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.