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Cleaning a failed print with the cleaning sheet (Form Studio 1)

Cleaning a failed print with the cleaning sheet (Form Studio 1)

Print failures can be messy. The plastic scraper tool may have trouble gripping and removing cured resin if it is small or oddly shaped. Instead, Form Studio 1 printers have the option to print a cleaning sheet that binds the cured resin together into a single piece that can be easily extracted from the tank. Print a cleaning sheet through the Maintenance menu on the printer’s touchscreen.

Warning:

Resin may cause skin irritation or an allergic skin reaction. Wear gloves when handling liquid resin or resin-coated surfaces. Wash skin with plenty of soap and water. Do not wash skin with products containing alcohol, like hand sanitizer, or any other solvents.

Notice:

Never use metal objects to inspect the tank film, such as a metal spatula or metal tweezers. Avoid using abrasive cleaners, including paper towels, on the tank film. If needed, use a lint-free cloth such as a PEC*PAD and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to clean residue off of either side of the tank film.

Printing a cleaning sheet

The cleaning sheet is a thin part that prints directly on the resin tank film and is perfect for removing several print failures from a resin tank at the same time. It should take approximately 2–15 seconds to complete, depending on the material. 

For best results, Formlabs recommends using the included cleaning sheet removal tool when printing a cleaning sheet.

To begin printing the cleaning sheet:

  1. Check that no job is currently active and your printer is in the Idle status. 
  2. Open the printer cover.
  3. Insert the tank that experienced the print failure into the printer.
  4. Press down on the sides of the resin tank with your thumbs and close the latches to secure the tank.
  5. Place the flat base of the cleaning sheet removal tool in a corner of the resin tank.
  6. Close the printer cover.
  7. Remove the build platform and resin cartridge, if present.
  8. Tap Maintenance > Print cleaning sheet. The Print cleaning sheet screen appears.
  9. Tap Start. The cleaning sheet begins printing. 
Printing a cleaning sheet on the Form Studio 1

Removing a completed cleaning sheet

The cleaning sheet causes other bits of cured resin to adhere and become caught in a single part. After the cleaning sheet has finished printing, it’s time to remove all cured resin from the resin tank. 

To remove the cleaning sheet from the tank:

  1. Ensure that the print has completed.
  2. Open the printer cover. Do remove the resin tank.
  3. Grip the cleaning sheet removal tool handle and carefully pull it upwards to peel the cleaning sheet away from the resin tank. Do not pull or tug on the tool suddenly. If necessary, pull at different angles to separate the cleaning sheet from the resin tank film.
  4. Lift the cleaning sheet out of the resin tank and a) rest it on paper towels or b) hang it in the build platform using the cleaning sheet removal tool to drain the excess resin back to the resin tank before putting it on paper towels.
  5. Separate the cleaning sheet removal tool from the cleaning sheet.
  6. The cleaning sheet is cured resin and can be deposited in any trash receptacle. If there is uncured resin on your cleaning sheet, roll it up with gloved hands and squeeze out the resin before disposing of it. Alternatively, place the cleaning sheet on a sunny windowsill for 24–48 hours until all resin has completely cured.

Tip:

To conserve resin, you can drain the uncured resin coating the cleaning sheet through a filter back into the tank.