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REVIEW – Over the past year I have made literally thousands of parts on my resin 3D printers. I’m not an expert, but I have a lot of real-world experience. However, all of these experiences were made with one brand of resin 3D printers. When the Elegoo Saturn 3 12K resin printer trial offer came up, I decided to try another brand.
What is it?
The Elegoo Saturn 3 is an MSLA resin 3D printer with a 10-inch 12K mono LCD.
What’s in the box?
- Elegoo Saturn 3 12K Resin 3D Printer
- USB air purifier
- create platform
- resin tank
- USB stick
- mask
- Gloves
- funnel
- spare screws
- User Guide
- power adapter
- tool set
- scraper
Hardware Specifications
Exposure screen: 10 inch 12K mono LCD
Build volume: 218.88 x 122.88 x 250 mm (8.62 x 4.84 x 9.84 in)
Resolution: 11520×5120
XY resolution: 19×24 microns
Speed: Up to 70mm/h
Touchscreen: Resistive touch
Z axis: linear rails
Release film: PFA
File transfer: USB only
Light source: COB + Fresnel collimated lens
Slicing Format: Open source GOO format
Screen Protector: 9H Tempered Glass
Air Purifier: Supported
The Elegoo Saturn 3 was packaged very well for shipping
design and functions
For my production work I have two large 13.6″ 7K resin 3D printers. They are great for making many small parts at once. However, the larger size is also slower, requiring a pause to allow the screen to cool down.
I wanted a smaller, faster printer for prototyping and when I needed maximum print quality. The Elegoo Saturn 3 12K meets this requirement perfectly. Many of my parts are smaller than 2″ x 2″ (50mm x 50mm). So when I’m prototyping something new, it doesn’t require a large build plate.
One of the parts I make is typical of what I’m prototyping. This part is about 2 inches wide.
The Elegoo Saturn 3’s 10-inch 12K mono LCD has a stunning 11520 x 5120 resolution and an XY resolution of 19 x 24 µm. With a print speed of up to 70mm/h, the Saturn 3 is a great machine for everything from prototypes to detailed production models.
This prototype part has a 10mm hole in the center. Small parts like this are perfect for prototype or production printing on the Saturn 3.
The build volume of 218.88 x 122.88 x 250 mm (8.62 x 4.84 x 9.84 inches) is much larger than some of the smaller and inexpensive resin 3D printers without the cost being significantly higher . I was quite surprised that the 10″ build plate looked a bit smaller than I expected compared to my 13.6″ build plate. However, when I think about it, the Saturn 3 is also about a third the price, making it a great deal.
A comparison of the Elegoo Saturn 3 build plate on a 13.6″ build plate.
Resin 3D printers are not just about size and speed. There is also the factor of light quality. The entire resin 3D printing process revolves around exposing the resin to light to cure it. If the light is uneven, print quality will suffer or fail. The COB light source and the Fresnel collimating lens of the Elegoo Saturn 3 emit a uniform beam of light with a maximum angle of 5 degrees and a uniformity of over 90%. The light scattering coefficient is within 0.5%. What does that mean? Highly accurate and consistent prints with clarity and detail. These details do not vary depending on the location on your model’s build plate.
My first print was the Elegoo Rook model, printed at 50% scale.
One of the big problems users face with resin printing is the prints sticking to the build plate. The Saturn 3’s laser-carved build plate provides excellent adhesion. For my functional parts, however, I print directly onto the buildplate with no supports, so I added an aftermarket flexplate.
The Elegoo Saturn 3 comes with a plug-in air purifier. The activated carbon filter is designed to clean harmful odors. However, the activated carbon filter I received was not in the best condition when I received it. I have other means of air filtration and use a lower odor resin so I’m not sure how well this filter works.
I want to check fine details so I scaled down the Elegoo Rook model to a 25% scale, the details are amazing.
A comparison of the 50% and 25% models of the Elegoo Rook next to a penny.
The build quality of the Elegoo Saturn 3 seems to be very good. The rubber feet on the bottom of the machine are nice and keep the machine from sliding around on my table. I don’t care that the USB port is on the side towards the back of the device. I wish 3D printer manufacturers would think about how machines are used in the real world when it comes to having a USB drive sticking out of the side of the machine. Being placed on the side, you need enough space to be able to see and reach it.
I’m not a fan of the side USB port.
The Voxeldance Tango and Chitubox software is included on the supplied USB stick. I used Chitubox because I’m familiar with it, although you can use other third party software like Lychee Slicer or any other software that uses the open source GOO slice file format.
I love the button on the Saturn 3 build plate!
I would describe the Saturn 3’s control screen as “mediocre”. It’s a color touchscreen, however the font used isn’t very good and only four models are shown at a time. So if you have many files on the USB drive, it can be a bit tedious to find the file you want, especially since long file names are abbreviated.
The control screen.
The build plate is very nice. It features a large easy-to-grip knob and square mounting hole. The square mounting hole allows you to rotate the plate 90 degrees after printing to allow the resin to drip off the print. With a single point of contact with the build plate, excess resin can be easily wiped off after printing. The large bolts used to lock the ball joint mean you don’t have to worry about damaging the bolts by over-tightening.
For small prints, you can rotate the build plate 90 degrees to allow the resin to drain.
I like being able to lift, place and tighten the build plate with one hand. When wearing gloves, any improvement that makes item handling easier is very welcome.
The print quality is fantastic. I was really impressed by how crisp details are from just 0.15 mm (0.006 inches).
The hair-fine details of this test model came into their own perfectly!
There are a few things I would have liked a little differently. I’m not a fan of lids without hinges. If you work with resin, your gloves will no doubt get covered in resin. Removing and replacing the lid is a messy job if the lid doesn’t flip open. At a minimum, 3D printer manufacturers should add a handle to the top of the lids. As a user mod this is an easy task (which I have done) however the user experience would be much better with a flip top.
The open source ring model printed with great attention to detail. Shown here with the supports still attached.
I would also like to point out that I think companies should also include WiFi or at least some version of the printer with WiFi. Elegoo does this with the Saturn 3 Ultra, which in addition to the Saturn 3 features includes WiFi, a build height of 260mm instead of 250mm, a print speed of up to 150mm/h, a capacitive IPS touchscreen and a few other small features additional $100.
This is the Ameritech test model printed at 200% scale next to a penny.
What I like
- Well packed
- Rubber feet do not slip
- High quality print
What I would change
- A hinged lid would make it easier to open and close
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Elegoo Saturn 3 12K is a great resin 3D printer. I haven’t had any issues and the prints look fantastic. The ability to print incredibly small details is absolutely fabulous. Build quality seems really good and the large button on the build plate makes it easy to manipulate with gloves on. The instructions were easy to follow. If you are looking for a high-resolution resin 3D printer, this printer is a great choice regardless of your experience level.
Price: $399.00
Where to buy: Elegoo
source: The sample of this product was provided by Elegoo.
