SLA Resin Exposure & UV Cure Calibrator
Generate starting values for normal layer exposure, bottom burn-in exposure and UV cure time from your printer LCD type, layer height, resin class and room temperature.
These are opening brackets for a stepped test print, not a calibrated result for your machine. Exposure depends on the specific resin, panel age and vat temperature, so confirm the number with a test print. The method is in how to calibrate resin exposure time on an MSLA printer.
Printer & Resin Parameters
Environmental Variables
Use the printing temperature specified for your resin.
Example Slicer Settings ChituBox / Lychee Profile
Resin Printing Guidelines
- Use a calibration model supported by your printer when changing resin or layer height.
- Check the resin maker's printing, washing and post-cure instructions before applying these examples.
What to do with these numbers
Treat the values above as the centre of a stepped test print rather than a finished profile. Print the test, wash and dry it exactly as you would a real part, then read the failure signs off the samples and take the middle of the surviving window.
- How to calibrate resin exposure time on an MSLA printer - running the stepped test and reading over- and underexposure.
- Resin print not sticking to the build plate: 7 fixes - levelling, bottom exposure and vat debris, in the order to check them.
- Resin 3D printing starter kit: what you actually need - the wash, cure, PPE and ventilation kit the workflow assumes.
- Resin vs FDM 3D printing: which one to buy - if you are still choosing a process.
Separate printing exposure from post-curing
Normal exposure is UV-on time per ordinary printed layer; bottom exposure applies to the base layers. Post-curing follows washing and drying, using separate equipment. Record seconds per layer separately from minutes in a curing chamber.
Start with the manufacturer's profile and compare stepped samples at a fixed layer height and temperature. Record the resin colour, machine and results. Repeat when changing materials or layer height.
The fixed lift and wash values are examples too. Check your printer's release mechanism and resin instructions. Follow the wash-and-cure guide for finishing and the manufacturer references below for specific settings.
Resin exposure and curing FAQ
How long to cure resin prints?
Follow the resin maker's schedule for your lamp. Prusa's CW1 defaults to a 3-minute cure; Siraya Tech specifies 1 to 2 minutes at 395 to 405 nm for regular Fast resin. Wash and fully dry first. This tool's 4- or 6-minute display is illustrative: it does not measure UV intensity or confirm complete curing.
Sources: Prusa CW1 drying and curing; Siraya Tech Fast resin guide
What exposure time for 0.05 mm layers?
There is no universal exposure for 0.05 mm, or 50 microns. Start with your printer, resin and colour profile, then calibrate at that layer height. The default 2.5-second display is an example. Phrozen notes that insufficient exposure can leave fragile prints and excessive exposure can reduce detail. LCD resolution alone does not establish exposure time.
Sources: Phrozen resin profile settings
How many bottom layers and at what exposure?
Follow the printer-specific resin profile. This tool assumes five bottom layers at nine times normal exposure: 22.5 seconds at the defaults. These are example assumptions. Phrozen distinguishes bottom-layer count from bottom exposure and explains the tradeoff between adhesion and difficult removal. Keep those settings separate from normal exposure when diagnosing a split higher in the model.
Sources: Phrozen bottom-layer settings
Does resin temperature change exposure time?
Yes. Siraya Tech recommends regular Fast resin above 20 degrees C and says colder printing needs more bottom exposure. Use your resin's documented working range and stabilise conditions before calibrating. This simplified temperature adjustment cannot compensate for every formulation or for resin that has not reached the enclosure temperature.
Sources: Siraya Tech printing conditions