Review on 🖨️ VOXELAB Proxima 8 3D Printer by Issac Smart

After using the FDM printer for a while, I wanted to try SLA printing. This printer was very similar to other SLA printers, so I decided to give it a try. In general, printing in SLA is much more difficult than with a regular FDM printer, but the print quality is very detailed compared to what my regular 3D printer can do. After unpacking everything looked fine. The SLA printer is pre-assembled. All I had to do was remove the protective plastic cover and foam. The printer comes with a USB flash drive with a pre-configured CHITUBOX settings file that can be used to load the Proxima print settings. The package also included gloves, a filter and the rest of the tools needed to level the bed. First print: For the first print I had to level the bed. The included instruction manual explains how to level the bed. I found it easier to watch a short YouTube video. After leveling the bed, I jumped onto the computer and installed a program called CHITUBOX. In this slicing software you will find the Voxelab Proxima printer. I ended up using these preconfigured options. For my first print I used a supplied deer and a simple rook I found online. Once the file was ready, I hopped onto the SLA printer and went through the settings menu to print my models. The menu is pretty easy to navigate. I had a few false touchscreen touches, but that's okay. There are also some dummy checks included in the software. Initially I had set the wrong file type and it gave an error and wouldn't let me print. The next time I had the wrong resolution set and it gave me a different error and wouldn't allow me to print anymore. All of these issues were user error. On the third try, I finally got him to type. I have found that these SLA printers have a much higher and more difficult learning curve than my FDM 3D printer. In any case, after a successful first print, I did the recommended post-processing and the results were really good. There was no way I could get the small parts I got from this SLA printer on a normal FDM 3D printer. Final Thoughts: For an SLA printer in this price range, I couldn't find anything wrong with it. Everything worked out of the box. I had a lot of problems initially and I wasted some resin, but they were all my fault. But hey, it's a learning experience. If you're diving into SLA printing, this is a good place to start. However, I recommend spending some money to get all the footage you need for post-production. The cost of these items must also be factored into the Hobby Printing SLA.