3D Printing Calculators
Exposure Time Scaling Calculator
https://www.3dsizing.com/calculators/exposure-time-scaling/
Estimate only — not firmware, a slicer profile or a shop quote. Confirm on a test print.
Exposure Time Scaling Calculator
A profile that works at 0.05 mm on RGB will not copy-paste onto an 8K mono at 0.03 mm. This scale uses layer-height ratio times a relative screen factor.
Inputs
Results
- Scaled normal exposure
- 1.06s
- Scale factor
- 0.132
Multiply old exposure by this. Bottom/burn-in is usually scaled less aggressively — start from vendor tables.
Calculation method
New exposure = old exposure × (new layer height / old layer height) × (new screen factor / old screen factor). Screen factors are relative to a typical RGB LCD at the same height: RGB 1.0, 2K mono 0.40, 4K/6K 0.25, 8K 0.22, 12K 0.20. Layer heights are millimetres. This linear model ignores pigment, temperature and anti-aliasing.
Exact formula
t_new = t_old × (h_new / h_old) × (factor_new / factor_old). Factors vs RGB: RGB 1.00, 2K mono 0.40, 4K 0.25, 8K 0.22, 12K 0.20. Limits: Linear in layer height; real cure is not Beer–Lambert here. Always print an exposure matrix after resin, screen or firmware changes.
Wait time and lift
Exposure is only one axis. Slow lifts on large cross-sections matter as much as 0.2 s of UV.
Calibration prints
AmeraLabs Town, cones of calibration, or a simple XP2 matrix beat trusting a blog’s 2.5 s on 8K.
Frequently asked questions
Should bottom exposure use the same scale?
Not blindly. Burn-in is often 6–12× normal and depends on FEP and adhesion. Scale it gently and test a raft.
Why is 12K not 10× faster than RGB?
Mono vs RGB is the big jump. Extra pixels after 4K are smaller gains. Your LED array still has a finite UV dose.
Can I go from 0.05 mm to 0.025 mm by halving time?
The formula says yes. Pigmented resins often need more than half. Print a finder.
What if I only change resin, not screen?
Keep both screen dropdowns equal so only layer height scales. Then still tune — resins are not interchangeable.
More in this topic
All tools in this topicResin 3D printing
Bottom / Burn-in Layer Exposure
Calculate MSLA/SLA burn-in exposure from normal layer time, a multiplier and bottom-layer count. Outputs per-layer seconds, total base time and the ratio used.
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Resin Lift Speed and Distance
Heuristic MSLA lift distance and lift/retract speeds from LCD diagonal in inches, resin viscosity class and FEP condition. Outputs millimetres and mm/min.
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Resin Degassing Time Estimator
Estimate how long bubbles take to rise out of a resin vat using Stokes’ law, viscosity at temperature, vat depth and bubble diameter. Outputs rise speed and minutes.
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Resin Mix Ratio Calculator
Linear-blend two resins to a target Shore D (or any linear property). Enter component properties, target and total millilitres to get each volume and percent.
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Resin Print Cost Estimator
Estimate SLA/DLP print cost from resin volume, bottle price and LCD screen degradation per hour. Toggle millilitres and US fluid ounces.
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Resin Volume to Weight Converter
Convert SLA slicer volume in millilitres to grams using typical specific gravity for standard, tough, water-washable, ABS-like and castable resins.
Resin 3D printing
Vat Volume Checker
Check whether the resin in an MSLA vat covers a sliced job plus a safety margin. Rectangular vat millilitres from L×W×fill height, remaining, enough flag and shortage.