Liquid Crystal HR2 Support
Unboxing
The Liquid Crystal HR2 comes in its own made to measure packaging. Follow the steps below properly to unpack your printer, or watch the informative unboxing video below:
1) Using a pair of scissors cut open the packaging surrounding the box.
2) Fold the sides of the box down and remove the red printer hood from the box and place to one side.
3) Untighten the screw on the top of the platform and gently slide it off.
4) Remove the two disposable vats from the box and the underlying packaging.
5) Lift the printer out of the box using the linear drive support brace.
Note: Please do not remove the protective film covering the printer screen
Ancillary Box Contents
1. Paper Filters
2. Funnel
3. 250g Sample Resin Daylight Hard Cream
4. Spray Bottle
5. Scraper
6. USB with Photocentric License Key
7. Plastic Scraper (Vat Cleaning Tool)
8. Power Adaptor (12V)
9. Power Supply
10. Print Sample
11. Nitrile Gloves
Recommended Items:
Extra gloves
Paper towels
Access to a sink with hot water to clean the objects
Photocentric Resin Cleaner (Purchase separately)
Soft brush or sponge to clean the object
Glass or clear plastic container to post expose the object in.
Ultrasonic Cleaner (Optional)
Setting Up Hardware
1. Connect the B end of the power supply cable to the power supply and insert into the back of the printer. Turn the printer on using the rocker switch located at the back of the printer. The touchscreen at the front will turn on. The screen will start making a system check and the welcome screen will appear a few seconds later.
2. Slide the platform back onto the linear drive and tighten up the top screw.
3. Open one of the vats from the top side to avoid damaging the vat film and place the vat centrally over the screen.
4. On the touchscreen press Maintain then Home to home the printer.
Note: If you do not have a display port connection you can use a display port to HDMI adaptor. VGA connections are not supported.
Starting A Test Print
Filling the Vat with Resin
Note: Always wear gloves when handling the resin
1. Once you have the printer assembled and connected then press + 10 and pour your sample resin, which comes in the ancillary box, into the vat. Once poured then press – 10.
2. With the vat filled with resin place the hood onto the printer.
Note: If you have an object that is 100 cm3 then it will use 115g of resin. Always overfill by at least 20% to ensure consistent resin flow. For most prints, filling the vatto 1/3 full is more than enough. Place the hood back on the printer.
Starting a Test Print
Now you have set up your printer lets make your very first print! Your LC HR2 has been shipped with a default test print pre-loaded. For your first print use this print and the sample resin supplied with your printer which you have just filled into the vat.
On the homepage, press the Print button, which will display the following screen. Click the test file Ring.cws to highlight it and press Print!. The print will then start.
Post Processing
Removing the Finished Part & Washing
1. When your print has finished, press the +50 button and the platform will rise to above the level of the vat.
2. Remove the hood again and with absorbent paper under it, remove the flex plate or build platform and set it down on the paper. Place the hood back on to protect the resin in the vat from light.
3. Gently remove any excess polymer with absorbent paper. The fastest way to clean it and achieve a dry surface is by removing the flex plate and spraying or immersing it in Photocentric Resin Cleaner, which can be purchased from our store. Alternatively, you can wash it in hot water and detergent. Hold the flex plate under running hot water and gently clean the part with a soft brush or sponge and liquid detergent. Then remove the object by twisting the flex plate and cut off the supports. Take care not to damage it, it will not achieve full hardness until after post exposing in light. An ultrasonic cleaner is
useful to clean delicate objects.
Post Exposing
When clean of residual resin, place in water of Aprox. 60ºC, and leave under UV unit for ideally 2 hours. For optimum post-cure results, replace the water with hot water as needed. Longer may be needed if using Daylight not UV. Remove from water and dry.
Note: If you’re printing dental prints, something delicate or you wish for your print to stay in its constructed shape, you will need to complete the post exposure in water whilst the print is still attached to the platform.
Preparing For The Next Print
1. Chip off any cured resin and clean the flex plate and platform with hot water and liquid detergent. Dry it thoroughly before inserting back into printer. Ensure the build platform is placed on the printer with the Serial Number sticker to the rear. Also, make sure the flex plate is placed back on the platform with the wings extending upwards.
2. Empty the vat and clean it after every print in case you have any solid pieces on the bottom as these would prevent the platform from homing correctly. Lift the vat from the printer; pour the resin back into the bottle through the filter paper into the funnel provided.
3. If you have a leak on the screen mop up the liquid resin immediately using absorbent paper. Clean off with a damp cloth with detergent. Hardened resin can be removed by chipping off with a credit card or plastic scraper (provided in the ancillary box. Metal scrapers should only be used with extreme care to avoid scratching the screen.
4. The build platform is labelled with the Serial # of the printer that it was supplied with. If you are using more than one printer, it is important to ensure that the correct build platform is placed back on the corresponding printer. The homing of the platform is performed during factory production, however, if rehoming is necessary, follow the instructions below.
Re-homing the platform
It is necessary to follow the homing set-up if a new build platform is being used or if an existing platform is to be used on a different printer. It is also, recommended that re-homing is completed after 100 prints approximately.
1. With the build platform completely removed, press the maintain button then press the home button.
2. Loosen the three adjustment screws on top of the print arm with an allen key.
3. Replace the build platform ensuring the Serial Number sticker is to the rear and that the flex plate is fitted. Do not tighten the central lever yet. Tighten each adjustment screw until resistance is met, do not over tighten.
4. Now tighten the central lever. Use the control panel to raise the platform, ensuring it lifts evenly. If it does not, repeat the homing procedure.
5. Apply locklite threadlocker to the three screws.
Reskinning The Vat
Note: This procedure is optional. New disposable vats can be purchased from our store
You will need:
Scissors
Craft knife
Pallet knife
Photocentric vat film (Purchase here)
Single sided sticky tape
Double sided tape
Paper towel
Please read carefully.
Re-skinning the vat is a simple process but care and attention must be paid to cleanliness and removing cured bits of resin. Make sure at each stage of the process that the work surface, vat, and your hands are very clean and free from debris that may cause holes in the film.
1. Remove the film currently taped to the vat and dispose of it. It may be possible to use the double-sided tape again if it has no resin on it. If the tape cannot be reused, remove it completely and replace on the lower edge of the vat.
2. Wipe the vat clean and wash all parts with soap and water. Pay attention to the underside of the vat, resin may have cured here. Remove any hard bits of resin as they may make a hole when tightening the new film over it.
3. Place double sided tape at the top of all four sides of the vat. Check the new vat film isn’t pierced or dented and place it over the protective brown paper, on a flat work surface. Place one edge of the vat along the edge of vat film.
4. Fold over the other side of the film and pulling it firmly tight in the middle stretch the edges out so there are no creases.
5. Pull each side of the film up and onto the sides of the vat.
6. Apply single sided tape at the corners over the folds to keep the film tight. The vat should now be tensioned. Trim excess edges off. On the short sides of the vat place a piece of single sided tape.
7. Finally, fill with water and leave on absorbent paper to check for leaks. Drain and dry with paper towel before use.
Setting up Software
We recommend installing Photocentric Studio, which comes with your printer, after you have printed the pre-loaded test file on your LC HR2. Photocentric Studio is perfect to slice and support your files ready to print – to get started follow the set up instructions below
Installing the software
1. Extract the Photocentric Studio zip folder and run the .msi application
Note: If Windows Defender prevents the installation from starting simply click ‘More Info’ then ‘Run Anyway’ to begin the installation process.
2.The set up wizard will then load on your screen. To proceed with the installation simply click Next.
3. Now select the location for your installation to be saved to. If you wish to change the location simply click Browse and select a new location of your choice. Once the location has been selected click Next.
4. Once you have selected the location of the installation click Next to begin the installation of the software.
5. Installation has now completed, click Close and you can now open the software. When opening the software you will see a section to enter your license number which can be found on the USB in the envelope of the ancillary box, click on this section and enter your license number provided into the field as shown.
Note: The software comes with a 30 day trial. If you wish to use the trial before activating your license simply click ‘Continue Evaluation’.
Download the latest version of Photocentric Studio below
For further support on Photocentric Studio please visit the dedicated support page below
Minimum Computer Requirements
– Operating System Windows 7, 8 or 10
-Minimum 2.0 Ghz processor speed 2 cores. Recommended 4 cores
– GPU capable of opening opengl version 3.0 or higher
– .net framework version 4.0
– 64bit system: minimum 2GB of RAM, recommended 4GB
– 32bit system: minimum 1GB of RAM, recommended 2GB
Touchsreen Controls
Setting up a network connection
The LCHR2 supports two different types of network connection: Ethernet and WiFi. To set up ethernet, simply plug the ethernet cable into the back of the printer and connect it to your router.
Steps to set-up Wifi:
1. Power on the printer with the rocker switch at the back of the printer.
2. Click Settings on the touchscreen on the front of the printer.
3. Once booted click Wifi Settings.
4. Wait until your desired Wifi network shows.
5. Select the desired network and press the button “Setup Network”.
6. Enter your Wifi Password and press Accept.
7. Finish by pressing Save.
8. Press Home to get back to the main screen.
9. When done reboot the printer.
Starting a print from the touchscreen
To start a print from a touchscreen you can either use print files already loaded on the printer or you can upload pre-sliced .CWS files from a USB stick. To upload files from the USB stick, simply insert the USB in the front of the printer, go to the homepage and wait. After a few seconds, press the Print button and all of the files should be uploaded to the printables and be available to print.
Remove a file from the touchscreen
1. From the home page press Print.
2. Select the printable you want to remove and click the red button with the X on the right.
3. Click Yes to delete the file.
Technical Enquiry