G3D T-1000 Printer

[mike1234]

Hey Guys,I just joined this forum to help educate myself more on 3D printing. I have done a lot of research over the years and have been looking for the right printer for me for a while. I was at CES 2020 and came across a company called G3D. Their prints seemed like high quality SLA prints, a reasonable price for both the printer and resins and from talking with their employees at the booth I felt they really were out to build the best quality printer for a fair price. I purchased the T-1000 about 2 or 3 weeks ago. I have done a bunch of prints so far and and maybe about a third have been successful (as I anticipated being new to running a 3D printer). I have emailed and called their support lines for help and have gotten zero responses back in 2 weeks. I am having trouble finding information/tips on the printer elsewhere so if anyone has info on the company or tips for the T-1000 or just SLA printing in general I would greatly appreciate it.

[curious aardvark]

the fact that their own slicing software can't generate supports is pretty bad.

So what problems are you having ?
That;s always the best place to start :-)
And have you tried chitubox ? https://www.chitubox.com/
That way you can check if the issues you have are with the printer or the slicing.

[mike1234]

the fact that their own slicing software can't generate supports is pretty bad.

So what problems are you having ?
That;s always the best place to start :-)
And have you tried chitubox ? https://www.chitubox.com/
That way you can check if the issues you have are with the printer or the slicing.

I am having trouble getting the print to stick to the build plate consistently. Also, I have used meshmixer to orientate and generate auto supports (using the SLA/DLP printer support settings) for all the prints I have done. I have had almost zero successful prints using the orientation tool and supports. The initial layers either do not stick to the build or halfway through the print the part falls off the supports. All of my successful prints have been without supports but I have had plenty of non-support prints fall off too. I have tried adjusting layer cure times, initial amount of layers and adding resin to the build plate before printing to make sure there are no air bubbles.

[curious aardvark]

try chitubox - the supports there are generated by the slicing software - the whole 'use meshmixer' is a real cop out by g3d.
It's probably a really decent printer - but as with all 3d printing - the single most important part of the entire 3d printing process is the slicer.

[mike1234]

try chitubox - the supports there are generated by the slicing software - the whole 'use meshmixer' is a real cop out by g3d.
It's probably a really decent printer - but as with all 3d printing - the single most important part of the entire 3d printing process is the slicer.

I downloaded chitubox yesterday and have put some files into it. I attempted to create a layout using all of the G3D specs but some of the information Chitubox asks me to input is not available on the G3D website or manual. Resin density, individual x and y resolution (I think these are just the x and y dimensions?) and some other specs. Do I need to enter all the custom information for the G3D or should a generic SLA/DLP support setting work?

Thanks,
Mike

[mike1234]

Also, G3D forces you to run any print through their slicing software to convert it into their .g3d file format. I can convert the chitubox files into an .stl, then re-slice it into a .g3d but will that mess with the slicing from chitubox?

[curious aardvark]

you won't know unless you try will you ? :-)

I have no clue - having recently learned about the nature of the resins currently being used - there's no way I'm getting a resin machine at the moment.
That stuff is nasty.
Eventually someone will develop a non-toxic low odour resin, then I'll think about it.

chitubox is the only resin slicer I know of.
There may be others, have a look.

It would seem logical that if the g3d software imports the chitubox exported stl - with supports, that it would also include those in the print.

My suggestion is to find something very small and intricate that uses a lot of support - but doesn't take long to print.
And run tests :-)

There is currently no substitution for a trial and error print test.

What I would do, is generate a bunch of small identical files with complex and supports - BUT vary the support settings for each model.
Then print several at the same time.
Given that each layer takes the same time no matter how large the model - it makes sense to do several test models at once.

Also have you tried the G3D facebook group ? (I'm assuming there is one)
The nerds - uh, experienced users - there will probably know how to fix your issue.

[mike1234]

I created a chitubox file for the G3D and did my first print using that software. Print came out almost perfect on the first try! Print adhered to the build plate, supports came off easy and the raft as the foundation made it so easy to scrape off. Only problem was some of the heavier non-supported areas came out slightly warped. Have a bunch of prints I need to get done this week so hopefully Ill be fully dialed in with the printer and chitubox by the end of this week. Thank you for the suggestion I appreciate it. Still have not gotten a single reply from G3D and some of my emails are going on 3 weeks. I have been looking at some FFM printers to try and further my knowledge of 3D printing and have another printer going incase I have more problems with the G3D. Any suggestions on good units under 500$? I was looking at the da vinci mini by XYZ.

[gsbinder]

I created a chitubox file for the G3D and did my first print using that software. Print came out almost perfect on the first try! Print adhered to the build plate, supports came off easy and the raft as the foundation made it so easy to scrape off. Only problem was some of the heavier non-supported areas came out slightly warped. Have a bunch of prints I need to get done this week so hopefully Ill be fully dialed in with the printer and chitubox by the end of this week. Thank you for the suggestion I appreciate it. Still have not gotten a single reply from G3D and some of my emails are going on 3 weeks. I have been looking at some FFM printers to try and further my knowledge of 3D printing and have another printer going incase I have more problems with the G3D. Any suggestions on good units under 500$? I was looking at the da vinci mini by XYZ.

I am not sure when it was updated but the G3D slicing software does do its own supports, in fact it has an option they call Magic for automatic orientation and supports built into the slicer. The printer itself is well made. You have to set and level the tank before your print, loosening the vat clamps and letting the machine cycle to find its level, then retightening the clamps. Projector settings are important and resin settings. If you use G3D its easy as they are preset.