@wilsonj - what temperature should a heated enclosure provide within the build chamber ?
I've seen anywhere from 70 to 100C. But significantly more than we can achieve with passive cooling. Keeping the chamber enclosed is helpful, but a far cry from a heated one.
This technique looks very promissing for improving mechanical properties of 3D printed parts. I should try it one day with proper resin.
Ha, yes, I ran across Mesquite Man a few years ago when I needed a cheap vacuum chamber for another project, and I bought his kit. I used the vacuum chamber but the Cactus Juice is still unopened. I've often thought it might be useful to use this process with printed parts.
I've seen anywhere from 70 to 100C. But significantly more than we can achieve with passive cooling. Keeping the chamber enclosed is helpful, but a far cry from a heated one.
The thermocouple compensation IC above the feed stepper is only rated for operation to 60ºC. Heating the chamber to near or above this temp may result in extrusion temperature control errors (among other problems).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBdevc5Y_g0This technique looks very promissing for improving mechanical properties of 3D printed parts. I should try it one day with proper resin.
Will this work for 3D printed parts?? I think it is fine for wood as it is porous throughout the material structure, but 3D printed parts have a non (relatively) porous shell. Even if the shell has "leaks" the filler resin will only fill the adjacent cells near the leak. If you look at a cylinder printed with light infill, the cells are closed at top and bottom, so if this is to work the cells should be connected for the resin to flow inside all cells and the shell should of course allow resin to flow through it (being porous or perforated etc.).
Another problem might be that since the pressure difference inside the vacuum chamber is so high (atmospheric pressure within the part-vacuum outside the part), the parts will "explode" as soon as you remove the air trapped inside the part. It like putting an empty (closed) plastic bottle inside the vacuum chamber, it will burst due to pressure difference.
Will this work for 3D printed parts?? I think it is fine for wood as it is porous throughout the material structure, but 3D printed parts have a non (relatively) porous shell. Even if the shell has "leaks" the filler resin will only fill the adjacent cells near the leak. If you look at a cylinder printed with light infill, the cells are closed at top and bottom, so if this is to work the cells should be connected for the resin to flow inside all cells and the shell should of course allow resin to flow through it (being porous or perforated etc.).
Another problem might be that since the pressure difference inside the vacuum chamber is so high (atmospheric pressure within the part-vacuum outside the part), the parts will "explode" as soon as you remove the air trapped inside the part. It like putting an empty (closed) plastic bottle inside the vacuum chamber, it will burst due to pressure difference.
People complain that it is difficult to make watertight things with FDM, and in order to make printed parts watertight they have to perform extra steps, like acetone welding, so I think they are not sealed against a vacuum, and they will not explode - they will bubble like the wood. The vacuum is not necessarily applied instantaneously, you can control it. Infill especially is very porous because the infill wall layers alternate between directions and criss-cross each other.
The best way to make watertight FDM parts is silicone mould with printed master pattern I try to learn this technique at beginning it was disaster but after degassing A+B in vacuum chamber it is very promising
Will this work for 3D printed parts?? I think it is fine for wood as it is porous throughout the material structure, but 3D printed parts have a non (relatively) porous shell. Even if the shell has "leaks" the filler resin will only fill the adjacent cells near the leak. If you look at a cylinder printed with light infill, the cells are closed at top and bottom, so if this is to work the cells should be connected for the resin to flow inside all cells and the shell should of course allow resin to flow through it (being porous or perforated etc.).
Another problem might be that since the pressure difference inside the vacuum chamber is so high (atmospheric pressure within the part-vacuum outside the part), the parts will "explode" as soon as you remove the air trapped inside the part. It like putting an empty (closed) plastic bottle inside the vacuum chamber, it will burst due to pressure difference.
I got sent an article once that showed them drilling/inserting a fitting in 2 opposing corners of a large print, then drawing the resin through that way without submerging it.
These techniques are being used out there, but look too messy for me.
I got sent an article once that showed them drilling/inserting a fitting in 2 opposing corners of a large print, then drawing the resin through that way without submerging it.
These techniques are being used out there, but look too messy for me.
Another issue with submerging the part in the described resin is that the resin is air curing (I think). It works well with wood, sintered parts and other porous material. The cells in wood are small and will hold water (like a cloth). It basically works as a sponge. 3D printed materials will not have this "sponge effect" and the resin will flow out as soon as you take it out of the bath. Opening it at the bottom, as you say, and suck the resin in from the top is the only way it will work, and you would need a 2 component resin like polyurethane that catalytic hardens.
Another issue with submerging the part in the described resin is that the resin is air curing (I think). It works well with wood, sintered parts and other porous material. The cells in wood are small and will hold water (like a cloth). It basically works as a sponge. 3D printed materials will not have this "sponge effect" and the resin will flow out as soon as you take it out of the bath. Opening it at the bottom, as you say, and suck the resin in from the top is the only way it will work, and you would need a 2 component resin like polyurethane that catalytic hardens.
"Cactus Juice" from TurnTex is a two-part heat-curing resin, not solvent-based or air curing, but you raise an interesting point.
...the resin will flow out as soon as you take it out of the bath. ....
It probably will not if the surface tension of the resin is high enough .