ANYCUBIC is one of the best alternatives to opt for when you are in the market for a reliable 3D printer, especially the resin machines. They carry some of the most beginner friendly printers such as ANYCUBIC Photon Mono Vs Mono SE that are also affordable. The two are pretty similar in general however so there are not that many differences to set the printers apart. If you wonder which machine to buy, here is the comparison between these reliable and beginner friendly MSLA printers.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What are the Types of Resin 3D Printer
- What are ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE
- How are the Design of ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE
- How are the Build Volume of ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE
- How are the Build Plate in ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE
- What else ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE can offer
- How are the Performance of ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE
- ANYCUBIC Photon Mono Vs Mono SE
Resin 3D Printers
3D printers may not be very popular because there are still not that many people are familiar with the technology but they are very useful and even operable almost anywhere, school, your work space, shop, office, as long as there is enough space. When talking about 3D printers, you will also find the term FDM and SLA which two are very different from each other. Our focus today is SLA and how printers with this mechanism can produce a solid object from a liquid material.
SLA is a short form of stereolithography which word itself comes from the combination of “stereo” and “(photo)lithography” means solid and writing in Greeks. The term is used to mention the process of drawing solids with light one layer at a time. In stereolithography there are SLA, DLP, and MSLA which all have similar but different mechanisms. All of them use a vat of photosensitive liquid resin which will be selectively exposed to light to form a very thin solid layer that will be stacked layer by layer.
SLA is laser-based and discovered in 1986 by Charles Hull, the co-Founder of 3D System. In this mechanism, the machine uses a UV laser to draw each layer of the object with two pieces of mirrors moved by a motor called a galvanometer to move in both X and Y axes. They are rapidly aiming the laser beam across the print area to harden the liquid resin as it moves. Just like with FDM, in order to print these layers the 3D design must be broken down layer by layer as well.
DLP is also an SLA machine or uses the same mechanism but the source of light is no longer laser anymore in this printer but a digital projector instead. The projector light will flash a single image of each layer across the platform at the same time and because the image is displayed digitally, there will be numerous pixels that look like squares resulting in a layer formed from a small brick stacking up from bottom upward or along the Z axis.
MSLA is probably the most popular and the most often we see in the market such as Elegoo Mars Pro Vs Phrozen Sonic Mini. Instead of a laser or projector, MSLA is using an array of LEDs for the light source along with an LCD photomask to shape the image from the LED light. Just like DLP above, it is printed based on the display so the object will be composed of square pixels too. The pixel size however, varies depending on their manufacturer. It works by deactivating individual pixels to allow the light pass through it and forming the layer.
| Anycubic Photon Mono | Anycubic Mono SE | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
|
| Product Dimensions | 8.74 x 8.94 x 15.08 inches | 21.9 x 12.2 x 11.5 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 9.37 Pounds | 23.25 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE
If you are buying a resin printer today, chances are they are MSLA since this is the most common option available in the market, at least for a wider range of applications. Plenty of printers have been released in the last decade so there are many alternatives to match with your application, depending on what you want to achieve. Some are decent for hobbyists and some are better for more demanding or professional tasks but most are still affordable since 3D printers often go on sale.
You can also shop based on the manufacturer or a brand you like since it is faster to narrow down the options, especially if you already have at least one of their previous machines before such as ANYCUBIC for example. This brand has been around for quite some time in the 3D printer market and they do carry both FDM and resin printers for a wide range of applications while also continuously improving their machines to be better and more reliable.
If you are a user of 3D printers, especially a resin printer, we are sure Photon Mono is a familiar name and not long ago, this printer is getting an upgrade with the new Photon Mono SE. Both of them are boasting the same feature which is the 2K Mono LCD screen itself that helps these machines to work faster and to be more efficient for those who consider printing speed in their purchasing decision variables. Overall, the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE are very similar to each other.
As the new product, Mono SE will have some of the recent upgrades however so we do think if you like the original machine then there is no reason to dislike this one except probably the price point as it is currently twice the price of the previous Mono. In comparison, the Mono SE is actually more similar to the Mono X variant however and we do like the improvements in this machine to make what’s good now become even better.
ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE Design
As you can see, the most prominent difference between ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE is their machines’ design itself because now the Mono SE is coming with a fixed housing such as in the Photon S machine. What’s improved is now it is made of full metal. We are still not fond of the hinged front window as they are a bit flimsy but it is better as well than the plastic model. At least with a fixed housing we don’t have to fully remove the cover after done printing.
Just like most resin printers, all parts are installed already except for the build plate and vat. The control panel and display seem to be the same still and the port is also located at the side of the machine for easy access. Another major design difference between the two is on the linear Z axis rail which is present on the new machine for added stability.
ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE Volume
Now let’s see what ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE can offer starting from the build volume first which surprisingly stay the same on both machines. We did hope to see some increase in capacity as well since the SE is quite expensive but it still only prints at 130 by 80 by 165mm compared to the previous machine at 130 by 78 by 160mm. The XY resolution is still maintained at 0.051mm and print speed is supposedly the same as well at 50 mm/h to 60mm/h respectively.
ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE Build Plate
Since we will be installing the print bed, let’s see the build plate here and for the flatness or adhesive, we don’t have any complaints as they should work well and very flat as well when measured. What’s different in ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE is how the plate is secured in the holder because now the 4 screws are left to one. They are still small and personally we like less screws to fasten and loosen but they are too small and if possible we do like the larger bolts such as the ELEGOO machine.
Leveling the bed is a must for a great print and successful printing in general. Worry not because the machine will lead the steps and the manual is helpful as well so we do think everyone will be able to finish it in no time. The upper sides of these plates are also angled to help cleaning the resin liquid after we done printing.
ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE Features
On the features side, this is where the SE comes strongly because we don’t have any interesting features on the original Mono. First we have mentioned the linear rails on the Z axis to help with stability and near these rails there are filters as well so we have two filters in the printer now to reduce the odor. What we like the most from SE is actually the Wi-Fi capability just like in X machine and there is the app here which lets you print from a smartphone.
ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE Performance
Lastly for the performance, both ANYCUBIC Photon Mono and Mono SE are impressive but you won’t see that prominent details difference here as well as speed. The SE did slightly better than Mono but not to the extent of adding another $200 unless it is paired with 4K resolution then we do think it will make a huge difference. But, when it comes to overall performance, these printers are satisfying, the ease of use is there and the print quality is there too.
Anycubic Photon Mono vs Mono SE
Both of them are good resin printers and we are sure most people will like them. On the differences your Mono SE will have a much better built and convenience mostly with the hinged door to access the print room. It is also faster to adjust the bed as now we only have one screw to tweak but doing it inside the limited print room is less comfortable than when in a Mono machine. Performance wise they are almost identical with SE being slightly better but the latter do have better stability, filter, and also wireless capability.
Conclusion
You can go amazing with any of the two based on what you want to achieve but personally we recommend the Mono if you don’t want to spend more because this machine is already working really well at a much cheaper price point.