Phrozen3D entered the resin 3D-printing market with resin based LCD / MSLA printers in 2016. Initially they launched a couple 3D-printers in the >$1000 range all based on LCD technology. They have been one of the first companies to develop a bigger LCD platform, next to the more expensive Structo3D Dental 3D-printer. Since 2020, Phrozen is actively developing and selling entry model 3D-printers, with the Sonic Mini and Mini 4K, starting at $200. At Liqcreate, we had the opportunity to get our hands on a Mini 4K and optimize all resins on it. You can find the optimized settings here.
Source picture: All3DP.com, Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K Review
In the past months, 3D-printing news website All3dp.com wrote two interesting articles about these Phrozen3D printers. Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K review: Life in higher definition and Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K vs Mini: The differences.
What are the differences between the different Phrozen3D resin 3D-printers?
There are many differences between the 3D-printers of Phrozen3D. The regular Sonic printers are the newer series and will probably replace all printers with a regular RGB screen. The Sonic printers are equipped with a Monochrome LCD screen, making them print two to four times faster. See the differences between the Sonic 3D-printers in the table below:
| Mini | Mini 4K | Mighty 4K | |
| Price* | $ 199 | $ 329 | $ 499 |
| Platform size (XYZ mm) | 119*66*130 | 132*74*130 | 200*125*220 |
| Resolution | 2K | 4K | 4K |
| Pixel size | 62,5 µm | 35 µm | 52 µm |
| Monochrome LCD | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Print speed | Up to 80 mm/hour | Up to 80 mm/hour | Up to 80 mm/hour |
| 3rd party resins | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wavelength | 405 nm | 405 nm | 405 nm |
| Z-Axis guide | Single | Single | Double |
Source: Phrozen3D Website. *Official prices from Phrozen website anno December 2020, price may vary over time or on your country.
How to select which resin 3D-printers is best for my application?
Selecting a printer for your application is depending on your needs and budget. If your budget is low, entry level $99 Photon Zero or $199 Phrozen Mini might be your best choice. A slightly higher budget might give the option to go for an Anycubic Mono or Phrozen Mini 4K. When buying a new MSLA 3D-printer, we would always advise to purchase a printer with monochrome screen. Next to the longer lifetime and shorter exposure times, our Engineering Grade 3d-printing resins will be much easier to process. For instance on a regular RGB LCD Screen, Strong-X would need roughly 25 seconds exposure for 0,05mm layers, while this is reduced to 5 seconds on the Anycubic Photon Mono X.
One of the differences between the Photon Mono and the Phrozen Mini 4K (next to its resolution), is the absence of a glass plate in the new Photon series. The Phrozen Mini 4K has this glass screen which protects the LCD when a resin drip accident occurs. The downside is the slightly higher exposure times required to print. Exposure times for Liqcreate resins on the Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K can be found here.
What other printers are available in the field of entry-level LCD MSLA resin 3D-printers?
The last years a lot of entry level 3D-printers entered the resin printing market. There are so many brands available that it is impossible to list them all. Three of the main competitors of Phrozen3D are Anycubic, Elegoo and EPAX3D.
Anycubic Photon entered the market a couple years ago with its flagship Photon series. Quickly the Photon was one of the leading entry model resin 3D-printers with over 100.000 sold between December 2017 and August 2019. Only recently it is expanding its offering with bigger printers and monochrome LCD printers.
Elegoo is more or less following Anycubic in every move, with the earlier products as the Mars (competing with the original Photon) and the Mars Pro 2. The Mars Pro 2 is comparable to the Photon Mono, with its 2K Monochrome LCD screen and single Z-axis guide. The Elegoo Saturn, competing with the Anycubic Photon Mono X is just released and slightly cheaper.
EPAX3D was already offering high quality MSLA printers for a slightly higher price compared to the entry-level resin 3D-printers. These printers were made from high quality materials and more robust. Not too long ago, EPAX3D is also offering a more affordable printer the E10, competing with the printers mentioned above.
How to work with Liqcreate resins on these Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K resin 3D-printers?
At Liqcreate we try to run our resins on as many 3D-printers possible. Our engineers are working to get all our resins to run smooth on the regular Phrozen Printers. An Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K is available in our laboratory and other settings are acquired from our partners. For more information about 3D-printing parameters / settings on your printer, please visit our website or send an e-mail to info@liqcreate.com
Team Liqcreate wish you happy printing. If there are any questions or remarks, feel free to contact us at info@liqcreate.com any time.
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