You need to wash and cure resin prints, how does Anycubic's do?

Best answer: Yes! Properly washing and curing resin 3D prints is crucial, and the Anycubic Wash and Cure V2 is an inexpensive way to handle the messy reality of resin 3D printing. With a 3.5l Isopropyl Alcohol tank and a UV turntable, it takes a lot of the fuss out of resin post-processing.

What does the Wash and Cure v2 do?

As the name suggests, the wash and cure station has the ability to wash and cure your prints, with a button that switches it between the two modes, then there is a rotary encoder for setting the timer function. The cleaning bucket has a magnetically spun propeller at the bottom for agitating the cleaning fluid, which is a little noisy, but it means the bucket is completely sealed. To cure the model, you take it out of the cleaning fluid, dry it with a paper towel or hairdryer and replace the cleaning tank with the turntable. This is keyed into the base, not magnetic, so it's very secure.

The button on the front switches the unit from wash mode to cure mode, which reduces the turntable speed and activates the lights. All you need to do is put the model in and replace the lid, and your print will start curing.

Keeping in line with the safety aspect, the Wash and Cure v2 will not let you cure a model without the lid on. The yellow lid might look a bit strange, but the colour is chosen because it absorbs most of the UV light emitted, so the UV lamp doesn't damage your eyes. Keeping you safe is one of the primary reasons to have a Wash & Cure v2.

Why do you need the Wash and Cure v2?

With all the benefits you get from resin 3D printing, using the part just after the part has finished isn't one of them. You need to wash the excess uncured resin off the part and then fully cure it in a UV chamber. There are multiple ways to do this; the simplest being a small bucket with a lid and a few bottles of Isopropyl Alcohol or another detergent (if you are in the US, Mean Green works well), and leaving the model out in the sun, but a dedicated washing and curing station is much more effective.

I would have loved to have had the wash and cure v2 when I was reviewing the Photon Mono a few months back; it would have made post-processing in my crowded environment significantly safer.

Properly washing and curing a print is also a safety issue. Uncured or partially cured photopolymer resins can have health side effects with breathing and skin sensitivity, which is why you should wear Nitrile gloves and a respirator when operating one of these machines. Reducing your contact with uncured parts is one of the reasons these Wash and Cure machines are produced, along with other must-have 3d printing accessories

Our pick

Anycubic Wash and Cure v2

$180 at Amazon

Cheap and cheerful

The Anycubic Wash and Cure V2 is one of the machines with a great price to performance ratio in this class. With a tank that holds up to 3.5l and a timer that can go for up to an hour, prints from the Photon Mono fit perfectly in this volume