Lets cover the process of our production and what factors you need to consider when choosing a 3d printing service, our goal here is to arm the community with the tools to make an informed choice on where they get their miniatures.
Understanding the Power of 12K Resolution Printers
Imagine standing on the edge of a vast ocean, squinting into the distance. You may not be able to discern the individual waves, let alone the individual droplets that make them. This inability to perceive tiny details is exactly what the 12K resolution printers have overcome, allowing us to not just visualize the ocean, but also the tiniest droplets that construct it.
By employing a resolution of 12,000 dots per inch (DPI). Each of these tiny dots of resin forms a minuscule part of your finished 3D printed model, just like each droplet in the ocean forms part of a wave. Compared to lower resolutions, where larger droplets make up the wave, each droplet in a 12K resolution print is drastically smaller. Hence the final wave, or in our case, the miniature, is phenomenally detailed.
Moreover, the printing process itself is incredibly precise, relying on advanced technologies like micro stepping motors and high-resolution display screens. These allow the printer to control the placement of each pixel with greater accuracy, further enhancing the level of detail. When you combine the impressive resolution with precise control, the result is a 3D-printed miniature that is not just detailed but also extremely accurate to the original design.
12K resolution printers don’t work in isolation. It’s the full suite of printing tools and equipment that drives the exceptional results. One of these is a high-quality resin. An equally crucial part of the process, resins determine the final look and feel of the print. Higher-quality resins can capture more detail and create smoother, more realistic surface finishes. Currently, we exclusively use the Phrozen Aqua Gray 8k resin for the finest result in terms of details, whilst also producing a durable finish when processed correctly.
The Role of Resin
We can credit the extraordinary precision of resin prints to the process of photopolymerization. This process involves using UV light to harden liquid resin layer by layer. Each layer can be incredibly thin – the thickness varies from 25 to 100 microns, or about the thickness of a single strand of human hair. This allows the printer to render minute details that simply wouldn’t be possible with other forms of 3D printing.
It’s extremely important to have transparency around the resin being used for this process however, as cheaper low quality resins result in drastically lower detail and higher blurr on the end result. Buyer beware, it’s not uncommon to find sellers using outdated 1k, 4k or the universally horrible aqua resin for their products to save a quick dollar.
Coupled with a 12K resolution printer, resin can truly produce the best minis of remarkable quality. Think of it this way: the printer defines the scale of the detail, and the resin gives it the required sharpness and polish.
UV Light Chambers
UV light chambers are another critical tool in producing intricate, sharp, and exquisite designs. UV light is key to our entire 3D printing process. High-quality UV light chambers allow us to harden, or cure, each layer of the resin that our printer adheres to the model. This is an essential step that transforms the liquid resin into a solid, tangible object.
A well-built chamber means consistent and even exposure across the model, ensuring that every minute detail designed will be perfectly calculated and brought to life.
Think of the UV light chamber as a bakery oven. Just as each delicious pastry needs evenly distributed heat to bake to perfection, every 3D miniature needs well-balanced UV light for flawless production. If the UV light is too concentrated in one area, it could lead to premature curing or, even worse, damage to the design.
Moreover, the proper wavelength of the UV light is essential. Traditional, high-quality UV light chambers often use light in the 405 nm wavelength. This specific wavelength is perfect for curing most types of 3D printing resins, resulting in high-detail, durable miniatures that can stand the test of time.
The Average Printshop Pitfalls
For a hobbyist, diving into the market for 3D printed miniatures can be an exciting experience. But, it’s essential to remember that not all miniatures are created equal. Especially when shopping in amateur stores or online platforms like Etsy, the quality and level of detail in the miniatures can vary significantly – and this is largely due to the equipment being used.
One common pitfall to purchasing from these amateur outlets is the use of subpar equipment. A substantial number of sellers, as many might not know, are still employing 4-8K resolution printers. Although 4K resolution might seem impressive at first glance, it pales in comparison to the intricate detail that can be achieved with the cutting edge results found on high resolution machines, and doubly so when hitting the golden trifecta of high quality printers, resin and curing chambers.
As a discerning hobbyist, it’s crucial to know what kind of detail you’re getting. Miniatures can range from rough and ready iterations to near-realistic reproductions. Understanding the limitations of low quality processes can safeguard you from investing in a miniature that doesn’t meet your expectations or complement the fine detail of your existing collection.
Simply put, always ensure that you’re fully informed about the resolution of the printer used before making your purchase. Currently the highest available prints on the markets are at 12K resolution, with 14k just over the horizon. However it stands to be debated how much difference the 14k will make, but the jury is still out on this.
Dungeon Forge: Always The Highest Possible Quality
As we wrap up this insightful journey through the world of high-resolution 3D printing, let’s bring the spotlight back to Dungeon Forge, we are committed to staying on the forefront of 3d printing technology to provide our community with a product that competes with major retailers on quality and beats them on price.
We believe in the transparency of our process so that you, as purchasers and enthusiasts of 3D printed miniatures, can make informed decisions the level of quality in the creations you’re investing in. Therefore any changes and updates to our equipment will always be published here to keep our community up to date and confident they are getting what they paid for.