Anycubic are a very well-respected 3D printer manufacturer that have brought us the Anycubic Photon Mono resin 3D printer, a serious contender for one of the best budget machine out there.
To help people really look into this 3D printer as an option to have in their arsenal, I decided to write a review about it that gives a little more of a clearer look into how well it performs.
I’ll first go through the features so you know what you are getting, then go through the benefits, downsides, spefications and what current customers are saying about the Photon Mono (Amazon).
Let’s get straight into this review!
Features of the Anycubic Photon Mono
6” 2K Monochrome LCD
Large Build Volume
New Matrix Parallel 405nm Light Source
Fast Printing Speed
Easy to Replace FEP
Own Slicer Software – Anycubic Photon Workshop
High Quality Z-Axis Rail
Reliable Power Supply
Top Cover Detection Safety
6” 2K Monochrome LCD
This 3D printer enables users to reduce the exposure time to just 1.5 seconds, which is great in comparison to older models. A monochrome screen is included in the unit as it consumes less power and has a longer life span allowing you to easily print for about 2,000 hours.
The monochrome screen can serve you for about 3 to 4 times longer than many other budget resin 3D printers out there. You’ll save money in the long-run, as well as have a better printing experience overall.
In terms of resolution, the 2K monochrome LCD provides an XY resolution of around 51 microns, a very respected resolution for resin 3D printers.
The video below shows a visual of the Photon Mono, as well as some views on how well it performs.
New Matrix Parallel 405nm Light Source
The design of the light source within your resin 3D printer is important for the quality of your resin prints. That’s why Anycubic went with a new matrix parallel 405nm light source design to really bring out the benefits of this 3D printer.
Uniform exposure to the resin is necessary and this new matrix parallel light source is effective in providing better heat dissipation, high efficiency, and performance.
This amazing and advanced light source gives you a lot of success and better chances that you get great results once your prints are finished up.
Easy to Replace FEP
Out of the types of maintenance you can do with a resin 3D printer, a challenging part can be replacing your FEP film. Anycubic took notice of this and made sure to come up with an easy and quick method to get this job done.
You can start by unscrewing the nuts while holding the FEP film, place the new FEP film there, screw up the nuts again, and you are done. It’s a good idea to follow a video tutorial or a guide to make sure you get the tightness correct.
It comes with its own slicing software which includes some useful features such as 8x anti-aliasing and allowing you to add text to your print.
Most of the Anycubic’s previous version was compatible with other slicing software as well and this feature is inherited into Photon Mono as well, you have the ability to integrate and use other slicers such as ChiTuBox as well.
I do prefer to use other slicer software because the Photon Workshop software is hard to navigate and not so modern with its user interface. You want to go for either Lychee Slicer, PrusaSlicer, or ChiTuBox.
You can do the usual process with orientation and supports, then export the STL file back into the Photon Workshop to slice it into the specific file type that you need.
Lychee Slicer should have the ability to slice files into the required file so that’s definitely a great option to use.
High Quality Z-Axis Rail
For the best quality resin 3D prints, having a high quality, stable Z-axis is important. The Anycubic Photon Mono has a very high quality Z-axis rail structure, along with a stable stepper motor to improve stability while in motion.
This greatly reduces the risks of layer shifting in your models. I personally have the Photon Mono X which has a similar structure, and it works so well that even when I forgot to screw the bed into place, I still got a successful print!
Unlike other budget resin 3D printer options, you won’t get that same high quality, so this is one that you can rely on when you really need the extra support.
Reliable Power Supply
It comes with a power supply that has the relevant certification to ensure proper safety throughout printing. It is TUV, CE, and ETL certified, for top safety and durability.
The rated power comes to 45W.
Top Cover Detection Safety
In order to protect you from the strong UV lights from within the monochrome LCD, you have access to the top cover detection. This simply pauses the operation of the Photon Mono when the UV cover is removed.
This does have to be enabled within the machine to work properly. Use the lock icon within the user interface to activate the top lid cover detection.
Comes with an efficient and convenient acrylic lid/cover
With a resolution of 0.05mm, it produces an excellent build quality
Build volume is a bit larger than its advanced version Anycubic Photon Mono SE.
Offers a very fast printing speed which is normally 2 to 3 times faster than other traditional resin 3D printers.
It has a high 2K, XY resolution of 2560 x 1680 pixels
Has quiet printing, so it doesn’t disturb work or sleep
Once you get to know the printer, it is quite easy to operate and manage
An efficient and extremely easy bed leveling system
Focusing on its print quality, printing speed, and build volume, its price is quite reasonable as compared to other 3D printers.
Downsides of the Anycubic Photon Mono
It only supports a single file type which can be inconvenient sometimes.
Anycubic Photon Workshop is not the best software, but you have the options to use Lychee Slicer which can save in the required extension for the Photon Mono.
It’s hard to tell what’s going on until the base comes above the resin
The odors aren’t ideal but this is normal for many resin 3D printers. Get some low-odor resin to combat this downside.
There is a lack of Wi-Fi connectivity and air filters.
The display screen is sensitive and prone to scratches.
Easy replace FEP means you have to buy the whole FEP film set rather than individual sheets which costs more, but you can get the Sovol Metal Frame Vat from Amazon to replace FEP film.
Specifications of the Anycubic Photon Mono
Printer’s Manufacturer: Anycubic
System Series: Photon
Display Screen: 6.0-Inch Screen
Technology: LCD Based SLA (Stereolithography)
Printer Type: Resin 3D Printer
Light Source: 405nm LED Array
Operating System: Windows, Mac OS X
Minimum Layer Height: 10 Microns
Build Volume: 130mm x 80mm x 165mm (L, W, H)
Max Printing Speed: 50mm/h
Compatible Materials: 405nm UV Resin
Z-Axis Positioning Accuracy: 0.01mm
XY Resolution: 0.051mm 2560 x 1680 Pixels (2K)
File Types: STL
Bed Leveling: Assisted
Power: 45W
Assembly: Fully Assembled
Connectivity: USB
Printer Frame Dimensions: 227mm x 222mm x 383mm
Third-Party Materials: Yes
Slicer Software: Anycubic Photon Workshop
Weight: 4.5 KG (9.9 Pounds)
Customer Reviews of the Anycubic Photon Mono
There are many happy customers that are proud owners of the Anycubic Photon Mono, and they have many great things to say about it.
A user mentioned in his feedback that Photon Mono is ideal for any person, whether beginner or expert who wants to have a better 3D printing experience. It is very easy to configure, bed leveling is easy, build volume is respectable, and quality is excellent.
Another reviewer said that the unit comes with a PDF manual that provides instructions in a step by step manner that helps you to use the slicing software and perform different operations efficiently.
He said that a print that took 10 hours to print on another resin 3D printer was completed in just 4 hours on the Anycubic Photon Mono.
There is no barely any assembly required and this is one of the most appreciated parts of this 3D printer. As soon as you start unboxing, you can get things up and running very quickly, mostly just needing a connection to a power supply.
It comes with just about everything you need with it, including the safety equipment. The initial setup for one user was so simple that they had started their test print within just 15 minutes of unboxing.
One aspect that many people overlook is being able to get a good view of your 3D prints through the top cover. With the Photon Mono, you can do this fairly easily through the acrylic cover.
Compared to FDM printing which many users previously had, they describe the resin printing experience as a very simple one, especially with the video tutorials that are easily accessible.
When looking at the previous models of Photons, the Photon Mono comes out levels above which many people can attest to. The best improvement has to be the speed, and just how long the new monochrome screen lasts.
Anycubic Photon Mono Review – Worth Buying or Not?
I personally think the Anycubic Photon Mono (Amazon) has overtaken several resin 3D printers as the best budget option out there. You can get this 3D printer especially cheap when there is a sale going on.
It has top tier precision with each print that you produce, along with many amazing features and powerful specifications that realistically make it one of the best resin 3D printers in its price range.
Whether you are an experienced user or new to resin 3D printing, the Photon Mono is a very worthwhile purchase for a better printing journey.
Michael Dwamena is the founder of 3D Printerly, a platform dedicated to simplifying 3D printing for hobbyists and professionals alike. Owns over 20 3D printers (filament and resin) and has plenty experience 3D printing. Michael has authored over 900 articles, helping millions navigate the exciting world of 3D printing.
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