Large 10. 1 inch Clean & Cure Machine Dual-band UV strip (385nm and 405nm) Large 6500 mL washing bucket
Brand: Creality Dimensions: 12. 7 x 11. 6 x 19 inches (325295485 mm) Weight: 22. 9 pounds Weight Capacity: 2. 5 kg (max model weight) Colors: Black & Orange
Budget-friendly large format wash and cure machine Washing mode options Easy to use 360° curing Fast stirring fan
Cheaper build quality Smaller build plate compatibility for brackets Intricate models may require additional hand cleaning
Buy the Creality UW-02 direct from Creality - use coupon code MUOUW02 for 10% off!
Creality UW-02 Build and Technical Specifications
With any washing and curing machine, it’s best to begin by looking at its design and then the components that make up its functionality.
When unpackaging the UW-02, you’ll notice it towers at its fully-encased size of 12.7 x 11.6 x 19 inches. There’s also some weight to it; you’ll notice as such when lifting its 8 kilograms (~17.6 pounds). Once you move your eyes beyond the large vertically mounted UV LED strip, you’ll find a button-based operating panel at the front and the power adapter port and power switch at the rear of the machine.
When it comes to curing, the dual-band LED strip (385 nm and 405 nm) covers an area of 7.8 x 11.8 inches. To help keep your curing uniform, it spins a full 360° at a speedy pace. The curing platform is made of stainless steel that helps reflect the UV light for more even curing.
Meanwhile, you can also wash your models using the included washing basket. The plastic bucket comes out at 9.4 x 6.2 x 7.8 inches with a max fill of 9600 mL. It’s made of durable PP (polypropene) plastic; the included lid helps keep your preferred cleaning solution safely enclosed.
Using the Creality UW-02
Once you’ve figured out print-size compatibility, operating these post-processing machines is a pretty simple process most of the time. As with most two-in-one cleaners, Creality’s UW-02 lets you choose your mode, speed, duration time, and start/pause the machine from its front controls.
With that said, I encountered an issue with the UW-02’s controls. It’d either not respond to my touch, or it’d change two settings at a time. So during a lot of initial testing, the simple process of choosing my settings required forceful button mashing and cycling between mismatched presets.
To resolve the control button issues, Creality sent me a replacement operating panel sticker. After prying off the original with a putty knife gently, I just had to fit the new adhesive piece and make sure it lined up to both the control springs and LED lights. The original panel sticker had been applied slightly off, so the inputs weren’t registering as intended.
With that fix, the promised ease of use was finally there. The front panel buttons when properly functioning respond incredibly fluidly. So if you run into potential issues, you can take advantage of Creality’s one-year limited warranty.
Washing Your Prints With the Creality UW-02
Before immersing your prints in the large capacity washing bucket, there are a few things to keep in mind. First off, you have the choice of a quick or normal wash. Then you can set your washing time in presets ranging between 2/5/10/15/20/30 minutes. For a smooth model, Creality suggests around a two-minute wash and longer washes for more complex models.
In terms of a guideline, this metric held fairly true throughout. Beyond relatively simplistic or smooth models, you have to adapt your washing method based on the particular model’s design and what your cleaning solution is. Also, keep in mind to begin operation, you’ll need to have the UV cover securely on.
Choose Your Washing Method
With the Creality UW-02, there are two main approaches to washing your prints. First, there’s the washing basket mode where you put a model or models directly into the basket. With this method, you’ll need to be careful not to put any small pieces that could fall between the gaps or into the stirring fan.
There’s also the option to attach your printer’s build plate directly to brackets that Creality included. There’s either an adjustable bracket piece that allows you to raise and lower your build plate into the bucket. There’s also a flat platform bracket for less complex rigging.
In terms of testing differences, I found the adjustable bracket extension to be more useful for really controlled washes. However, the adjustable bracket was much too small for use with a larger thumb screw like the one for the Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4K. The flat platform support was closer in size; it was still just shy of a proper fit.
As a compromise, I was able to use the Anycubic Photon Ultra’s build plate with its measurements of 102.4 x 57.6 x 165 mm and a much smaller thumb screw. So if you’re wanting to avoid resin exposure, you’ll want to double-check your build plate’s thumb screw size or consider modifying a bracket.
Washing Results
To test how well the UW-02 cleans, I followed three cleaning routines with IPA.
For the first method, I removed prints from the build plate but left their supports attached. After the UW-02 finished washing, I’d remove the supports to investigate how clean the model was. For this approach, models required some hand-cleaning touch-up; it was still considerably less than hand-cleaning in full.
The second method was where I’d remove the models from the build plate and then remove their supports. From there, I’d wash via the washing basket. This method still required some hand-cleaning; it was lessened even further without supports hiding residual resin spots.
The last method was where I entirely washed the models via the brackets inside the machine. I didn’t do any secondary cleaning afterward just to test the results. I ended up with residual resin clinging to the grooves of the more complex models while the smaller, smooth models cleaned up nicely overall.
If you’re fine with sanding touch-up and doing some painting, the residue isn’t too much of an issue—but I still preferred doing a more direct secondary cleaning after the UW-02 completed its initial wash. Overall though, it was a good option for removing a lot of the more sticky resin residue.
Another factor to look out for is that some larger pieces might float. As the goal is to fully immerse your models to clean resin off, this can result in some imperfect washes.
Creality UW-02 Upkeep
In terms of washing bucket maintenance, Creality mentions the wash basket gets pretty dirty after about thirty models. However, if you’re working with larger models this can be much sooner.
To help with this, it’s useful to let the cleaning solution and resin sit for around 10 hours with some sunlight hitting it. Rather than deal with a floating cloud of dirty resin, this helps it settle to the bottom unproblematically.
As you continue to use it, you’ll eventually need to cure the resin within the bucket for disposal. With prolonged use, you’ll also need to do some maintenance on the stirring fan due to its high-speed operation. Creality provides detailed instructions for replacing the stainless steel bearing within the UW-02 instruction manual, so if you notice the bearings rubbing any then you may need to replace them.
Curing Your Prints With the Creality UW-02
Once you’ve removed the wash basket, attaching the curing platform just requires you to place the platform towards the center and allow for its magnetic connection. To help with the curing, the curing platform is reflective, so you’ll want to make sure you tear off the protective film initially. That assists in reflecting the UV light on the platform to help cure the model.
As it is a single, straight vertical double-bead LED, the platform rotates at a much faster speed than competitor curing units like the Phrozen Cure Luna with its three-sided LEDs. Across multiple prints, I still noticed consistently clean cure results despite the simpler design. A downside, however, was the stainless steel was harder to clean if any residual resin did leak from a hollowed-out model.
For those concerned with UV safety, the UW-02 will not operate without the UV hood being securely attached. If you try to remove the hood during curing, the machine will also power off.
Why Choose the UW-02 Over Other Washing and Curing Machines?
With the Creality UW-02, there’s a lot of value to the device. But why should you choose it over rivals like the Anycubic Wash and Cure or Anycubic’s Wash and Cure Plus?
While this will depend on personal preference, the Creality UW-02 focuses foremost on delivering functionality. Its downsides largely consist of a more budgeted build design while still delivering on all the essentials. So if you don’t need a highly aesthetic operating panel and an intricate LED strip design, you largely won’t be bothered.
For this trade-off, it provides a fully enclosed washing basket that you otherwise would have to pay extra for on the Anycubic Wash and Cure Plus machine. Again, the Creality UW-02 focuses on providing the essentials that you’d want to look for when looking at a large post-processing machine. If you do want some additional features, you can always compare; the UW-02 offers a lot of value for its price point especially if you can catch it at a sale price.
Should You Buy the Creality UW-02?
The Creality UW-02 offers an option for those looking to ditch both unwanted resin contact and a way to manage their resin waste more easily. I wouldn’t recommend it as your sole cleaning method unless you’re working with more simplistic models. Still, if you’re looking to interweave it into your wash cycle and use it to cure your models, it offers a ton of value.
As one of the most budget-friendly options for a large format wash and cure, it’s worth a look and consideration for your post-processing regiment if nothing else.
