Print orientation question about UV Resin DLP 3D Printers

[red73mustang]

So one of the deal breakers (among many) keeping me from trying an SLA 3D resin printer has been build volume I.E. what size items you can print. That's changing fast and some affordable printers with large build volumes are here now. My questions for those that are already using one are about print orientation. Example ( 120*68*200mm(L x W x H).

FDM filament types of printers allow you to change the print orientation in the slicing software before you print the object to maximize build volume, print quality, need for support and just to fit the build plate.

Do SLA 3D resin printers allow for this orientation change or is it limited to printing "vertically" as opposed to horizontally?

Thanks Chet

[Courtney s]

That is a great question I always thought the resin printers would do a better job making thin light bodys. I wondered why I have never seen one and I guess that’s why not a big enough print area.

[Alan132]

I have had one of the Anycubic Photons now for over two years and really enjoy it. To answer your question yes you can orient your object anyway you want to. I just pulled a 1932 Vicky off the plate and it was oriented in the y axis and the x axis based on how much I wanted to. Hope this helps.

[CG Slotcars]

My bodies are done on a Form 2 or Form 3 in grey resin....
I spend about 2 minutes prepping for the primer coat once the body is clean.

The short answer to orientation is - it depends on what your printing.... I'll print some things almost straight up and down and some almost flat.... You'll never print one perfectly flat (large flat areas don't print well) - so if the printer has a small build area, there is always hope it fits. by rotating it up. The one drawback to adding a bunch of tilt is adding more touchpoints to a visible surface (visible when the shell is on the chassis.)

The other thing is you can always split the body on a line and do multiple pieces... I ran into that with a land speed car. I wouldn't attempt it on one of the "turn your phone into a 3D printer" things - but there are printers for 5-600 that it could work on.... Just depends on how much work you can do with it to set it up