3D Models for Anycubic Photon Workshop

Anycubic Photon Workshop supports STL and OBJ as input formats. STL is the universal standard — every resin-ready model on Proofly comes in STL. Photon Workshop slices these into Anycubic's native formats: .pwmo (Photon Mono), .pwma (Photon Mono 4K), .pws (older Photon), and .pm3 / .pm3m (Photon M3 series). You never need to manually create these proprietary formats — just import STL and Photon Workshop handles the conversion automatically. Photon Workshop does NOT support 3MF, GLB, or BLEND natively; always download STL for resin printing.

Open Anycubic Photon Workshop and select your printer model from the Machine list — this sets the correct build volume and output format automatically. Then click the '+' import button or drag your STL file onto the build plate. For multi-part STL kits (downloaded as a ZIP), import each part individually and use the Move tool to position them. Before slicing: run Smart Support to auto-generate supports, hollow the model if it's solid (2–2.5mm walls), and add drain holes (Hollow & Drain Hole tools in the toolbar). Click Slice, preview the layers to check for unsupported islands, then export to SD card or send to the printer via Anycubic's app.

For the Anycubic Photon M3 in Photon Workshop with standard ABS-like resin: normal layer exposure 2.5–3.5s (depends on resin brand), bottom layers 30–40s, bottom layer count 4–6, layer height 0.05mm. For Elegoo ABS-Like Pro: 2.8s/35s. For Anycubic Basic Resin: 3.0s/38s. Anti-aliasing: 4× for smooth curves (miniatures, jewelry), 2× for terrain and architectural. The M3 has a 4K mono LCD for faster exposure than older models — if you're upgrading from an original Photon, reduce your exposure times by 20–30%. Always run a resin calibration test (Exposure Test Matrix) when changing resin brands.

For beginners on Anycubic printers: pre-supported STL files are strongly recommended. They already have supports built into the mesh geometry, tested by the creator on actual resin printers. This eliminates the most common failure mode — incorrectly placed or sparse supports causing print failures, warping, or failed overhangs. Photon Workshop's auto-support is decent but not always optimal for complex organic shapes. Unsupported files give experienced users full control: you can orient and support exactly as your specific Anycubic model and resin requires. Check model listings for notes like 'pre-supported for Mono M5s' or 'includes Chitubox/Photon Workshop files' — these have been tested and work reliably.

Photon Workshop's Hollow tool excavates the inside of a solid STL model, leaving only a shell of specified wall thickness (2–3mm recommended for most models). This saves resin cost by 60–80% on solid figurines and prevents suction cup forces from peeling prints off the FEP during lifting. After hollowing, add 2–3 Drain Holes (4–6mm diameter) at the model's lowest print point to allow trapped uncured liquid resin to drain out — trapped resin causes internal pressure cracks during curing. The 'Validate' tool checks for non-manifold geometry that would cause hollow/support generation errors. For pre-hollowed STL files (labeled 'pre-hollowed' or 'hollow version included' on Proofly), skip this step — hollowing is already done by the creator.

All Anycubic MSLA/LCD resin printers are compatible with STL files from Proofly — the file format is universal. This includes: Photon Mono series (Mono, Mono SE, Mono 4K, Mono X6ks), Photon M3 series (M3, M3 Max, M3 Plus, M3 Premium), Photon D2 (DLP), Wash & Cure series (not a printer, used for post-processing). The build volume varies by model: Mono Mono is 130×80mm, M3 Max is 298×164mm — check the model description for recommended print size. For very large models on smaller Anycubic printers, Photon Workshop's Scale tool lets you resize before slicing.