Question Regarding Exposure Time Finder Behavior and a Feature Suggestion

[lolrobbsenlol]

Hello,
I am writing to ask a question about the behavior of the Exposure Time Finder tool in UVtools and to suggest a potential improvement.

I have been using the tool extensively to calibrate my printer using the "Cones of Calibration V3" model.
However, I have observed an issue with the print process that I believe affects both print quality and efficiency.

My Observation & The Problem:

The process works as follows:

Bottom Layers: All test cones are cured simultaneously at the same bottom exposure time (35.0s). This works perfectly.

Normal Layers: The printer then begins the normal layers. It prints the first layer for the first cone at the first exposure time (e.g., 1.8s).

After this layer, the build plate lifts and then lowers to the last height again, to print the layer for the 1.9s cone.
However, this forces the layer befor (1.8s) to be pressed in to the screen.

This creates two issues:

Potential Damage: The previously cured layer from the 1.8s exposure is pressed back onto the FEP screen when the build plate lowers to the new Z-height for the 1.9s layer. This could potentially damage the screen and the partially cured model.

Increased Print Time: The process requires a full lift-and-lower cycle for every single layer, which drastically increases the total print time for the calibration matrix.

Suggested Solution/Feature Request:

I believe a more efficient and safer method would be to expose each layer once, but control the exposure time for each individual test piece within that same layer.

The process would be:

The build plate lowers to the correct height for a new layer.

The entire LCD screen turns on.

The exposure for each individual test cone is terminated at its specific time (1.8s, 1.9s, 2.0s, etc.).

Once the longest exposure time in the set is complete, the entire screen turns off, and the build plate lifts for the next cycle.

This approach would:

Eliminate the risk of pressing cured resin onto the screen.

Dramatically reduce the total print time, as only one lift cycle would be needed per layer instead of one per exposure test per layer.

Is this mode of operation something that could be implemented as an option in the Exposure Time Finder?

My Setup:

UVtools Version: 5.2.0 X64 (Release from 01.09.2025)

Printer: Uniformation GK3 Ultra

Resin: Uniformation S04

Calibration Model: The Cones of Calibration V3 by TableFlip Foundry

File Format: .ctb

What are my Settings in the Exposure Time Finder:

Common Properties:

Display width: 302.40 mm
Display height: 161.98 mm

Layer height: 0.050 mm
Bottom layers: 6

Bottom exposure: 35.00 s
Normal exposure: 1.80 s

Top/bottom margin: 5 mm
Left/right margin: 10 mm

Part margin: 5 mm

Chamfer layers: 0
Erode bottom iter.: 0 px

Font: HersheyDuplex

Text scale: 6.00 x
Text thickness: 10 px

• Enable Anti-Aliasing
• Mirror output

Object configuration

Base height: 100 mm
Features height: 1.00 mm
Features margin: 2.00 mm

Staircase: 40 px
Unit of measure: Pixels

• Pin (positive) / holes (negative):

Shape: Square

Diameters: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

• Zebra bars:

Bar spacing: 1.50 mm
Bar length: 4.00 mm
Vertical splitter: 0 px

Fence thick: 10 px
Fence offset: 4 px

Thicknesses: 4, 6, 8, 60

• Text:

Font: HersheyDuplex
Text scale: 6.00x
Text thickness: 10 px

Text: ABHJQRWZ%&#

• Bullseye:

Configuration: 26:5, 60:10, 116:15, 190:20

Fence thick: 10 px
Fence offset: 0 px

• Invert quadrants

• Counter triangles:

Tip Offset: 3 px

• Fence the triangles

Multiple brigtness

• Enable - For advanced users only!

Multiple layer height

• Enable - For advanced users only!

Multiple exposures

• Enable - For advanced users only!

Automatic exposure generation:

Generation type: Linear

• Ignore global exposures

Bottom step: 0.00 s
Normal step: 0.10 s
Maximum generations: 8 tests

Manual exposure entry:

Layer height: 0,05mm
Bottom exposure: 35.00 s
Normal exposure: 1.80 s

Base layers print mode: Iterative exposure: Print each base layer at it own exposure time

Base layers exposure: 1.80 s (For 'custom' mode only)

• Use different settings for layers with same Z positioning:

• Lift height: 0.10 mm

• Wait time before cure: 1.00 s

Pattern loaded model

• Enable - For advanced users only!

• Glue bottom layers to merge the model into one piece

• Intrude text in bottom layers with the model parameters

Thank you for your time and for developing this incredibly useful tool.

[sn4k3]

UVtools does that (ignore lifts, sequential curing), but only with gcode printers which are rare.
All other machines are very constrained and can't do much, most not even support this tool.

[lolrobbsenlol]

Thanks for the quick response.

Oh, I see, so it seems that my Uniformation GK3 Ultra doesn’t support that feature.
I did receive a ready-to-print Multiple Exposure Test.ctb file from Uniformation, which at least allows me to test with the preset settings provided by the company.
But aside from that, I’m stuck with those default settings in the file and can’t adjust the exposure time or anything else.

The test file prints as I described earlier: the UV exposure is initially on for all prints, then turned off one by one at the set times for each exposure test. After every sample gets one layer, the build plate is lifted.

My question is: would it be possible to somehow reverse engineer the file?
Do you know of any way to edit a .ctb file, or another method, to change the exposure time and maybe other parameters as well?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[sn4k3]

I don't think so.
Exposures can be edited by layer but the support is very bad and lift is still required.
For those machines is best to print the cone test alone, painful but better.