
Finding a Remedy
Troubleshooting Issues and Solutions
Page 73
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• Solution: Increase first layer projector exposure duration.
2. Insufficient first layer projector exposure delay time.
• Projector exposure delay times affect the thickness of any given layer. Lower projector
exposure delay times result in thicker layers, while longer projector exposure delay
times will result in thinner layers down to a minimum thickness. If the first layer
projector exposure delay time is too short, first layer adhesion issues resulting in a
thicker first layer which is unable to be cured through may occur.
• Solution: Increase the first layer projector exposure delay time.
3. Build head calibration not performed or performed incorrectly.
• The purpose of the build head calibration procedure is to ensure that the build head is
parallel to and in contact with the interface glass. This is critical to first layer
performance as this will effectively dictate your first layer thickness (along with
exposure delay). Like the insufficient first layer exposure delay issue mentioned above,
having too thick of a first layer will cause first layer adhesion issues due to the inability
to cure through that thickness.
• Solution: Recalibrate the build head following the procedure described in
4. Separation forces are too high.
• Three major factors play into separation forces: the viscosity of the resin, the stickiness
of the resin in its green state, and the proximity of the part or build head to the interface
glass. Separation forces are generally the highest on the first few layers, and decrease
as the number of layers increases. If separation forces are too high on the first layer, it
is possible that the layer can detach from the platform.The only exception to this
general trend is if a full build area “brick” part is being built, in which case the
separation force will remain fairly consistent throughout the print.
• Solution: Decrease separation start speed of the first layer. Alternatively, use a CSV
override to carefully control settings on a per layer basis. This allows for controlling
layer thicknesses and separation speeds which are directly related to experienced
forces.
5. Irradiance Degradation
• Ensuring the projector is at the correct irradiance is crucial to ensuring the success of
any print regardless of material. If the projector irradiance has degraded to such a point
that it is unable to reach the minimum threshold required for the initiation of
polymerization for a given material, then the build job will fail.
• Solution: Measure and adjust projector irradiance such that the projector is 5 mW/cm^2
at center point. Contact a Stratasys representative for the proper procedure for
measuring and adjusting projector irradiance.