Anycubic Photon Mono M7 Pro: Straightforward resin 3D printing

Over the past few weeks, VoxelMatters has been reviewing the Photon Mono M7 Pro from Anycubic, one of the largest at-home desktop 3D printing companies. Although there were a few hiccups when using the system, it is, overall, a well-designed, competitively-priced system suitable for those looking to enter the world of at-home resin 3D printing.

Technical specs

At the core of the Photon Mono M7 Pro is its 14k resolution LCD screen, which delivers incredibly detailed prints. This quality, combined with a sizable build volume of 223mm x 126mm x 230mm (z-axis), leaves ample room for the creation of fairly large, intricate resin pieces.

The system also offers impressive print speeds. When using Anycubic’s High-Speed 2.0 resin, it can print at 170mm/h, with a layer height of 0.1mm. However, for those who prioritize detail over speed, you’ll want to slow it down to the standard 0.05mm layer height. Although doing this cuts the speed down to 130mm/h, the precision gained is often worthwhile.

One of the standout features of this new printer is its temperature control system, which directly heats the resin vat – instead of heating the surrounding air, as has been the case with previous models. This innovation dramatically improves print reliability, particularly in environments with fluctuating temperatures. For those of you who have felt the frustration of failed prints due to temperature shifts, this feature alone might make the Photon Mono M7 Pro worth consideration.

Software and auto-leveling

Anycubic’s slicer software is easy to use, but demanding on your device – don’t expect smooth slicing on a low-power laptop. As for the Anycubic Cloud integration, it leaves much to be desired. The requirement to use a mobile app to connect your printer to your PC feels unnecessary, and in our experience, the direct connection option was a little bit iffy. The mobile app is fairly easy to use, and the analogue option of simply using a USB drive also works well.

The system’s auto-leveling really simplifies the 3D printing experience. While it may not be as hands-off as the auto-leveling offered by filament printers, it’s still a welcome improvement. This is the best resin leveling experience we’ve had compared to the other desktop resin 3D printers we’ve used.

Design

The system’s black-out cover not only looks great but also encourages you to keep your workspace clean due to the appealing aesthetics, which is a plus when dealing with messy resins. The touchscreen is responsive and intuitive, although it’s nothing particularly noteworthy. As usual, remember to keep it clean, and it should work like a charm!

As we’ve already seen with previous resin systems from Anycubic, the Photon Mono M7 Pro has once again got the design of the build plate right – featuring its signature texture that ensures strong adhesion without the need to be overly physical when removing builds. The surface finish left on the rafts is slick and professional, and we didn’t experience any of the sometimes typical frustrations that come with first-layer adhesion.

Unfortunately, we did encounter a FEP leak during our initial test print, which was traced back to incorrectly tensioned screws. Luckily, Anycubic had prepared for this outcome by including a screen protector, which saved us from a costly disaster. Pro tip: if you don’t have a screen protector, you can use cling wrap as a makeshift solution – it’s cheap, easy, and will protect your screen without affecting print quality.

The resin pump design is another strong point for Anycubic. It’s ideal for longer prints that need more resin than the average vat can hold, although we wouldn’t recommend it for fully emptying the vat (you’re better off doing that manually).

Concluding thoughts

While the Photon Mono M7 Pro offers loads of value, there’s always room for improvement. For example, the screw that fastens the bed to the printer could be upgraded to a clip-on system, which would make print removal and setup far more efficient. The longer you’re fiddling with screws, the more exposure your resin gets to the environment, which can lead to spills and contamination.

Also, though the WiFi connectivity is great, getting the printer connected to your PC is unnecessarily complicated, due to the app requirement. It’s a minor inconvenience, but one worth noting.

Overall, the AnyCubic Photon Mono M7 Pro is value for money and an impressive resin 3D printer that checks all the right boxes for speed, detail, and reliability. With its excellent build quality, temperature-controlled vat, and a bunch of useful features, this machine should get the job done.