UV curing is an essential part of working with UV-reactive resins. Properly curing the resin ensures a strong, finished product, whether you’re creating or 3D printing miniatures, jewelry, or any other projects.
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For beginners on a budget, the compact UV clamp lamp is a great starting point. Its flexible neck makes it easy to direct UV light at any angle, though the 5W output means curing times are slower.
Stepping up to the Sunlu 3D curing station is a worthwhile upgrade – the built-in turntable and timer deliver fast, hands-off curing for decorative projects and miniatures.
More advanced users will appreciate the wash and cure capabilities of Anycubic’s all-in-one systems streamline the post-processing workflow; the Wash and Cure 2.0 is best for smaller prints, while the Wash and Cure Plus is impressively fast for large models.
In this hands-on comparison, I’ll compare the key factors like price, build volume, and ease of use for UV lamps, curing boxes, and wash and cure machines – so you can find the solution to fit your needs without overspending.
I’ll also cover exactly what UV resins are, and how you should safely expose your UV resin prints to these lights to get the best out of your resin projects.
UV flashlights and lamps are the cheapest and simplest options. They’re great if you need to leave your crafts for long periods, while flashlights are better for taking on the go and aren’t so tedious to use if you only need to cure your UV resin for a minute or two.
One of the cheapest UV light sources on the market is this desk clamp UV lamp. It’s especially ideal if you have a smaller workspace and need something as efficient as it is practical.
While not the most powerful of UV light sources, it’s a great way to cure your UV resins while in mold, and its flexible stand makes it ideal if you have a lot of resins to cure and not much space in which to cure them.
This UV lamp is weak enough for safe short-term exposure to skin, making it great if you also need to use it to dry your recently painted nails. However, this weakness does mean it will take longer for UV resins to cure under it when compared to stronger, more specialized brands.
The Darkbeam UV flashlight is another cheap alternative to the more expensive UV light boxes. Ideal for curing thinner resin projects, it’s an easy-to-move, low-power flashlight that’s great for those of you who craft on the go.
As well as letting you cure UV resins, the light also doubles as a bedbug and pet urine detector, making it ideal if you happen to be a pet owner. Much like the clamp lamp, however, its relatively low power means it won’t cure resins quite as fast as stronger beams.
However, the curing time difference is negligible if you make particularly small resin crafts.
Advertised mainly as an outdoor recreational tool, the UV floodlight is powerful, affordable, and efficient as a UV resin curing lamp.
It’s one of the most powerful UV lights at this price making it ideal for rapid resin curing.
The UV floodlight’s long battery life and energy-efficient power make it a great tool if you need a good UV lamp for frequent use. This makes it the best option if you’re a business owner who needs to cure a lot of resins at once and often.
If you use UV resin for larger, thicker projects than the average 3mm mold, or use UV resins for 3D printing, then you’re much better off using a UV curing box or chamber than a standard UV lamp.
If you have smaller projects that you want cured quickly and evenly without spending on a high-end wash and cure system, then the Sunlu 3D curing station is amongst the best on the market.
This UV resin curing station is an efficient and practical addition to any workspace, with a 3-10 minute curing time you can control easily with the built-in timer.
The rotating turntable is light-powered, so its 360° curing won’t drain the battery life while curing your UV resin print quickly and evenly. With an enclosure of 9.2 x 8.8 x 6 inches, it’s a great choice for mid-sized decorative projects.
Elegoo’s Mercury line of washing and curing machines is spearheaded by this affordable and extremely practical 2-in-1 washing and curing station.
The V2.0 both washes resin prints and cures them with the appropriate strength UV light for your project. The intelligent design detects the project’s weight and thickness and adjusts itself accordingly, taking a lot of trial, error, and guesswork out of the equation.
The Mercury 2-in-1 also runs silently, meaning night owls and late workers can rest easy knowing your work won’t disturb your household.
Anycubic’s curing stations come in two forms, the Wash and Cure 2.0, and the Wash and Cure Plus. Don’t let the 2.0 confuse you, though, as the Wash and Cure Plus is actually the more advanced of the two.
The main difference between these two curing machines is the size, with the Plus model being much larger than its predecessor. This makes it the best machine for those of you who tend to print large and need faster curing than you’d get with non-UV resins, which can take hours.
The maximum time setting for these machines is 60 minutes, which is a testament to their speedy curing at a very affordable price.
There are two main types of resin used in creative pursuits:
While epoxy resins will cure with hardeners, UV resins will only cure with exposure to UV radiation.
UV resins cure a lot faster than normal epoxy resins, though at the cost of being less durable. However, this cost is negligible if you’re only printing for decorative purposes.
Using UV light, UV resins cure in minutes, earning their nickname of ‘quick cure resins’ due to their impressive hardening speeds.
Yes, you can use many kinds of UV light to cure your resins.
Even if you don’t have a UV light box, you can use the natural UV light of the sun to cure your UV resins. Non-UV resins will still cure using this method, though you will have to wait for anywhere between 2-10 hours before it’s fully cured depending on the size of the project.
While this is the easiest and cheapest way to cure resins using UV light, it’s far from the most efficient. To find the best UV light for curing resin, you’re going to have to get some extra equipment like a UV lightbox or flashlight.
There are even UV lamps for resin, so you’ve got quite a few options for quick curing.
How long you need to cure your resins for will depend on how many layers it has and how thick it is. Small, thin crafts like pendants will take around 2 minutes, while thicker crafts like 3D printed minifigures or toys will have a cure time of 1-8 minutes on average.
If your project is bigger, say around the size of a curing station’s interior, it’ll need about 20 minutes to be fully cured.
While UV light of any notable strength will cure resin, to take full advantage of fast-curing UV resins, you’ll need higher wattage than your standard blacklight.
Specifically, the best kind of UV light to cure resin is UVA, which has a higher wavelength (up to around 395nm) while using less energy.
Unlike UVB light, UVA light penetrates windows. So you won’t need to expose your resins to direct sunlight to take advantage of this.
UVB light is excellent for curing resins, but it can be very damaging to the skin if exposed for long periods of time.
While not as dangerous as UVB light, UVA should still be used with caution and from a safe distance if possible.
UV light boxes, also known as curing stations, not only provide an adjustable environment for curing resins, they also protect the resin from any potentially harmful variables like overheating or airborne moisture. All while protecting you from being exposed to potentially harmful radiation.
While even the most sensitive of skin types need 20 minutes of full exposure to become damaged, most kinds of UV radiation are still not something to be taken lightly, as overexposure can lead to dangerous skin damage including melanomas.
These curing boxes aren’t good for just 3D prints, but all kinds of crafting resins too. Casting resins for making jewelry and decorative pieces also need to be cured, and using a UV light box is the fastest way to do this.
This is especially good news if you plan to, or already, sell your resin crafts online. The speed with which the best UV light cures resin is great for ensuring high turnover for your products, upping your inventory and thus boosting your potential profits.
The main advantage of UV resin is the fast curing times. The hardening process that once took hours can now be done in a matter of minutes or even seconds depending on your project’s thickness.
Because UV resins only need radiation to cure, they make the tedious task of mixing in hardeners a thing of the past. Your UV resins will cure simply with exposure to UV light, so you can just leave your crafts in a suitable environment and let them harden.
UV resins are also far less odorous than their standard epoxy counterparts, meaning they won’t stink up your workspace or give off overly dangerous or toxic fumes.
That said, they are still dangerous if inhaled over long periods, so we still recommend a well-ventilated work area and any necessary face protection when used in close proximity.
While these are some good reasons to go for UV resins, there are a few downsides. UV resins are notably more expensive than standard resins. While you may be able to find some on a good deal, you should expect to pay up to double what epoxy resins would cost.
Another major drawback is its shelf life. While 3D printing resins have seen advances allowing up between 12-18 months of shelf life, most UV resins will only stay good for about six months, half the time of epoxy resins.
Adding on to their increased price, to get the most out of UV resins you will need to also purchase a UV lamp or UV light box to take advantage of the speedy curing times.
The company is the world’s best UV LEDs for 3D Printing supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
If you happen to live in a particularly sunny place, this might not be entirely necessary, but you’ll only see the real benefits of UV resin by purchasing extra equipment starting at around $40 – $60 on average, and that’s not even mentioning your electric bill.
In terms of use, UV resin isn’t really any different than your standard crafting resins.
First, make sure your workspace is clean and covered with a tarp or cloth. Drips and spills can be very hard to remove if your resin dries before you notice, so using a removable and flexible covering is ideal for post-craft cleaning.
Most UV resins work best in molds around 2-4mm in depth, though you can always change this thickness for more bulky crafts like larger jewelry items and decorative pieces.
If you like, feel free to add any extras to your crafts to suit your tastes. Glitter, sequins, and even well-placed confetti will give your crafts a burst of color and character.
With the basics out of the way, here are a few extra hints and tips for using UV resin to get the best results every time.
UV resins are very sensitive to heat. While this won’t be immediately noticeable to your eyes, it will be to your nose.
If your UV resin is getting too hot, it will begin to give off a stronger smell. If you notice this when using your resin, be sure to move them to a cooler environment before continuing. Failing that, try to make your workspace cooler by opening a window or using a desk fan.
If you are adding extra details to your resin crafts, be sure to do so using tools and gloves. Touching resin directly isn’t a good idea. If it hardens on your skin without you noticing, it can be very damaging and painful.
In addition to protecting your skin from resin, be sure to also protect yourself from any UV light you’re using to cure your resins. UV light, while relatively harmless in small doses, can be very dangerous with long-term exposure.
The most sensitive of skin types will be visibly damaged after around 20 minutes, but avoiding any exposure is always a good idea.
On that note, be sure to never look directly into a UV light source to avoid irreversible damage to your eyes.
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Hello All,
I am fairly new to the 3d forums, and the company I work for has recently decided to invest in a 3D printer. Our first step into the 3d printing world has begun with Formlabs, and I am here to share our results with the community! Below are pictures of our 3d Print room and the the UV cure-box that has been built.
3D Print Lab:
The room has been fitted with:
The Form 2 Printer sits on a rolling cabinet. This is ideal when any maintenance needs to be performed however the drawback (pausing the print before opening a drawer) can get annoying, but it is a small price to pay. The room serves dual functionalities of not only being the 3d print-lab for the company, but also a showcase room for new technologies for visitors in the building. Additional items still needed to complete the room are a dedicated computer and a large monitor screen.
UV Cure-box:
Since the company dedicated an entire room for this equipment, I built a professional-looking UV cure-box while not spending absurd amounts of money.
Equipment needed:
Step 1: Measuring/ Figuring-It-Out
find:
Step 2: Base Layer
Step 3: Aluminum Foil
Attach Al Foil → Do the sides first, then the bottom, then the underside of the lid. Make sure to leave enough room on the underside of the lid so it can shut properly. When doing this step its best to remove the the protective film on the tape as-you-go instead of removing it all at once.
re-drill holes if the AL foil is covering any holes
Step 4: LEDs
You should have a basic idea of how you will position your LEDs at the point.
[Go section by section for this step. Start at the bottom, then sides, then underside of the lid]
WIRING should be done in SERIES
Cut LEDs to appropriate length.
Attach wires with wire shrinks (precautionary measure so it does not short-circuit) to the LED strip contact points.
Attach double sided tape to underside of the the led strip and attach LED to the foil.
Use double sided tape to hold down any dangling wires firmly against the walls
Step 5: Check and Final Check
- Hook the “wire to power supply” connector to the wires first then the power supply and check all LEDs are working.
notes:
- Use EXTRA long wire for the LED connection between the lid and the main container. This way you can take the lid fully off and let it sit somewhere without having to worry about ripping apart your LED-to-LED connection
If you have any comments or suggestions please post below.
Thanks!
Unless those are really high wattage LEDs, you’re probably going to want more of them than you have. Curing wants lumens and candlepower decreases with the square of distance. Your box is large which is nice, but the LEDs are much further away from the center as a result. You need more lumens to make up for distance.
Also, some resins (Flexible) need to be post-cured underwater (anaerobic environment). If you used a clear container you could put the LEDs on the outside and fill the inside with water when/if you needed to.
You’ve seen my post here? Check out how much closer each wrap of LEDs is on my design. The amount of light I’m getting on the print inside the jar is just getting the job done. Further away and spread out more, I would not have enough light.
Also. You appear to be using a RGB programmable LED string. This may not be doing what you expect. The “color” of the light is not what’s important, it’s the actual frequency of the light. That will exclusively be a function of the frequency of the Blue LEDs on the LED string. Unfortunately, the frequency you need (405nm) is almost purple in color. It’s unlikely to be the frequency of the LEDs on your RGB string. An RGB LED’s blue LED will typically be in the 470-480nm range. That’s too high to be effective at post-curing (if it has any effect at all, it may not).
The LEDs I recommend in my post are spec’d to output 385-405nm. They’re much closer to the 405nm target but are probably on average a little under. But 470nm will be a wavelength too far.
Thank you for your comment,
I have re-looked over the stats of the LEDs and they are not RGB, but a UV 395-405nm (near blue/purple). Perhaps the controller made it look like RGB LED strip? I will have to test out the Flexible underwater curing as I have not printed enough flexible prints to be knowledgeable in that section. Thank you for the reminder/suggestion!
I have been using this box for nearly 2-3 months on a regular basis now and have had no problem curing my prints, but i do need to find a way to get more heat into the box to decrease curing times. I was thinking about introducing a heating element with a fan and have a cut-off at a certain temperature, such as the one below.
The Al sheet metal as opposed to the Al foil you used in your box is able to hold the heat a lot more and also be reflective at the same time.
I do like your clear container for underwater curing however very nicely done!
I used an old microwave oven as the enclosure, took out the magnetron, transformer and other bits that weren’t required, fitted 3 x 10W 405nm LED arrays and used a low wattage (350W) hair-styling hot air brush blowing into the cabinet. Temperature is controlled by a PID controller and Pt resistance thermometer (both a bit OTT - a simple thermostat would have done).
The microwave as enclosure has some advantages: 1) You can pick one up from a dumpster. 2) Rotating glass turntable is easy to clean and helps even out UV exposure 3) Front-loading door is convenient for loading and if you use the interlock, the LEDs and heater switch off automatically when you open the door.
Temperature can get to about 75C maxed out with this set-up - though I obviously don’t run that high!
I have located the following listing on Ebay. The item number is . It is listed as a dry heat UV sterilizer. The seller (china) has responded that the heat setting is adjustable. I am waiting now to hear back what the min and max temp settings and and what type of UV bulb type and the nm rating to see if this would be good for 3D prints. The size internally is about as large as the build space on the Form2, so this might just be a good affordable curing solution. I will let you know the updated info when I receive it. On the listing it shows the unit set for 60C so I am very interested in it.
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