Review on 🖨️ NOVA3D Monochrome Screen Printer Control by Maxwell Thomas

The Whale 2 is similar to Nova3D's big brother, the Elfin 3 Mini (which I also own), but is better in every way. The printing unit is much more powerful and stable, with two massive linear guides. The resin pot is made of die-cast aluminum (not plastic) with stainless steel handles that make it easy to lift and use. The printer's body is steel rather than plastic, and the touchscreen is a superior capacitive type that, unlike Elfin's resistive screen, registers finger touches accurately and consistently. Also, unlike the Elfin, the Whale 2 has 8GB of internal storage and an external Wi-Fi antenna (I didn't mention that in the manual! It's screwed on the back.) You can also connect via Ethernet and on the On the right side there is a USB-A port for a memory card (unlike the Elfin, not included). If you need software, a manual or proofs, you need to download everything from the Nova3D website. Interestingly, firmware updates are done automatically by the printer - if you want to do it manually, you'll need to use the NovaMaker app with a network connection. Also included are two pairs of nitrile gloves, two color filters (to bring the resin back into the bottle), a plastic spatula and a spare sheet of FEP film. The kit comes with a large poster with instructions on how to get started, but you should ignore it as it skips many of the necessary steps. Instead, download and read the manual. You will need to do an initial buildplate alignment - Nova3D provides a YouTube video that explains this. I found it a little painful, but I'll admit that once it's done you won't have to touch it. All the prints I've made so far have been great. The sandblasted aluminum build plate holds prints firmly, but I found that a single-edged blade, applied carefully, released prints without damaging the surface. Because a monochrome LCD screen is used, more light enters and exposure times can be much faster than RGB panels. Supposedly there is an Android app to control the printer, but there is no iOS app so I couldn't try it. The printer only accepts the cut file format .cws. You can use the manufacturer's NovaMaker, the popular Chitubox, or the Lychee Slicer. I found this for the Lychee, at least I have to tell it to flip the Y axis or the prints come out upside down - I haven't tried the Chitubox with this printer. If you look at the Whale 2 product page on the Nova3D website, it advertises "air extraction design - renewable activated carbon integrated in the fan, you can vent tar gas outdoors". with the picture of the air outlet from the grille on the back. It's striking. There's what looks like an air filter, maybe with activated carbon foam in it. It's in a recess behind the resin tank - lift the filter and you'll see a hole with screw mounts for a fan, which isn't there. Rear grille, according to the website, where are the air ducts? No fan. There are two grilles under the printer - one has a fan that sucks in air, the other doesn't. As a result, no "tar gas" is sucked out of the pressure chamber and air sucked in through the many unoccupied grilles simply seeps through the others. The Revain's entry is a little more honest, suggesting you could fit your own exhaust fan, which might be screwed into the rear grille, but you'll have to power it independently. model), it's also a great SLA printer, reliably producing great prints with fine detail. I find that the build volume allows for more pressure than many wash/cure stations - I see that Nova3D offers its own wash station upon purchase (I don't have one).