Non-Dental LCD 3D printers | Does it make sense to pay 7 times more?
Started by Dr. Rooz Khosravi
0 points
Dr. Rooz Khosravi
This post breakdown trends on non-dental LCD printers also referred as hobbyist printers, cheap printers, or LCD printers.
LCD printers have been used for the last 6 years for dental applications. In fact, I bought an Epax printer about one year after I owned Formlab and Moonray printers - over 5 years ago.
The technology behind various parts of these printers have changed a few times. The structure and design of the LCD part have improved in the last five years.
Lack of understanding on how this category of printers work leads to dentists and orthodontists being an easy target to oversell non-dental LCD printers to.
You should not pay more than $1K USD for the printer including the wash & cure unit.
Here me out and decide for yourself.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐?
The LCD printers operate using an LCD unit to mask the UV light that is projected on the resin tank. The quality of light going through the LCD directly affects the texture and accuracy of the 3D printed object.
An LCD unit is significantly cheaper than a projector (SprintRay Pro) or a laser beam unit (Formlab 3) which is used in other types of printers. Hence the cost of these 3D printers is a fraction of alternative printers.
The companies that have a great track record of fabricating these non-dental LCD printers are Phrozen, Anycubic, Elegoo, and Epax.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐?
(i) the LCD unit; (ii) the resin tank and membrane; (iii) the mainboard with or without wireless connectivity; (iv) the frame.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ป๐ถ๐?
The structure and resolution of the LCD unit is probably the main factor you need about. The LCD units for 3D printing now are all monochrome. This was an improvement to increase the efficiency of light. I need to dedicate a whole newsletter to this topic.
The resolution of the LCD is also critical. The high resolution doesnโt necessarily mean better. You get better details on your parts at the expense of blocking more lights with your LCD at higher resolution.
The early printers were made with 2K color LCDs and a funnel light source. Most non-dental LCDs are now 6-8K with monochrome LCDs.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ป๐ผ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐?
The LCD printer manufacturers identified dentistry as one of the big consumers of 3D printers.
The characteristic of this sector of the market is that dentists and dental specialists including orthodontists have limited knowledge on technical aspects of 3D printers and they are often open to buy an item at a higher price tag. Some argue that dental providers think the more expensive item is better. I bet you can think of a few items following this irrational trend.
The manufactures add bells and whistles to the LCD printers without addressing the fundamental issues with LCD printers. Some features even copied from popular printers to project familiarity. Then, they put a price tag of 7-8X ($500 vs $4500) higher. The question is do the added often cosmetic features worth paying 7X more.
Dental providers often opt for non-dental LCD printers to save money in their initial purchase and future consumables cost. There are three positions slowly shaping in dentistry.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ป๐ผ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐?
I would opt for non-dental printers if reducing the cost is my main focus. You need to be ready to spend more time to optimize your 3D printers.
I have been using Phrozen printers for a long time. Overall they provide you a good option to majorly reduce the cost.
What I have also learned working with numerous orthodontists over the last 3 years, most of them move to dental printers after 6-12 months.
My thoughts about these middle sector printers (non-dental LCD printers competing with the dental 3D printers) is that until these manufacturers truly provide an added value, it doesnโt make sense to pay 7X more.
Buy a nondental LCD printer that is under $1K including the cure & was if you have a limited budget. Next, spend some time and money on taking a course that is focused on non-dental LCD printers.
Find the accurate information to make smart decisions.
0 points
Dr. Rooz Khosravi
This post breakdown trends on non-dental LCD printers also referred as hobbyist printers, cheap printers, or LCD printers.
LCD printers have been used for the last 6 years for dental applications. In fact, I bought an Epax printer about one year after I owned Formlab and Moonray printers - over 5 years ago.
The technology behind various parts of these printers have changed a few times. The structure and design of the LCD part have improved in the last five years.
Lack of understanding on how this category of printers work leads to dentists and orthodontists being an easy target to oversell non-dental LCD printers to.
You should not pay more than $1K USD for the printer including the wash & cure unit.
Here me out and decide for yourself.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐?
The LCD printers operate using an LCD unit to mask the UV light that is projected on the resin tank. The quality of light going through the LCD directly affects the texture and accuracy of the 3D printed object.
An LCD unit is significantly cheaper than a projector (SprintRay Pro) or a laser beam unit (Formlab 3) which is used in other types of printers. Hence the cost of these 3D printers is a fraction of alternative printers.
The companies that have a great track record of fabricating these non-dental LCD printers are Phrozen, Anycubic, Elegoo, and Epax.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐?
(i) the LCD unit; (ii) the resin tank and membrane; (iii) the mainboard with or without wireless connectivity; (iv) the frame.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ป๐ถ๐?
The structure and resolution of the LCD unit is probably the main factor you need about. The LCD units for 3D printing now are all monochrome. This was an improvement to increase the efficiency of light. I need to dedicate a whole newsletter to this topic.
The resolution of the LCD is also critical. The high resolution doesnโt necessarily mean better. You get better details on your parts at the expense of blocking more lights with your LCD at higher resolution.
The early printers were made with 2K color LCDs and a funnel light source. Most non-dental LCDs are now 6-8K with monochrome LCDs.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ป๐ผ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐?
The LCD printer manufacturers identified dentistry as one of the big consumers of 3D printers.
The characteristic of this sector of the market is that dentists and dental specialists including orthodontists have limited knowledge on technical aspects of 3D printers and they are often open to buy an item at a higher price tag. Some argue that dental providers think the more expensive item is better. I bet you can think of a few items following this irrational trend.
The manufactures add bells and whistles to the LCD printers without addressing the fundamental issues with LCD printers. Some features even copied from popular printers to project familiarity. Then, they put a price tag of 7-8X ($500 vs $4500) higher. The question is do the added often cosmetic features worth paying 7X more.
Dental providers often opt for non-dental LCD printers to save money in their initial purchase and future consumables cost. There are three positions slowly shaping in dentistry.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ป๐ผ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐?
I would opt for non-dental printers if reducing the cost is my main focus. You need to be ready to spend more time to optimize your 3D printers.
I have been using Phrozen printers for a long time. Overall they provide you a good option to majorly reduce the cost.
What I have also learned working with numerous orthodontists over the last 3 years, most of them move to dental printers after 6-12 months.
My thoughts about these middle sector printers (non-dental LCD printers competing with the dental 3D printers) is that until these manufacturers truly provide an added value, it doesnโt make sense to pay 7X more.
Buy a nondental LCD printer that is under $1K including the cure & was if you have a limited budget. Next, spend some time and money on taking a course that is focused on non-dental LCD printers.
Find the accurate information to make smart decisions.