Glossary · Function

3D printing

Vat heating

A heater in the resin printer that keeps the resin in the vat warm. Warm resin flows better, which makes prints in cool rooms more reliable.

Explained in more detail

Resin becomes viscous in the cold. Anycubic states that flowability decreases below 20 °C, and Phrozen gives temperatures below 20 °C as the limit at which prints fail. Vat heating warms the resin directly in the vat to a fixed or adjustable temperature. According to the manufacturer, the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K heats the vat to 30 °C, the Anycubic Photon Mono M7 Pro and Photon P1 are adjustable from 20 to 40 °C, and the Formlabs Form 4 heats to 25 to 45 °C depending on the material. Other devices warm the interior instead of the vat, which manufacturers call chamber heating.

Where does the term come from?

Made up of vat, the resin container with a film bottom, and heating. In English the vat is called a vat or resin tank, and the function accordingly vat heating or heated vat.

In practice

• When comparing, pay attention to whether the vat or only the chamber is heated. Phrozen, for example, specifies chamber heating to 30 °C for the Sonic Mighty 16K.
• Anycubic points out that the vat can be hot after long heating.
• Without heating, a warm room helps: the printer should not stand in a cold cellar or garage.
• Viscous specialty resins often need warmth. For the Sonic Mighty Revo 16K MAX, Phrozen names resins up to 4000 cps only with the optional heated vat.

Not to be confused

Vat heating and chamber heating are not the same thing: chamber heating warms the air in the machine and therefore the resin only indirectly. The heated chamber of an FDM printer is also something different; it keeps the build volume warm for materials such as ABS.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need vat heating?

If the printer stands in a room that is permanently warmer than 20 °C, it also works without. In cool rooms and in winter, a heater helps because the resin stays fluid enough. Anycubic recommends using it in the cold, where available.

Which resin printers have vat heating?

That is in the manufacturer's specifications, in our overview of resin printers. Note the difference between a heated vat and a heated chamber.