Formlabs Form1 and Form1+ 3D printed resin tray

prusaprinters

<p>I got tired of both the quality and the price of Formlabs Form1+ resin trays, and figured I'd try out if a 3d printed tray was plausible. &nbsp;Turns out it works great!</p><p>I made it so it utilizes a 4mm glass sheet on the bottom. &nbsp;This solves the problem with the original trays that uses acrylic. &nbsp;Acrylics can't be washed with Isopropyl Alcohol, as it makes the acrylic crack. &nbsp;Isopropyl Alcohol is however the best agent to use when cleaning resin.. Makes me wonder about the logic of choice in building materials here..</p><p>The glass and PLA or PETG have no problem with Isopropyl Alcohol, thus making it easy to clean out resin to change color, or just cleaning out failed prints. &nbsp;The glass also does not scratch easily, and makes it easy to keep clean and clear.</p><p>You will have to glue the glass plate into the printed resin tray with tec7, epoxy or similar glue, and fill it with PDMS silicone.</p><p>The PDMS silicone most commonly used are the kind you encapsulate solar panels with, like Sylgard 184 or QSil 216. &nbsp;These can be very expensive, but you don't use much, and if you need multiple trays, like most of us do, the price of the silicone pr. tray will not be that much. You only need about 1.5mm layer over the glass. &nbsp;Be sure to put the tray on a COMPLETELY level surface when pouring the silicone, and let it cure for 24 hours with a piece of paper on top to protect it from dust until it has cured.</p><p>When using your new tray, either calibrate your printer to your printed tray, or measure the height of the original tray from bottom to top of silicone layer, and make your printed tray exactly the same height by adding more or using less silicone.</p><p>Print it with 100% infill. &nbsp;I've tried both PLA and PETG with good results.</p><p>I included the source .SLDPRT file from Solidworks for people that would like to remix.. I am sorry I don't have STEP files, and I do not own Solidworks. &nbsp;The file was designed when I worked at a company that let me use their copy.</p>