FAQ:
Cleaning & Safety

• Printing with UV-curing resin is very different from printing with filament. A lot of people may be turned off by the level of care and cleaning required, but with proper preparation and processes, it can be a painless, easy experience.It is important to maintain a clean environment when printing with UV-curing resins. While resin models, once properly post-cured, are safe to touch – uncured resin remains a hazard which should be promptly dealt with and cleaned.We recommend the following materials to complement your printing set up:
  • Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning/wiping up any spills
  • Paper towel
  • Disposable latex (or nitrile) gloves, and
  • Safety eyewear.

  Additionally, we recommend situating your set up in a very well-ventilated area in which to work, away from any children or household pets.

  Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are available for our EZResin range from our partner manufacturer Monocure3D here. Our EZResin falls under the Rapid resin categories.

Once you have finished printing, it is good practice to clean your vat and platform and any other tools you have used in the printing process.

If you are going to print with the same colour resin within the next few days you may wish to leave your vat with resin on the Lotus EZ. However you should ensure the cover is replaced so that it does not cure during this time. We do not recommend leaving it for longer than a few days however.

It is our preference to always filter unused resin back into their bottles to maintain a clean working environment.

Once you have emptied your vat thoroughly, you can remove excess resin residue by gently running your black scraper along the surface of the vat to assist in push all liquid into the funnel provided. The slopes and corners of the vat allow easy drainage into the funnel.

Now you can clean the vat with paper towel and a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Damp a paper towel with some IPA and wipe well until all residue is removed. This is also a good chance to inspect the FEP film on the bottom of the vat for any scratches, or punctures which may compromise its ability to hold resin.

Cleaning the platform is very similar. You can again use the black scraper to slide off any excess resin into the funnel and then proceed with wiping it thoroughly with a paper towel dampened with IPA.

Also ensure there is no resin on the white casing of the Lotus EZ itself. Resin left on the case for an extended period will slowly damage the ABS material.

It is important to dispose of all resin-contaminated items such as paper towels, gloves etc appropriately according to your local regulations.

Because regulations vary greatly from country to country, and even within countries themselves, we can only provide general advice.

Resin and contaminated liquids such as IPA used in cleaning prints should not be disposed of in water ways or common residential drainage systems such as via your kitchen or bathroom sinks. Many areas have special chemical disposal drop-off points. If this is available to you, we recommend using a larger bottled container to pour such waste liquids into and then once full, making the deposit with your local chemical drop-off point.

One great solution which is much less hassle free, is simply putting all contaminated liquids or materials in a foil tray and leaving them in the sun (out of reach of pets and children) to completely cure. This is a great option, as once resin is cured, it can simply be disposed of in your regular household waste.