In regards to modifying the homing sensor, it's come to my attention since publishing this video that Elegoo customer support actually has a gcode file they can send you to achieve the same outcome. So if your new Saturn/Mars printer fails auto leveling please contact support first, and failing that try Geek Detours method (link in video description), and as a last ditch you can try the mod in this video. There is A LOT to cover here so I've gone ahead and chapterized this video so you can easily find the most relevant or interesting sections if you don't fancy sitting through the entire thing. I do of course encourage a full viewing! This video goes DEEP, and gets under the skin of the new S4U and its little brother , and we even take a look at some of the problems this machine and others like it are facing, and how to overcome them. 00:00:00 - Intro and Overview 00:04:27 - Careful, this lens cap will fight you 00:06:28 - Let's talk about heaters 00:14:12 - Fume Extraction 00:15:57 - Firmware 00:27:29 - Setting up a Calibration print 00:29:39 - Comparing the internal hardware 00:35:21 - Numbering the test models 00:39:08 - Let's talk about why tilt release is really cool 00:43:53 - Build plate drainage model (highly recommend this) 00:44:59 - THE MOST SATISFYING TANK CLEAN I'VE EVER DONE HOLY SHIT 00:46:14 - Trying out a new part removal tool 00:47:44 - Let's talk about the bib 00:49:48 - Jay3DTech Boxes of Calibration 00:58:01 - First print results 01:02:37 - Testing recovery on power loss 01:03:48 - Second print results 01:04:28 - The issues with "Auto levelling" 01:12:34 - What do you do if Auto Levelling fails?! 01:16:19 - Closer look at all the prints 01:21:16 - Testing the new Elegoo Mini Heater in cold weather 01:24:18 - Final thoughts
Sigmastar SSD2020 i think this is the arm chip (brain ) behind eleegoo saturn 4 ultra and bg256 is a type of sram ,dram or eeprom. Thank you for this great video👍👍👍👍
bro i had to sub an like . im getting my photon my photon m7 pro anycubic is the best i found fmd printers are shit . all elegoo printers are crap do not buy one . i had 3 of elegoo . nothing but problems cheap nasty crap elegoo . i sold mine an got refu nds back there that crap look what this guy says . all true even there resin mars is shit .. looking forward to learning more from you channel great your a ozzy sydney based . great video mate
@@OnceinaSixSide I destroyed my first FEP because I just couldn't give fails off - and I didn't have any supports because I hadn't made anything yet. Super excited to not need to keep a piece of supports floating around in between printing sessions.
Maybe try using a slightly heavier card stock? It looked like you had a bit of fuss and had to stick your hand down in the resin. Maybe something like a playing card?
Thanks for the video. My submission for the print removal tool shootout: painters tool! It's rigid but flexible, the blade is beveled but not super sharp, and it's got a pointy bit on one end if you need to wedge it under a fussy raft.
Just got my Ultra a couple days ago. Love this machine! I can say that putting a flex plate on the build plate is 100% the way to go. I only remove the flex plate, which means I never remove the build plate after each print. So the issues that are particular to this build plate being messy I simply don't have. I previously owned a Saturn 2 with Whambam flex plates, so I was able to buy a new magnet from Whambam and continue to use the two flex plates I already had. The Ultra also allows you to simply run a bit of Gcode on the printer to adjust for the added height of the flex plate and magnet. Previously you had to print a little space and screw that into the plate mechanism. That's gone. You just put a Gcode file on a USB, load it up, and it automagically adjusts the printer for the flex plate and magnet height. So far this thing is a deam.
@@fluxcapacitor If you sand up the surface of the flex-plate, it'll stick just fine. Just make sure that the etched plate is well cleaned with IPA before sticking the magnet on, and do the same with the flex plate after sanding to get any metal dust off.
@@Averell64 I'm working with a Saturn 2, rather than the 4 Ultra, but there's no real need. The plate itself doesn't need to come out of the machine, you can just peel off the flex plate and after getting the prints off - which is much easier - I give it a wipe down with some ipa and pop it back in.
Just got the Saturn 4 and my biggest gripe is the way the build plate handle is shaped..... so uncomfortable to hold in a gloved hand. Elegoo needs to taper this thing the opposite way! From the build plate it needs to go from thin to thick not the other slippery way around! Love the video's man you have really helped me on this journey!
I've had mine for a couple days now, and I've found the bib is actually pretty handy for drainage if you put the plate on it sideways so that it overhangs back into the vat. The "bolt sheath" bits are almost exactly as wide as the top bib lip, so it's fully supported while it drains and you just have a tiny bit of resin clinging to one edge after that.
He could've also used the bib to catch resin while he put the build plate on that angled holder to let it drain back into the vat instead of into the other thing.
There is a small print on cults that is a spacer to allow the power cable to go out the back while still being able to hook up the ventilation. If you search Saturn 4 it will come up.
Printer does what it sets out to do, but the mucking around with the build plate is a definite no for me. Oh and If Elegoo Social are reading this, tell your sales team to allow direct sales to NZ, because right now your sole distributor is over charging like crazy for anything branded with Elegoo, and never has any resin in stock, even if it wasn't stupid expensive
Mate I cannot second this harder about sales in NZ. The pricing is wild, and for an exclusive distributor it's insane. Having 0 non-overpriced Elegoo options ONLY drives people to other companies.
Glad you liked the paper L tank clean method, thanks for the shout out :) Great video, thanks for sharing all your thoughts and experiences. I'm glad you've given exposure to J3D Tech, his printing guide is fucking awesome and I also like his calibration piece. I agree with the build plate and auto level comments, I much prefer a standard build plate (with the 4 x bolts not the ball joint) and to me, auto level is a gimmick that is just not needed, great for FDM printers, but just not needed for resin printers...using J3D Tech's method of levelling from his guide (leveling the build plate in the vat with resin in it) is perfect. I do it once and don't need to do it again and it has always worked perfectly for me. I am also not a fan of these new tilting beds, I just think it is another mechanical cog in the wheel that introduces a number of things that can go wrong, cause problems, or break. I think the Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra is the best printer that company has made, its build quality is excellent with components their other printers don't have and it has the 4 bolt build plate and a non-tilting bed...I fucked the ACF right off and replaced it with nFEP and it is a dream machine.
As a novice self taught programmer yes the calibration feature would probably relatively simple to code in the grand scheme. However i wouldn't be shocked if anycubic has some kinda of patent on the function being built into the printer itself. Maybe elegoo has made its function different enough to finally bypass the patent. And the extra charge is to recoup the rnd to justify new patent. And if you think that sounds stupid i would remind you we live in a world in which a spinning icon is the symbol of loading because atari patented minigames in loading screens like 40 years ago.
I dunno, that seems a stretch. Its just changing what the pixels are doing on an LCD, and given these are all Chinese made products where historically IP doesn't mean shit.. I'm dubious that it's an IP problem. Given my experience now complaining about printers and requested improvements; they just don't care/aren't interested in making the effort.
These are all chinese companies. Patents mean absolutelly jack shit. Also you can get around pattents in a way or other if you want to. It is not a thing in all printers because they did not tried to implement it yet. Like autoleveling was not imidiatly implemented in sla and fdm printers.
@OnceinaSixSide, My name is Rell Ambrose, and I have been a Systems programmer for over 40 years, and can easily identify the parts on the Motherboards. I don't know if anyone has metioned this, the "Brains" of the two systems are very different. The Saturn 4 has a microcontroler, and while it's pretty powerful, programming the LCD Driver invlolves a lot more effort. The Saturn 4 Ultra is using a Sigmastar SSD202D Dual Core Linux System, which likely has a LCD Driver built in, making the development for the screen an order of magnitude easier.
Some observations about this machine having used it for 2 weeks. I'm also in Sydney so temperature is the same factor. 1) magnetic build plate doesnt work with the tilt function, it causes the print to slide. 2) The calibration function is not intuative. 3) You can change the speed setting mid print i.e. start the print in standard mode then move it to fast after the initial layers print. 4) The spout is aweful on the resin vat. 5) If you heat up your resin the machine keeps it warm while running, as long as the machine is on it keeps my resin at between 25 and 30 degrees C in 5-10 degree ambient temp
TLDR: 1. Use UV cure time to get the Boxes to fit 2. Use 2s light off delay (Wait before Print)! 3. Don't lift more then 6mm! Why waste time? 4. Don't retract super fast, respect your Mini, love your Mini! >>Once boxes fit
@@drdan141 I can't pin more than one comment sorry! Also @J3DTech thank you for taking the time to edit your comment and provide the long version! I hadn't noticed that til now, and I think I get what you're saying now. I'll give it a go in an upcoming video and take more care with it 🤘
I've been having a good time with my Saturn 4 Ultra (so far.) It's been working like a champ for me. Messing with the build plate hasn't been too much trouble, and the drip bracket you linked looks like a good addition. Thanks as always for a detailed look. Keep up the great work!
For people who can't get the gardening trays in the right size, you can get aluminum quarter baking sheets, which I think is somewhat standardized for baking.
1:13:10 Nope… it will detect the pressure against the glass to determine where/when the build plate touches it. Moving the homing sensor is won’t have the effect you expect (now I will unpause and see if you were right).
01:04:28 It seems that you didn't watch Geek Detour's video before doing your own. He demonstrated a successful, simple way to manually tune each spring tension of the autoleveling plate during a dry print, so that every loose piece of paper becomes perfectly squished between the screen and the build plate, in every area. And he shared a clever trick to easily "save" the correct setting mechanically. So yes, "manual leveling" is somehow possible on the Saturn 4 Ultra, and that in no way implies having to do anything as complicated as what you've tried in vain the other way around.
You missed the part where I addressed that first thing before I stated I was curious if a homing sensor mod would work as well lol It's also come to my attention since publishing this video that Elegoo has a gcode file they're issuing through support which achieves the same result. So.. hurray for options 🥳
@@OnceinaSixSide Sorry, English is not my primary language an I may indeed have missed that passage. I am interested in that G-code file, what does it do exactly? Because some people on forums say that the Saturn 4 Ultra does not remember correctly the zero position after zeroing… which means that the sheets papers (in case of a dry print) starts well clamped, perfectly sandwiched between the screen and the build plate, then they become loose again in a couple of seconds afterward!
30:00 Yeigh! Love to see inside! Hi there James! Oh, about entering the numbers for the exposure calibration - it’s a bit annoying until you understand it doesn’t let you cross up or down with other existing values, right! Cheers, mate!
as someone that just wants to open print and paint, this is more attractive to me. the clean up sucks but i also just leave the plat on an angle for a long time. time is not a issue for me personally.
I personally didn't notice any issue with mine, however I would buy any other heater over it for this reason and the fact it has no control at all, and is quite loud.
32:00 The WILNX17 seems to a clone of a Lattice Semi FPGA, given the proximity to the gold ribbon cable for the display I would assume it is being used as part of the display driving electronics. Super cool chip though. The "CPU" chip is the smaller one to the right with the ARM logo. The two board are probably different generations/versions of ARM chips.
I have had my saturn 4 ultra. I made a long handle scraper on my A1 that fits in between the posts and i use that to scrape the majoriety of resin off into the vat before i remove the build plate from machine.
The trick is not to run them at the same time. Extraction is invaluable because you can clear the fumes before you open up your printer to get your prints. Agree though, heated vat with a band is better.
I know others have already mentioned it, but I'll add- there are ways to modify the z offset using gcode. Wambam has a file floating around to alter it for the flex plates (they were slamming the screen and triggering the sensor). Should be able to do the opposite, without messing with the homing sensor. Lots of people saying 'Just give me a manual adjust plate' or 'ill rig it for manual adjust'. Unfortunately I don't think it's possible/a good idea. Maybe on the S4, but not something you want to do on the Ultra. The margin for error with the tilting vat, in terms of repeatable positioning, somewhat forces the need for this style of spring bed. If you were to 'fix the plate', then the bed decided to sit slightly higher, you'd have issues....
Good info, I wish I knew about the gcode before as it could be used as a workaround versus the physical mod I made to the homing sensor 😅 In regards to a fixed and manual leveled build plate it would be completely possible and fine here. The LCD thanks to the clever and simple design of the mechanical tilt is rock solid in the up position. Check out the Prusa SL1s
@@OnceinaSixSideComing from the machinist/engineer world, I wouldn't trust that tilt mechanism with a 10 foot pole😂. My ultra only got here a few days ago so haven't delved into it yet, but I plan on putting an indicator on the LCD to get some numbers. If they show repeatability I'll eat my words 👍
Just came across your channel, and this video, three days after pulling the trigger and purchasing a Saturn 4 Ultra. Really awesome in depth review that has given me some insight into how to work it and set up when it arrives. Awesome to see such a review from a fellow Aussie as well. Ill be going through a lot of your other videos now
Question I cant find an answer to yet is, do you still need to worry about suction with the rotating vat? I would guess suction is less of an issue, but potentially still present?
In terms of cleaning the build plate. I got mine with the cleaning station. If you fill that all the way up, you can sit your build plate in there on one of it's short sides. Turn the cleaner on for a few minutes and your build plate is clean. It does hold on internally to a bit of the metho or what you are using to clean, but that drains right out. Especially if you are done with printing for the day, just set it upside down over night and it's done!
So, not all printers support multiple different exposure times at once to find best exposure settings? Does the Flash forge Foto 8.9 allow it? How would I know?
Hmm it's pretty uncommon still. If it's not obvious a printer can do it from the onboard firmware/website/manual, or included files then it probably can't do it.
I just learned that UVtools can make a multi-calibration print for almost any machine. It was here on RUclips, I’ll post the link if I can find it. I just got my Saturn 4 Ultra and its build plate was perfectly level, the exposures are trending lower than my Saturn 1 or Mars 3. The only issue so far is all the screws holding the lid hinge to the frame were loose - simple fix
@@DHyre Yeah this is true, and while it does work with some printers it is pretty clunky to configure and run imo. Worth a shot though! You might like it
For the shit build plate, I would tighten the bolts, IF NOT possible, i will add a split washer at the top. (file it down if needed) This is how we can manually level the plate.
probably because big preorder, the QC is become super lacking, I got saturn 4 ultra and a bit of journey 1. first machine I got crack cover, leveling issue on the printer, print wont stick 2. I got replacement from the seller, when I was checking the machine, the touch screen has lot of line like notebook, so they got me something from warehouse 3. 3rd machine, got home and there line in the middle of the lcd, and I use it to print, there vertical line on the print model where the line in lcd are with or without antialiasing, after that first I remove the vat, I notice hair line crack on the screen, I assume because the auto leveling, there no debris on the filter resin from the vat, vat screw not over tighten and no pressure has been apply at all to the lcd except by the machine itself I haven't heard anything from elegoo and the seller, it's 10 hours drive back and forward to the place, I'm guessing they gonna blame on human error, and if I got replacement LCD myself, I still afraid of auto level might not calibrated well and crack the new lcd too, I never experience this kinda problem years of printing resin, all my old anycubic doesn't have any problem at all.
Great video thanks! I just picked up one of the ultras. Really good printer. But, dude... lol I have an very real physical reaction every time you hack at that build plate with the razor. I've had no issues using just a normal paint scraper and I don't have to worry about gouging the plate (also using sunlu abs-like). And thanks for the STLs! Edit: I have had no issues with the build plate. The way in which you pulled it out of the machine made me believe that's the issue. I put the bib on the vat and slide the build plate out level with the machine, then I tilt the top of the build plate toward my chest. No mess and only the bottom half of the build plate gets resin on it. Also, I don't care at all what is left on the top. My printer never sees sunlight and I couldn't care less if my blue resin gets some grey in it. So I don't even clean the top of the bottom half.
I use the bib every time (when I remember) and it's handy. You don't want resin getting down in the machine. And before I remove the build plate, I use a silicone scraper to scoop the resin that pools on the top side of the plate and let it fall back into the vat.
I loved this video man. Lots of useful information. I went ahead and ordered a chitu heater for my saturn 4 ultra, ive had a few prints get stuck to the vat. Not sure why just yet as im brand new to this stuff. Not sure if it was a leveling thing or exposure time on my print. I actually have quite a few questions but yeah for one what is the sheet your pulling out of the vat at 1:22:59?
I will admit that I got excited over the promise of auto leveling. Though after learning how it works and the drawback, oh boy do I wish I never asked for this.
Me too and, when I heard about it on the Uniformation, I was like: "Cool! But wait: how does it work? It locks the plate in the leveled position SOMEHOW? HOW excactly? O_o" And yep, just as I feared: it's BS. On my HevORT I have 3 Z motors for the auto leveling, so for a true auto *leveling* a resin printer would need at least 3 servo motors inside the plate that lock the screws once the bed is touching the FEP.
Hey is it possible to share the cones of calibration with the numbers on it? I received my printer the day this came out and would love to use them to calibrate my resin!
I would love to but Ty has asked nicely that I don't. There is a tutorial attached to this video to help you customize your own calibration parts with numbers if you need 🍻
Labeling test prints is SUPER easy in 3D Builder if you have a PC. Load the STL, find Emboss (either edit or object), type, set your extrusion, and done. For removal, a thin palette knife from an art store is perfect.
Just got my S4U and the auto-leveling fails when my Bambu Labs X1 Carbon is printing fast and vibrating the table I have both printers on. I have to pause the X1 carbon to allow the auto-leveling to work. I wish Elegoo offered an optional build plate with manual leveling or at least let me disable "auto-leveling".
So im VERY new to resin and 3d printing in general. i got the S4U and ive tried for the life of me, to get my prints to stick to the build plate. It sticks to the FEP. I just set it up a couple days ago and the rook that comes with the printer AND the exposure testing files both stick to the FEP. Its colder at my place here but i do have the heater on the inside. Im using the Elegoo 8k resin and after watching this, im contemplating switching resin. Ive tried to re level the build plate as well with no luck on a successful print. ive tried like 4 or 5 times now. Its very overwhelming to me when it doesnt work because i dont have the experience to troubleshoot other than a couple things that i read here and there lol. Thanks in advance for any info!
so would making the pre determined steps for distance after sensor be possible for ellegoo to put in the firmware on screen? then we would have very finite option to adjust that down the road
5:39 the sensor seems to be a load cell on the arm, so any forces from the screen and built plate transmitted into the arm would be sensed by it. But since the cap was lodged on the back of the carriage where the linear rail and z-screw go, there's no way the load cell would pick it up.
It's crazy what a game changer that dumb little spatula thing is. I had picked up 4 or 5 different scrappers that were all problematic. Then i watch a J3D video where he mentioned that thing, and i ordered it out of desperation. I it the best cheapest upgrade ive ever picked up.
I have a question about FlexPlates für the buildplate. Elegoo says to don't use it, because it can desturb the leveling process. But what exactly is the problem? Didn't it just set a new zero point, and that's it? I'm a completely beginner. This will be my first printer. But a flexplate seems to make it easyer, to get the prints safe from your plate.
Someone mentioned above that the auto-levelling feature makes the flexplate slide, so it might not be recommended for this printer. Edit: But someone further down had success, so maybe it's fine.
Heh I had the same issue with the calibration boxes: I could fit them snug from 1.6 and all the way to like 2.6, when printing on S4U. Something is definately off. What calibration test do you usually recommend?
Cones of calibration V3 all day every day. Just pick the first result that has at least one of the two index cones and you're good. I've lost count of how many resins I've tried this on now and its never let me down
@@OnceinaSixSide ah. Yeah, they kept bugging out on me. Either I had it so that there were NO cones forming but the test with the sword worked. Or! The cones formed but the sword tests failed. I could never get both.
A video of you installing and testing a magnetic flexplate on this machine would be terrific, since it will probably solve all the messy cleaning issues this printer have!
I would like to see a replacement or companion printer for my Halot Mage 8K (Basic) and I've been thinking between an Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra or the Saturn 4 Ultra. But seeing that the auto-leveling issue can be a problem for certain prints, then which would be better, the 4 or the 3?
Awesome to see some respect thrown J3D’s way. His guide is absolutely great work and he’s been a North Star for my printing journey for sure. Alongside you of course 😊
I know J3D is also talking to Elegoo about adding a Z offset adjustment via software. So hopefully that yields results. So we don’t have to manually modify our machines
Another addendum. I asked on Lychee about the pillars tensile, and he said he needs to update it. Here is the response he gave me though which may help! TLDR: 1. Use UV cure time to get the Boxes to fit 2. Use 2s light off delay (Wait before Print)! 3. Don't lift more then 6mm! Why waste time? 4. Don't retract super fast, respect your Mini, love your Mini! >>Once boxes fit
Thank you for bringing the auto leveling and compression issues into the review. Elegoo have sent me a gcode file that adjusts the thresholds for auto levelling, and a second plate, because the plate was off kilter. It still has the issue, and they're not really doing much to help... I've burned through 3 release films in a week because the low layer supports keep getting pushed into the film at the "high" spots! I also print a lot directly on the plate (flat bases, volume orders, worked fine on my old Mars), and this is causing no end of headaches right now. Elegoo support basically taps out at "don't print on the plate lol" with no acknowledgment of the problem 😔
Oof thats rough. IMO you need to buy another printer with manual leveling that you can tune the Z-offset on. I'm keen to know more about the gcode file they sent you.. Is it essentially allowing you to adjust the distance the build plate moves after it hits the homing sensor? If that can be customized that means we can skip the whole physical mod I did at the end of this video.
@@OnceinaSixSide I've done some tinkering myself and I've got a list of parameters that the printer uses... The gcode that they sent me initially just alters the parameters for the auto levelling - From the looks of it, it alters the amount of pressure that's required on the plate to say "This is level now"... The one they sent made the compression issues go into overdrive though! There are settings to alter the z offset in there from what I can see, but I've not played with those yet. Happy to share the files so you can have a run through. It's really frustrating, when this printer works it's *phenomenal*, but "on plate" printing is just proving near impossible
Great videos. Just received mine after struggling with an M5s that I am convinced was just a lemon (after 2 previous Anycubic models that had been fine). So far the Saturn 4 ultra has been brilliant. Calibration tool is awesome and prints have been fast and great detail. The reduced settings, such as speed, makes it simpler too.
Great video, a friend has pre-ordered it as his first 3d printer, so fingers crossed his doesn't have any QC issues and doesn't have any issues with the auto leveling. Based on your video I think Elegoo could release a manually leveled build plate and a firmware update to allow for manual adjustments for leveling. So for those who want to stick with manual leveling they have that option or if the auto leveling is broken Elegoo can offer the manual solution as a 'fix'(hopefully fully covered as a replacement part under warrenty or something).
best removal tool I've is from the Amerivault set, specifically the one that looks like cake icing spatula. Soft corners with a nice sharp edge to get under rafts and nice and flexi blade with a good reach. The pallet knife style spatula's like that I've not had great luck with, don't get under the rafts that well in my experience without modifications.
@@OnceinaSixSide Looks like they are some sort of amazon rebranding outfit. Might only be available under that name in the US. I think you can make one just as good out of a 5" cake decorating or icing spatula(what they are called in the US at least) if you filed or ground a dull edge on the tip.
Superb in depth review! Your commentary is rich on knowledge, references to superb contributors of other channels and blogs. It really helps me to understand, how everything works (or should work) together. I've been Resin printing for years with excellent results, and have recently ordered the Saturn 4 Ultra. I still love my decision after your review - but I absolutely hate the deep Laser edged hard to clean buildplate and the auto levelling idea (which I knew before purchase), because I need direct buildplate level prints for very thin parts, that shall and can not have supports. (e.g. 10 Layer high Window frames, round rod style handles...). I will definitely add a magnetic flat build plate and will level the printer manually by sanding the screws to the perfect height, to get height and tilt perfect to the level of the screen. Or I adjust the Z-Level indicator, as I did on my still perfectly working Mars 1 and Mars 2 Pro. I have good use for double the resolution, double the speed and the bigger build plate. And the nice calibration feature. Maybe Elegoo will come up with an optional classic Elegoo Ball Joint build plate to be purchased as an add on for the Saturn 4 and Mars 5, that would be great! That said: I think Elegoo has earned a huge reputation in acessebility (everything can be taken apart and rebuilt easily) , build quality, construction quality and all that at affordable prices and on the cutting edge of current technology.
This is the most detailed and Filled Review Video! Lil fluff, plenty of callouts, tip/tricks/issues & how to fix said issues!!! This is a sound video and RUclipsr
i just got one of these, I really appreciate you pointing out the cam lens cover, that was still in my printer! potentialy save me a huge head ache, also i thing the must have fixed the manual leveing option as mine has the option
Side thing, but if you designed an attachment point for the fume extraction, you could also make a custom holder for the heater that is vented (or modify the stock one) so you can have both.
Hey once in a six side I’m hoping to get recommendation on a flip up lid printer that doesn’t brake the bank that comes with some to most of all the features that you like that doesn’t have that shitty build plate
@OnceinaSixSide really important point! Those 'axed' settings are super useful to still have access too. I was having issues with the parts near the z screw not peeling fully on burn in layers. I simply added a lift height with Lychee slicer for only those burn in layers and BAM never had a failure again. While I highly doubt the lift height for normal layers are going to be useful other than for say some of the weird rubber resins it's a real shame for Chitubox to remove them completely.
I really appreciate these super detailed reviews. It's nice to see the similarities and differences within the model line and to compare to other options out there. IMO at current sale prices of $299 USD (S4) and $399 USD (S4U) the Ultra is pretty compelling just for the QoL features like WiFi and print resuming after power off.
Is the build plate meant to move up and down a little while running the calibration tests? Mine is and i thought the plate only moves up for a layer change
Ok answering my own question. I used lychee slicer to slice and used resin profiles that you can import there. Apparently the printer will still lift etc.
A recommendation. I just got mine in this past weekend but after seeing everyone kind of struggling with bed adhesion I got a whambam xtr magnetic build plate. It makes everything much easier.
i wonder if its possible to have range finder in slicer. Like adding additional layers with 0 lift distance and 0 size. I don't know if you can change settings per layer.
Pro tools does resin calibration without the faff and you can label each exposure test with the exposure value - not convinced they've made it a lot easier yet!
I’m a beginner in resin printing so I was leaning to the uniformation gktwo , should I go for this instead , I’m a bit torn tbh but I trust the opinion of a fellow Aussie
If you're brand new I recommend starting small both in terms of the printer size, and the money invested. I recommend the Anycubic Mono 2 or the new Mars 5 Ultra looks compelling also, but I'd err on the side of simplicity and price and go with the Mono 2.
I got a brewer's belt because of your heater video. Turns out it worked TOO well, I had prints warping and failing. Turns out it was heating the resin to about 35C. I'm also in winter in NZ. just got the Saturn 4 ultra, Turns out after the printer runs for 20 minutes, the resin get heated to about 26C, which is just about the ideal printing temp for the elegoo abs like resin I'm using.
Do you know if it it's a decent idea to have the saturn 4 ultra on my bedroom if I use a fume extractor like yours + I have the printer inside a still air glove box?. I would like the toxicity to be close to 0% as I would be spending a lot of time in the bedroom
If you've got the printer enclosed, AND you're exhausting that enclosure outdoors you're doing a great job. Just make sure you use a nice high CFM inline fan intended for ventilation to combat days with higher outdoor pressure. Be mindful of the fumes when post processing too! If you can vent your wash+cure setup that's going to go a long way to help as well. Good luck and happy printing!
@@OnceinaSixSide Okey, thx for the tip!, I was thinking already on having on the enclosure the Printer + Cure/washing, but evyerone seems to be telling me to not do it, that it is just too risky to even think about.
So i really enjoy your long form videos like this as well as the shorter mini printing videos. Helll, i even like the sponsored videos. Keep up the great work. Ever thought of doing a second channel where you used the minis and terrain in tabletop games?
Lmao yeah sadly that title was not getting the clicks I hoped! I had a chuckle when I thought of it, which often serves me well when picking titles but sometimes it completely flops.
Some of us like to print bases flat on the plate. So that is a big issue. One thing you should look into, it looks like there are more bolts with caps over them on that build plate. Is it possible to adjust those to lock the plate into that state of compression like other newer style build plates?
A paint spatula for part removal? That's a pretty neat idea. Edit A piece of lapping glass and sand paper can put a sharp edge on any metal tool, did it with my anycubic metal scraper, nice sharp edge and takes all parts off with ease.
I recently bought a Saturn 3 Ultra over the 4 Ultra because of the auto leveling build plate. When you do 3 or 4 prints in a day, the cleanup needs to be as quick as possible. The 4 Ultra would be incredible if it had a manual leveling build plate, and get rid of the camera. Price point could be $100 cheaper too. I would also like to see VAT heaters become popular.
Oh I just got to the part where you put an Anycubic built plate on an Elegoo printer on your magnets video. In this Elegoo Saturn 4 ultra video you talk about how you don't like the auto level... Could we regain height and just use a manual leveling bed? Could be worth looking into and trying. 😁 Also installing a wham bam magnet plate would be great and if you have to adjust the homing trigger to account for the added build plate height.
No need :) Elegoo have a gcode file they can send you if you contact customer support, and it will modify your Z-offset to compensate for the thickness of the magnet and flex plate.
In regards to modifying the homing sensor, it's come to my attention since publishing this video that Elegoo customer support actually has a gcode file they can send you to achieve the same outcome. So if your new Saturn/Mars printer fails auto leveling please contact support first, and failing that try Geek Detours method (link in video description), and as a last ditch you can try the mod in this video.
There is A LOT to cover here so I've gone ahead and chapterized this video so you can easily find the most relevant or interesting sections if you don't fancy sitting through the entire thing. I do of course encourage a full viewing! This video goes DEEP, and gets under the skin of the new S4U and its little brother , and we even take a look at some of the problems this machine and others like it are facing, and how to overcome them.
00:00:00 - Intro and Overview
00:04:27 - Careful, this lens cap will fight you
00:06:28 - Let's talk about heaters
00:14:12 - Fume Extraction
00:15:57 - Firmware
00:27:29 - Setting up a Calibration print
00:29:39 - Comparing the internal hardware
00:35:21 - Numbering the test models
00:39:08 - Let's talk about why tilt release is really cool
00:43:53 - Build plate drainage model (highly recommend this)
00:44:59 - THE MOST SATISFYING TANK CLEAN I'VE EVER DONE HOLY SHIT
00:46:14 - Trying out a new part removal tool
00:47:44 - Let's talk about the bib
00:49:48 - Jay3DTech Boxes of Calibration
00:58:01 - First print results
01:02:37 - Testing recovery on power loss
01:03:48 - Second print results
01:04:28 - The issues with "Auto levelling"
01:12:34 - What do you do if Auto Levelling fails?!
01:16:19 - Closer look at all the prints
01:21:16 - Testing the new Elegoo Mini Heater in cold weather
01:24:18 - Final thoughts
Sigmastar SSD2020
i think this is the arm chip (brain ) behind eleegoo saturn 4 ultra and bg256
is a type of sram ,dram or eeprom. Thank you for this great video👍👍👍👍
that chips just a programmable gate array
bro i had to sub an like . im getting my photon my photon m7 pro anycubic is the best i found fmd printers are shit . all elegoo printers are crap do not buy one . i had 3 of elegoo . nothing but problems cheap nasty crap elegoo . i sold mine an got refu nds back there that crap look what this guy says . all true even there resin mars is shit .. looking forward to learning more from you channel great your a ozzy sydney based . great video mate
Quick idea, given the power cable for the Elegoo heater, couldnt you simply print your own exhaust to include a small hole for the power cable?
Hello from the Atlan Forge team! Thank you so much for featuring us! Iam thrilled beyond belief that you like my support work!
Hey hey! Thank you so much for your support of the channel, it means so much to me and I'm thrilled to be sharing your excellent creations here :D
@@OnceinaSixSide aww. You guys are so cute together. But seriously, love the collab, it's awesome.
@@OnceinaSixSide get a room, you guys.
Those minis are so cool, thank for the contribution.
The paper tank clean is game changer
Right!?
@@OnceinaSixSide I destroyed my first FEP because I just couldn't give fails off - and I didn't have any supports because I hadn't made anything yet. Super excited to not need to keep a piece of supports floating around in between printing sessions.
Maybe try using a slightly heavier card stock? It looked like you had a bit of fuss and had to stick your hand down in the resin. Maybe something like a playing card?
Thanks for the video.
My submission for the print removal tool shootout: painters tool! It's rigid but flexible, the blade is beveled but not super sharp, and it's got a pointy bit on one end if you need to wedge it under a fussy raft.
I am so mad I'm watching this video a month late and just now stumbling upon this tip. You should clip it and make it a short!!
I really like these long-format videos because you really dive into great, USEFUL details on them. I'm glad you do both long and short formats.
Thank you good sir 🤘🍻
OMG the review is here. I'm so excited to see it I've had mine for 3 weeks and have been loving it so far
Just got my Ultra a couple days ago. Love this machine! I can say that putting a flex plate on the build plate is 100% the way to go. I only remove the flex plate, which means I never remove the build plate after each print. So the issues that are particular to this build plate being messy I simply don't have.
I previously owned a Saturn 2 with Whambam flex plates, so I was able to buy a new magnet from Whambam and continue to use the two flex plates I already had. The Ultra also allows you to simply run a bit of Gcode on the printer to adjust for the added height of the flex plate and magnet. Previously you had to print a little space and screw that into the plate mechanism. That's gone. You just put a Gcode file on a USB, load it up, and it automagically adjusts the printer for the flex plate and magnet height.
So far this thing is a deam.
Thanks for the head up. What i need to write in the Gcode?
Don't you have sticking issues on the material of the flex plate compared to the laser-etched metal build plate?
@@fluxcapacitor If you sand up the surface of the flex-plate, it'll stick just fine. Just make sure that the etched plate is well cleaned with IPA before sticking the magnet on, and do the same with the flex plate after sanding to get any metal dust off.
Do you just not clean the build plate then if you don’t remove it?
@@Averell64 I'm working with a Saturn 2, rather than the 4 Ultra, but there's no real need. The plate itself doesn't need to come out of the machine, you can just peel off the flex plate and after getting the prints off - which is much easier - I give it a wipe down with some ipa and pop it back in.
Just got the Saturn 4 and my biggest gripe is the way the build plate handle is shaped..... so uncomfortable to hold in a gloved hand. Elegoo needs to taper this thing the opposite way! From the build plate it needs to go from thin to thick not the other slippery way around!
Love the video's man you have really helped me on this journey!
I've had mine for a couple days now, and I've found the bib is actually pretty handy for drainage if you put the plate on it sideways so that it overhangs back into the vat. The "bolt sheath" bits are almost exactly as wide as the top bib lip, so it's fully supported while it drains and you just have a tiny bit of resin clinging to one edge after that.
He could've also used the bib to catch resin while he put the build plate on that angled holder to let it drain back into the vat instead of into the other thing.
There is a small print on cults that is a spacer to allow the power cable to go out the back while still being able to hook up the ventilation. If you search Saturn 4 it will come up.
Printer does what it sets out to do, but the mucking around with the build plate is a definite no for me. Oh and If Elegoo Social are reading this, tell your sales team to allow direct sales to NZ, because right now your sole distributor is over charging like crazy for anything branded with Elegoo, and never has any resin in stock, even if it wasn't stupid expensive
Mate I cannot second this harder about sales in NZ. The pricing is wild, and for an exclusive distributor it's insane. Having 0 non-overpriced Elegoo options ONLY drives people to other companies.
Omg man please in NZ elegoo pleasee
Can't agree more in some cases double the price. I've ordered in Oz, then picked it up when on my way home.
Glad you liked the paper L tank clean method, thanks for the shout out :) Great video, thanks for sharing all your thoughts and experiences. I'm glad you've given exposure to J3D Tech, his printing guide is fucking awesome and I also like his calibration piece. I agree with the build plate and auto level comments, I much prefer a standard build plate (with the 4 x bolts not the ball joint) and to me, auto level is a gimmick that is just not needed, great for FDM printers, but just not needed for resin printers...using J3D Tech's method of levelling from his guide (leveling the build plate in the vat with resin in it) is perfect. I do it once and don't need to do it again and it has always worked perfectly for me. I am also not a fan of these new tilting beds, I just think it is another mechanical cog in the wheel that introduces a number of things that can go wrong, cause problems, or break. I think the Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra is the best printer that company has made, its build quality is excellent with components their other printers don't have and it has the 4 bolt build plate and a non-tilting bed...I fucked the ACF right off and replaced it with nFEP and it is a dream machine.
That was a KILLER tip! (Get it? Mack Bolan the Executioner? Killer? Never mind, I'll show myself out)
@@TapCat AHahahaha, I totally get it :)
As a novice self taught programmer yes the calibration feature would probably relatively simple to code in the grand scheme. However i wouldn't be shocked if anycubic has some kinda of patent on the function being built into the printer itself. Maybe elegoo has made its function different enough to finally bypass the patent. And the extra charge is to recoup the rnd to justify new patent. And if you think that sounds stupid i would remind you we live in a world in which a spinning icon is the symbol of loading because atari patented minigames in loading screens like 40 years ago.
I dunno, that seems a stretch. Its just changing what the pixels are doing on an LCD, and given these are all Chinese made products where historically IP doesn't mean shit.. I'm dubious that it's an IP problem. Given my experience now complaining about printers and requested improvements; they just don't care/aren't interested in making the effort.
These are all chinese companies. Patents mean absolutelly jack shit. Also you can get around pattents in a way or other if you want to. It is not a thing in all printers because they did not tried to implement it yet. Like autoleveling was not imidiatly implemented in sla and fdm printers.
@OnceinaSixSide,
My name is Rell Ambrose, and I have been a Systems programmer for over 40 years, and can easily identify the parts on the Motherboards.
I don't know if anyone has metioned this, the "Brains" of the two systems are very different.
The Saturn 4 has a microcontroler, and while it's pretty powerful, programming the LCD Driver invlolves a lot more effort.
The Saturn 4 Ultra is using a Sigmastar SSD202D Dual Core Linux System, which likely has a LCD Driver built in, making the development for the screen an order of magnitude easier.
Some observations about this machine having used it for 2 weeks. I'm also in Sydney so temperature is the same factor. 1) magnetic build plate doesnt work with the tilt function, it causes the print to slide. 2) The calibration function is not intuative. 3) You can change the speed setting mid print i.e. start the print in standard mode then move it to fast after the initial layers print. 4) The spout is aweful on the resin vat. 5) If you heat up your resin the machine keeps it warm while running, as long as the machine is on it keeps my resin at between 25 and 30 degrees C in 5-10 degree ambient temp
TLDR:
1. Use UV cure time to get the Boxes to fit
2. Use 2s light off delay (Wait before Print)!
3. Don't lift more then 6mm! Why waste time?
4. Don't retract super fast, respect your Mini, love your Mini!
>>Once boxes fit
This is a terrific walk through of the main points of that long doc I read from you some time ago. Thank you!
Good shit, thanks for that! I'll have to revisit this again some time
@@OnceinaSixSide Can you pin J3DTechs comment, så it is easy to find :)
@@drdan141 I can't pin more than one comment sorry!
Also @J3DTech thank you for taking the time to edit your comment and provide the long version! I hadn't noticed that til now, and I think I get what you're saying now. I'll give it a go in an upcoming video and take more care with it 🤘
Brother, I don't know why this is only now being recommended to me in my feed but thank you for the shout out 😁
Anytime!
I've been having a good time with my Saturn 4 Ultra (so far.) It's been working like a champ for me. Messing with the build plate hasn't been too much trouble, and the drip bracket you linked looks like a good addition. Thanks as always for a detailed look. Keep up the great work!
Can't say how badly I wanted this review from you!
For people who can't get the gardening trays in the right size, you can get aluminum quarter baking sheets, which I think is somewhat standardized for baking.
1:13:10 Nope… it will detect the pressure against the glass to determine where/when the build plate touches it. Moving the homing sensor is won’t have the effect you expect (now I will unpause and see if you were right).
Interesting, it looks you were right! Cool.
Haha yep, I did wonder that too but assumed it had to be the homing sensor since the force sensors are prone to false error.
01:04:28 It seems that you didn't watch Geek Detour's video before doing your own. He demonstrated a successful, simple way to manually tune each spring tension of the autoleveling plate during a dry print, so that every loose piece of paper becomes perfectly squished between the screen and the build plate, in every area. And he shared a clever trick to easily "save" the correct setting mechanically. So yes, "manual leveling" is somehow possible on the Saturn 4 Ultra, and that in no way implies having to do anything as complicated as what you've tried in vain the other way around.
You missed the part where I addressed that first thing before I stated I was curious if a homing sensor mod would work as well lol
It's also come to my attention since publishing this video that Elegoo has a gcode file they're issuing through support which achieves the same result. So.. hurray for options 🥳
@@OnceinaSixSide Sorry, English is not my primary language an I may indeed have missed that passage. I am interested in that G-code file, what does it do exactly? Because some people on forums say that the Saturn 4 Ultra does not remember correctly the zero position after zeroing… which means that the sheets papers (in case of a dry print) starts well clamped, perfectly sandwiched between the screen and the build plate, then they become loose again in a couple of seconds afterward!
30:00 Yeigh! Love to see inside! Hi there James! Oh, about entering the numbers for the exposure calibration - it’s a bit annoying until you understand it doesn’t let you cross up or down with other existing values, right! Cheers, mate!
Oh man, sure the software features could be on both printers. It’s a marketing positioning of the features.
Right?! So frustrating 😂
as someone that just wants to open print and paint, this is more attractive to me. the clean up sucks but i also just leave the plat on an angle for a long time. time is not a issue for me personally.
do you have problems with the elegoo heater? people are reporting it causes layer lines
I personally didn't notice any issue with mine, however I would buy any other heater over it for this reason and the fact it has no control at all, and is quite loud.
32:00 The WILNX17 seems to a clone of a Lattice Semi FPGA, given the proximity to the gold ribbon cable for the display I would assume it is being used as part of the display driving electronics. Super cool chip though. The "CPU" chip is the smaller one to the right with the ARM logo. The two board are probably different generations/versions of ARM chips.
Thanks for your insight!
I have had my saturn 4 ultra. I made a long handle scraper on my A1 that fits in between the posts and i use that to scrape the majoriety of resin off into the vat before i remove the build plate from machine.
Heater and extraction means you throw away all the warm you are making. Blockoff-mounting plate is actually a good thing.
That's exactly what I was thinking. That's why a vat built-in heater is the best option IMHO
The trick is not to run them at the same time. Extraction is invaluable because you can clear the fumes before you open up your printer to get your prints.
Agree though, heated vat with a band is better.
Using a cheap stylus for these trash touchscreens can help
I know others have already mentioned it, but I'll add- there are ways to modify the z offset using gcode. Wambam has a file floating around to alter it for the flex plates (they were slamming the screen and triggering the sensor). Should be able to do the opposite, without messing with the homing sensor.
Lots of people saying 'Just give me a manual adjust plate' or 'ill rig it for manual adjust'. Unfortunately I don't think it's possible/a good idea. Maybe on the S4, but not something you want to do on the Ultra. The margin for error with the tilting vat, in terms of repeatable positioning, somewhat forces the need for this style of spring bed. If you were to 'fix the plate', then the bed decided to sit slightly higher, you'd have issues....
Good info, I wish I knew about the gcode before as it could be used as a workaround versus the physical mod I made to the homing sensor 😅
In regards to a fixed and manual leveled build plate it would be completely possible and fine here.
The LCD thanks to the clever and simple design of the mechanical tilt is rock solid in the up position.
Check out the Prusa SL1s
@@OnceinaSixSideComing from the machinist/engineer world, I wouldn't trust that tilt mechanism with a 10 foot pole😂. My ultra only got here a few days ago so haven't delved into it yet, but I plan on putting an indicator on the LCD to get some numbers. If they show repeatability I'll eat my words 👍
Well keep me posted! I'm curious to hear your results
Just came across your channel, and this video, three days after pulling the trigger and purchasing a Saturn 4 Ultra.
Really awesome in depth review that has given me some insight into how to work it and set up when it arrives.
Awesome to see such a review from a fellow Aussie as well.
Ill be going through a lot of your other videos now
Question I cant find an answer to yet is, do you still need to worry about suction with the rotating vat? I would guess suction is less of an issue, but potentially still present?
Amazing thank you, what layer height did you use when calibrating? 0.02?
Default 0.05
In terms of cleaning the build plate. I got mine with the cleaning station. If you fill that all the way up, you can sit your build plate in there on one of it's short sides. Turn the cleaner on for a few minutes and your build plate is clean. It does hold on internally to a bit of the metho or what you are using to clean, but that drains right out. Especially if you are done with printing for the day, just set it upside down over night and it's done!
So, not all printers support multiple different exposure times at once to find best exposure settings?
Does the Flash forge Foto 8.9 allow it? How would I know?
Hmm it's pretty uncommon still. If it's not obvious a printer can do it from the onboard firmware/website/manual, or included files then it probably can't do it.
I just learned that UVtools can make a multi-calibration print for almost any machine. It was here on RUclips, I’ll post the link if I can find it. I just got my Saturn 4 Ultra and its build plate was perfectly level, the exposures are trending lower than my Saturn 1 or Mars 3. The only issue so far is all the screws holding the lid hinge to the frame were loose - simple fix
@@DHyre Yeah this is true, and while it does work with some printers it is pretty clunky to configure and run imo. Worth a shot though! You might like it
For the shit build plate, I would tighten the bolts, IF NOT possible, i will add a split washer at the top. (file it down if needed) This is how we can manually level the plate.
How you do the handle and plait holder?
Is it safe to assume that the tilting vet helps with suction? Or is that something that still needs to be carefully considered by adding holes?
Do you have an available version of your customized cones of calibration?
probably because big preorder, the QC is become super lacking, I got saturn 4 ultra and a bit of journey
1. first machine I got crack cover, leveling issue on the printer, print wont stick
2. I got replacement from the seller, when I was checking the machine, the touch screen has lot of line like notebook, so they got me something from warehouse
3. 3rd machine, got home and there line in the middle of the lcd, and I use it to print, there vertical line on the print model where the line in lcd are with or without antialiasing, after that first I remove the vat, I notice hair line crack on the screen, I assume because the auto leveling, there no debris on the filter resin from the vat, vat screw not over tighten and no pressure has been apply at all to the lcd except by the machine itself
I haven't heard anything from elegoo and the seller, it's 10 hours drive back and forward to the place, I'm guessing they gonna blame on human error, and if I got replacement LCD myself, I still afraid of auto level might not calibrated well and crack the new lcd too, I never experience this kinda problem years of printing resin, all my old anycubic doesn't have any problem at all.
Damn!
Great video thanks! I just picked up one of the ultras. Really good printer. But, dude... lol I have an very real physical reaction every time you hack at that build plate with the razor. I've had no issues using just a normal paint scraper and I don't have to worry about gouging the plate (also using sunlu abs-like). And thanks for the STLs! Edit: I have had no issues with the build plate. The way in which you pulled it out of the machine made me believe that's the issue. I put the bib on the vat and slide the build plate out level with the machine, then I tilt the top of the build plate toward my chest. No mess and only the bottom half of the build plate gets resin on it. Also, I don't care at all what is left on the top. My printer never sees sunlight and I couldn't care less if my blue resin gets some grey in it. So I don't even clean the top of the bottom half.
Thank you for the video. I just got mine today with the heater. i also didn't want to use the cover and kinda got stuck until i watched your video 😅 👌
I use the bib every time (when I remember) and it's handy. You don't want resin getting down in the machine. And before I remove the build plate, I use a silicone scraper to scoop the resin that pools on the top side of the plate and let it fall back into the vat.
Can lychee take advantage of the exposure calibration?
Not that I'm aware of!
I loved this video man. Lots of useful information. I went ahead and ordered a chitu heater for my saturn 4 ultra, ive had a few prints get stuck to the vat. Not sure why just yet as im brand new to this stuff. Not sure if it was a leveling thing or exposure time on my print. I actually have quite a few questions but yeah for one what is the sheet your pulling out of the vat at 1:22:59?
I will admit that I got excited over the promise of auto leveling. Though after learning how it works and the drawback, oh boy do I wish I never asked for this.
Me too and, when I heard about it on the Uniformation, I was like: "Cool! But wait: how does it work? It locks the plate in the leveled position SOMEHOW? HOW excactly? O_o"
And yep, just as I feared: it's BS.
On my HevORT I have 3 Z motors for the auto leveling, so for a true auto *leveling* a resin printer would need at least 3 servo motors inside the plate that lock the screws once the bed is touching the FEP.
Hey is it possible to share the cones of calibration with the numbers on it? I received my printer the day this came out and would love to use them to calibrate my resin!
I would love to but Ty has asked nicely that I don't. There is a tutorial attached to this video to help you customize your own calibration parts with numbers if you need 🍻
DANG i didnt even see how long this video was til i got to the end 😅, very concise yet thorough
Labeling test prints is SUPER easy in 3D Builder if you have a PC. Load the STL, find Emboss (either edit or object), type, set your extrusion, and done. For removal, a thin palette knife from an art store is perfect.
Just got my S4U and the auto-leveling fails when my Bambu Labs X1 Carbon is printing fast and vibrating the table I have both printers on. I have to pause the X1 carbon to allow the auto-leveling to work. I wish Elegoo offered an optional build plate with manual leveling or at least let me disable "auto-leveling".
Shit really? Stupid force sensors 😅
I dunno if you mentioned it in vid but roughly how much faster is this over a Saturn 3 or similar printer at same layer height?
Good to see the bunny's making an apperance.
So im VERY new to resin and 3d printing in general. i got the S4U and ive tried for the life of me, to get my prints to stick to the build plate. It sticks to the FEP. I just set it up a couple days ago and the rook that comes with the printer AND the exposure testing files both stick to the FEP. Its colder at my place here but i do have the heater on the inside. Im using the Elegoo 8k resin and after watching this, im contemplating switching resin. Ive tried to re level the build plate as well with no luck on a successful print. ive tried like 4 or 5 times now. Its very overwhelming to me when it doesnt work because i dont have the experience to troubleshoot other than a couple things that i read here and there lol. Thanks in advance for any info!
so would making the pre determined steps for distance after sensor be possible for ellegoo to put in the firmware on screen? then we would have very finite option to adjust that down the road
We ever get one on the Saturn 3/3 ultra?
just commenting to support my fellow auzzie!
5:39 the sensor seems to be a load cell on the arm, so any forces from the screen and built plate transmitted into the arm would be sensed by it. But since the cap was lodged on the back of the carriage where the linear rail and z-screw go, there's no way the load cell would pick it up.
It's crazy what a game changer that dumb little spatula thing is. I had picked up 4 or 5 different scrappers that were all problematic. Then i watch a J3D video where he mentioned that thing, and i ordered it out of desperation. I it the best cheapest upgrade ive ever picked up.
I have a question about FlexPlates für the buildplate.
Elegoo says to don't use it, because it can desturb the leveling process.
But what exactly is the problem? Didn't it just set a new zero point, and that's it?
I'm a completely beginner. This will be my first printer.
But a flexplate seems to make it easyer, to get the prints safe from your plate.
Someone mentioned above that the auto-levelling feature makes the flexplate slide, so it might not be recommended for this printer. Edit: But someone further down had success, so maybe it's fine.
You can use a flex plate. Be sure to grab the gcode offset file, you will need to run it beforehand and after every firmware update
The drip tray sucks cause it's hard to clean resin out the the letters that say ELEGOO.
Heh I had the same issue with the calibration boxes: I could fit them snug from 1.6 and all the way to like 2.6, when printing on S4U.
Something is definately off.
What calibration test do you usually recommend?
Cones of calibration V3 all day every day. Just pick the first result that has at least one of the two index cones and you're good. I've lost count of how many resins I've tried this on now and its never let me down
@@OnceinaSixSide ah. Yeah, they kept bugging out on me. Either I had it so that there were NO cones forming but the test with the sword worked.
Or!
The cones formed but the sword tests failed.
I could never get both.
@@therealjonaswp602 yeah the goal isn't to get both. It's to get cones, and if you also happen to get the sword that's just a bonus.
I dropped the build plate on my Saturn 3 Ultra. It bent one of the corners just slightly. I decided to give it a go, it was still level.
A video of you installing and testing a magnetic flexplate on this machine would be terrific, since it will probably solve all the messy cleaning issues this printer have!
I would like to see a replacement or companion printer for my Halot Mage 8K (Basic) and I've been thinking between an Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra or the Saturn 4 Ultra.
But seeing that the auto-leveling issue can be a problem for certain prints, then which would be better, the 4 or the 3?
Awesome to see some respect thrown J3D’s way. His guide is absolutely great work and he’s been a North Star for my printing journey for sure.
Alongside you of course 😊
I know J3D is also talking to Elegoo about adding a Z offset adjustment via software. So hopefully that yields results. So we don’t have to manually modify our machines
Another addendum. I asked on Lychee about the pillars tensile, and he said he needs to update it.
Here is the response he gave me though which may help! TLDR:
1. Use UV cure time to get the Boxes to fit
2. Use 2s light off delay (Wait before Print)!
3. Don't lift more then 6mm! Why waste time?
4. Don't retract super fast, respect your Mini, love your Mini!
>>Once boxes fit
@@Aztechnology.except, on the saturn 4 ultra, you don’t have control of the lift settings at all.
Thank you for bringing the auto leveling and compression issues into the review. Elegoo have sent me a gcode file that adjusts the thresholds for auto levelling, and a second plate, because the plate was off kilter. It still has the issue, and they're not really doing much to help... I've burned through 3 release films in a week because the low layer supports keep getting pushed into the film at the "high" spots! I also print a lot directly on the plate (flat bases, volume orders, worked fine on my old Mars), and this is causing no end of headaches right now.
Elegoo support basically taps out at "don't print on the plate lol" with no acknowledgment of the problem 😔
Oof thats rough. IMO you need to buy another printer with manual leveling that you can tune the Z-offset on. I'm keen to know more about the gcode file they sent you.. Is it essentially allowing you to adjust the distance the build plate moves after it hits the homing sensor? If that can be customized that means we can skip the whole physical mod I did at the end of this video.
@@OnceinaSixSide I've done some tinkering myself and I've got a list of parameters that the printer uses... The gcode that they sent me initially just alters the parameters for the auto levelling - From the looks of it, it alters the amount of pressure that's required on the plate to say "This is level now"... The one they sent made the compression issues go into overdrive though!
There are settings to alter the z offset in there from what I can see, but I've not played with those yet. Happy to share the files so you can have a run through.
It's really frustrating, when this printer works it's *phenomenal*, but "on plate" printing is just proving near impossible
@@winstano I would love to check out that gcode file and have a play with it :D Do you mind sending it over in an email?
media@onceinasixside.com
@@OnceinaSixSide Done :)
Great videos. Just received mine after struggling with an M5s that I am convinced was just a lemon (after 2 previous Anycubic models that had been fine). So far the Saturn 4 ultra has been brilliant. Calibration tool is awesome and prints have been fast and great detail. The reduced settings, such as speed, makes it simpler too.
Ah bummer you must have got one of the ones I talked about during the auto levelling section 😥 Glad to hear the S4U is working out for you!
Thanks for the videos mate ive just pre ordered this printer.
Great video, a friend has pre-ordered it as his first 3d printer, so fingers crossed his doesn't have any QC issues and doesn't have any issues with the auto leveling.
Based on your video I think Elegoo could release a manually leveled build plate and a firmware update to allow for manual adjustments for leveling. So for those who want to stick with manual leveling they have that option or if the auto leveling is broken Elegoo can offer the manual solution as a 'fix'(hopefully fully covered as a replacement part under warrenty or something).
That would be excellent but they probably won't 😅
Can you try and figure out a way to do ab auto fill pump?
Excellent and very in depth for a first impressions video. Keep up the good work!!!
Thanks, will do!
Let's GOOOO so excited to watch this!
best removal tool I've is from the Amerivault set, specifically the one that looks like cake icing spatula. Soft corners with a nice sharp edge to get under rafts and nice and flexi blade with a good reach. The pallet knife style spatula's like that I've not had great luck with, don't get under the rafts that well in my experience without modifications.
I can't find this, do you mind sharing more information?
@@OnceinaSixSide Looks like they are some sort of amazon rebranding outfit. Might only be available under that name in the US. I think you can make one just as good out of a 5" cake decorating or icing spatula(what they are called in the US at least) if you filed or ground a dull edge on the tip.
Superb in depth review! Your commentary is rich on knowledge, references to superb contributors of other channels and blogs. It really helps me to understand, how everything works (or should work) together. I've been Resin printing for years with excellent results, and have recently ordered the Saturn 4 Ultra. I still love my decision after your review - but I absolutely hate the deep Laser edged hard to clean buildplate and the auto levelling idea (which I knew before purchase), because I need direct buildplate level prints for very thin parts, that shall and can not have supports. (e.g. 10 Layer high Window frames, round rod style handles...). I will definitely add a magnetic flat build plate and will level the printer manually by sanding the screws to the perfect height, to get height and tilt perfect to the level of the screen. Or I adjust the Z-Level indicator, as I did on my still perfectly working Mars 1 and Mars 2 Pro. I have good use for double the resolution, double the speed and the bigger build plate. And the nice calibration feature. Maybe Elegoo will come up with an optional classic Elegoo Ball Joint build plate to be purchased as an add on for the Saturn 4 and Mars 5, that would be great! That said: I think Elegoo has earned a huge reputation in acessebility (everything can be taken apart and rebuilt easily) , build quality, construction quality and all that at affordable prices and on the cutting edge of current technology.
@ 43:00 as a Saturn 3 owner, I love the comment about not needing this printer if you already have one.
This is the most detailed and Filled Review Video! Lil fluff, plenty of callouts, tip/tricks/issues & how to fix said issues!!!
This is a sound video and RUclipsr
i just got one of these, I really appreciate you pointing out the cam lens cover, that was still in my printer! potentialy save me a huge head ache, also i thing the must have fixed the manual leveing option as mine has the option
Side thing, but if you designed an attachment point for the fume extraction, you could also make a custom holder for the heater that is vented (or modify the stock one) so you can have both.
Hey once in a six side I’m hoping to get recommendation on a flip up lid printer that doesn’t brake the bank that comes with some to most of all the features that you like that doesn’t have that shitty build plate
Forget the swingy door, grab a Mono M5S Pro. It's a worthwhile trade off!
@@OnceinaSixSide thank you for that and keep up the good work i love watching your videos and you got me back into 3d printing so thank you
@OnceinaSixSide really important point! Those 'axed' settings are super useful to still have access too. I was having issues with the parts near the z screw not peeling fully on burn in layers.
I simply added a lift height with Lychee slicer for only those burn in layers and BAM never had a failure again. While I highly doubt the lift height for normal layers are going to be useful other than for say some of the weird rubber resins it's a real shame for Chitubox to remove them completely.
I really appreciate these super detailed reviews.
It's nice to see the similarities and differences within the model line and to compare to other options out there.
IMO at current sale prices of $299 USD (S4) and $399 USD (S4U) the Ultra is pretty compelling just for the QoL features like WiFi and print resuming after power off.
What are you using for fog on your miniature reveals.
This thing right here!
geni.us/RBbA
It's sick
Is the build plate meant to move up and down a little while running the calibration tests? Mine is and i thought the plate only moves up for a layer change
Ok answering my own question. I used lychee slicer to slice and used resin profiles that you can import there. Apparently the printer will still lift etc.
A recommendation. I just got mine in this past weekend but after seeing everyone kind of struggling with bed adhesion I got a whambam xtr magnetic build plate. It makes everything much easier.
Great idea! Flex plates fucking rock
i wonder if its possible to have range finder in slicer. Like adding additional layers with 0 lift distance and 0 size. I don't know if you can change settings per layer.
It technically could be if the firmware was designed to handle whatever bespoke output the slicer spits out
Is that cones v3 remix posted up anywhere?
Pro tools does resin calibration without the faff and you can label each exposure test with the exposure value - not convinced they've made it a lot easier yet!
Idk why but my sunlu sakura calibrated in at 2.1 with good results also at 1.8 which is wildly diffrent on my saturn 4 ultra? I am new tho so idk
Yes Open source the code!
if you do 1st and last intervals I believe it may calculate the spread for resin exposure tests
I’m a beginner in resin printing so I was leaning to the uniformation gktwo , should I go for this instead , I’m a bit torn tbh but I trust the opinion of a fellow Aussie
If you're brand new I recommend starting small both in terms of the printer size, and the money invested. I recommend the Anycubic Mono 2 or the new Mars 5 Ultra looks compelling also, but I'd err on the side of simplicity and price and go with the Mono 2.
I got a brewer's belt because of your heater video. Turns out it worked TOO well, I had prints warping and failing.
Turns out it was heating the resin to about 35C. I'm also in winter in NZ. just got the Saturn 4 ultra, Turns out after the printer runs for 20 minutes, the resin get heated to about 26C, which is just about the ideal printing temp for the elegoo abs like resin I'm using.
Do you know if it it's a decent idea to have the saturn 4 ultra on my bedroom if I use a fume extractor like yours + I have the printer inside a still air glove box?.
I would like the toxicity to be close to 0% as I would be spending a lot of time in the bedroom
If you've got the printer enclosed, AND you're exhausting that enclosure outdoors you're doing a great job. Just make sure you use a nice high CFM inline fan intended for ventilation to combat days with higher outdoor pressure. Be mindful of the fumes when post processing too! If you can vent your wash+cure setup that's going to go a long way to help as well. Good luck and happy printing!
@@OnceinaSixSide Okey, thx for the tip!, I was thinking already on having on the enclosure the Printer + Cure/washing, but evyerone seems to be telling me to not do it, that it is just too risky to even think about.
So i really enjoy your long form videos like this as well as the shorter mini printing videos. Helll, i even like the sponsored videos. Keep up the great work.
Ever thought of doing a second channel where you used the minis and terrain in tabletop games?
The title have changed, it's not the film anymore :(.
Craked one when I show the length of the video though :D
Lmao yeah sadly that title was not getting the clicks I hoped! I had a chuckle when I thought of it, which often serves me well when picking titles but sometimes it completely flops.
Some of us like to print bases flat on the plate. So that is a big issue. One thing you should look into, it looks like there are more bolts with caps over them on that build plate. Is it possible to adjust those to lock the plate into that state of compression like other newer style build plates?
A paint spatula for part removal? That's a pretty neat idea.
Edit
A piece of lapping glass and sand paper can put a sharp edge on any metal tool, did it with my anycubic metal scraper, nice sharp edge and takes all parts off with ease.
Heya James - at the 1hr20min mark, what's that epic smoke wand thing you are using behind the model?
Here you go!
geni.us/RBbA
@@OnceinaSixSide Thanks for actually replying mate, I appreciate it!
I recently bought a Saturn 3 Ultra over the 4 Ultra because of the auto leveling build plate. When you do 3 or 4 prints in a day, the cleanup needs to be as quick as possible. The 4 Ultra would be incredible if it had a manual leveling build plate, and get rid of the camera. Price point could be $100 cheaper too. I would also like to see VAT heaters become popular.
What bar-style fill light is that at 26min?
Digitalfoto W200 :)
geni.us/rJktXJG
can you add a flex plate to this printer?? with the roller mechanism and the "auto leveling"?
By all accounts yes you can but you have to contact Elegoo for a means to adjust the homing position
Oh I just got to the part where you put an Anycubic built plate on an Elegoo printer on your magnets video. In this Elegoo Saturn 4 ultra video you talk about how you don't like the auto level... Could we regain height and just use a manual leveling bed? Could be worth looking into and trying. 😁
Also installing a wham bam magnet plate would be great and if you have to adjust the homing trigger to account for the added build plate height.
No need :) Elegoo have a gcode file they can send you if you contact customer support, and it will modify your Z-offset to compensate for the thickness of the magnet and flex plate.