Detailed interpretation of SLA molding technology
Soft food, small tabletop toys, trendy home furnishings, and even cosmetics, fashion, 3D-printed items from various fields have left us stunned more than once. What technologies does a 3D printer use for processing? In fact, 3D printers use a variety of molding technologies such as stereolithography (SLA), melt casting (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLS) and so on. SLA enjoys a high reputation in the field of 3D printing for its high casting precision and good quality. So what is SLA molding technology in 3D printing technology?
SLA is the English abbreviation for stereolithography. This technology mainly uses a certain laser focus intensity to irradiate the surface of a light-cured material (the material is mainly resin), so that one layer can be printed from dot to line and line to surface, and then proceed to the next layer after one is completed. layer, cyclically in turn, until the completion of the final product.
SLA stereolithography process
In 1986, Dr. Charles W. Hull from the USA, in one of his papers, proposed the concept of using a laser to determine the surface color of a photosensitive resin and cure it to create a three-dimensional object. Charles Hull later applied for related patents. The beginnings of SLA appeared in 1986, and SLA was the first molding technology proposed and implemented in commercial applications. In 1988, 3D Systems, a giant in the 3D printing industry, produced and marketed the world's first SLA 3D printer, the SLA250, based on the principle of SLA molding technology. Since then, models based on SLA casting technology have appeared one after another. In 2012, the Formlabs team launched the SLA Form 1 3D printer on a crowdfunding platform and initiated crowdfunding on a fundraising platform.
Today, there are many organizations, enterprises and teams involved in research and development of SLA technology. Domestic institutions include Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Zhuhai Xitong, Zhilei, etc., overseas companies include 3DS, Formlabs, etc. So, what are the representative masterpieces of these organizations or enterprises? 3DS pioneered research into SLA technologies and released many related models, such as the Projet1500, Objet500 Connex3 and ProX 800 just unveiled at the European Die Show. In China, there are Xitong light curing 3D printers, Mingzhan MBot Form1 3D printers, ATSmake 3D printers, etc.
SLA formation technology
The SLA molding process typically consists of three steps: first, the machine slices the 3D model to determine the print path; secondly, the machine irradiates the surface of the photosensitive resin material according to the program, and then the process is point, linear on the surface, layering and curing until the finished product appears; finally, the finished product is taken out for post-processing such as staining, painting, etc.
SLA Model Formation Platform
The advantages of SLA molding technology in the molding process:
1. The molding process was early and relatively mature.
2. High print precision and good quality
3. High processing speed and relatively short production cycle
Disadvantages of SLA molding technology in the molding process:
1. The cost price of the SLA model is high, and the cost of printing is heavy
2. The SLA model places higher demands on the working environment and complicates the work
3. The resin of the printed material has a certain toxicity and needs to be sealed
●Desktop model for internal use with an SLA
1. Xitong SLA 3D Printer
Xitong SLA 3D printer
Forming technology: SLA
Shaping Consumables: Liquid Photosensitive Resin
Print size: 125×125×165 mm
Print layer thickness: 25 microns (minimum)
File format: STL
Machine size 30×28×45cm
Product weight: 8 kg
Product features: high print quality, high precision, large print size
2. MBot Form1 3D printer
3D printer MBot Form1
Forming technology: SLA
Printing material: photosensitive resin
Print size: 125125165
Print layer thickness: 0.0025 mm
Program format: STL
Product size: 300 x 280 x 450 mm
Connection method: USB
Product weight: 8 kg
Material color: transparent, black, gray
3. ATSmake 3D printer
ATSmake 3D printer
Forming technology: SLA
Print size: 125×125×180 mm
Consumable Type: Photosensitive Resin
Minimum thickness: 25 microns
Full size: 380×380×550 mm
Operating system: WindowsXP or higher compatible system
Management software: atsmake management software
File format: STL
Connection method: USB
Product weight: 15 kg
Product features: high casting precision, good printing quality
●Foreign desktop models SLA (1)
1. Formlabs Form1 3D Printer
Formlabs Form1 3D Printer
Features: high-precision desktop model
Forming volume: 12.5×12.5×16.5 cm
Layer thickness: 25 microns
Minimum element size: 300 microns
Consumables: acrylate photopolymer resin
Connection: USB 2.0
Features: beautiful appearance, high printing accuracy
2. Formlabs Form1+ 3D Printer
SLA Formlabs Form1+ 3D printer
Reference price: 39999 yuan
Features: high quality printing, smooth and beautiful finished product
Mold volume: 125mm × 125mm × 165mm
Layer thickness: 20 microns
Minimum element size: 300 microns
Consumables: photosensitive resin
Product Features: Form 1 and Form 1+ 3D printers belong to Formlabs products, Form 1+ print speed is 50% faster than Form 1, print quality is fine, printed product is smooth
3. 3D printer OldWorldLabs NANO
OldWorldLabs NANO 3D printer
Reference price: $4,900
Features: high-precision desktop model
Shaping volume: 15×15×20 cm
Layer thickness: 1 micron
Minimum element size: 300 microns
Consumables: acrylate photopolymer resin
●Foreign desktop models SLA (2)
4. Pegasus Touch 3D printer
Pegasus Touch 3D printer launched by Full Spectrum Laser in Las Vegas, USA. The laser curing speed can reach 3000mm/s, which is more than 10 times faster than most FDM 3D printers and faster than other SLA 3D printers. More than 6 times.
SLA Pegasus Touch 3D printer
Reference price: 13655 yuan
Mold volume: 177×177×228 mm
Machine size: 280×360×571 mm
Interface: Ethernet, USB, wireless
Speed: up to 3000 mm/s
XY positioning resolution: 16-bit precision, 3 microns
5. Hardcotton Element 3D Printeral
Hardcotton Elemental 3D printer
Print size: 200 mm × 200 mm × 200 mm
Forming technology: SLA
Printing material: photosensitive resin
Z-axis accuracy: 1 micron
Connection method: SD card
Product specifications: Bluetooth
Product Features: Pressure Control Layer Height, Large Print Size
6. mUVe 1 3D Printer
mUVe 1 3D printer
$1,099
Print size: 145×145×185 mm
Print technology: SLA
Printing material: photosensitive resin
Product weight: 10 kg
Connection method: SD card
Print speed: 360mm/s
Power supply: 120/240 V
Product features: high casting precision, good printing quality
●3D SLA Modeling Systems
1. ProJet 1200 3D Printer
ProJet 1200 3D printer
Print technology: SLA
Printing material: photosensitive resin
Print size: 43×27×150 mm
Product weight: 9 kg
Printing accuracy: 0.03 mm
File format: STL
Surface resolution: 585 dpi
Product features: small print size, high print accuracy, high print speed, suitable for many applications
2. ProJet 6000 HD 3D Printer
ProJet 6000 HD 3D Printer
Print technology: SLA
Print material: resin
Print size: 250×250×250 mm
Printing accuracy: 0.125 mm
Product size: 787×737×1829 mm
Product weight: 181 kg
File format: STL, SLC
Note. ProJet 6000 supports various 3D printers such as: HD, SD, MP
3DS introduced the ProX 800 SLA 3D Printer at this year's European Mold Show. According to 3DS, the 3D printer has been improved in many aspects compared to the previous model, the print quality and print speed have been improved, and the print head, material, and ease of use have been relatively improved.
Editor's comment: 3D printers based on SLA injection technology have high precision and print quality, so the cost is usually relatively high. SLA models occupy a certain share of the 3D printing market at home and abroad. The 3D printers summarized by the author are also incomplete statistics. In the field of SLA injection molding technology, there are still many homemade 3D printers, and these 3D printers occupy a large share in the field of SLA injection molding technology and even the entire field of 3D printing. Finally, DLP and SLA are similar in terms of casting technology, and there are many DLP models in the world, so in the next step, the author will make a systematic presentation of them.