7 Ways How to Fix Resin Printer Printing Nothing

It’s not uncommon to experience issues with your resin 3D printer printing nothing. Since many people face this problem and it’s quite frustrating as well, I decided to write an article detailing how to fix this.

You can fix a resin printer printing nothing by using a good quality resin at an optimal exposure time and temperature. Cleaning the FEP, vat, and screen can also help. Apart from this, you may also get things going by leveling the build plate and fixing loose connections.

This is just the basic answer. Read the article to know exactly how it can be done.

How to Fix Resin Printer Printing Nothing

Here is how to fix resin 3D printer printing nothing:

1. Ensure the Resin is in Good Condition
2. Use the Correct Exposure Time
3. Level the Build Plate
4. Clean the FEP, Vat & Screen
5. Print at a Suitable Ambient Temperature
6. Check for Unplugged/Loose Connections
7. Enable “Put On the Plate” Setting in Slicer

1. Ensure the Resin is in Good Condition

Making sure that the resin is of good quality and is in good condition should be the first step to fix a resin 3D printer not printing anything. You also need to ensure that the resin is neither old nor separated and has been filtered to remove impurities.

If your resin was in the vat for a long time, the reactive components may have been separated. So, stir the resin well using a spatula before printing.

One user also said that if the resin is too old or you are using the same resin repeatedly, the bonding/curing properties may have been affected and it may not cure properly.

Having IPA in the resin, sometimes even a few drops, can also cause the same problem of printing nothing. In all such cases, replacing the resin with a fresh batch can be the fix.

After accurately leveling the build plate, another user shared the procedure that helped him resolve this issue:

1. Start by draining the vat and filtering the resin.
2. Clean the vat, preferably with Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA).
3. Remove any debris stuck to the FEP film.
4. Pour the resin back into the vat after shaking it very well.

2. Use the Correct Exposure Time

One effective way to fix resin printer printing nothing is by ensuring that you are using the correct exposure time depending upon the type of resin and brand of your resin 3D printer.

An incorrect exposure time may prevent the resin from curing. It can also cause print failure by curing resin on the FEP instead of the build plate and ultimately blocking the UV light.

The exposure time varies depending upon the type of resin, power of the LCD screen, and model of the 3D printer. For example, the Normal Exposure Time for the Elegoo Saturn is 2.5-3.5 seconds whereas this range moves up to 8-20 seconds for the Anycubic Photon, or similar LCD printers.

To find the optimal exposure time for your resin 3D printing, you may want to print the Cones of Calibration model from Thingiverse or the official TableFlipFoundry page. Print the model at different exposure times until you get the perfect results.

Here is a video on how to read the Cones of Calibration model and find the best exposure times.

3. Level the Build Plate

Another good way to fix resin 3D printer not printing is by leveling the build plate, adding texture, and making sure that the surface is as flat as possible.

A perfectly leveled build plate with a flat surface can help make layers stick well to the surface. If layers don’t stick to the plate, they can fall into the vat, contaminating the resin while causing issues with the next layers by blocking the UV screen.

One user shared his procedure for leveling the build plate using paper:

1. Bring the plate to its home position
2. Raise it by 50mm
3. Loosen the leveling screw(s) holding the build plate – differs from printer to printer
4. Place a piece of paper under the plate
5. Lower the plate by 50mm
6. Fix the screw while gently pushing on the plate
7. Again, raise the plate by 30mm
8. Slowly lower the plate until you cannot push the paper but wiggle it with little force.
9. Press the Z=0 button to save the adjustments.

Many users also got good results by leveling the build plate using the Flint Read method.

When using the build plate for the first time, you need to remove the protective plastic films (there can be 1-4). Otherwise, nothing will stick to the plate no matter what settings or techniques you are using.

Many users claim that a dirty build plate or lack of surface adhesion can also cause complete print failures. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the plate surface is clean and flat.

Here is a detailed video by MatterHackers on how to add texture and get the flattest resin 3D printer build plate.

4. Clean the FEP, Vat, & Screen

Another good method to fix this problem is by looking at the FEP film, vat bottom, or LCD screen and making sure there is no cured resin blocking the UV light. If there is some, you need to remove it, clean the 3D printer part, and then filter the whole resin.

If resin can leak out either from a tiny FEP hole or any other way and get cured by the UV light, it can harden on the screen/vat bottom. This can block the UV light, resulting in gaps in the model or printing nothing at all.

If you have just cleaned the vat with IPA, let it dry before starting a print. Otherwise, it can cause the print to not stick and eventually fail. In case the FEP sheet is damaged, you should replace the screen.

You can easily get FEP sheets from Amazon and the ELEGOO 5PCs FEP Release Film (140x200mm size with 0.15mm thickness) is a good option for regular-size resin 3D printers.

For larger printers, you can go with the 3D Club HD Optical Grade FEP Film (280x200mm) with 3 thicknesses.

Here is a short video on how to remove failed print/cured resin from the vat. Though the user completes the task without using tools, you can use a Plastic Spatula for stubborn prints stuck on FEP. Your 3D printer should have come with one.

One user recommended cleaning the printer with 70% IPA or soapy water to soften the resin and then removing it with a silicon or self-printed PETG spatula.

However, it’s better not to use a metal scraper on the screen as it can damage the LCD, leaving the replacement as the only option for you.

The video below will show how to easily clean the cured resin off the screen.

5. Print at a Suitable Ambient Temperature

To fix the problem of resin 3D printer not printing anything, many users suggested maintaining the ambient temperature between 22 to 30°C in your workplace. Since resin starts causing issues in cold environments, printing in high temperatures can fix this very problem.

If the resin is cold, let it sit for a few hours, place the bottle in hot water, or use a home incubator until it matches the room temperature.

One user fixed this problem by increasing the exposure time and printing in a hotter environment with a temperature higher than 20°C.

Another user proved this claim by stating that the manufacturers receive most complaints during Christmas because it’s cold outside and users encounter more problems. However, the user prints at 22°C (73°F) and never faced any such issues to date.

6. Check for Unplugged/Loose Connections

Another good way is by fixing any loose connection, ensuring that the panel and screen are plugged in correctly, and all connectors are in place. Though it is very rare to occur, loose connections or unplugged print display or the screen can also cause the resin 3D printer to not print anything.

To check if the LCD or UV light display is not functioning correctly, there is usually an exposure test that you can do with the resin 3D printer within the menu settings to light up the screen.

In most Prusa 3D printers, you can run a display test by going to Settings > Calibration > Display Test and then following the instructions on the 3D printer’s display screen.

If the UV panel is lit but the logo “PRUSA RESEARCH by JOSEF PRUSA” does not appear on the screen, check the wiring and connection of the display.

However, if the display is backlit, ensure that the UV is plugged in properly and connectors are in place. Replace the UV LED panel if it’s faulty.

Here is a video of performing the LCD test on the Elegoo Mars 3D printer.

One user faced the issue of nothing being cured at all on their new Elegoo Saturn. After a lot of troubleshooting, they found out that the LCD was not plugged into the board, and plugging it back fixed the issue as well.

Below is another video of running the LCD test on the Sonic Mini 4K – Phrozen LCD 3D printer.

7. Enable “Put On the Plate” Setting in Slicer

One way to fix resin 3D printer printing nothing is by clicking the “Put on the Plate” from the “Move” settings in ChiTuBox. This setting arranges the model and its parts on the build plate and ensures the initial layers are printed perfectly on the surface.

One user printed the first model on Anycubic Photon and nothing was on the build plate. The issue was when he added the supports in ChiTuBox, the model mesh moved a bit higher.

However, clicking on the “Put on the Plate” feature in ChiTuBox completely resolved the issue and the print came out perfectly. To prevent this, another user recommended adding support in PrusaSlicer and then arranging it in the ChiTuBox.

Check out the detailed video on how to properly position and support prints in ChiTuBox.