My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

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Wdshea
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My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby Wdshea » Tue Feb 13, 2018 11:45 pm

I would like to preface this with the Solus is hands down the best SLA 3D printer. Comparing the results achieved from the Solus to every other machine we have had samples from, there is no comparison.

I cast 4 rings with SolusCast. These same models, if cast in Emerald, would still have flaws. These are our "benchmark" rings used to prove the achievable detail and castability. The most detailed parts of these rings are not shown, the simplest designs are shown. Below is part of my procedure.

This exact process is used with B9 Emerald with almost no flaws whatsoever. I followed my exact procedure simply to prove out if SolusCast was a forgiving, castable resin. Also, I still use Creation Workshop.

Printed using my Emerald print profile (layers were over cured; in my experience, only helps casting)
Cleaned in ultrasonic with 90% IPA thoroughly, sanded supports nubs, rinsed again (in ultrasonic) in clean IPA
Cured 8 cycles at 2min each submerged in glycerin in B9 200w curing box, after each round models are turned.

(NO HEAT WAS USED IN CURING; heat causes defects)

Invested in Plasticast w/2% boric/water @ 34:100 (3 min mix, degass, pour, degass flask for 1.5min)
Benchrest 8+hrs

Burn out cycle:
Ramp FULL -> 300*F hold 30min
Ramp FULL -> 750*F hold 1hr
Ramp FULL -> 1200 hold 15min
Ramp FULL -> 1500 hold 3hrs
Ramp FULL -> Cast temp

I've been using the 750*F hold for about a year and a half now. I read in a study back then proving the best combustion of resin at that temp. Interesting to see that show up in other burn out schedules.

One thing I've noticed about SolusCast is that it is a very hard resin, similar in that way to B9 Yellow. SolusCast also offers very fine detail (similar to Yellow). Though, I've also noticed that softer resins (after cure) seem to cast better (B9 Emerald, Waxcast) than the harder resins. I understand this is not scientific by any stretch, but the facts remain.

No further testing will be done on my part in regard to SolusCast, though I am open to criticism of my process. I've found that on this 2+ year journey to achieve a workable process, it's best to move on unless great strides are made.

One other thing I will add, and this may attribute to the lack of success I have had. The jewelry I am casting is not traditional. Most details are 'negative' on our rings. (see picture) Whereas I notice most rings that people cast have 'positive' details. Since resins must inhibit light to achieve great detail, quite obviously, that same property will hinder cure. With this in mind, it makes sense that 'negative' details are difficult to cure (and cast) unless exposed to direct UV light.

In no way is this post intended to disparage this resin, the company who sells it, or anyone else involved in developing the resin. This is only my experience, using an unapproved software and process.
Attachments
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Prints sprued up on custom mold injected tree
unnamed.jpg
Failed castings SolusCast; Good casting in B9 Emerald
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mongerdesigns
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby mongerdesigns » Wed Feb 14, 2018 1:11 am

Have you tried curing the pieces for longer?

We usually cure them under 405nm uv lights for no less than 3-5 hours depending on the pieces.

Seems like you only cured them for 16 minutes total. I doubt that's nearly enough time to cure the resin.
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sochin
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby sochin » Wed Feb 14, 2018 1:19 am

Wdshea wrote:This exact process is used with B9 Emerald with almost no flaws whatsoever. I followed my exact procedure simply to prove out if SolusCast was a forgiving, castable resin. Also, I still use Creation Workshop.



The Asiga castable resins, the Kevvox resins and the B9 resins all need different printing, curing and casting process from my experience. If I applied the same process to Supercast or Lc200 that I use for B9 prints I would get failed casts....yet I have cast all of these to varying degrees with success using processes developed for each resin.

The definition of forgiving is to me "casts like wax" from investment to devest and I have not found a resins that does that yet.

I have not tried SolusCast and appreciate you sharing your results. I don`t have time to develop another process for a different resin when I am getting good results with another resin so interested to see other results. However your results don`t prove to me that Soluscast is a defective product. Just reinforce my view that all resins are different and need to be printed, cured and cast differently.

With B9 resins you are getting the benefit of learning through many peoples failures to where we are now with most having success.

Regarding your comments about heat curing causing defects I am assuming that you are saying it does with Soluscast specifically? The Kevvox LC200 you could not heat cure either but the B9 cherry and emerald gives excellent results with heat curing and no UV curing at all. How many different temperatures and durations did you try heat curing the Soluscast for and in what heating device?
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rkundla
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby rkundla » Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:05 am

That is a lot of negative defects. Looks to me like incomplete burnout of the resin. My guess would be the ash bonded to the investment during the burnout and left those huge craters in the casting. Does it look like the defects settled more on one side versus the other?

I noticed that your sprues appear to be 3D printed. Most of us would say that is not a best practice because the only part of the model getting oxygen exposure initially is the end of the sprue. The rest of the model is sealed within the investment and until that burns away, everything else lacks combustion oxygen to burn away. Do you also print your sprues using B9 emerald? I use sprue wax when I tree up my 3D prints just to ensure that there is a clear path for expansion during the 700°F period.
Wdshea
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby Wdshea » Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:47 am

mongerdesigns wrote:Have you tried curing the pieces for longer?

We usually cure them under 405nm uv lights for no less than 3-5 hours depending on the pieces.

Seems like you only cured them for 16 minutes total. I doubt that's nearly enough time to cure the resin.


i prefer a resin that can cure quickly, with Emerald I have cured less than 10 minutes and have near perfect results.

I have found two things throughout my testing:
1)light intensity trumps cure time (every time)
2)the light must get to every facet

I have cured for 8+hrs under a 100w Mercury Vapor lamp, with rotating base, jerry rigged aluminum foil hood, and the lamp 8 inches from the pieces. let me tell you, they get HOT and a huge load of UV. problem is, the light did not have the proper angle of incident in the negative details. castings still failed. (i think the heat caused a problem as well, but i didn't know heat was bad at the time)

this led to an epiphany, and a solution that reflects UV even under over hangs. (lower cure times, better overall curing, no extra heat step)

sochin wrote:With B9 resins you are getting the benefit of learning through many peoples failures to where we are now with most having success.

Regarding your comments about heat curing causing defects I am assuming that you are saying it does with Soluscast specifically? The Kevvox LC200 you could not heat cure either but the B9 cherry and emerald gives excellent results with heat curing and no UV curing at all. How many different temperatures and durations did you try heat curing the Soluscast for and in what heating device?


i found a lot of misinformation, and that actually delayed progress.

we used to use mineral oil for cure... if not completely cleaned off, will cause defects.
stopped using heat in curing B9 Cherry, Emerald, and Yellow improved results with all resins. consider maybe the heat is correlated, and not causal.

I can not say heat causes issues with SolusCast definitively (i didn't test it)



rkundla wrote:I noticed that your sprues appear to be 3D printed.


that is correct. never an issue with green, improves work flow. although, i will consider that and may try another cast with SolusCast w/o printed sprues. my only argument against the "air flow issue" is that the side of the ring opposite the sprue must still "wait" for air flow.

one trade off with investment, is that when adding boric and using a drier mix, the investment becomes harder & denser. i've found that you get better burnout with less dense investment; better off gassing during burnout.

The thing is, that extra density/strength offers a lot for an imperfect cure, and can lend to better over all results.
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sochin
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby sochin » Wed Feb 14, 2018 7:26 am

Wdshea wrote:we used to use mineral oil for cure... if not completely cleaned off, will cause defects.
stopped using heat in curing B9 Cherry, Emerald, and Yellow improved results with all resins. consider maybe the heat is correlated, and not causal.


I find heat damage is more likely to occur when you over use IPA to clean your models.

My primary heat curing is in the oven. I only use the microwave to soak the surface in Paraffin oil. When finished to completely dry of all excess oil I put back in the furnace for another half hour.

You are like me. You have something that works so there is not much sense in paying more for a resin that you will have to relearn to use to some extent. Time is money.

Lots of people were happy to spend their time trialling the B9 resins because there was nothing that really worked back then. Not so now. All the best and thanks for the clarification.
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sochin
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby sochin » Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:55 pm

Wdshea wrote:Cleaned in ultrasonic with 90% IPA thoroughly, sanded supports nubs, rinsed again (in ultrasonic) in clean IPA


I was in a hurry yesterday so did not have time to reply to this part. This is more for other people in response to your comments Wdshea as I know you are really happy now with what works for you and the type of jewellery you are making. I just do not want people to dismiss heat curing B9 resins or Soluscast because you said it damages the surface of prints.

IMO that is far too much IPA and you can damage the surface especially the ultrasonic in IPA. With heat curing in the oven that will give you cracks especially with heavy items in B9 resins.

30 sec shake in IPA for me then into the ultrasonic to remove the excess IPA and resin. Sometimes I do a second shorter shake. Followed by a good rinse under water.

Wdshea wrote:this led to an epiphany, and a solution that reflects UV even under over hangs. (lower cure times, better overall curing, no extra heat step)


This to me is the number one reason why oven heat curing is the best way to cure B9 resins. I am doing an urn pendant at the moment....the only way to cure the inside of that urn fully is with oven heat. The only way I can be sure that inside is dry after treating in paraffin oil is oven heat. There is no way that UV can get properly into the inside surface through the small holes available. The solution inside the urn cannot reflect light it never receives.

Rotating and orienting each individual piece under UV for optimal curing I found tiresome. I can put 50 pieces in the oven at any orientation once a week and done.

This ring was printed on an Asiga nearly two years ago now as a project to see how far I could push the B9 emerald with my set up.

360 degree design work
B9 Emerald
2 x 30 sec rinse in IPA,
no UV curing
oven heat cured
no microwave or parrafin oil (before I added that)
wagon wheel sprue
6 inch centrifugal cast in Omega+ @ 75% wind of spring
18 grams Sterling Silver ring
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Christian K.
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby Christian K. » Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:38 pm

Nice result !!
how long did you heat cured the ring ? ( temperature/time)

best regards !
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sochin
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby sochin » Wed Feb 21, 2018 9:40 am

Christian K. wrote:Nhow long did you heat cured the ring ? ( temperature/time)


I use an old Neycraft that does not have a temperature specific control. I keep it over 150C and always under 200C for one hour by toggling the oven on and off. I target for about 180C for B9 Cherry and Emerald. I batch process all my prints so it is really quick once a week type of thing.
Christian K.
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Re: My (failed) castings w/SolusCast

Postby Christian K. » Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:38 pm

Sounds very good!

Especially jewelry with lettering and thin details caused problems in the past!
Thank you !!

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