This review is live and will be updated as I print more with this printer. If you have questions or request for some information/opinions, let me know and I will add an edit to this review.
Edit 1/13/21:
- Added picture showing the printed error in a part when sliced with Photon Workshop v2.1.24. I was incorrect and the error wasn't exclusively caused by Photon Workshop. The file had an error and Photon workshop did not warn about. Same part was sliced in Chitubox with no issue and "heals" the part automatically, also without any warning to user.
- I loaded this same file in Lychee and received numerous error notifications about part not being manifold and has a hole. There is a heal/fix mesh option in this software. I did not pursue printing the part after healing using Lychee due to Chitubox working flawlessly with this part.
- Shortly after my 1/1/21 update, Chitubox came out with a v1.8 BETA download which includes slicing for the new Anycubic Mono printers. I have printed a few files so far and have had no issues. I have no need to use Photon Workshop anymore, or to pursue using Lychee.
- Highly recommend using Chitubox v1.8 BETA for all of your slicing for this printer!
Edit 1/1/21:
- Decreased bottom exposure time to 15 seconds and increased bottom layer to 8.
- Around 150hrs of total print time, I finally replaced the FEP film after continual degradation of film in center area. I believe this started when I was printing large parts flat to the build plate. Your mileage may vary. I have not kept a record of printing time on my Elegoo Mars printers, so I don't know if this is short or average time before replacing. I can only say that I am ok with 150hrs before replacement.
- Yellow cover is still perfectly fine with no crazing at all.
- Printed a couple tall pieces almost to max build height with no issues or layer shifting.
- See 1/13/21 Update: New Major complaint: Photon workshop software v2.1.24 that is used for this printer has a major flaw that unfortunately is inconsistent to experience. In 3 files I have tried to print so far, the Photon Workshop added artifacts to my sliced model that do not exist in Chitubox sliced files for my Mars printers. These artifacts are areas that print a solid wall from the first to last layer of the parts ruining your parts. I have included a picture that shows the sliced versions between the two software. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the physical parts at the time I printed. Use caution when slicing and always double check before printing! You can open your pwmx file in workshop and use the slider at the bottom to go through all the layers of the print. These artifacts print on every layer, so they are easy to see when checking for them. This is not a printer problem but a slicing software issue. Anycubic needs to update their software, no new updates have been released since late October 2020.
- I have read on some forums that people have used Lychee Slicer for their models, but I have not tried it yet. To my knowledge, this is the only alternative right now to Photon Workshop that slices pwmx files. Still no timeframe on when Chitubox will support this printer. Due to this artifact issue, I will be trying Lychee slicer soon for my models.
Edit 11/3/20:
- New settings at bottom of review
- Additional Pro: Fans turn off when not printing.
- Larger prints have failed for me using settings shown in the mini images. The lift speed was too high and part pulled off of the supports during printing. Larger prints require a slower lift speed. I have used 0.8-1mm/s for medium sized prints and down to 0.4mm/s for a full sized single part plate print.
- Received information from Anycubic support regarding some updated settings. They recommend increasing the lift distance for taller prints (up to 12mm), use a bottom exposure time of 5-6x your exposure time, if you reduce UV power by half you double exposure time, higher UV power will reduce life of your screen (no specifics or estimate times given).
- Added settings for Elegoo ABS-like Blue resin. 80% UV power, 1.8s exposure time.
- Printed a large part in Elegoo ABS-like Blue resin that was a smooth part but clear noticeable layer like lines showed up in the part (surface was ok). Since then I have used anti-alias setting of 8 for all of my parts. I did not reprint the original for comparison but I have not noticed any issues with any other parts since using 8 setting.
- I have seen posts around forums showing the yellow cover crazing over time, current theory is that resin fumes cause it. I have not had this issue yet. I still have the plastic wrap around the cover and my printer is in a closet.
I ordered this printer because I wanted a larger build volume and to experience a monochrome screen. I have used a regular Anycubic Photon, currently have and use a Photon S, as well as 4 Elegoo Mars printers for my printing business.
The Mono X is upgraded with a 4k monochrome LCD screen, which means an upgraded resolution screen while increasing build volume. Meaning that the detail resolution of prints (XY resolution) has been maintained from the older/smaller model printers. So, you can build a larger volume while maintaining the same fine detail as other printers.
So far, I am extremely impressed with this printer. Just as easy to assemble as the other printers I have. Interface is mostly the same between these printers, except for now having an adjustment for UV power, and recommended settings from Anycubic work, so you can get printing right away. Print quality is just as good as the older models and build volume is much greater. Definitely recommend if in your price range.
Setup/Assembly
Setup to print takes about 10min if you follow the instructions. One note: remove the film over the LCD screen before printing. This is not mentioned in the instructions but is detailed in a video on the Anycubic youtube page.
The wi-fi is a little more involved to setup. You can scan a QR code in the instructions that will bring you to a download page for the app. For android, it’s a link on Anycubics website that would not work for me. So, I used my desktop to download the APK file, transferred file to phone, then installed from there. Next, there is a wi-fi text file on the provided USB stick that you have to add your wi-fi network information to. Unfortunately, neither the network name nor password can contain special characters. After that, put the USB stick into your printer and “print” the file. On the printer, in the System -> Info section at the bottom it will show the steps the printer is taking to connect to the network in the “IP:” row. When that is successful, take the IP number, open the app on your phone, go to User -> Device List and add your printer type, name, the IP number from the printer, then hit confirm. Note: Printer and phone have to be on the same wi-fi to work.
The app is pretty neat, and you can start/stop printing, adjust print settings and check printing status on it. I have my printers in a closet, so this is somewhat handy to be able to check the status of the print session.
Printer Design/Construction Opinions
I really liked the Elegoo Mars shroud/cover vs the Anycubic Photon design with solid walls and a swing door, and I am very happy that the Mono X has a shroud design. I especially like that the cover is yellow and easy to see into vs the Mars dark red color. Anycubic also added a sensor on this printer to detect if the shroud is on or not. If the setting is enabled and the shroud is removed, printing will pause. To enable this setting, to the Tools page on the printer and hit the lock icon, which by default is unlocked and this shroud detection is disabled.
The USB plug is now in an easier to reach location, on the right side but now very close to the front of the printer. The Photon has it also on the right side but it’s closer to the back of the printer, the Mars has the USB in the back of the printer.
The touchscreen is still nice, snappy and accurate. General layout of menu is relatively unchanged from the Photon, with a few new settings, like shroud detection and UV power adjustment.
The body of the printer is metal and I really like the aesthetics of it. I like a metal look and the Z-axis rails are unpainted metal, along with the build plate. I like the industrial look. Plus, with all of the metal this printer not only looks sturdy but feels it too when you move it around.
Speaking of the Z-axis rails, this design has a dual rail design, like the Photon S, for additional stability while printing, especially for taller models.
Settings
Prior to receiving the printer, I asked Anycubic support for recommended settings for 0.05mm layer height. Here is what they provided.
Updated as of 11/3/20
UV Power: 80%
Exposure time: 1.5s
or
UV Power: 40%
Exposure time: 3s
Bottom Layer Count: 6
Bottom Exposure time: 40s
Light Off Delay: 0.5s
Lifting distance: 8mm
Lifting speed: 120mm/min
Retract speed: 180mm/min
**See Printing section for update to exposure time for my setup.**
SEE EDIT 1/13/21 for notes on slicer software:
I am using Anycubics slicer Photon Workshop now for printing. I use Chitubox for my other printers and I am used to that, but the Mono X is not supported in there yet. According to Anycubic support, it is in the works.
The Photon Workshop is pretty straightforward to use if you have used slicing software before. Unlike Chitubox, there is no big “Slice” button in Photon Workshop. I will embarrassingly admit that it took me a while to figure out how to do it in Workshop, and it’s the big teal colored button on the left side of the screen that looks like stacks of paper.
Print Speeds
Settings and print times can be a little tricky to compare but I will try my best. My current printing profiles for my Mars printers and Mono X are at the bottom of this review. At those settings, the Mars will print a 43.68mm height mini in 3hr18min, Mono X will print in 2hr 44min. If the Z lift height is reduced to 5mm in the Mono X profile to match the Mars lift, then Mono X will print this file in 1hr58min.
If I took the Mars profile and matched everything but the exposure time to the Mono X profile, then the Mars would print in 3hr42min vs the 2hr44min of the Mono X. That is about a 25% reduction in time to print the same model. This reduction will only improve with taller models being printed.
As you can tell, it’s not just the exposure time that has an impact to the print speed.
When suppliers say Monochrome screens can print 2-3x faster, that is technically true. The resin is cured/printed much faster, 1.5/2s vs ~8s on older models, but that does not factor in the mechanical aspect of printing and that is the lift height, lift speed and retract speed before/after each layer is printed.
I have seen a lift speed of 240mm/min recommended before for 0.05mm layer heights, but that is double than what I am printing at now on the Mono X and 2.4x the speed of the Mars/Photons. If that does work, changing that in my Mono X profile will print the 43.68mm height model in 2hr9min vs. 2hr44min with current 120mm/min setting. That alone would be a 21% reduction in printing time. Plan on testing this in the future.
Note: Lifting/retract speeds and lift distance will likely have to be adjusted for parts with small supports, different layer height, or larger base prints.
Printing
One of the reasons I bought this printer is for the larger build volume. The Mono X volume is 192mm (7.56in) x 120mm (4.72in) x 245mm (9.65in).
For reference, the original Photon is 115mm (4.53in) x 65mm (2.56in) x 165mm (6.50in).
To get printing, open your STL/OBJ file in Photon Workshop, slice your model to the new .pwmx format, load it onto the USB stick, plug it into the printer and start printing.
After printing a “resinxp2-validationmatrix-200701-1.stl” file a couple of times at different exposure times, I found that 1.5s worked a little better for my resin vs 2s and above. I think with my settings at 100% UV power this is still slightly over-exposed and may be able to go down to 1-1.25s. Or use 1.5s with lower UV power. I will add it to the list to test. For reference, I am using Siraya Tech Fast grey at 20C.
Alternatively, you can print the RERF file provided on the USB stick but that uses up more resin than this file.
See comparison photos in this review for same mini printed on the Mono X vs the Photon S.
Note: When a print is completed, use caution when removing the build plate from the printer. Unless you wait a while after printing, there will be resin on the top of the build plate that hasn’t dripped off yet. My first time removing the plate, I dripped a large amount of resin onto the floor and soaked a paper towel that I rested the plate onto so I could remove the part. I recommend either waiting to remove the build plate, or carefully removing the plate and keep it above the VAT and tilt at an angle to allow some resin to drip off before moving it to a table to remove the part.
Price vs Competition
To my knowledge and research, there is no other 4k resin printer available with this build volume as of October 22, 2020 that is sub $1k. The closest I can find is the Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k, but that has a similar build volume to the regular Photon.
The Elegoo Saturn will be released at some point which will be a direct competitor to this printer, 4k monochrome, same base XY dimensions, but the Mono X has an additional 45mm of Z-axis height.
Summary
Positives/Pros:
• Easy to assemble and level.
• Has a MAX fill line inside of VAT.
• Metal construction. Printer feels, looks and is sturdy.
• Has app functionality via wi-fi.
• 4k Monochrome LCD.
• Dual Z-axis rails for improved stability.
• Large build volume of 192mm (7.56in) x 120mm (4.72in) x 245mm (9.65in).
• Comes with accessories like the regular Photon/Mars (gloves, mask, scrapers (plastic + metal), extra hardware, tools).
• Yellow cover looks nice and can also see inside of printer much better than the dark red on the Elegoo Mars and the solid walls + swing door on the Photon.
• USB plug location has been relocated closer to the front of the printer on the right side. Still not ideal, which would be on the front of the printer, but much better than the location on the Mars (back of printer) and the Photon (right side but closer to back of the printer).
Minor Complaints:
• Wish the build plate was angled more. A lot of resin drips off the top of the plate unless you let it sit for a while after done printing.
• To connect printer to your wi-fi, network name and password cannot have any special characters.
Major Complaints:
• Anycubic Photon Workshop v2.1.24 has a bug that adds artifacts to sliced models which causes walls to be added to parts that extend from the base of the supports to the top of the part being printed. This ruins prints and unfortunately Anycubic has not updated their slicing software since late October 2020. No issue with slicing same model in Chitubox for Elegoo Mars printers. This is not a printer issue but a slicing software issue. If this occurs, you will have to rely on 3rd party software for slicing.
Plan on testing in the future:
• Different UV power settings. Finding profiles at 60% / 40% power.
• Profile for standard Elegoo resin (Black, Red, Green).
• Profile for ABS-like Elegoo resin (Red).
• Profile for Siraya Tech Fast resin (White).
• Profile for standard Anycubic resin (Green).
• Profile for 0.025/0.03mm layer height.
• Test Lychee software for slicing and check for artifacts in sliced model.
Testing completed:
• Test different Anti-alias settings.
• Test different lift speeds
• Different UV power settings. Finding profiles at 80%
• Print models that use up more of build volume.
My Settings for Mono X as of 1/1/21
Resin: Siraya Tech Fast grey
Temp: 20C
UV Power: 80%
Layer height: 0.05mm
Bottom Layer Count: 8
Exposure time: 1.5s
Bottom Exposure time: 15s
Light Off Delay: 0.5s
Lifting distance: 5-8mm (depending on size of part)
Lifting speed: 60mm/min (120mm/min for minis, 60mm/min for medium size, 24mm/min for full plate parts)
Retract speed: 180mm/min
Anti-alias: 8
Other resin settings
Elegoo ABS-like Blue: 80% UV power, 1.8s exposure
My Settings for Mars/Photon
Resin: Siraya Tech Fast grey
Temp: 20C
Layer height: 0.05mm
Bottom Layer Count: 4
Exposure time: 8s
Bottom Exposure time: 50s
Light Off Delay: 0s
Bottom Lift distance: 5mm
Lifting distance: 5mm
Bottom lift speed: 90mm/min
Lifting speed: 100mm/min
Retract speed: 150mm/min
Anti-alias: Never used
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ANYCUBIC Resin 3D Printer, Photon M3 Max SLA LCD UV Resin Printers with 13.6'' 7K Mono Screen, Smart Resin Filler, Large 3D Printing Size 11.7'' x 6.5'' x 11.81''
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ANYCUBIC Photon M3 Max Resin 3D Printer and LCD 3D Printer Accessories Tool Kits$828.98 $977.98This bundle contains 2 items -
ANYCUBIC Photon M3 Max and Multifunctional 3D Models Painting Set, Resin 3D Printer Bundles$845.98 $989.98This bundle contains 2 items -
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This Item  ANYCUBIC Resin 3D Printer, Photon M3 Max SLA LCD UV Resin Printers with 13.6'' 7K Mono Screen, Smart Resin Filler, Large 3D Printing Size 11.7'' x 6.5'' x 11.81'' |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $909.99 | $339.99 | $719.99 | $849.99 | $849.99 | $390.99 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
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| For beginners | ||||||
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| Easy to use | ||||||
| Touch Screen | ||||||
| Sold By | ANYCUBIC Official Store | ANYCUBIC Official Store | ELEGOO Official US | Uniformation Official Store | Xunxin 3D Printing Official US | ELEGOO Official US |
| compatible material | Resin | Resin | Resin | Resin | Resin | Resin |
| file format | STL | GIF | STL | STL | — | STL |
| material | Resin | Metal | Aluminum | Metal | Ceramic,Resin | Aluminum |
| power consumption | 120 watts | 80 watts | — | 130 watts | — | — |
| operating system | Linux | Windows 7 | Computer | Linux | — | Linux |
| printing technology | SLA | SLA | — | — | — | DLP |
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Product Description
ANYCUBIC Largest Resin 3D Printer--Photon M3 Max
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Upgraded Printing PlatformANYCUBIC Photon M3 series uses a laser engraving printing platform to reduce surface unevenness, enhance adhesion and improve your success rate. |
Improve Detail PrintingWith High precision ball screw Z axis rail, Photon M3 Max large 3d Printer can provide well detailed printing experience. |
Anti-scratch ProtectorPhoton M3 MAX comes with anti-scratch film to protect the 13.6'' 7K Monochrome screen, which can prevent the damage by resin leakage. |
Print Anytime without Worrying about out of Resin When Printing
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| Photon M3 | Photon Mono X 6Ks | Wash and Cure Plus | Water-wash Resin + | UV Tough Resin | Plant-based Resin | |
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| Customer Reviews |
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1,848
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| Price | — | $259.98 | — | $27.99 | $49.99 | $28.99 |
| Material | 405 nm UV Resin | 405 nm UV Resin | 365nm-405nm | 365nm-405nm | 355nm-410nm | |
| LCD Type | 7.6'' Mono Screen | 9.1'' Mono Screen | ||||
| XY Resolution | 4096 x 2560 (4K+) | 5760 x 3600 (6k) | ||||
| Build Area | 6.45" ×4.03" x7.08" | 7.7'' x 4.8'' x 7.8'' | ||||
| Max Printing Speed | 50mm/h | 60mm/h |
Reviews with images
Large Format Resin Printer, Same Great Quality
This review is live and will be updated as I print more with this printer. If you have questions or request for some information/opinions, let me know and I will add an edit to this review.Edit 1/13/21:- Added picture showing the printed error in a part when sliced with Photon Workshop v2.1.24. I was incorrect and the error wasn't exclusively caused by Photon Workshop. The file had an error and Photon workshop did not warn about. Same part was sliced in Chitubox with no issue and "heals" the part automatically, also without any warning to user.- I loaded this same file in Lychee and received numerous error notifications about part not being manifold and has a hole. There is a heal/fix mesh option in this software. I did not pursue printing the part after healing using Lychee due to Chitubox working flawlessly with this part.- Shortly after my 1/1/21 update, Chitubox came out with a v1.8 BETA download which includes slicing for the new Anycubic Mono printers. I have printed a few files so far and have had no issues. I have no need to use Photon Workshop anymore, or to pursue using Lychee.- Highly recommend using Chitubox v1.8 BETA for all of your slicing for this printer!Edit 1/1/21:- Decreased bottom exposure time to 15 seconds and increased bottom layer to 8.- Around 150hrs of total print time, I finally replaced the FEP film after continual degradation of film in center area. I believe this started when I was printing large parts flat to the build plate. Your mileage may vary. I have not kept a record of printing time on my Elegoo Mars printers, so I don't know if this is short or average time before replacing. I can only say that I am ok with 150hrs before replacement.- Yellow cover is still perfectly fine with no crazing at all.- Printed a couple tall pieces almost to max build height with no issues or layer shifting.- See 1/13/21 Update: New Major complaint: Photon workshop software v2.1.24 that is used for this printer has a major flaw that unfortunately is inconsistent to experience. In 3 files I have tried to print so far, the Photon Workshop added artifacts to my sliced model that do not exist in Chitubox sliced files for my Mars printers. These artifacts are areas that print a solid wall from the first to last layer of the parts ruining your parts. I have included a picture that shows the sliced versions between the two software. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the physical parts at the time I printed. Use caution when slicing and always double check before printing! You can open your pwmx file in workshop and use the slider at the bottom to go through all the layers of the print. These artifacts print on every layer, so they are easy to see when checking for them. This is not a printer problem but a slicing software issue. Anycubic needs to update their software, no new updates have been released since late October 2020.- I have read on some forums that people have used Lychee Slicer for their models, but I have not tried it yet. To my knowledge, this is the only alternative right now to Photon Workshop that slices pwmx files. Still no timeframe on when Chitubox will support this printer. Due to this artifact issue, I will be trying Lychee slicer soon for my models.Edit 11/3/20:- New settings at bottom of review- Additional Pro: Fans turn off when not printing.- Larger prints have failed for me using settings shown in the mini images. The lift speed was too high and part pulled off of the supports during printing. Larger prints require a slower lift speed. I have used 0.8-1mm/s for medium sized prints and down to 0.4mm/s for a full sized single part plate print.- Received information from Anycubic support regarding some updated settings. They recommend increasing the lift distance for taller prints (up to 12mm), use a bottom exposure time of 5-6x your exposure time, if you reduce UV power by half you double exposure time, higher UV power will reduce life of your screen (no specifics or estimate times given).- Added settings for Elegoo ABS-like Blue resin. 80% UV power, 1.8s exposure time.- Printed a large part in Elegoo ABS-like Blue resin that was a smooth part but clear noticeable layer like lines showed up in the part (surface was ok). Since then I have used anti-alias setting of 8 for all of my parts. I did not reprint the original for comparison but I have not noticed any issues with any other parts since using 8 setting.- I have seen posts around forums showing the yellow cover crazing over time, current theory is that resin fumes cause it. I have not had this issue yet. I still have the plastic wrap around the cover and my printer is in a closet.I ordered this printer because I wanted a larger build volume and to experience a monochrome screen. I have used a regular Anycubic Photon, currently have and use a Photon S, as well as 4 Elegoo Mars printers for my printing business.The Mono X is upgraded with a 4k monochrome LCD screen, which means an upgraded resolution screen while increasing build volume. Meaning that the detail resolution of prints (XY resolution) has been maintained from the older/smaller model printers. So, you can build a larger volume while maintaining the same fine detail as other printers.So far, I am extremely impressed with this printer. Just as easy to assemble as the other printers I have. Interface is mostly the same between these printers, except for now having an adjustment for UV power, and recommended settings from Anycubic work, so you can get printing right away. Print quality is just as good as the older models and build volume is much greater. Definitely recommend if in your price range.Setup/AssemblySetup to print takes about 10min if you follow the instructions. One note: remove the film over the LCD screen before printing. This is not mentioned in the instructions but is detailed in a video on the Anycubic youtube page.The wi-fi is a little more involved to setup. You can scan a QR code in the instructions that will bring you to a download page for the app. For android, it’s a link on Anycubics website that would not work for me. So, I used my desktop to download the APK file, transferred file to phone, then installed from there. Next, there is a wi-fi text file on the provided USB stick that you have to add your wi-fi network information to. Unfortunately, neither the network name nor password can contain special characters. After that, put the USB stick into your printer and “print” the file. On the printer, in the System -> Info section at the bottom it will show the steps the printer is taking to connect to the network in the “IP:” row. When that is successful, take the IP number, open the app on your phone, go to User -> Device List and add your printer type, name, the IP number from the printer, then hit confirm. Note: Printer and phone have to be on the same wi-fi to work.The app is pretty neat, and you can start/stop printing, adjust print settings and check printing status on it. I have my printers in a closet, so this is somewhat handy to be able to check the status of the print session.Printer Design/Construction OpinionsI really liked the Elegoo Mars shroud/cover vs the Anycubic Photon design with solid walls and a swing door, and I am very happy that the Mono X has a shroud design. I especially like that the cover is yellow and easy to see into vs the Mars dark red color. Anycubic also added a sensor on this printer to detect if the shroud is on or not. If the setting is enabled and the shroud is removed, printing will pause. To enable this setting, to the Tools page on the printer and hit the lock icon, which by default is unlocked and this shroud detection is disabled.The USB plug is now in an easier to reach location, on the right side but now very close to the front of the printer. The Photon has it also on the right side but it’s closer to the back of the printer, the Mars has the USB in the back of the printer.The touchscreen is still nice, snappy and accurate. General layout of menu is relatively unchanged from the Photon, with a few new settings, like shroud detection and UV power adjustment.The body of the printer is metal and I really like the aesthetics of it. I like a metal look and the Z-axis rails are unpainted metal, along with the build plate. I like the industrial look. Plus, with all of the metal this printer not only looks sturdy but feels it too when you move it around.Speaking of the Z-axis rails, this design has a dual rail design, like the Photon S, for additional stability while printing, especially for taller models.SettingsPrior to receiving the printer, I asked Anycubic support for recommended settings for 0.05mm layer height. Here is what they provided.Updated as of 11/3/20UV Power: 80%Exposure time: 1.5sorUV Power: 40%Exposure time: 3sBottom Layer Count: 6Bottom Exposure time: 40sLight Off Delay: 0.5sLifting distance: 8mmLifting speed: 120mm/minRetract speed: 180mm/min**See Printing section for update to exposure time for my setup.**SEE EDIT 1/13/21 for notes on slicer software:I am using Anycubics slicer Photon Workshop now for printing. I use Chitubox for my other printers and I am used to that, but the Mono X is not supported in there yet. According to Anycubic support, it is in the works.The Photon Workshop is pretty straightforward to use if you have used slicing software before. Unlike Chitubox, there is no big “Slice” button in Photon Workshop. I will embarrassingly admit that it took me a while to figure out how to do it in Workshop, and it’s the big teal colored button on the left side of the screen that looks like stacks of paper.Print SpeedsSettings and print times can be a little tricky to compare but I will try my best. My current printing profiles for my Mars printers and Mono X are at the bottom of this review. At those settings, the Mars will print a 43.68mm height mini in 3hr18min, Mono X will print in 2hr 44min. If the Z lift height is reduced to 5mm in the Mono X profile to match the Mars lift, then Mono X will print this file in 1hr58min.If I took the Mars profile and matched everything but the exposure time to the Mono X profile, then the Mars would print in 3hr42min vs the 2hr44min of the Mono X. That is about a 25% reduction in time to print the same model. This reduction will only improve with taller models being printed.As you can tell, it’s not just the exposure time that has an impact to the print speed.When suppliers say Monochrome screens can print 2-3x faster, that is technically true. The resin is cured/printed much faster, 1.5/2s vs ~8s on older models, but that does not factor in the mechanical aspect of printing and that is the lift height, lift speed and retract speed before/after each layer is printed.I have seen a lift speed of 240mm/min recommended before for 0.05mm layer heights, but that is double than what I am printing at now on the Mono X and 2.4x the speed of the Mars/Photons. If that does work, changing that in my Mono X profile will print the 43.68mm height model in 2hr9min vs. 2hr44min with current 120mm/min setting. That alone would be a 21% reduction in printing time. Plan on testing this in the future.Note: Lifting/retract speeds and lift distance will likely have to be adjusted for parts with small supports, different layer height, or larger base prints.PrintingOne of the reasons I bought this printer is for the larger build volume. The Mono X volume is 192mm (7.56in) x 120mm (4.72in) x 245mm (9.65in).For reference, the original Photon is 115mm (4.53in) x 65mm (2.56in) x 165mm (6.50in).To get printing, open your STL/OBJ file in Photon Workshop, slice your model to the new .pwmx format, load it onto the USB stick, plug it into the printer and start printing.After printing a “resinxp2-validationmatrix-200701-1.stl” file a couple of times at different exposure times, I found that 1.5s worked a little better for my resin vs 2s and above. I think with my settings at 100% UV power this is still slightly over-exposed and may be able to go down to 1-1.25s. Or use 1.5s with lower UV power. I will add it to the list to test. For reference, I am using Siraya Tech Fast grey at 20C.Alternatively, you can print the RERF file provided on the USB stick but that uses up more resin than this file.See comparison photos in this review for same mini printed on the Mono X vs the Photon S.Note: When a print is completed, use caution when removing the build plate from the printer. Unless you wait a while after printing, there will be resin on the top of the build plate that hasn’t dripped off yet. My first time removing the plate, I dripped a large amount of resin onto the floor and soaked a paper towel that I rested the plate onto so I could remove the part. I recommend either waiting to remove the build plate, or carefully removing the plate and keep it above the VAT and tilt at an angle to allow some resin to drip off before moving it to a table to remove the part.Price vs CompetitionTo my knowledge and research, there is no other 4k resin printer available with this build volume as of October 22, 2020 that is sub $1k. The closest I can find is the Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k, but that has a similar build volume to the regular Photon.The Elegoo Saturn will be released at some point which will be a direct competitor to this printer, 4k monochrome, same base XY dimensions, but the Mono X has an additional 45mm of Z-axis height.SummaryPositives/Pros:• Easy to assemble and level.• Has a MAX fill line inside of VAT.• Metal construction. Printer feels, looks and is sturdy.• Has app functionality via wi-fi.• 4k Monochrome LCD.• Dual Z-axis rails for improved stability.• Large build volume of 192mm (7.56in) x 120mm (4.72in) x 245mm (9.65in).• Comes with accessories like the regular Photon/Mars (gloves, mask, scrapers (plastic + metal), extra hardware, tools).• Yellow cover looks nice and can also see inside of printer much better than the dark red on the Elegoo Mars and the solid walls + swing door on the Photon.• USB plug location has been relocated closer to the front of the printer on the right side. Still not ideal, which would be on the front of the printer, but much better than the location on the Mars (back of printer) and the Photon (right side but closer to back of the printer).Minor Complaints:• Wish the build plate was angled more. A lot of resin drips off the top of the plate unless you let it sit for a while after done printing.• To connect printer to your wi-fi, network name and password cannot have any special characters.Major Complaints:• Anycubic Photon Workshop v2.1.24 has a bug that adds artifacts to sliced models which causes walls to be added to parts that extend from the base of the supports to the top of the part being printed. This ruins prints and unfortunately Anycubic has not updated their slicing software since late October 2020. No issue with slicing same model in Chitubox for Elegoo Mars printers. This is not a printer issue but a slicing software issue. If this occurs, you will have to rely on 3rd party software for slicing.Plan on testing in the future:• Different UV power settings. Finding profiles at 60% / 40% power.• Profile for standard Elegoo resin (Black, Red, Green).• Profile for ABS-like Elegoo resin (Red).• Profile for Siraya Tech Fast resin (White).• Profile for standard Anycubic resin (Green).• Profile for 0.025/0.03mm layer height.• Test Lychee software for slicing and check for artifacts in sliced model.Testing completed:• Test different Anti-alias settings.• Test different lift speeds• Different UV power settings. Finding profiles at 80%• Print models that use up more of build volume.My Settings for Mono X as of 1/1/21Resin: Siraya Tech Fast greyTemp: 20CUV Power: 80%Layer height: 0.05mmBottom Layer Count: 8Exposure time: 1.5sBottom Exposure time: 15sLight Off Delay: 0.5sLifting distance: 5-8mm (depending on size of part)Lifting speed: 60mm/min (120mm/min for minis, 60mm/min for medium size, 24mm/min for full plate parts)Retract speed: 180mm/minAnti-alias: 8Other resin settingsElegoo ABS-like Blue: 80% UV power, 1.8s exposureMy Settings for Mars/PhotonResin: Siraya Tech Fast greyTemp: 20CLayer height: 0.05mmBottom Layer Count: 4Exposure time: 8sBottom Exposure time: 50sLight Off Delay: 0sBottom Lift distance: 5mmLifting distance: 5mmBottom lift speed: 90mm/minLifting speed: 100mm/minRetract speed: 150mm/minAnti-alias: Never used
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Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2020
Edit 1/13/21:
- Added picture showing the printed error in a part when sliced with Photon Workshop v2.1.24. I was incorrect and the error wasn't exclusively caused by Photon Workshop. The file had an error and Photon workshop did not warn about. Same part was sliced in Chitubox with no issue and "heals" the part automatically, also without any warning to user.
- I loaded this same file in Lychee and received numerous error notifications about part not being manifold and has a hole. There is a heal/fix mesh option in this software. I did not pursue printing the part after healing using Lychee due to Chitubox working flawlessly with this part.
- Shortly after my 1/1/21 update, Chitubox came out with a v1.8 BETA download which includes slicing for the new Anycubic Mono printers. I have printed a few files so far and have had no issues. I have no need to use Photon Workshop anymore, or to pursue using Lychee.
- Highly recommend using Chitubox v1.8 BETA for all of your slicing for this printer!
Edit 1/1/21:
- Decreased bottom exposure time to 15 seconds and increased bottom layer to 8.
- Around 150hrs of total print time, I finally replaced the FEP film after continual degradation of film in center area. I believe this started when I was printing large parts flat to the build plate. Your mileage may vary. I have not kept a record of printing time on my Elegoo Mars printers, so I don't know if this is short or average time before replacing. I can only say that I am ok with 150hrs before replacement.
- Yellow cover is still perfectly fine with no crazing at all.
- Printed a couple tall pieces almost to max build height with no issues or layer shifting.
- See 1/13/21 Update: New Major complaint: Photon workshop software v2.1.24 that is used for this printer has a major flaw that unfortunately is inconsistent to experience. In 3 files I have tried to print so far, the Photon Workshop added artifacts to my sliced model that do not exist in Chitubox sliced files for my Mars printers. These artifacts are areas that print a solid wall from the first to last layer of the parts ruining your parts. I have included a picture that shows the sliced versions between the two software. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the physical parts at the time I printed. Use caution when slicing and always double check before printing! You can open your pwmx file in workshop and use the slider at the bottom to go through all the layers of the print. These artifacts print on every layer, so they are easy to see when checking for them. This is not a printer problem but a slicing software issue. Anycubic needs to update their software, no new updates have been released since late October 2020.
- I have read on some forums that people have used Lychee Slicer for their models, but I have not tried it yet. To my knowledge, this is the only alternative right now to Photon Workshop that slices pwmx files. Still no timeframe on when Chitubox will support this printer. Due to this artifact issue, I will be trying Lychee slicer soon for my models.
Edit 11/3/20:
- New settings at bottom of review
- Additional Pro: Fans turn off when not printing.
- Larger prints have failed for me using settings shown in the mini images. The lift speed was too high and part pulled off of the supports during printing. Larger prints require a slower lift speed. I have used 0.8-1mm/s for medium sized prints and down to 0.4mm/s for a full sized single part plate print.
- Received information from Anycubic support regarding some updated settings. They recommend increasing the lift distance for taller prints (up to 12mm), use a bottom exposure time of 5-6x your exposure time, if you reduce UV power by half you double exposure time, higher UV power will reduce life of your screen (no specifics or estimate times given).
- Added settings for Elegoo ABS-like Blue resin. 80% UV power, 1.8s exposure time.
- Printed a large part in Elegoo ABS-like Blue resin that was a smooth part but clear noticeable layer like lines showed up in the part (surface was ok). Since then I have used anti-alias setting of 8 for all of my parts. I did not reprint the original for comparison but I have not noticed any issues with any other parts since using 8 setting.
- I have seen posts around forums showing the yellow cover crazing over time, current theory is that resin fumes cause it. I have not had this issue yet. I still have the plastic wrap around the cover and my printer is in a closet.
I ordered this printer because I wanted a larger build volume and to experience a monochrome screen. I have used a regular Anycubic Photon, currently have and use a Photon S, as well as 4 Elegoo Mars printers for my printing business.
The Mono X is upgraded with a 4k monochrome LCD screen, which means an upgraded resolution screen while increasing build volume. Meaning that the detail resolution of prints (XY resolution) has been maintained from the older/smaller model printers. So, you can build a larger volume while maintaining the same fine detail as other printers.
So far, I am extremely impressed with this printer. Just as easy to assemble as the other printers I have. Interface is mostly the same between these printers, except for now having an adjustment for UV power, and recommended settings from Anycubic work, so you can get printing right away. Print quality is just as good as the older models and build volume is much greater. Definitely recommend if in your price range.
Setup/Assembly
Setup to print takes about 10min if you follow the instructions. One note: remove the film over the LCD screen before printing. This is not mentioned in the instructions but is detailed in a video on the Anycubic youtube page.
The wi-fi is a little more involved to setup. You can scan a QR code in the instructions that will bring you to a download page for the app. For android, it’s a link on Anycubics website that would not work for me. So, I used my desktop to download the APK file, transferred file to phone, then installed from there. Next, there is a wi-fi text file on the provided USB stick that you have to add your wi-fi network information to. Unfortunately, neither the network name nor password can contain special characters. After that, put the USB stick into your printer and “print” the file. On the printer, in the System -> Info section at the bottom it will show the steps the printer is taking to connect to the network in the “IP:” row. When that is successful, take the IP number, open the app on your phone, go to User -> Device List and add your printer type, name, the IP number from the printer, then hit confirm. Note: Printer and phone have to be on the same wi-fi to work.
The app is pretty neat, and you can start/stop printing, adjust print settings and check printing status on it. I have my printers in a closet, so this is somewhat handy to be able to check the status of the print session.
Printer Design/Construction Opinions
I really liked the Elegoo Mars shroud/cover vs the Anycubic Photon design with solid walls and a swing door, and I am very happy that the Mono X has a shroud design. I especially like that the cover is yellow and easy to see into vs the Mars dark red color. Anycubic also added a sensor on this printer to detect if the shroud is on or not. If the setting is enabled and the shroud is removed, printing will pause. To enable this setting, to the Tools page on the printer and hit the lock icon, which by default is unlocked and this shroud detection is disabled.
The USB plug is now in an easier to reach location, on the right side but now very close to the front of the printer. The Photon has it also on the right side but it’s closer to the back of the printer, the Mars has the USB in the back of the printer.
The touchscreen is still nice, snappy and accurate. General layout of menu is relatively unchanged from the Photon, with a few new settings, like shroud detection and UV power adjustment.
The body of the printer is metal and I really like the aesthetics of it. I like a metal look and the Z-axis rails are unpainted metal, along with the build plate. I like the industrial look. Plus, with all of the metal this printer not only looks sturdy but feels it too when you move it around.
Speaking of the Z-axis rails, this design has a dual rail design, like the Photon S, for additional stability while printing, especially for taller models.
Settings
Prior to receiving the printer, I asked Anycubic support for recommended settings for 0.05mm layer height. Here is what they provided.
Updated as of 11/3/20
UV Power: 80%
Exposure time: 1.5s
or
UV Power: 40%
Exposure time: 3s
Bottom Layer Count: 6
Bottom Exposure time: 40s
Light Off Delay: 0.5s
Lifting distance: 8mm
Lifting speed: 120mm/min
Retract speed: 180mm/min
**See Printing section for update to exposure time for my setup.**
SEE EDIT 1/13/21 for notes on slicer software:
I am using Anycubics slicer Photon Workshop now for printing. I use Chitubox for my other printers and I am used to that, but the Mono X is not supported in there yet. According to Anycubic support, it is in the works.
The Photon Workshop is pretty straightforward to use if you have used slicing software before. Unlike Chitubox, there is no big “Slice” button in Photon Workshop. I will embarrassingly admit that it took me a while to figure out how to do it in Workshop, and it’s the big teal colored button on the left side of the screen that looks like stacks of paper.
Print Speeds
Settings and print times can be a little tricky to compare but I will try my best. My current printing profiles for my Mars printers and Mono X are at the bottom of this review. At those settings, the Mars will print a 43.68mm height mini in 3hr18min, Mono X will print in 2hr 44min. If the Z lift height is reduced to 5mm in the Mono X profile to match the Mars lift, then Mono X will print this file in 1hr58min.
If I took the Mars profile and matched everything but the exposure time to the Mono X profile, then the Mars would print in 3hr42min vs the 2hr44min of the Mono X. That is about a 25% reduction in time to print the same model. This reduction will only improve with taller models being printed.
As you can tell, it’s not just the exposure time that has an impact to the print speed.
When suppliers say Monochrome screens can print 2-3x faster, that is technically true. The resin is cured/printed much faster, 1.5/2s vs ~8s on older models, but that does not factor in the mechanical aspect of printing and that is the lift height, lift speed and retract speed before/after each layer is printed.
I have seen a lift speed of 240mm/min recommended before for 0.05mm layer heights, but that is double than what I am printing at now on the Mono X and 2.4x the speed of the Mars/Photons. If that does work, changing that in my Mono X profile will print the 43.68mm height model in 2hr9min vs. 2hr44min with current 120mm/min setting. That alone would be a 21% reduction in printing time. Plan on testing this in the future.
Note: Lifting/retract speeds and lift distance will likely have to be adjusted for parts with small supports, different layer height, or larger base prints.
Printing
One of the reasons I bought this printer is for the larger build volume. The Mono X volume is 192mm (7.56in) x 120mm (4.72in) x 245mm (9.65in).
For reference, the original Photon is 115mm (4.53in) x 65mm (2.56in) x 165mm (6.50in).
To get printing, open your STL/OBJ file in Photon Workshop, slice your model to the new .pwmx format, load it onto the USB stick, plug it into the printer and start printing.
After printing a “resinxp2-validationmatrix-200701-1.stl” file a couple of times at different exposure times, I found that 1.5s worked a little better for my resin vs 2s and above. I think with my settings at 100% UV power this is still slightly over-exposed and may be able to go down to 1-1.25s. Or use 1.5s with lower UV power. I will add it to the list to test. For reference, I am using Siraya Tech Fast grey at 20C.
Alternatively, you can print the RERF file provided on the USB stick but that uses up more resin than this file.
See comparison photos in this review for same mini printed on the Mono X vs the Photon S.
Note: When a print is completed, use caution when removing the build plate from the printer. Unless you wait a while after printing, there will be resin on the top of the build plate that hasn’t dripped off yet. My first time removing the plate, I dripped a large amount of resin onto the floor and soaked a paper towel that I rested the plate onto so I could remove the part. I recommend either waiting to remove the build plate, or carefully removing the plate and keep it above the VAT and tilt at an angle to allow some resin to drip off before moving it to a table to remove the part.
Price vs Competition
To my knowledge and research, there is no other 4k resin printer available with this build volume as of October 22, 2020 that is sub $1k. The closest I can find is the Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k, but that has a similar build volume to the regular Photon.
The Elegoo Saturn will be released at some point which will be a direct competitor to this printer, 4k monochrome, same base XY dimensions, but the Mono X has an additional 45mm of Z-axis height.
Summary
Positives/Pros:
• Easy to assemble and level.
• Has a MAX fill line inside of VAT.
• Metal construction. Printer feels, looks and is sturdy.
• Has app functionality via wi-fi.
• 4k Monochrome LCD.
• Dual Z-axis rails for improved stability.
• Large build volume of 192mm (7.56in) x 120mm (4.72in) x 245mm (9.65in).
• Comes with accessories like the regular Photon/Mars (gloves, mask, scrapers (plastic + metal), extra hardware, tools).
• Yellow cover looks nice and can also see inside of printer much better than the dark red on the Elegoo Mars and the solid walls + swing door on the Photon.
• USB plug location has been relocated closer to the front of the printer on the right side. Still not ideal, which would be on the front of the printer, but much better than the location on the Mars (back of printer) and the Photon (right side but closer to back of the printer).
Minor Complaints:
• Wish the build plate was angled more. A lot of resin drips off the top of the plate unless you let it sit for a while after done printing.
• To connect printer to your wi-fi, network name and password cannot have any special characters.
Major Complaints:
• Anycubic Photon Workshop v2.1.24 has a bug that adds artifacts to sliced models which causes walls to be added to parts that extend from the base of the supports to the top of the part being printed. This ruins prints and unfortunately Anycubic has not updated their slicing software since late October 2020. No issue with slicing same model in Chitubox for Elegoo Mars printers. This is not a printer issue but a slicing software issue. If this occurs, you will have to rely on 3rd party software for slicing.
Plan on testing in the future:
• Different UV power settings. Finding profiles at 60% / 40% power.
• Profile for standard Elegoo resin (Black, Red, Green).
• Profile for ABS-like Elegoo resin (Red).
• Profile for Siraya Tech Fast resin (White).
• Profile for standard Anycubic resin (Green).
• Profile for 0.025/0.03mm layer height.
• Test Lychee software for slicing and check for artifacts in sliced model.
Testing completed:
• Test different Anti-alias settings.
• Test different lift speeds
• Different UV power settings. Finding profiles at 80%
• Print models that use up more of build volume.
My Settings for Mono X as of 1/1/21
Resin: Siraya Tech Fast grey
Temp: 20C
UV Power: 80%
Layer height: 0.05mm
Bottom Layer Count: 8
Exposure time: 1.5s
Bottom Exposure time: 15s
Light Off Delay: 0.5s
Lifting distance: 5-8mm (depending on size of part)
Lifting speed: 60mm/min (120mm/min for minis, 60mm/min for medium size, 24mm/min for full plate parts)
Retract speed: 180mm/min
Anti-alias: 8
Other resin settings
Elegoo ABS-like Blue: 80% UV power, 1.8s exposure
My Settings for Mars/Photon
Resin: Siraya Tech Fast grey
Temp: 20C
Layer height: 0.05mm
Bottom Layer Count: 4
Exposure time: 8s
Bottom Exposure time: 50s
Light Off Delay: 0s
Bottom Lift distance: 5mm
Lifting distance: 5mm
Bottom lift speed: 90mm/min
Lifting speed: 100mm/min
Retract speed: 150mm/min
Anti-alias: Never used
Large Format Resin Printer, Same Great Quality
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2020
This review is live and will be updated as I print more with this printer. If you have questions or request for some information/opinions, let me know and I will add an edit to this review.Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2020
Edit 1/13/21:
- Added picture showing the printed error in a part when sliced with Photon Workshop v2.1.24. I was incorrect and the error wasn't exclusively caused by Photon Workshop. The file had an error and Photon workshop did not warn about. Same part was sliced in Chitubox with no issue and "heals" the part automatically, also without any warning to user.
- I loaded this same file in Lychee and received numerous error notifications about part not being manifold and has a hole. There is a heal/fix mesh option in this software. I did not pursue printing the part after healing using Lychee due to Chitubox working flawlessly with this part.
- Shortly after my 1/1/21 update, Chitubox came out with a v1.8 BETA download which includes slicing for the new Anycubic Mono printers. I have printed a few files so far and have had no issues. I have no need to use Photon Workshop anymore, or to pursue using Lychee.
- Highly recommend using Chitubox v1.8 BETA for all of your slicing for this printer!
Edit 1/1/21:
- Decreased bottom exposure time to 15 seconds and increased bottom layer to 8.
- Around 150hrs of total print time, I finally replaced the FEP film after continual degradation of film in center area. I believe this started when I was printing large parts flat to the build plate. Your mileage may vary. I have not kept a record of printing time on my Elegoo Mars printers, so I don't know if this is short or average time before replacing. I can only say that I am ok with 150hrs before replacement.
- Yellow cover is still perfectly fine with no crazing at all.
- Printed a couple tall pieces almost to max build height with no issues or layer shifting.
- See 1/13/21 Update: New Major complaint: Photon workshop software v2.1.24 that is used for this printer has a major flaw that unfortunately is inconsistent to experience. In 3 files I have tried to print so far, the Photon Workshop added artifacts to my sliced model that do not exist in Chitubox sliced files for my Mars printers. These artifacts are areas that print a solid wall from the first to last layer of the parts ruining your parts. I have included a picture that shows the sliced versions between the two software. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the physical parts at the time I printed. Use caution when slicing and always double check before printing! You can open your pwmx file in workshop and use the slider at the bottom to go through all the layers of the print. These artifacts print on every layer, so they are easy to see when checking for them. This is not a printer problem but a slicing software issue. Anycubic needs to update their software, no new updates have been released since late October 2020.
- I have read on some forums that people have used Lychee Slicer for their models, but I have not tried it yet. To my knowledge, this is the only alternative right now to Photon Workshop that slices pwmx files. Still no timeframe on when Chitubox will support this printer. Due to this artifact issue, I will be trying Lychee slicer soon for my models.
Edit 11/3/20:
- New settings at bottom of review
- Additional Pro: Fans turn off when not printing.
- Larger prints have failed for me using settings shown in the mini images. The lift speed was too high and part pulled off of the supports during printing. Larger prints require a slower lift speed. I have used 0.8-1mm/s for medium sized prints and down to 0.4mm/s for a full sized single part plate print.
- Received information from Anycubic support regarding some updated settings. They recommend increasing the lift distance for taller prints (up to 12mm), use a bottom exposure time of 5-6x your exposure time, if you reduce UV power by half you double exposure time, higher UV power will reduce life of your screen (no specifics or estimate times given).
- Added settings for Elegoo ABS-like Blue resin. 80% UV power, 1.8s exposure time.
- Printed a large part in Elegoo ABS-like Blue resin that was a smooth part but clear noticeable layer like lines showed up in the part (surface was ok). Since then I have used anti-alias setting of 8 for all of my parts. I did not reprint the original for comparison but I have not noticed any issues with any other parts since using 8 setting.
- I have seen posts around forums showing the yellow cover crazing over time, current theory is that resin fumes cause it. I have not had this issue yet. I still have the plastic wrap around the cover and my printer is in a closet.
I ordered this printer because I wanted a larger build volume and to experience a monochrome screen. I have used a regular Anycubic Photon, currently have and use a Photon S, as well as 4 Elegoo Mars printers for my printing business.
The Mono X is upgraded with a 4k monochrome LCD screen, which means an upgraded resolution screen while increasing build volume. Meaning that the detail resolution of prints (XY resolution) has been maintained from the older/smaller model printers. So, you can build a larger volume while maintaining the same fine detail as other printers.
So far, I am extremely impressed with this printer. Just as easy to assemble as the other printers I have. Interface is mostly the same between these printers, except for now having an adjustment for UV power, and recommended settings from Anycubic work, so you can get printing right away. Print quality is just as good as the older models and build volume is much greater. Definitely recommend if in your price range.
Setup/Assembly
Setup to print takes about 10min if you follow the instructions. One note: remove the film over the LCD screen before printing. This is not mentioned in the instructions but is detailed in a video on the Anycubic youtube page.
The wi-fi is a little more involved to setup. You can scan a QR code in the instructions that will bring you to a download page for the app. For android, it’s a link on Anycubics website that would not work for me. So, I used my desktop to download the APK file, transferred file to phone, then installed from there. Next, there is a wi-fi text file on the provided USB stick that you have to add your wi-fi network information to. Unfortunately, neither the network name nor password can contain special characters. After that, put the USB stick into your printer and “print” the file. On the printer, in the System -> Info section at the bottom it will show the steps the printer is taking to connect to the network in the “IP:” row. When that is successful, take the IP number, open the app on your phone, go to User -> Device List and add your printer type, name, the IP number from the printer, then hit confirm. Note: Printer and phone have to be on the same wi-fi to work.
The app is pretty neat, and you can start/stop printing, adjust print settings and check printing status on it. I have my printers in a closet, so this is somewhat handy to be able to check the status of the print session.
Printer Design/Construction Opinions
I really liked the Elegoo Mars shroud/cover vs the Anycubic Photon design with solid walls and a swing door, and I am very happy that the Mono X has a shroud design. I especially like that the cover is yellow and easy to see into vs the Mars dark red color. Anycubic also added a sensor on this printer to detect if the shroud is on or not. If the setting is enabled and the shroud is removed, printing will pause. To enable this setting, to the Tools page on the printer and hit the lock icon, which by default is unlocked and this shroud detection is disabled.
The USB plug is now in an easier to reach location, on the right side but now very close to the front of the printer. The Photon has it also on the right side but it’s closer to the back of the printer, the Mars has the USB in the back of the printer.
The touchscreen is still nice, snappy and accurate. General layout of menu is relatively unchanged from the Photon, with a few new settings, like shroud detection and UV power adjustment.
The body of the printer is metal and I really like the aesthetics of it. I like a metal look and the Z-axis rails are unpainted metal, along with the build plate. I like the industrial look. Plus, with all of the metal this printer not only looks sturdy but feels it too when you move it around.
Speaking of the Z-axis rails, this design has a dual rail design, like the Photon S, for additional stability while printing, especially for taller models.
Settings
Prior to receiving the printer, I asked Anycubic support for recommended settings for 0.05mm layer height. Here is what they provided.
Updated as of 11/3/20
UV Power: 80%
Exposure time: 1.5s
or
UV Power: 40%
Exposure time: 3s
Bottom Layer Count: 6
Bottom Exposure time: 40s
Light Off Delay: 0.5s
Lifting distance: 8mm
Lifting speed: 120mm/min
Retract speed: 180mm/min
**See Printing section for update to exposure time for my setup.**
SEE EDIT 1/13/21 for notes on slicer software:
I am using Anycubics slicer Photon Workshop now for printing. I use Chitubox for my other printers and I am used to that, but the Mono X is not supported in there yet. According to Anycubic support, it is in the works.
The Photon Workshop is pretty straightforward to use if you have used slicing software before. Unlike Chitubox, there is no big “Slice” button in Photon Workshop. I will embarrassingly admit that it took me a while to figure out how to do it in Workshop, and it’s the big teal colored button on the left side of the screen that looks like stacks of paper.
Print Speeds
Settings and print times can be a little tricky to compare but I will try my best. My current printing profiles for my Mars printers and Mono X are at the bottom of this review. At those settings, the Mars will print a 43.68mm height mini in 3hr18min, Mono X will print in 2hr 44min. If the Z lift height is reduced to 5mm in the Mono X profile to match the Mars lift, then Mono X will print this file in 1hr58min.
If I took the Mars profile and matched everything but the exposure time to the Mono X profile, then the Mars would print in 3hr42min vs the 2hr44min of the Mono X. That is about a 25% reduction in time to print the same model. This reduction will only improve with taller models being printed.
As you can tell, it’s not just the exposure time that has an impact to the print speed.
When suppliers say Monochrome screens can print 2-3x faster, that is technically true. The resin is cured/printed much faster, 1.5/2s vs ~8s on older models, but that does not factor in the mechanical aspect of printing and that is the lift height, lift speed and retract speed before/after each layer is printed.
I have seen a lift speed of 240mm/min recommended before for 0.05mm layer heights, but that is double than what I am printing at now on the Mono X and 2.4x the speed of the Mars/Photons. If that does work, changing that in my Mono X profile will print the 43.68mm height model in 2hr9min vs. 2hr44min with current 120mm/min setting. That alone would be a 21% reduction in printing time. Plan on testing this in the future.
Note: Lifting/retract speeds and lift distance will likely have to be adjusted for parts with small supports, different layer height, or larger base prints.
Printing
One of the reasons I bought this printer is for the larger build volume. The Mono X volume is 192mm (7.56in) x 120mm (4.72in) x 245mm (9.65in).
For reference, the original Photon is 115mm (4.53in) x 65mm (2.56in) x 165mm (6.50in).
To get printing, open your STL/OBJ file in Photon Workshop, slice your model to the new .pwmx format, load it onto the USB stick, plug it into the printer and start printing.
After printing a “resinxp2-validationmatrix-200701-1.stl” file a couple of times at different exposure times, I found that 1.5s worked a little better for my resin vs 2s and above. I think with my settings at 100% UV power this is still slightly over-exposed and may be able to go down to 1-1.25s. Or use 1.5s with lower UV power. I will add it to the list to test. For reference, I am using Siraya Tech Fast grey at 20C.
Alternatively, you can print the RERF file provided on the USB stick but that uses up more resin than this file.
See comparison photos in this review for same mini printed on the Mono X vs the Photon S.
Note: When a print is completed, use caution when removing the build plate from the printer. Unless you wait a while after printing, there will be resin on the top of the build plate that hasn’t dripped off yet. My first time removing the plate, I dripped a large amount of resin onto the floor and soaked a paper towel that I rested the plate onto so I could remove the part. I recommend either waiting to remove the build plate, or carefully removing the plate and keep it above the VAT and tilt at an angle to allow some resin to drip off before moving it to a table to remove the part.
Price vs Competition
To my knowledge and research, there is no other 4k resin printer available with this build volume as of October 22, 2020 that is sub $1k. The closest I can find is the Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k, but that has a similar build volume to the regular Photon.
The Elegoo Saturn will be released at some point which will be a direct competitor to this printer, 4k monochrome, same base XY dimensions, but the Mono X has an additional 45mm of Z-axis height.
Summary
Positives/Pros:
• Easy to assemble and level.
• Has a MAX fill line inside of VAT.
• Metal construction. Printer feels, looks and is sturdy.
• Has app functionality via wi-fi.
• 4k Monochrome LCD.
• Dual Z-axis rails for improved stability.
• Large build volume of 192mm (7.56in) x 120mm (4.72in) x 245mm (9.65in).
• Comes with accessories like the regular Photon/Mars (gloves, mask, scrapers (plastic + metal), extra hardware, tools).
• Yellow cover looks nice and can also see inside of printer much better than the dark red on the Elegoo Mars and the solid walls + swing door on the Photon.
• USB plug location has been relocated closer to the front of the printer on the right side. Still not ideal, which would be on the front of the printer, but much better than the location on the Mars (back of printer) and the Photon (right side but closer to back of the printer).
Minor Complaints:
• Wish the build plate was angled more. A lot of resin drips off the top of the plate unless you let it sit for a while after done printing.
• To connect printer to your wi-fi, network name and password cannot have any special characters.
Major Complaints:
• Anycubic Photon Workshop v2.1.24 has a bug that adds artifacts to sliced models which causes walls to be added to parts that extend from the base of the supports to the top of the part being printed. This ruins prints and unfortunately Anycubic has not updated their slicing software since late October 2020. No issue with slicing same model in Chitubox for Elegoo Mars printers. This is not a printer issue but a slicing software issue. If this occurs, you will have to rely on 3rd party software for slicing.
Plan on testing in the future:
• Different UV power settings. Finding profiles at 60% / 40% power.
• Profile for standard Elegoo resin (Black, Red, Green).
• Profile for ABS-like Elegoo resin (Red).
• Profile for Siraya Tech Fast resin (White).
• Profile for standard Anycubic resin (Green).
• Profile for 0.025/0.03mm layer height.
• Test Lychee software for slicing and check for artifacts in sliced model.
Testing completed:
• Test different Anti-alias settings.
• Test different lift speeds
• Different UV power settings. Finding profiles at 80%
• Print models that use up more of build volume.
My Settings for Mono X as of 1/1/21
Resin: Siraya Tech Fast grey
Temp: 20C
UV Power: 80%
Layer height: 0.05mm
Bottom Layer Count: 8
Exposure time: 1.5s
Bottom Exposure time: 15s
Light Off Delay: 0.5s
Lifting distance: 5-8mm (depending on size of part)
Lifting speed: 60mm/min (120mm/min for minis, 60mm/min for medium size, 24mm/min for full plate parts)
Retract speed: 180mm/min
Anti-alias: 8
Other resin settings
Elegoo ABS-like Blue: 80% UV power, 1.8s exposure
My Settings for Mars/Photon
Resin: Siraya Tech Fast grey
Temp: 20C
Layer height: 0.05mm
Bottom Layer Count: 4
Exposure time: 8s
Bottom Exposure time: 50s
Light Off Delay: 0s
Bottom Lift distance: 5mm
Lifting distance: 5mm
Bottom lift speed: 90mm/min
Lifting speed: 100mm/min
Retract speed: 150mm/min
Anti-alias: Never used
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2021
What can be said about the Anycubic Photon Mono X? All I can say is what a great mid-sized printer this is. If you are new to 3D printing or looking to add another 3D to your shop, you cannot go wrong with the Anycubic Photon Mono X. I was able to unbox, set up, and start printing in about 30 minutes and the results are particularly good. I ran the printer nonstop for about 10 days and only had 1 failure due to me not tightening the build plate down. The 8.9” 4K screen produces an XY resolution of .05mm making printing fine details a breeze for this machine. Check out my list of Pros and Cons:
Pros:
• Extremely well packed with plenty of foam padding.
• Built like a tank. I was surprised at how heavy the printer is. It has an all-metal exterior.
• Great Easy-Start guide.
• Extremely easy to set up and get to printing.
• Build Volume of 192mm x 120mm x 245mm (7.55-inches x 4.72-inches x 9.65-inches).
• 8.9” 4K Mono screen for longevity and much faster print speeds.
• XY resolution of .05mm.
• Layer resolution capable of producing layers as low as .01mm up to .15mm.
• Dual linear rails for the Z-axis for extremely stable movement of the build platform.
• An all-aluminum slanted build platform that is easy to level.
• 3.5-inch touch screen.
• Matrix UV Light Source for even distribution of light across the entire screen.
• Easy to use and understand interface and menus.
• Uses 405nm UV curing resins making any 405nm UV curing resin suitable.
• Aluminum vat with FEP installed that holds 500 ml/grams of resin
• A Max-Fill line on the vat that is easy to ready.
• Dual fans in the back for cooling.
• Super quiet operation.
• Power switch and USB port are easily accessible on the right side of the printer.
• UV cover makes it easy to see print progress.
Cons:
• Not a fan of the cover design. I would rather see an enclosure with a door.
• Wi-Fi did not seem to want to work.
• Was unable to download the app so I cannot review that part.
I would recommend this printer to a seasoned professional or someone just starting out. It’s easy enough for anyone who has never done any 3D printing to get started very fast and the build quality and print quality are high enough to satisfy someone who demands high performance and high-end prints.
Pros:
• Extremely well packed with plenty of foam padding.
• Built like a tank. I was surprised at how heavy the printer is. It has an all-metal exterior.
• Great Easy-Start guide.
• Extremely easy to set up and get to printing.
• Build Volume of 192mm x 120mm x 245mm (7.55-inches x 4.72-inches x 9.65-inches).
• 8.9” 4K Mono screen for longevity and much faster print speeds.
• XY resolution of .05mm.
• Layer resolution capable of producing layers as low as .01mm up to .15mm.
• Dual linear rails for the Z-axis for extremely stable movement of the build platform.
• An all-aluminum slanted build platform that is easy to level.
• 3.5-inch touch screen.
• Matrix UV Light Source for even distribution of light across the entire screen.
• Easy to use and understand interface and menus.
• Uses 405nm UV curing resins making any 405nm UV curing resin suitable.
• Aluminum vat with FEP installed that holds 500 ml/grams of resin
• A Max-Fill line on the vat that is easy to ready.
• Dual fans in the back for cooling.
• Super quiet operation.
• Power switch and USB port are easily accessible on the right side of the printer.
• UV cover makes it easy to see print progress.
Cons:
• Not a fan of the cover design. I would rather see an enclosure with a door.
• Wi-Fi did not seem to want to work.
• Was unable to download the app so I cannot review that part.
I would recommend this printer to a seasoned professional or someone just starting out. It’s easy enough for anyone who has never done any 3D printing to get started very fast and the build quality and print quality are high enough to satisfy someone who demands high performance and high-end prints.
Images in this review
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