In regards to modifying the homing sensor, it's come to my attention since publishing this video that Elegoo customer support actually has a gcode file they can send you to achieve the same outcome. So if your new Saturn/Mars printer fails auto leveling please contact support first, and failing that try Geek Detours method (link in video description), and as a last ditch you can try the mod in this video. There is A LOT to cover here so I've gone ahead and chapterized this video so you can easily find the most relevant or interesting sections if you don't fancy sitting through the entire thing. I do of course encourage a full viewing! This video goes DEEP, and gets under the skin of the new S4U and its little brother , and we even take a look at some of the problems this machine and others like it are facing, and how to overcome them. 00:00:00 - Intro and Overview 00:04:27 - Careful, this lens cap will fight you 00:06:28 - Let's talk about heaters 00:14:12 - Fume Extraction 00:15:57 - Firmware 00:27:29 - Setting up a Calibration print 00:29:39 - Comparing the internal hardware 00:35:21 - Numbering the test models 00:39:08 - Let's talk about why tilt release is really cool 00:43:53 - Build plate drainage model (highly recommend this) 00:44:59 - THE MOST SATISFYING TANK CLEAN I'VE EVER DONE HOLY SHIT 00:46:14 - Trying out a new part removal tool 00:47:44 - Let's talk about the bib 00:49:48 - Jay3DTech Boxes of Calibration 00:58:01 - First print results 01:02:37 - Testing recovery on power loss 01:03:48 - Second print results 01:04:28 - The issues with "Auto levelling" 01:12:34 - What do you do if Auto Levelling fails?! 01:16:19 - Closer look at all the prints 01:21:16 - Testing the new Elegoo Mini Heater in cold weather 01:24:18 - Final thoughts
Sigmastar SSD2020 i think this is the arm chip (brain ) behind eleegoo saturn 4 ultra and bg256 is a type of sram ,dram or eeprom. Thank you for this great video👍👍👍👍
bro i had to sub an like . im getting my photon my photon m7 pro anycubic is the best i found fmd printers are shit . all elegoo printers are crap do not buy one . i had 3 of elegoo . nothing but problems cheap nasty crap elegoo . i sold mine an got refu nds back there that crap look what this guy says . all true even there resin mars is shit .. looking forward to learning more from you channel great your a ozzy sydney based . great video mate
Just got my Ultra a couple days ago. Love this machine! I can say that putting a flex plate on the build plate is 100% the way to go. I only remove the flex plate, which means I never remove the build plate after each print. So the issues that are particular to this build plate being messy I simply don't have. I previously owned a Saturn 2 with Whambam flex plates, so I was able to buy a new magnet from Whambam and continue to use the two flex plates I already had. The Ultra also allows you to simply run a bit of Gcode on the printer to adjust for the added height of the flex plate and magnet. Previously you had to print a little space and screw that into the plate mechanism. That's gone. You just put a Gcode file on a USB, load it up, and it automagically adjusts the printer for the flex plate and magnet height. So far this thing is a deam.
@@fluxcapacitor If you sand up the surface of the flex-plate, it'll stick just fine. Just make sure that the etched plate is well cleaned with IPA before sticking the magnet on, and do the same with the flex plate after sanding to get any metal dust off.
@@Averell64 I'm working with a Saturn 2, rather than the 4 Ultra, but there's no real need. The plate itself doesn't need to come out of the machine, you can just peel off the flex plate and after getting the prints off - which is much easier - I give it a wipe down with some ipa and pop it back in.
@@OnceinaSixSide I destroyed my first FEP because I just couldn't give fails off - and I didn't have any supports because I hadn't made anything yet. Super excited to not need to keep a piece of supports floating around in between printing sessions.
Maybe try using a slightly heavier card stock? It looked like you had a bit of fuss and had to stick your hand down in the resin. Maybe something like a playing card?
Thanks for the video. My submission for the print removal tool shootout: painters tool! It's rigid but flexible, the blade is beveled but not super sharp, and it's got a pointy bit on one end if you need to wedge it under a fussy raft.
48:46 I have the Mars 5 Ultra, and my solution to the resin atop the build plate was to apply an SiO² hydrophobic coating meant for cars to the space in between after using blue painters tape to mask off the print area (with firmly applied [the tape gets darker and semi-translucent] concentrically smaller slightly overlapping horizontal and vertical strips starting from the edge). It works incredibly well, and now I just need to use that handle attachment you shared to deal with drips from the bottom. Thanks for sharing that! 😁
Some observations about this machine having used it for 2 weeks. I'm also in Sydney so temperature is the same factor. 1) magnetic build plate doesnt work with the tilt function, it causes the print to slide. 2) The calibration function is not intuative. 3) You can change the speed setting mid print i.e. start the print in standard mode then move it to fast after the initial layers print. 4) The spout is aweful on the resin vat. 5) If you heat up your resin the machine keeps it warm while running, as long as the machine is on it keeps my resin at between 25 and 30 degrees C in 5-10 degree ambient temp
I've had mine for a couple days now, and I've found the bib is actually pretty handy for drainage if you put the plate on it sideways so that it overhangs back into the vat. The "bolt sheath" bits are almost exactly as wide as the top bib lip, so it's fully supported while it drains and you just have a tiny bit of resin clinging to one edge after that.
He could've also used the bib to catch resin while he put the build plate on that angled holder to let it drain back into the vat instead of into the other thing.
@OnceinaSixSide, My name is Rell Ambrose, and I have been a Systems programmer for over 40 years, and can easily identify the parts on the Motherboards. I don't know if anyone has metioned this, the "Brains" of the two systems are very different. The Saturn 4 has a microcontroler, and while it's pretty powerful, programming the LCD Driver invlolves a lot more effort. The Saturn 4 Ultra is using a Sigmastar SSD202D Dual Core Linux System, which likely has a LCD Driver built in, making the development for the screen an order of magnitude easier.
There is a small print on cults that is a spacer to allow the power cable to go out the back while still being able to hook up the ventilation. If you search Saturn 4 it will come up.
Glad you liked the paper L tank clean method, thanks for the shout out :) Great video, thanks for sharing all your thoughts and experiences. I'm glad you've given exposure to J3D Tech, his printing guide is fucking awesome and I also like his calibration piece. I agree with the build plate and auto level comments, I much prefer a standard build plate (with the 4 x bolts not the ball joint) and to me, auto level is a gimmick that is just not needed, great for FDM printers, but just not needed for resin printers...using J3D Tech's method of levelling from his guide (leveling the build plate in the vat with resin in it) is perfect. I do it once and don't need to do it again and it has always worked perfectly for me. I am also not a fan of these new tilting beds, I just think it is another mechanical cog in the wheel that introduces a number of things that can go wrong, cause problems, or break. I think the Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra is the best printer that company has made, its build quality is excellent with components their other printers don't have and it has the 4 bolt build plate and a non-tilting bed...I fucked the ACF right off and replaced it with nFEP and it is a dream machine.
I've been having a good time with my Saturn 4 Ultra (so far.) It's been working like a champ for me. Messing with the build plate hasn't been too much trouble, and the drip bracket you linked looks like a good addition. Thanks as always for a detailed look. Keep up the great work!
Just got the Saturn 4 and my biggest gripe is the way the build plate handle is shaped..... so uncomfortable to hold in a gloved hand. Elegoo needs to taper this thing the opposite way! From the build plate it needs to go from thin to thick not the other slippery way around! Love the video's man you have really helped me on this journey!
TLDR: 1. Use UV cure time to get the Boxes to fit 2. Use 2s light off delay (Wait before Print)! 3. Don't lift more then 6mm! Why waste time? 4. Don't retract super fast, respect your Mini, love your Mini! >>Once boxes fit
@@drdan141 I can't pin more than one comment sorry! Also @J3DTech thank you for taking the time to edit your comment and provide the long version! I hadn't noticed that til now, and I think I get what you're saying now. I'll give it a go in an upcoming video and take more care with it 🤘
In terms of cleaning the build plate. I got mine with the cleaning station. If you fill that all the way up, you can sit your build plate in there on one of it's short sides. Turn the cleaner on for a few minutes and your build plate is clean. It does hold on internally to a bit of the metho or what you are using to clean, but that drains right out. Especially if you are done with printing for the day, just set it upside down over night and it's done!
Just came across your channel, and this video, three days after pulling the trigger and purchasing a Saturn 4 Ultra. Really awesome in depth review that has given me some insight into how to work it and set up when it arrives. Awesome to see such a review from a fellow Aussie as well. Ill be going through a lot of your other videos now
as someone that just wants to open print and paint, this is more attractive to me. the clean up sucks but i also just leave the plat on an angle for a long time. time is not a issue for me personally.
30:00 Yeigh! Love to see inside! Hi there James! Oh, about entering the numbers for the exposure calibration - it’s a bit annoying until you understand it doesn’t let you cross up or down with other existing values, right! Cheers, mate!
For people who can't get the gardening trays in the right size, you can get aluminum quarter baking sheets, which I think is somewhat standardized for baking.
As a novice self taught programmer yes the calibration feature would probably relatively simple to code in the grand scheme. However i wouldn't be shocked if anycubic has some kinda of patent on the function being built into the printer itself. Maybe elegoo has made its function different enough to finally bypass the patent. And the extra charge is to recoup the rnd to justify new patent. And if you think that sounds stupid i would remind you we live in a world in which a spinning icon is the symbol of loading because atari patented minigames in loading screens like 40 years ago.
I dunno, that seems a stretch. Its just changing what the pixels are doing on an LCD, and given these are all Chinese made products where historically IP doesn't mean shit.. I'm dubious that it's an IP problem. Given my experience now complaining about printers and requested improvements; they just don't care/aren't interested in making the effort.
These are all chinese companies. Patents mean absolutelly jack shit. Also you can get around pattents in a way or other if you want to. It is not a thing in all printers because they did not tried to implement it yet. Like autoleveling was not imidiatly implemented in sla and fdm printers.
I have had my saturn 4 ultra. I made a long handle scraper on my A1 that fits in between the posts and i use that to scrape the majoriety of resin off into the vat before i remove the build plate from machine.
Printer does what it sets out to do, but the mucking around with the build plate is a definite no for me. Oh and If Elegoo Social are reading this, tell your sales team to allow direct sales to NZ, because right now your sole distributor is over charging like crazy for anything branded with Elegoo, and never has any resin in stock, even if it wasn't stupid expensive
Mate I cannot second this harder about sales in NZ. The pricing is wild, and for an exclusive distributor it's insane. Having 0 non-overpriced Elegoo options ONLY drives people to other companies.
I know others have already mentioned it, but I'll add- there are ways to modify the z offset using gcode. Wambam has a file floating around to alter it for the flex plates (they were slamming the screen and triggering the sensor). Should be able to do the opposite, without messing with the homing sensor. Lots of people saying 'Just give me a manual adjust plate' or 'ill rig it for manual adjust'. Unfortunately I don't think it's possible/a good idea. Maybe on the S4, but not something you want to do on the Ultra. The margin for error with the tilting vat, in terms of repeatable positioning, somewhat forces the need for this style of spring bed. If you were to 'fix the plate', then the bed decided to sit slightly higher, you'd have issues....
Good info, I wish I knew about the gcode before as it could be used as a workaround versus the physical mod I made to the homing sensor 😅 In regards to a fixed and manual leveled build plate it would be completely possible and fine here. The LCD thanks to the clever and simple design of the mechanical tilt is rock solid in the up position. Check out the Prusa SL1s
@@OnceinaSixSideComing from the machinist/engineer world, I wouldn't trust that tilt mechanism with a 10 foot pole😂. My ultra only got here a few days ago so haven't delved into it yet, but I plan on putting an indicator on the LCD to get some numbers. If they show repeatability I'll eat my words 👍
I will say as someone who for a while had their printer out in the garage, where it can get pretty cold here in the pacific north west, and had to frequently go outside to check if a print had even worked in the first place due to a lovely game of musical problems (had the old first gen photon for a while, was a nice entry at the time but I was rapidly becoming aware of how dated it was becoming. One minute its the calibration, the next it's the temperature, then it's the calibration again for some odd reason, then my film got scratched up. just a whole fun time near the end), I would actually have enjoyed having a camera to save myself the trouble of a walk outside when the print was good. Now does it need to be a base feature? no, honestly I think it would better serve as an accessory, and honestly one can cobble together their own setup with a cheap wi-fi connected camera or a baby monitor. But definitely a case by case usefulness. Sad the auto-leveling is not as useful as the companies probably hoped it would be, but at this point I'm fine with just having a spring loaded two bolt or the 4 bolt free leveling on that Anycubic mono. At least it's not the one bolt ball joint I suffered through for a while. Based on this video and other's, I'll probably be looking at the mono 5s as a new printer, but sadly my current housing situation doesn't really give the ability to get a new printer yet. I don't have the space to either have it out of the way or properly vent a resin printer right now, and I don't want to do the same garage setup I had with my first printer when I get home from college. Too many evenings going out in the cold to then learn a new issue occurred and I not have to do a whole cleaning job to try and troubleshoot later.
I use the bib every time (when I remember) and it's handy. You don't want resin getting down in the machine. And before I remove the build plate, I use a silicone scraper to scoop the resin that pools on the top side of the plate and let it fall back into the vat.
Great video thanks! I just picked up one of the ultras. Really good printer. But, dude... lol I have an very real physical reaction every time you hack at that build plate with the razor. I've had no issues using just a normal paint scraper and I don't have to worry about gouging the plate (also using sunlu abs-like). And thanks for the STLs! Edit: I have had no issues with the build plate. The way in which you pulled it out of the machine made me believe that's the issue. I put the bib on the vat and slide the build plate out level with the machine, then I tilt the top of the build plate toward my chest. No mess and only the bottom half of the build plate gets resin on it. Also, I don't care at all what is left on the top. My printer never sees sunlight and I couldn't care less if my blue resin gets some grey in it. So I don't even clean the top of the bottom half.
Superb in depth review! Your commentary is rich on knowledge, references to superb contributors of other channels and blogs. It really helps me to understand, how everything works (or should work) together. I've been Resin printing for years with excellent results, and have recently ordered the Saturn 4 Ultra. I still love my decision after your review - but I absolutely hate the deep Laser edged hard to clean buildplate and the auto levelling idea (which I knew before purchase), because I need direct buildplate level prints for very thin parts, that shall and can not have supports. (e.g. 10 Layer high Window frames, round rod style handles...). I will definitely add a magnetic flat build plate and will level the printer manually by sanding the screws to the perfect height, to get height and tilt perfect to the level of the screen. Or I adjust the Z-Level indicator, as I did on my still perfectly working Mars 1 and Mars 2 Pro. I have good use for double the resolution, double the speed and the bigger build plate. And the nice calibration feature. Maybe Elegoo will come up with an optional classic Elegoo Ball Joint build plate to be purchased as an add on for the Saturn 4 and Mars 5, that would be great! That said: I think Elegoo has earned a huge reputation in acessebility (everything can be taken apart and rebuilt easily) , build quality, construction quality and all that at affordable prices and on the cutting edge of current technology.
i just got one of these, I really appreciate you pointing out the cam lens cover, that was still in my printer! potentialy save me a huge head ache, also i thing the must have fixed the manual leveing option as mine has the option
This is the most detailed and Filled Review Video! Lil fluff, plenty of callouts, tip/tricks/issues & how to fix said issues!!! This is a sound video and TH-camr
I really appreciate these super detailed reviews. It's nice to see the similarities and differences within the model line and to compare to other options out there. IMO at current sale prices of $299 USD (S4) and $399 USD (S4U) the Ultra is pretty compelling just for the QoL features like WiFi and print resuming after power off.
Great videos. Just received mine after struggling with an M5s that I am convinced was just a lemon (after 2 previous Anycubic models that had been fine). So far the Saturn 4 ultra has been brilliant. Calibration tool is awesome and prints have been fast and great detail. The reduced settings, such as speed, makes it simpler too.
Labeling test prints is SUPER easy in 3D Builder if you have a PC. Load the STL, find Emboss (either edit or object), type, set your extrusion, and done. For removal, a thin palette knife from an art store is perfect.
1:13:10 Nope… it will detect the pressure against the glass to determine where/when the build plate touches it. Moving the homing sensor is won’t have the effect you expect (now I will unpause and see if you were right).
So i really enjoy your long form videos like this as well as the shorter mini printing videos. Helll, i even like the sponsored videos. Keep up the great work. Ever thought of doing a second channel where you used the minis and terrain in tabletop games?
Great video, a friend has pre-ordered it as his first 3d printer, so fingers crossed his doesn't have any QC issues and doesn't have any issues with the auto leveling. Based on your video I think Elegoo could release a manually leveled build plate and a firmware update to allow for manual adjustments for leveling. So for those who want to stick with manual leveling they have that option or if the auto leveling is broken Elegoo can offer the manual solution as a 'fix'(hopefully fully covered as a replacement part under warrenty or something).
The trick is not to run them at the same time. Extraction is invaluable because you can clear the fumes before you open up your printer to get your prints. Agree though, heated vat with a band is better.
best removal tool I've is from the Amerivault set, specifically the one that looks like cake icing spatula. Soft corners with a nice sharp edge to get under rafts and nice and flexi blade with a good reach. The pallet knife style spatula's like that I've not had great luck with, don't get under the rafts that well in my experience without modifications.
@@OnceinaSixSide Looks like they are some sort of amazon rebranding outfit. Might only be available under that name in the US. I think you can make one just as good out of a 5" cake decorating or icing spatula(what they are called in the US at least) if you filed or ground a dull edge on the tip.
With the Heater AND an Exhaust, are you able to do a test of how slow your exhaust fan has to be so that the heater can still heat up the air that's being drawn in. I'm also just planning on drilling the holes for the heater above/next to the AI camera, so that an exhaust can still be used Cheers for the awesome info and content
I actually never run a heater at the same time as the exhaust, because as far as I know that won't work. The trick is to heat while you print, and exhaust afterwards.
@@Deane14 I think there is a risk, and unfortunately that's the trade off with a blower style heater. I prefer heating the vat directly with the brewer belt because you can run active ventilation simultaneously with that
@@OnceinaSixSide Ok gotchya, that's because it's heating the Vat/Resin directly instead of the air around it, I was under the assumption everything in the printer needed to be heated, But that makes sense now! I'll have to get me a belt then, Cheers for that! Picked up the Saturn 4 Ultra, hopefully you got the kickback for it, pretty sure i used your link.
32:00 The WILNX17 seems to a clone of a Lattice Semi FPGA, given the proximity to the gold ribbon cable for the display I would assume it is being used as part of the display driving electronics. Super cool chip though. The "CPU" chip is the smaller one to the right with the ARM logo. The two board are probably different generations/versions of ARM chips.
I will admit that I got excited over the promise of auto leveling. Though after learning how it works and the drawback, oh boy do I wish I never asked for this.
Me too and, when I heard about it on the Uniformation, I was like: "Cool! But wait: how does it work? It locks the plate in the leveled position SOMEHOW? HOW excactly? O_o" And yep, just as I feared: it's BS. On my HevORT I have 3 Z motors for the auto leveling, so for a true auto *leveling* a resin printer would need at least 3 servo motors inside the plate that lock the screws once the bed is touching the FEP.
01:04:28 It seems that you didn't watch Geek Detour's video before doing your own. He demonstrated a successful, simple way to manually tune each spring tension of the autoleveling plate during a dry print, so that every loose piece of paper becomes perfectly squished between the screen and the build plate, in every area. And he shared a clever trick to easily "save" the correct setting mechanically. So yes, "manual leveling" is somehow possible on the Saturn 4 Ultra, and that in no way implies having to do anything as complicated as what you've tried in vain the other way around.
You missed the part where I addressed that first thing before I stated I was curious if a homing sensor mod would work as well lol It's also come to my attention since publishing this video that Elegoo has a gcode file they're issuing through support which achieves the same result. So.. hurray for options 🥳
@@OnceinaSixSide Sorry, English is not my primary language an I may indeed have missed that passage. I am interested in that G-code file, what does it do exactly? Because some people on forums say that the Saturn 4 Ultra does not remember correctly the zero position after zeroing… which means that the sheets papers (in case of a dry print) starts well clamped, perfectly sandwiched between the screen and the build plate, then they become loose again in a couple of seconds afterward!
@OnceinaSixSide really important point! Those 'axed' settings are super useful to still have access too. I was having issues with the parts near the z screw not peeling fully on burn in layers. I simply added a lift height with Lychee slicer for only those burn in layers and BAM never had a failure again. While I highly doubt the lift height for normal layers are going to be useful other than for say some of the weird rubber resins it's a real shame for Chitubox to remove them completely.
A video of you installing and testing a magnetic flexplate on this machine would be terrific, since it will probably solve all the messy cleaning issues this printer have!
Awesome to see some respect thrown J3D’s way. His guide is absolutely great work and he’s been a North Star for my printing journey for sure. Alongside you of course 😊
I know J3D is also talking to Elegoo about adding a Z offset adjustment via software. So hopefully that yields results. So we don’t have to manually modify our machines
Another addendum. I asked on Lychee about the pillars tensile, and he said he needs to update it. Here is the response he gave me though which may help! TLDR: 1. Use UV cure time to get the Boxes to fit 2. Use 2s light off delay (Wait before Print)! 3. Don't lift more then 6mm! Why waste time? 4. Don't retract super fast, respect your Mini, love your Mini! >>Once boxes fit
I love your videos! Definitely a lot to consider with the fancy new printers. The Sunlu ABS-Like is currently my favourite resin. The Toughness, at least in my environment, has to be cured within a couple hours or it'll become gummy, brittle, and de-laminate details. Thanks for bringing Jay3DTech across our radar! I've got a few applications beyond minis that I'd like to print for, so getting a better grasp on and better dimensional accuracy out of my printer is valuable! I also print a lot of bases flat on the build plate because l a z y. I prefer dealing with the elephant's foot over sanding bottoms flat. I have struggled with leveling my Mars 2 Pro properly on multiple occasions, and it's actually for that precise reason (oddly enough) that I'm extra worried about the tradeoffs and potential pitfalls of "self-leveling" build plates. Plus, I genuinely despise the extra mess and resin waste the Saturn 4 build plate design creates. Also still peeved that only the Ultra has the exposure range finding tool. I think, for my preferences, the Saturn 4 range will be a pass for me if I decide to upgrade soon.
Thanks! You should check out my base pack 😁 they're presupported and print beautifully, but the trade off here is a little extra time and material in exchange for not having to sand the elephant's foot.
A paint spatula for part removal? That's a pretty neat idea. Edit A piece of lapping glass and sand paper can put a sharp edge on any metal tool, did it with my anycubic metal scraper, nice sharp edge and takes all parts off with ease.
30:07 - "Remove after washing" LOL. QC on point! I'd love a calibration print system where you specified a single time value, (say, +1s) and you would get printe +2s, +1s, -1s, -2s from the time specified in the model. That way you only have to plug in a single value.
It's crazy what a game changer that dumb little spatula thing is. I had picked up 4 or 5 different scrappers that were all problematic. Then i watch a J3D video where he mentioned that thing, and i ordered it out of desperation. I it the best cheapest upgrade ive ever picked up.
So im VERY new to resin and 3d printing in general. i got the S4U and ive tried for the life of me, to get my prints to stick to the build plate. It sticks to the FEP. I just set it up a couple days ago and the rook that comes with the printer AND the exposure testing files both stick to the FEP. Its colder at my place here but i do have the heater on the inside. Im using the Elegoo 8k resin and after watching this, im contemplating switching resin. Ive tried to re level the build plate as well with no luck on a successful print. ive tried like 4 or 5 times now. Its very overwhelming to me when it doesnt work because i dont have the experience to troubleshoot other than a couple things that i read here and there lol. Thanks in advance for any info!
5:39 the sensor seems to be a load cell on the arm, so any forces from the screen and built plate transmitted into the arm would be sensed by it. But since the cap was lodged on the back of the carriage where the linear rail and z-screw go, there's no way the load cell would pick it up.
Great stuff, and yes, please make the video about print removal tools. I need something that's as effective as whatever that thingy you have is in my life!
For the shit build plate, I would tighten the bolts, IF NOT possible, i will add a split washer at the top. (file it down if needed) This is how we can manually level the plate.
G'day ol son.....love the vid..yes its long form but you really covered a lot of ground. this is my first vid ive seen after joining your Patreon and discord. im poor but got a brand new Nova3d Whale 2, its basic and easy to learn on. I generally dont have much issue with leveling as its almost the same as any older FDM with leveling nobs. with the heater i had to build my own which is programable and uses the same parts that are in the heaters you showed today, but mine cab go to 100c if i wanted. i found a video online in feb 2023 that showed how to get the parts, print the housing, and assemble. it works great and i can set min and max temp and it will shut off once at temp😁 from a m8 Downunder...but up in Brissy🙃
Thanks for such a comprehensive rundown on the printer! Very interesting and I'm so on the fence about buying this. I'm curious how much a flex plate would make the printer better to work with, as you wouldn't have to interact so much with the build plate as you say.
Side thing, but if you designed an attachment point for the fume extraction, you could also make a custom holder for the heater that is vented (or modify the stock one) so you can have both.
Oh I just got to the part where you put an Anycubic built plate on an Elegoo printer on your magnets video. In this Elegoo Saturn 4 ultra video you talk about how you don't like the auto level... Could we regain height and just use a manual leveling bed? Could be worth looking into and trying. 😁 Also installing a wham bam magnet plate would be great and if you have to adjust the homing trigger to account for the added build plate height.
No need :) Elegoo have a gcode file they can send you if you contact customer support, and it will modify your Z-offset to compensate for the thickness of the magnet and flex plate.
A recommendation. I just got mine in this past weekend but after seeing everyone kind of struggling with bed adhesion I got a whambam xtr magnetic build plate. It makes everything much easier.
Greetings from Tasmania. Thanks for such a detailed video. Stayed and watched for all of it and learnt alot. Am thinking its time for an upgrade from my sonic mini 4k to print larger models now. 🙏🏿
YES! I've been waiting for this video! hahaha, I already ordered both the printer and the heater, but I like your videos and reviews a lot, let's see if I don't regret the purchase lol, I'll edit if I have anything to add after the video x"D
I hope you found it not too painful a viewing experience haha Post a new comment or a reply when you're ready, otherwise I won't see it if it's an edit
@@OnceinaSixSide I finally got to seeing It, got busy out of the blue yesterday lol I love that you added some of the problems you can encounter (like the plate not being leveled and the "auto - level" failing) and gave some answers on how to actually solve them, ngl I was a bit worried from all the failure posts I kept seeing in reddit an started to wonder if I made a mistake lol Buf I feel kinda relieved after the video haha, I know that the tilt thingie might be a hit or miss and it's another posible mechanical failure but I like trying new tech and I kinda wanted a faster print to faster prototype some figures I want to model :) So let's see when it arrives so I can put it beside my trusty Photon S Thanks a lot for the video, and as always, amazing work :)
You can also do the tank cleaning by using some broken off supports. Put the flat bottom on the FEP, expose and voila! Paper looks like it works great though, that's new to me as well
I absolutely love this printer. There is just one thing. It is so much more frustrating to clean that it needs to be due to the design of the build plate. Like what is up. I feel like luke trying to destroy the deathstar while I am trying to scrape resin off the top of the plate without getting resin everywhere.
I'm an engineer, 99% of the time I do not require extreme levels of accuracy from a consumer level 3D printer. I only make basic fit test models, actual, proper functional prototyping is strictly for CNC or the tolerances would be massively off.
Pro tools does resin calibration without the faff and you can label each exposure test with the exposure value - not convinced they've made it a lot easier yet!
awesome video btw... At 35 minute mark you say how you spent a little bit of time in blender to add numbers. I am at that point and just DL blender and it isnt that easy to add numbers. I got a 1 on it, rotating and it is all over the place. struggling to get it aligned correctly so I can then make it taller (extrude?). You started to show it which got me that far, and I was curious when were you going to do your next video on that part? Your video got me to do this boxes in boxes as a test print and it came out great. I then did a full build plate of minis but some people say they could be better, hence wanting to do the calibration as you list.
I loved this video man. Lots of useful information. I went ahead and ordered a chitu heater for my saturn 4 ultra, ive had a few prints get stuck to the vat. Not sure why just yet as im brand new to this stuff. Not sure if it was a leveling thing or exposure time on my print. I actually have quite a few questions but yeah for one what is the sheet your pulling out of the vat at 1:22:59?
I got a brewer's belt because of your heater video. Turns out it worked TOO well, I had prints warping and failing. Turns out it was heating the resin to about 35C. I'm also in winter in NZ. just got the Saturn 4 ultra, Turns out after the printer runs for 20 minutes, the resin get heated to about 26C, which is just about the ideal printing temp for the elegoo abs like resin I'm using.
Be sure to include a good quality paint scraper in your comparison video. My SV-08 came with one of those spatulas and it seems to have its uses but I do prefer the sharp-but-not-too-sharp paint scraper since it is very tough and can be used as a jack hammer on very tough prints, plus is dead simple to clean up. I agree that the build plate design is problematic, but if you print job after job using the same resin, there is no compelling reason to clear the build plate. Still a problem with handling between jobs, but as you mentioned, a tray will simplify that quite a bit. It does spill a lot of resin and for the first time I've found myself recovering some of it between jobs. My resin of choice? Sunlu ABS-like. Using super-clean rinse methods and air drying before curing, I've never had such great results.
100% not too big a deal if never changing our resin, just extra messy vs other build plates but completely manageable with a little extra care and patience.
Great video. Here have done some fdm printing. And wondering which machine you would recommend? Also one suggestion, if you can increase the lighting a little that would help with viewing experience.
I think for a 10" it's either the M5s Pro or the Saturn 4 Ultra. Or for 6", it's gotta be Photon Mono II or Saturn 5 Ultra. I personally recommend dipping your toe into resin printing with a 6" machine - the user experience is better with smaller machines, and it gets worse the larger you go.
I tihnk the autolevel-buildplate-thingie, is due to the lever action of the fep - I have a feeling that there is a non-zero change that the surface will be at the exact same spot after every cycle, like it would be for a static glass surface
So it's been a few months, and since then, Elegoo has released an update for the printer allowing us to manually level the build plate. Have you looked into to this to see if it makes a difference or do you think it's just BS?
Levelling is the number one thing I see new users blame pretty much any print failure on. A print fails, and their first assumption is levelling issue, and the first thing they do is re-level. From that perspective, I can see auto-levelling as an extremely attractive feature - for those users it seems like its going to solve a huge number of their issues. But i'm in the same boat as you - I've never had an issue levelling, and once my plate is level I usually don't have to re-level for months. Frankly, I trust myself to level a plate manually more than I trust an auto-levelling system to not fail.
Question I cant find an answer to yet is, do you still need to worry about suction with the rotating vat? I would guess suction is less of an issue, but potentially still present?
Looking at getting this printer. I see that last month there was an update adding manual leveling to the software. Have you had a chance to review that and see how good or bad it is?
I recently bought a Saturn 3 Ultra over the 4 Ultra because of the auto leveling build plate. When you do 3 or 4 prints in a day, the cleanup needs to be as quick as possible. The 4 Ultra would be incredible if it had a manual leveling build plate, and get rid of the camera. Price point could be $100 cheaper too. I would also like to see VAT heaters become popular.
I haven't gotten to try my S4U yet but I will probably only use it for miniatures or statues and use a filament printer for prototyping and cosplay. I'm not too worried about the self leveling problems. However this is my first resin printer so I hope my experience is good.
In regards to modifying the homing sensor, it's come to my attention since publishing this video that Elegoo customer support actually has a gcode file they can send you to achieve the same outcome. So if your new Saturn/Mars printer fails auto leveling please contact support first, and failing that try Geek Detours method (link in video description), and as a last ditch you can try the mod in this video.
There is A LOT to cover here so I've gone ahead and chapterized this video so you can easily find the most relevant or interesting sections if you don't fancy sitting through the entire thing. I do of course encourage a full viewing! This video goes DEEP, and gets under the skin of the new S4U and its little brother , and we even take a look at some of the problems this machine and others like it are facing, and how to overcome them.
00:00:00 - Intro and Overview
00:04:27 - Careful, this lens cap will fight you
00:06:28 - Let's talk about heaters
00:14:12 - Fume Extraction
00:15:57 - Firmware
00:27:29 - Setting up a Calibration print
00:29:39 - Comparing the internal hardware
00:35:21 - Numbering the test models
00:39:08 - Let's talk about why tilt release is really cool
00:43:53 - Build plate drainage model (highly recommend this)
00:44:59 - THE MOST SATISFYING TANK CLEAN I'VE EVER DONE HOLY SHIT
00:46:14 - Trying out a new part removal tool
00:47:44 - Let's talk about the bib
00:49:48 - Jay3DTech Boxes of Calibration
00:58:01 - First print results
01:02:37 - Testing recovery on power loss
01:03:48 - Second print results
01:04:28 - The issues with "Auto levelling"
01:12:34 - What do you do if Auto Levelling fails?!
01:16:19 - Closer look at all the prints
01:21:16 - Testing the new Elegoo Mini Heater in cold weather
01:24:18 - Final thoughts
Sigmastar SSD2020
i think this is the arm chip (brain ) behind eleegoo saturn 4 ultra and bg256
is a type of sram ,dram or eeprom. Thank you for this great video👍👍👍👍
that chips just a programmable gate array
bro i had to sub an like . im getting my photon my photon m7 pro anycubic is the best i found fmd printers are shit . all elegoo printers are crap do not buy one . i had 3 of elegoo . nothing but problems cheap nasty crap elegoo . i sold mine an got refu nds back there that crap look what this guy says . all true even there resin mars is shit .. looking forward to learning more from you channel great your a ozzy sydney based . great video mate
Quick idea, given the power cable for the Elegoo heater, couldnt you simply print your own exhaust to include a small hole for the power cable?
Hello from the Atlan Forge team! Thank you so much for featuring us! Iam thrilled beyond belief that you like my support work!
Hey hey! Thank you so much for your support of the channel, it means so much to me and I'm thrilled to be sharing your excellent creations here :D
@@OnceinaSixSide aww. You guys are so cute together. But seriously, love the collab, it's awesome.
@@OnceinaSixSide get a room, you guys.
Those minis are so cool, thank for the contribution.
I really like these long-format videos because you really dive into great, USEFUL details on them. I'm glad you do both long and short formats.
Thank you good sir 🤘🍻
Just got my Ultra a couple days ago. Love this machine! I can say that putting a flex plate on the build plate is 100% the way to go. I only remove the flex plate, which means I never remove the build plate after each print. So the issues that are particular to this build plate being messy I simply don't have.
I previously owned a Saturn 2 with Whambam flex plates, so I was able to buy a new magnet from Whambam and continue to use the two flex plates I already had. The Ultra also allows you to simply run a bit of Gcode on the printer to adjust for the added height of the flex plate and magnet. Previously you had to print a little space and screw that into the plate mechanism. That's gone. You just put a Gcode file on a USB, load it up, and it automagically adjusts the printer for the flex plate and magnet height.
So far this thing is a deam.
Thanks for the head up. What i need to write in the Gcode?
Don't you have sticking issues on the material of the flex plate compared to the laser-etched metal build plate?
@@fluxcapacitor If you sand up the surface of the flex-plate, it'll stick just fine. Just make sure that the etched plate is well cleaned with IPA before sticking the magnet on, and do the same with the flex plate after sanding to get any metal dust off.
Do you just not clean the build plate then if you don’t remove it?
@@Averell64 I'm working with a Saturn 2, rather than the 4 Ultra, but there's no real need. The plate itself doesn't need to come out of the machine, you can just peel off the flex plate and after getting the prints off - which is much easier - I give it a wipe down with some ipa and pop it back in.
OMG the review is here. I'm so excited to see it I've had mine for 3 weeks and have been loving it so far
The paper tank clean is game changer
Right!?
@@OnceinaSixSide I destroyed my first FEP because I just couldn't give fails off - and I didn't have any supports because I hadn't made anything yet. Super excited to not need to keep a piece of supports floating around in between printing sessions.
Maybe try using a slightly heavier card stock? It looked like you had a bit of fuss and had to stick your hand down in the resin. Maybe something like a playing card?
Thanks for the video.
My submission for the print removal tool shootout: painters tool! It's rigid but flexible, the blade is beveled but not super sharp, and it's got a pointy bit on one end if you need to wedge it under a fussy raft.
I am so mad I'm watching this video a month late and just now stumbling upon this tip. You should clip it and make it a short!!
48:46 I have the Mars 5 Ultra, and my solution to the resin atop the build plate was to apply an SiO² hydrophobic coating meant for cars to the space in between after using blue painters tape to mask off the print area (with firmly applied [the tape gets darker and semi-translucent] concentrically smaller slightly overlapping horizontal and vertical strips starting from the edge). It works incredibly well, and now I just need to use that handle attachment you shared to deal with drips from the bottom. Thanks for sharing that! 😁
Some observations about this machine having used it for 2 weeks. I'm also in Sydney so temperature is the same factor. 1) magnetic build plate doesnt work with the tilt function, it causes the print to slide. 2) The calibration function is not intuative. 3) You can change the speed setting mid print i.e. start the print in standard mode then move it to fast after the initial layers print. 4) The spout is aweful on the resin vat. 5) If you heat up your resin the machine keeps it warm while running, as long as the machine is on it keeps my resin at between 25 and 30 degrees C in 5-10 degree ambient temp
I've had mine for a couple days now, and I've found the bib is actually pretty handy for drainage if you put the plate on it sideways so that it overhangs back into the vat. The "bolt sheath" bits are almost exactly as wide as the top bib lip, so it's fully supported while it drains and you just have a tiny bit of resin clinging to one edge after that.
He could've also used the bib to catch resin while he put the build plate on that angled holder to let it drain back into the vat instead of into the other thing.
@OnceinaSixSide,
My name is Rell Ambrose, and I have been a Systems programmer for over 40 years, and can easily identify the parts on the Motherboards.
I don't know if anyone has metioned this, the "Brains" of the two systems are very different.
The Saturn 4 has a microcontroler, and while it's pretty powerful, programming the LCD Driver invlolves a lot more effort.
The Saturn 4 Ultra is using a Sigmastar SSD202D Dual Core Linux System, which likely has a LCD Driver built in, making the development for the screen an order of magnitude easier.
There is a small print on cults that is a spacer to allow the power cable to go out the back while still being able to hook up the ventilation. If you search Saturn 4 it will come up.
Glad you liked the paper L tank clean method, thanks for the shout out :) Great video, thanks for sharing all your thoughts and experiences. I'm glad you've given exposure to J3D Tech, his printing guide is fucking awesome and I also like his calibration piece. I agree with the build plate and auto level comments, I much prefer a standard build plate (with the 4 x bolts not the ball joint) and to me, auto level is a gimmick that is just not needed, great for FDM printers, but just not needed for resin printers...using J3D Tech's method of levelling from his guide (leveling the build plate in the vat with resin in it) is perfect. I do it once and don't need to do it again and it has always worked perfectly for me. I am also not a fan of these new tilting beds, I just think it is another mechanical cog in the wheel that introduces a number of things that can go wrong, cause problems, or break. I think the Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra is the best printer that company has made, its build quality is excellent with components their other printers don't have and it has the 4 bolt build plate and a non-tilting bed...I fucked the ACF right off and replaced it with nFEP and it is a dream machine.
That was a KILLER tip! (Get it? Mack Bolan the Executioner? Killer? Never mind, I'll show myself out)
@@TapCat AHahahaha, I totally get it :)
Brother, I don't know why this is only now being recommended to me in my feed but thank you for the shout out 😁
Anytime!
I've been having a good time with my Saturn 4 Ultra (so far.) It's been working like a champ for me. Messing with the build plate hasn't been too much trouble, and the drip bracket you linked looks like a good addition. Thanks as always for a detailed look. Keep up the great work!
Just got the Saturn 4 and my biggest gripe is the way the build plate handle is shaped..... so uncomfortable to hold in a gloved hand. Elegoo needs to taper this thing the opposite way! From the build plate it needs to go from thin to thick not the other slippery way around!
Love the video's man you have really helped me on this journey!
TLDR:
1. Use UV cure time to get the Boxes to fit
2. Use 2s light off delay (Wait before Print)!
3. Don't lift more then 6mm! Why waste time?
4. Don't retract super fast, respect your Mini, love your Mini!
>>Once boxes fit
This is a terrific walk through of the main points of that long doc I read from you some time ago. Thank you!
Good shit, thanks for that! I'll have to revisit this again some time
@@OnceinaSixSide Can you pin J3DTechs comment, så it is easy to find :)
@@drdan141 I can't pin more than one comment sorry!
Also @J3DTech thank you for taking the time to edit your comment and provide the long version! I hadn't noticed that til now, and I think I get what you're saying now. I'll give it a go in an upcoming video and take more care with it 🤘
In terms of cleaning the build plate. I got mine with the cleaning station. If you fill that all the way up, you can sit your build plate in there on one of it's short sides. Turn the cleaner on for a few minutes and your build plate is clean. It does hold on internally to a bit of the metho or what you are using to clean, but that drains right out. Especially if you are done with printing for the day, just set it upside down over night and it's done!
Just came across your channel, and this video, three days after pulling the trigger and purchasing a Saturn 4 Ultra.
Really awesome in depth review that has given me some insight into how to work it and set up when it arrives.
Awesome to see such a review from a fellow Aussie as well.
Ill be going through a lot of your other videos now
as someone that just wants to open print and paint, this is more attractive to me. the clean up sucks but i also just leave the plat on an angle for a long time. time is not a issue for me personally.
30:00 Yeigh! Love to see inside! Hi there James! Oh, about entering the numbers for the exposure calibration - it’s a bit annoying until you understand it doesn’t let you cross up or down with other existing values, right! Cheers, mate!
Oh man, sure the software features could be on both printers. It’s a marketing positioning of the features.
Right?! So frustrating 😂
For people who can't get the gardening trays in the right size, you can get aluminum quarter baking sheets, which I think is somewhat standardized for baking.
Thank you for the video. I just got mine today with the heater. i also didn't want to use the cover and kinda got stuck until i watched your video 😅 👌
As a novice self taught programmer yes the calibration feature would probably relatively simple to code in the grand scheme. However i wouldn't be shocked if anycubic has some kinda of patent on the function being built into the printer itself. Maybe elegoo has made its function different enough to finally bypass the patent. And the extra charge is to recoup the rnd to justify new patent. And if you think that sounds stupid i would remind you we live in a world in which a spinning icon is the symbol of loading because atari patented minigames in loading screens like 40 years ago.
I dunno, that seems a stretch. Its just changing what the pixels are doing on an LCD, and given these are all Chinese made products where historically IP doesn't mean shit.. I'm dubious that it's an IP problem. Given my experience now complaining about printers and requested improvements; they just don't care/aren't interested in making the effort.
These are all chinese companies. Patents mean absolutelly jack shit. Also you can get around pattents in a way or other if you want to. It is not a thing in all printers because they did not tried to implement it yet. Like autoleveling was not imidiatly implemented in sla and fdm printers.
Can't say how badly I wanted this review from you!
I have had my saturn 4 ultra. I made a long handle scraper on my A1 that fits in between the posts and i use that to scrape the majoriety of resin off into the vat before i remove the build plate from machine.
Printer does what it sets out to do, but the mucking around with the build plate is a definite no for me. Oh and If Elegoo Social are reading this, tell your sales team to allow direct sales to NZ, because right now your sole distributor is over charging like crazy for anything branded with Elegoo, and never has any resin in stock, even if it wasn't stupid expensive
Mate I cannot second this harder about sales in NZ. The pricing is wild, and for an exclusive distributor it's insane. Having 0 non-overpriced Elegoo options ONLY drives people to other companies.
Omg man please in NZ elegoo pleasee
Can't agree more in some cases double the price. I've ordered in Oz, then picked it up when on my way home.
I know others have already mentioned it, but I'll add- there are ways to modify the z offset using gcode. Wambam has a file floating around to alter it for the flex plates (they were slamming the screen and triggering the sensor). Should be able to do the opposite, without messing with the homing sensor.
Lots of people saying 'Just give me a manual adjust plate' or 'ill rig it for manual adjust'. Unfortunately I don't think it's possible/a good idea. Maybe on the S4, but not something you want to do on the Ultra. The margin for error with the tilting vat, in terms of repeatable positioning, somewhat forces the need for this style of spring bed. If you were to 'fix the plate', then the bed decided to sit slightly higher, you'd have issues....
Good info, I wish I knew about the gcode before as it could be used as a workaround versus the physical mod I made to the homing sensor 😅
In regards to a fixed and manual leveled build plate it would be completely possible and fine here.
The LCD thanks to the clever and simple design of the mechanical tilt is rock solid in the up position.
Check out the Prusa SL1s
@@OnceinaSixSideComing from the machinist/engineer world, I wouldn't trust that tilt mechanism with a 10 foot pole😂. My ultra only got here a few days ago so haven't delved into it yet, but I plan on putting an indicator on the LCD to get some numbers. If they show repeatability I'll eat my words 👍
Well keep me posted! I'm curious to hear your results
I will say as someone who for a while had their printer out in the garage, where it can get pretty cold here in the pacific north west, and had to frequently go outside to check if a print had even worked in the first place due to a lovely game of musical problems (had the old first gen photon for a while, was a nice entry at the time but I was rapidly becoming aware of how dated it was becoming. One minute its the calibration, the next it's the temperature, then it's the calibration again for some odd reason, then my film got scratched up. just a whole fun time near the end), I would actually have enjoyed having a camera to save myself the trouble of a walk outside when the print was good. Now does it need to be a base feature? no, honestly I think it would better serve as an accessory, and honestly one can cobble together their own setup with a cheap wi-fi connected camera or a baby monitor. But definitely a case by case usefulness.
Sad the auto-leveling is not as useful as the companies probably hoped it would be, but at this point I'm fine with just having a spring loaded two bolt or the 4 bolt free leveling on that Anycubic mono. At least it's not the one bolt ball joint I suffered through for a while.
Based on this video and other's, I'll probably be looking at the mono 5s as a new printer, but sadly my current housing situation doesn't really give the ability to get a new printer yet. I don't have the space to either have it out of the way or properly vent a resin printer right now, and I don't want to do the same garage setup I had with my first printer when I get home from college. Too many evenings going out in the cold to then learn a new issue occurred and I not have to do a whole cleaning job to try and troubleshoot later.
I use the bib every time (when I remember) and it's handy. You don't want resin getting down in the machine. And before I remove the build plate, I use a silicone scraper to scoop the resin that pools on the top side of the plate and let it fall back into the vat.
DANG i didnt even see how long this video was til i got to the end 😅, very concise yet thorough
Great video thanks! I just picked up one of the ultras. Really good printer. But, dude... lol I have an very real physical reaction every time you hack at that build plate with the razor. I've had no issues using just a normal paint scraper and I don't have to worry about gouging the plate (also using sunlu abs-like). And thanks for the STLs! Edit: I have had no issues with the build plate. The way in which you pulled it out of the machine made me believe that's the issue. I put the bib on the vat and slide the build plate out level with the machine, then I tilt the top of the build plate toward my chest. No mess and only the bottom half of the build plate gets resin on it. Also, I don't care at all what is left on the top. My printer never sees sunlight and I couldn't care less if my blue resin gets some grey in it. So I don't even clean the top of the bottom half.
Superb in depth review! Your commentary is rich on knowledge, references to superb contributors of other channels and blogs. It really helps me to understand, how everything works (or should work) together. I've been Resin printing for years with excellent results, and have recently ordered the Saturn 4 Ultra. I still love my decision after your review - but I absolutely hate the deep Laser edged hard to clean buildplate and the auto levelling idea (which I knew before purchase), because I need direct buildplate level prints for very thin parts, that shall and can not have supports. (e.g. 10 Layer high Window frames, round rod style handles...). I will definitely add a magnetic flat build plate and will level the printer manually by sanding the screws to the perfect height, to get height and tilt perfect to the level of the screen. Or I adjust the Z-Level indicator, as I did on my still perfectly working Mars 1 and Mars 2 Pro. I have good use for double the resolution, double the speed and the bigger build plate. And the nice calibration feature. Maybe Elegoo will come up with an optional classic Elegoo Ball Joint build plate to be purchased as an add on for the Saturn 4 and Mars 5, that would be great! That said: I think Elegoo has earned a huge reputation in acessebility (everything can be taken apart and rebuilt easily) , build quality, construction quality and all that at affordable prices and on the cutting edge of current technology.
i just got one of these, I really appreciate you pointing out the cam lens cover, that was still in my printer! potentialy save me a huge head ache, also i thing the must have fixed the manual leveing option as mine has the option
This is the most detailed and Filled Review Video! Lil fluff, plenty of callouts, tip/tricks/issues & how to fix said issues!!!
This is a sound video and TH-camr
I really appreciate these super detailed reviews.
It's nice to see the similarities and differences within the model line and to compare to other options out there.
IMO at current sale prices of $299 USD (S4) and $399 USD (S4U) the Ultra is pretty compelling just for the QoL features like WiFi and print resuming after power off.
Great videos. Just received mine after struggling with an M5s that I am convinced was just a lemon (after 2 previous Anycubic models that had been fine). So far the Saturn 4 ultra has been brilliant. Calibration tool is awesome and prints have been fast and great detail. The reduced settings, such as speed, makes it simpler too.
Ah bummer you must have got one of the ones I talked about during the auto levelling section 😥 Glad to hear the S4U is working out for you!
Labeling test prints is SUPER easy in 3D Builder if you have a PC. Load the STL, find Emboss (either edit or object), type, set your extrusion, and done. For removal, a thin palette knife from an art store is perfect.
1:13:10 Nope… it will detect the pressure against the glass to determine where/when the build plate touches it. Moving the homing sensor is won’t have the effect you expect (now I will unpause and see if you were right).
Interesting, it looks you were right! Cool.
Haha yep, I did wonder that too but assumed it had to be the homing sensor since the force sensors are prone to false error.
So i really enjoy your long form videos like this as well as the shorter mini printing videos. Helll, i even like the sponsored videos. Keep up the great work.
Ever thought of doing a second channel where you used the minis and terrain in tabletop games?
if you do 1st and last intervals I believe it may calculate the spread for resin exposure tests
Great video, a friend has pre-ordered it as his first 3d printer, so fingers crossed his doesn't have any QC issues and doesn't have any issues with the auto leveling.
Based on your video I think Elegoo could release a manually leveled build plate and a firmware update to allow for manual adjustments for leveling. So for those who want to stick with manual leveling they have that option or if the auto leveling is broken Elegoo can offer the manual solution as a 'fix'(hopefully fully covered as a replacement part under warrenty or something).
That would be excellent but they probably won't 😅
Heater and extraction means you throw away all the warm you are making. Blockoff-mounting plate is actually a good thing.
That's exactly what I was thinking. That's why a vat built-in heater is the best option IMHO
The trick is not to run them at the same time. Extraction is invaluable because you can clear the fumes before you open up your printer to get your prints.
Agree though, heated vat with a band is better.
Using a cheap stylus for these trash touchscreens can help
best removal tool I've is from the Amerivault set, specifically the one that looks like cake icing spatula. Soft corners with a nice sharp edge to get under rafts and nice and flexi blade with a good reach. The pallet knife style spatula's like that I've not had great luck with, don't get under the rafts that well in my experience without modifications.
I can't find this, do you mind sharing more information?
@@OnceinaSixSide Looks like they are some sort of amazon rebranding outfit. Might only be available under that name in the US. I think you can make one just as good out of a 5" cake decorating or icing spatula(what they are called in the US at least) if you filed or ground a dull edge on the tip.
I dropped the build plate on my Saturn 3 Ultra. It bent one of the corners just slightly. I decided to give it a go, it was still level.
With the Heater AND an Exhaust, are you able to do a test of how slow your exhaust fan has to be so that the heater can still heat up the air that's being drawn in.
I'm also just planning on drilling the holes for the heater above/next to the AI camera, so that an exhaust can still be used
Cheers for the awesome info and content
I actually never run a heater at the same time as the exhaust, because as far as I know that won't work. The trick is to heat while you print, and exhaust afterwards.
@@OnceinaSixSide okay, so is there no risk of fumes leaking out during the print?
@@Deane14 I think there is a risk, and unfortunately that's the trade off with a blower style heater. I prefer heating the vat directly with the brewer belt because you can run active ventilation simultaneously with that
@@OnceinaSixSide Ok gotchya, that's because it's heating the Vat/Resin directly instead of the air around it, I was under the assumption everything in the printer needed to be heated, But that makes sense now!
I'll have to get me a belt then, Cheers for that! Picked up the Saturn 4 Ultra, hopefully you got the kickback for it, pretty sure i used your link.
@@Deane14 Cheers! 🍻 Hope it works out well for you
Excellent and very in depth for a first impressions video. Keep up the good work!!!
Thanks, will do!
Thanks for the videos mate ive just pre ordered this printer.
32:00 The WILNX17 seems to a clone of a Lattice Semi FPGA, given the proximity to the gold ribbon cable for the display I would assume it is being used as part of the display driving electronics. Super cool chip though. The "CPU" chip is the smaller one to the right with the ARM logo. The two board are probably different generations/versions of ARM chips.
Thanks for your insight!
I will admit that I got excited over the promise of auto leveling. Though after learning how it works and the drawback, oh boy do I wish I never asked for this.
Me too and, when I heard about it on the Uniformation, I was like: "Cool! But wait: how does it work? It locks the plate in the leveled position SOMEHOW? HOW excactly? O_o"
And yep, just as I feared: it's BS.
On my HevORT I have 3 Z motors for the auto leveling, so for a true auto *leveling* a resin printer would need at least 3 servo motors inside the plate that lock the screws once the bed is touching the FEP.
01:04:28 It seems that you didn't watch Geek Detour's video before doing your own. He demonstrated a successful, simple way to manually tune each spring tension of the autoleveling plate during a dry print, so that every loose piece of paper becomes perfectly squished between the screen and the build plate, in every area. And he shared a clever trick to easily "save" the correct setting mechanically. So yes, "manual leveling" is somehow possible on the Saturn 4 Ultra, and that in no way implies having to do anything as complicated as what you've tried in vain the other way around.
You missed the part where I addressed that first thing before I stated I was curious if a homing sensor mod would work as well lol
It's also come to my attention since publishing this video that Elegoo has a gcode file they're issuing through support which achieves the same result. So.. hurray for options 🥳
@@OnceinaSixSide Sorry, English is not my primary language an I may indeed have missed that passage. I am interested in that G-code file, what does it do exactly? Because some people on forums say that the Saturn 4 Ultra does not remember correctly the zero position after zeroing… which means that the sheets papers (in case of a dry print) starts well clamped, perfectly sandwiched between the screen and the build plate, then they become loose again in a couple of seconds afterward!
@ 43:00 as a Saturn 3 owner, I love the comment about not needing this printer if you already have one.
@OnceinaSixSide really important point! Those 'axed' settings are super useful to still have access too. I was having issues with the parts near the z screw not peeling fully on burn in layers.
I simply added a lift height with Lychee slicer for only those burn in layers and BAM never had a failure again. While I highly doubt the lift height for normal layers are going to be useful other than for say some of the weird rubber resins it's a real shame for Chitubox to remove them completely.
A video of you installing and testing a magnetic flexplate on this machine would be terrific, since it will probably solve all the messy cleaning issues this printer have!
What a great review! Enough to tip the decision of my next printer purchase! Where can I swag those handles and numbered calibration tests?😅
Awesome to see some respect thrown J3D’s way. His guide is absolutely great work and he’s been a North Star for my printing journey for sure.
Alongside you of course 😊
I know J3D is also talking to Elegoo about adding a Z offset adjustment via software. So hopefully that yields results. So we don’t have to manually modify our machines
Another addendum. I asked on Lychee about the pillars tensile, and he said he needs to update it.
Here is the response he gave me though which may help! TLDR:
1. Use UV cure time to get the Boxes to fit
2. Use 2s light off delay (Wait before Print)!
3. Don't lift more then 6mm! Why waste time?
4. Don't retract super fast, respect your Mini, love your Mini!
>>Once boxes fit
@@Aztechnology.except, on the saturn 4 ultra, you don’t have control of the lift settings at all.
I love your videos! Definitely a lot to consider with the fancy new printers.
The Sunlu ABS-Like is currently my favourite resin. The Toughness, at least in my environment, has to be cured within a couple hours or it'll become gummy, brittle, and de-laminate details.
Thanks for bringing Jay3DTech across our radar! I've got a few applications beyond minis that I'd like to print for, so getting a better grasp on and better dimensional accuracy out of my printer is valuable!
I also print a lot of bases flat on the build plate because l a z y. I prefer dealing with the elephant's foot over sanding bottoms flat. I have struggled with leveling my Mars 2 Pro properly on multiple occasions, and it's actually for that precise reason (oddly enough) that I'm extra worried about the tradeoffs and potential pitfalls of "self-leveling" build plates. Plus, I genuinely despise the extra mess and resin waste the Saturn 4 build plate design creates. Also still peeved that only the Ultra has the exposure range finding tool. I think, for my preferences, the Saturn 4 range will be a pass for me if I decide to upgrade soon.
Thanks! You should check out my base pack 😁 they're presupported and print beautifully, but the trade off here is a little extra time and material in exchange for not having to sand the elephant's foot.
A paint spatula for part removal? That's a pretty neat idea.
Edit
A piece of lapping glass and sand paper can put a sharp edge on any metal tool, did it with my anycubic metal scraper, nice sharp edge and takes all parts off with ease.
30:07 - "Remove after washing" LOL. QC on point!
I'd love a calibration print system where you specified a single time value, (say, +1s) and you would get printe +2s, +1s, -1s, -2s from the time specified in the model. That way you only have to plug in a single value.
That's how the Anycubic printers do it. Set a base value, then it automatically adds say .25 to the rest
It's crazy what a game changer that dumb little spatula thing is. I had picked up 4 or 5 different scrappers that were all problematic. Then i watch a J3D video where he mentioned that thing, and i ordered it out of desperation. I it the best cheapest upgrade ive ever picked up.
So im VERY new to resin and 3d printing in general. i got the S4U and ive tried for the life of me, to get my prints to stick to the build plate. It sticks to the FEP. I just set it up a couple days ago and the rook that comes with the printer AND the exposure testing files both stick to the FEP. Its colder at my place here but i do have the heater on the inside. Im using the Elegoo 8k resin and after watching this, im contemplating switching resin. Ive tried to re level the build plate as well with no luck on a successful print. ive tried like 4 or 5 times now. Its very overwhelming to me when it doesnt work because i dont have the experience to troubleshoot other than a couple things that i read here and there lol. Thanks in advance for any info!
5:39 the sensor seems to be a load cell on the arm, so any forces from the screen and built plate transmitted into the arm would be sensed by it. But since the cap was lodged on the back of the carriage where the linear rail and z-screw go, there's no way the load cell would pick it up.
just did some tests for my ultra it seems my leveling is good , thank goodness
Good to see the bunny's making an apperance.
Great stuff, and yes, please make the video about print removal tools. I need something that's as effective as whatever that thingy you have is in my life!
Great review, and as tempted as I am, I love my Saturn 2, so will probably wait for the Saturn 5 or 6.
Have my eyes on centauri for next year ATM.
For the shit build plate, I would tighten the bolts, IF NOT possible, i will add a split washer at the top. (file it down if needed) This is how we can manually level the plate.
G'day ol son.....love the vid..yes its long form but you really covered a lot of ground. this is my first vid ive seen after joining your Patreon and discord. im poor but got a brand new Nova3d Whale 2, its basic and easy to learn on. I generally dont have much issue with leveling as its almost the same as any older FDM with leveling nobs. with the heater i had to build my own which is programable and uses the same parts that are in the heaters you showed today, but mine cab go to 100c if i wanted. i found a video online in feb 2023 that showed how to get the parts, print the housing, and assemble. it works great and i can set min and max temp and it will shut off once at temp😁 from a m8 Downunder...but up in Brissy🙃
Thanks! And stoked to hear you're getting on well with the Nova's leveling.
Thanks for such a comprehensive rundown on the printer! Very interesting and I'm so on the fence about buying this. I'm curious how much a flex plate would make the printer better to work with, as you wouldn't have to interact so much with the build plate as you say.
Mines gonna be here tomorrow, pretty excited. Also, the best part of your videos will always be the babbits at the end. They're so cute and fluffy.
Happy printing!
Side thing, but if you designed an attachment point for the fume extraction, you could also make a custom holder for the heater that is vented (or modify the stock one) so you can have both.
Oh I just got to the part where you put an Anycubic built plate on an Elegoo printer on your magnets video. In this Elegoo Saturn 4 ultra video you talk about how you don't like the auto level... Could we regain height and just use a manual leveling bed? Could be worth looking into and trying. 😁
Also installing a wham bam magnet plate would be great and if you have to adjust the homing trigger to account for the added build plate height.
No need :) Elegoo have a gcode file they can send you if you contact customer support, and it will modify your Z-offset to compensate for the thickness of the magnet and flex plate.
A recommendation. I just got mine in this past weekend but after seeing everyone kind of struggling with bed adhesion I got a whambam xtr magnetic build plate. It makes everything much easier.
Great idea! Flex plates fucking rock
Can't wait, I have two arriving very soon. my email says they are in transit and i'm super hyped.
Greetings from Tasmania. Thanks for such a detailed video. Stayed and watched for all of it and learnt alot. Am thinking its time for an upgrade from my sonic mini 4k to print larger models now. 🙏🏿
The Saturns are a great range to look to for a mid-size printer. Highly recommend Anycubic's M5S printers too!
I've never actually come across anyone else who enjoys SUNLU ABS-Like. It's literally the only thing I print with.
Just ordered me some. Elegoo water washable prints nice, but man is it brittle.
YES!
I've been waiting for this video! hahaha, I already ordered both the printer and the heater, but I like your videos and reviews a lot, let's see if I don't regret the purchase lol, I'll edit if I have anything to add after the video x"D
I hope you found it not too painful a viewing experience haha
Post a new comment or a reply when you're ready, otherwise I won't see it if it's an edit
@@OnceinaSixSide I finally got to seeing It, got busy out of the blue yesterday lol
I love that you added some of the problems you can encounter (like the plate not being leveled and the "auto - level" failing) and gave some answers on how to actually solve them, ngl I was a bit worried from all the failure posts I kept seeing in reddit an started to wonder if I made a mistake lol
Buf I feel kinda relieved after the video haha, I know that the tilt thingie might be a hit or miss and it's another posible mechanical failure but I like trying new tech and I kinda wanted a faster print to faster prototype some figures I want to model :)
So let's see when it arrives so I can put it beside my trusty Photon S
Thanks a lot for the video, and as always, amazing work :)
@@EkaitzHonuchPrieto Holy shit if you're still using a Photon S you are gonna be blown away haha. Happy printing!
You can also do the tank cleaning by using some broken off supports. Put the flat bottom on the FEP, expose and voila! Paper looks like it works great though, that's new to me as well
That was his go to before he was thankful the paper meant he didn't have to keep any support pieces around.
@MikeyBCook missed that part, thanks! I do indeed have a pile of old supports haha.
I absolutely love this printer. There is just one thing. It is so much more frustrating to clean that it needs to be due to the design of the build plate. Like what is up. I feel like luke trying to destroy the deathstar while I am trying to scrape resin off the top of the plate without getting resin everywhere.
I'm an engineer, 99% of the time I do not require extreme levels of accuracy from a consumer level 3D printer. I only make basic fit test models, actual, proper functional prototyping is strictly for CNC or the tolerances would be massively off.
I got one too! Mine just showed up monday. I had to buy mine though
Pro tools does resin calibration without the faff and you can label each exposure test with the exposure value - not convinced they've made it a lot easier yet!
I have the ultra 3 and ultra 4 - I wish elegoo would allow you to order the ultra with a green hood - looks so nice
This printer is worth it to me just for the reduced pulling forces the tilting vat gives. But yes, the build plate and self leveling is bad.
awesome video btw... At 35 minute mark you say how you spent a little bit of time in blender to add numbers. I am at that point and just DL blender and it isnt that easy to add numbers. I got a 1 on it, rotating and it is all over the place. struggling to get it aligned correctly so I can then make it taller (extrude?). You started to show it which got me that far, and I was curious when were you going to do your next video on that part?
Your video got me to do this boxes in boxes as a test print and it came out great. I then did a full build plate of minis but some people say they could be better, hence wanting to do the calibration as you list.
I loved this video man. Lots of useful information. I went ahead and ordered a chitu heater for my saturn 4 ultra, ive had a few prints get stuck to the vat. Not sure why just yet as im brand new to this stuff. Not sure if it was a leveling thing or exposure time on my print. I actually have quite a few questions but yeah for one what is the sheet your pulling out of the vat at 1:22:59?
I got a brewer's belt because of your heater video. Turns out it worked TOO well, I had prints warping and failing.
Turns out it was heating the resin to about 35C. I'm also in winter in NZ. just got the Saturn 4 ultra, Turns out after the printer runs for 20 minutes, the resin get heated to about 26C, which is just about the ideal printing temp for the elegoo abs like resin I'm using.
Be sure to include a good quality paint scraper in your comparison video. My SV-08 came with one of those spatulas and it seems to have its uses but I do prefer the sharp-but-not-too-sharp paint scraper since it is very tough and can be used as a jack hammer on very tough prints, plus is dead simple to clean up.
I agree that the build plate design is problematic, but if you print job after job using the same resin, there is no compelling reason to clear the build plate. Still a problem with handling between jobs, but as you mentioned, a tray will simplify that quite a bit. It does spill a lot of resin and for the first time I've found myself recovering some of it between jobs. My resin of choice? Sunlu ABS-like. Using super-clean rinse methods and air drying before curing, I've never had such great results.
100% not too big a deal if never changing our resin, just extra messy vs other build plates but completely manageable with a little extra care and patience.
just commenting to support my fellow auzzie!
Great video. Here have done some fdm printing. And wondering which machine you would recommend? Also one suggestion, if you can increase the lighting a little that would help with viewing experience.
I think for a 10" it's either the M5s Pro or the Saturn 4 Ultra. Or for 6", it's gotta be Photon Mono II or Saturn 5 Ultra. I personally recommend dipping your toe into resin printing with a 6" machine - the user experience is better with smaller machines, and it gets worse the larger you go.
I tihnk the autolevel-buildplate-thingie, is due to the lever action of the fep - I have a feeling that there is a non-zero change that the surface will be at the exact same spot after every cycle, like it would be for a static glass surface
So it's been a few months, and since then, Elegoo has released an update for the printer allowing us to manually level the build plate. Have you looked into to this to see if it makes a difference or do you think it's just BS?
You could modify your extraction adaptor to allow the power lead for the heater to pass thru.
Good plan!
Live in Texas, that is typical winter temps for us too. Hitting 0C aka 32F or lower causes mass panic!
I'd be super interested in a comparison in pull forces between this and the non-ultra. To investigate if the tilt allows for less/lighter supports
Levelling is the number one thing I see new users blame pretty much any print failure on. A print fails, and their first assumption is levelling issue, and the first thing they do is re-level. From that perspective, I can see auto-levelling as an extremely attractive feature - for those users it seems like its going to solve a huge number of their issues.
But i'm in the same boat as you - I've never had an issue levelling, and once my plate is level I usually don't have to re-level for months. Frankly, I trust myself to level a plate manually more than I trust an auto-levelling system to not fail.
Question I cant find an answer to yet is, do you still need to worry about suction with the rotating vat? I would guess suction is less of an issue, but potentially still present?
Looking at getting this printer. I see that last month there was an update adding manual leveling to the software. Have you had a chance to review that and see how good or bad it is?
I recently bought a Saturn 3 Ultra over the 4 Ultra because of the auto leveling build plate. When you do 3 or 4 prints in a day, the cleanup needs to be as quick as possible. The 4 Ultra would be incredible if it had a manual leveling build plate, and get rid of the camera. Price point could be $100 cheaper too. I would also like to see VAT heaters become popular.
Let's GOOOO so excited to watch this!
I haven't gotten to try my S4U yet but I will probably only use it for miniatures or statues and use a filament printer for prototyping and cosplay. I'm not too worried about the self leveling problems. However this is my first resin printer so I hope my experience is good.