{"id":3971,"date":"2021-06-28T20:29:26","date_gmt":"2021-06-28T20:29:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dynamism.com\/learn\/?p=3971"},"modified":"2021-09-27T15:53:34","modified_gmt":"2021-09-27T15:53:34","slug":"setting-up-the-formlabs-3l-3bl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dynamism.com\/learn\/3d-printing\/setting-up-the-formlabs-3l-3bl.html","title":{"rendered":"Setting Up The Formlabs 3L\/3BL"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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General Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Get ready to print with the Form 3L\/Form 3BL. Learn best practices to set up and use the Form 3L\/Form 3BL and its resin tank, build platform, and resin dispensing system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Form 3L\/3BL Components<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Resin cartridge:<\/strong> Two containers hold the resin before dispensing into the resin tank. Shake the resin cartridges periodically to keep resin well mixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Cover:<\/strong> The printer lid, made of metal and a strong, orange-tinted material, blocks exposure to the lasers and protects the resin from curing due to ambient light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Build platform:<\/strong> The aluminum base provides a surface for prints to attach to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Resin tank:<\/strong> Resin is dispensed out of the resin cartridges into the resin tank. During a print, two lasers pass upwards through the flexible film and cure resin onto the build platform to form a printed part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Mixer:<\/strong> Each resin tank includes a mixer that improves print consistency by clearing the build area and circulating the resin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Touchscreen:<\/strong> The LCD capacitive touch user interface displays print information, settings, and error messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Leveling disc:<\/strong> Slide the leveling disc included around one of the leveling feet and rotate to raise or lower the printer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Status light:<\/strong> Two interior lights (vertical strips along the left and right walls) and an illuminated logo (on the front panel) that pulse to indicate the printer is active, a print has completed, or the printer has encountered an error.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Turning On the Printer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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To turn on and initiate the printer, follow these two steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Plug the included power cable into the power port on the back of the machine and connect the power cable to a power outlet.<\/li>
  2. The printer initiates automatically.<\/li><\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    The first time the printer is connected to power, the touchscreen displays a series of onboarding steps. The onboarding steps include instructions for inserting consumables (resin tank, resin cartridges, and build platform) into the printer, additional details for which are given below. Follow these steps to prepare the printer for use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Inserting the Resin Tank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Resin is dispensed out of the resin cartridges into the resin tank. During a print, two lasers pass upwards through the flexible film of the resin tank and cure resin onto the build platform to form a printed part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The resin tank is the primary container for holding resin after it is dispensed from the cartridges. Resin is cured onto the build platform when the laser passes through the tank’s bottom film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n