Review: B9 Creator v1.2 3D Printer

B9 Creator v1.2 | b9creator.com

• Price as Tested $5,495
• Z Resolution 25-100 microns (0.025-0.1mm), depending on resin used
• XY Resolution 30/50/70 microns (multiple configurations)
• Projector Resolution 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
• Build Volume 57.6 x 32.4mm at 30µm x-y 96 x 54mm at 50µm x-y TESTED: 104 x 76.6mm at 70µm x-y
• Materials Red or Cherry UV curable, castable resin.
• Print Untethered? No
• Software B9 Creator
• OS Mac, Windows, Linux
• Open Software? Host software: GPLv3; firmware: CC BY-SA 3.0
• Open Hardware? Auxiliary design files BOM, electronics: B9Creator 3D Printer Noncommercial Hardware License

The B9 v1.2 is an upgraded version of the B9 v1.1 we reviewed last year. New additions include a 1080p projector, a deeper vat, and XY- and Z-axis mechanical improvements. The B9, like the ProJet 1200, is a DLP machine and uses a projector to cure the resin, as opposed to a laser. The new aluminum resin vat is robust and allows resin to be rinsed out with alcohol without having to worry about damaging the acrylic.

Geared towards jewelers who use lost-wax (in this case, resin) casting methods, the B9 is unusual in that it can be configured for different resolutions and corresponding build area sizes. The new, higher resolution DLP projector enables more detail in the XY plane, producing finer attributes. At the minimum recommended Cherry-resin layer height of 25-50 microns (0.025 – 0.05mm) and 30 microns (0.03mm) in the XY axes the B9 is capable of the finest resolution of all the printers tested.

However, we had some issues, and it took many tries with lots of tinkering and fine-tuning to get successful prints; we often ended up with a bunch of partially cured resin floaties in the resin tank. When it printed, it printed very well. Unfortunately our testing was constrained to 70 microns XY with the Red resin due to a firmware issue that blocked us from changing settings.