Phrozen Sonic XL 4K 2022 Review: Affordable Dental Resin 3D Printer
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Hi everyone! This is Top 3D Shop, and in this video, we will walk you through all the features of the Phrozen Sonic XL 4K resin 3D printer, as well as its upgraded 2022 version.
The Taiwanese-based company Phrozen was founded in 2016, and over the past few years, it has gained ground in the resin 3D printer market. Their machines are used all over the world, both in professional fields such as dentistry and jewelry and by amateur 3D printing enthusiasts. The company's product range includes printers of different price categories, sizes, and accuracy — from the small and inexpensive Sonic Mini to the huge Sonic Mega 8K.
In today's review, we would like to introduce you to one of the company’s largest units, the Phrozen Sonic XL 4K. It’s necessary to point out that recently this model has been updated to the Phrozen Sonic XL 4K 2022 version. Unfortunately, at the moment there is no way to test the new model. On the other hand, the changes introduced in the latest version are mostly related to the ease of use, and do not greatly affect the print quality and main features of the printer. So in this video, we will talk about the innovations of the 2022 version but will run all of the test prints on the basic XL 4K. Phrozen markets this machine as dental-ready, therefore, we will focus on printing dental models, but not limited solely to those.
We will skip the unpacking to move with this review faster. Like all Phrozen printers, the Sonic XL 4K and its updated version come fully assembled and ready to operate. The only thing you need to do before starting it up is to screw-on the handle to the lid.
The XL 4K package content is typical for all Phrozen 3D printers. It includes the initial setup instructions, a pair of rubber gloves, a metal and a plastic scraper, allen key, a couple of screws and a handle (which needs to be screwed to the lid), a USB-WiFi dongle to connect the printer to a wireless network, small plastic funnel for draining the resin, USB flash drive, and power cable.
Let's take a closer look at the design of the printer and its technical specifications.
The Sonic XL 4K is powered by MSLA technology, or as it is also called — LCD-SLA. In short, the essence of the technology is as follows: a photopolymer resin is illuminated by an ultraviolet light source through a screen that displays images of the layers also called masks. A vat with resin is installed on the screen, with a platform submerging into the resin to the depth of one layer. After the layer is illuminated and cured, the platform rises and lowers down clearing space for another layer, and the cycle goes on. The object is printed out by layers of cured resin.
The light wavelength used in this machine is 405 nanometers which has become a standard for MSLA printers. The Sonic XL 4K can work with any resin that cures with this wavelength, while the market has a lot to offer in terms of materials.
The Sonic XL 4K print volume is 120 x 190 x 200 mm, which is about 45% larger than that of its predecessor, the Sonic 4K, and other small-size resin 3D printers. At the same time, the external dimensions and weight of the XL 4K make it easy to place the printer on a table or allocate space for it in your shop. The only thing to consider is that there must be enough space above the printer for the flip-up cover.
The lower part of the front panel houses a large touch screen, we'll talk about it a bit later. The window is made of tinted plastic that does not release ultraviolet light. The idea here is that the user can watch the printing process through this window, but the plastic is rather dark and almost nothing is visible through it. The lid opens along with half of the upper part of the body, which gives convenient access to the entire print area. In the 2022 version, the lid itself has not changed much, except that the color of the plastic window is now different and door closers have been installed on the sides. With this addition, you don’t need to worry that the cover will accidentally fall down and damage the body.
Three fans with plastic protective grilles and foam inserts are located on the sides of the printer. The two fans closer to the front side cool the LED matrix and the screen. The fan at the back cools the printer’s electronics. In the XL 4K 2022, all the fans were relocated to the lower part of the machine. This does not affect performance in any way, but without the plastic grilles on the sides, the printer looks more appealing.
