Stereolithography

3D printing technique / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Stereolithography (SLA or SL; also known as vat photopolymerisation,[1] optical fabrication, photo-solidification, or resin printing) is a form of 3D printing technology used for creating models, prototypes, patterns, and production parts in a layer by layer fashion using photochemical processes by which light causes chemical monomers and oligomers to cross-link together to form polymers.[2] Those polymers then make up the body of a three-dimensional solid. Research in the area had been conducted during the 1970s, but the term was coined by Chuck Hull in 1984 when he applied for a patent on the process, which was granted in 1986.[3] Stereolithography can be used to create prototypes for products in development, medical models, and computer hardware, as well as in many other applications. While stereolithography is fast and can produce almost any design, it can be expensive.[citation needed]

Schematic_representation_of_Stereolithography.png
Schematic representation of Stereolithography: a light-emitting device a) A laser or DLP selectively illuminates the transparent bottom c) of a tank b) filled with a liquid photo-polymerizing resin. The solidified resin d) is progressively dragged up by a lifting platform e)
SLA_produced_part.JPG
An SLA produced part
SLA_3D_Printed_PCB.jpg
An example of an SLA printed circuit board with various components to simulate the final product.