The Z-height is set manually — check with a feeler gauge.
• What's printable: Anything rigid + flat enough. Acrylic (our best results), aluminum, steel, wood, glass, tile, rigid plastic sheet. NOT: flexible fabrics (can't hold flat), heavily textured surfaces (ink bridges the valleys), curved objects (fixed focal plane).
• Print time is area-based: A 4×4" full-color print with white underbase + gloss takes ~8–12 minutes. The limiting factor is resolution (DPI) and layer count, not complexity. A solid color rectangle takes the same time as a detailed photograph of the same size.
• CMYK ≠ Pantone: UV ink is near-photographic but not an exact color match system. It's CMYK process color — the same limitation as any inkjet. For brand colors requiring an exact match, do a test swatch first and adjust color profiles. Pure white and pure black are reliable.
• Ink is cured, not dried: The print is fully hardened the instant it comes out. You can handle it immediately. No waiting. This is the key advantage over solvent/screen printing — zero post-print cure time.
• Head maintenance is critical: UV ink cures under UV light — including ambient sunlight. If ink sits in the print head too long, it can partially cure and clog nozzles. The machine runs automatic cleaning cycles. If the printer sits idle for more than a few days, run a nozzle check before printing. White ink settles — agitate cartridges before use.

> SURGICAL_FINISHING

• Vapor smoothing (ASA/ABS)
• Primer + wet sand + topcoat workflow
• Multi-stage grit progression
• Clear coat options: matte, satin, gloss

> FIELD_EQUIPMENT

// Kickstarter-backed tools — inbound, tracked for client adaptation & field deployment

> PRICING_TIERS

// MULTI-COLOR_FDM — ADD-ON

> SHARED_EQUIPMENT // SHOP-WIDE

> TRAINING

• FULL TRAINING MATRIX — self-serve fundamentals for every machine in the shop
• Teaching Tech — best FDM calibration channel (mandatory first stop)
• CNC Kitchen — material science, filament testing
• Prusa Knowledge Base — comprehensive 3D printing fundamentals
• Siraya Tech Resin Guide — settings for our lab resins