• The origins of stereolithography (SLA), and why it is still considered such a powerful form of 3D printing today.
• The scalability of 3D printing with advanced SLA technology and advanced materials.
• How Accura 60 possesses similar properties to popular materials like molded Polycarbonate (PC).
• Why Accura Xtreme is an excellent choice for creating master patterns used in injection molding.
• When to turn to materials like Accura Xtreme 200 for tough parts.

Stereolithography (SLA) is notably the oldest form of 3D printing, per the historical days of pioneers like Chuck Hull and other engineers looking for better ways to perform rapid prototyping and improve product development. Like Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), this is still one of the most respected and powerful forms of technology which has continued to advance along with the entire additive manufacturing industry, widely used for creating 3D models, master patterns, and functional parts.

For designers and engineers who understand how to lean into the many benefits of SLA, the results can be impressive for manufacturing precise, high-quality industrial parts that require smooth surface finishes and more intricate detail than others; in fact, that is one reason industrial users may use SLA as a go-to technology over SLS—when seeking intense detail and dimensional accuracy. SLA 3D printing can also be used as an accompaniment to more conventional manufacturing practices like injection molding, 3D printing the molds for making a versatile range of industrial parts.

Understanding SLA 3D Printing Technology

Settled into the vat polymerization category—along with direct light processing (DLP)—SLA relies on lasers and resin to build 3D printed structures. A powerful laser solidifies, or cures, each thin layer of liquid resin deposited onto the build platform at the top of the resin tank. As the platform moves up and out of the resin tank, the part is 3D printed in a repetitive process building the part layer by layer.

A high-powered laser beam traces or draws the design of the part in each layer, which then solidifies, or cures, due to the heat of the laser. The average layer height in SLA 3D printing is about 100 microns, with a minimum of 25 microns. The potential for accuracy and precision are hard to top—especially when enhanced by advanced materials from Shapeways. Strong adhesion is another huge benefit stemming from SLA, creating an excellent foundation from the start in each print, and eliminating worries over structural integrity later.

SLA 3D printing is also appealing to Shapeways customers because it is so scalable, offering the ability to manufacture small, intricate, but accurate parts—as well as larger structures with much greater build volumes and the same fantastic surface quality.

SLA 3D Printing Materials

Accura® 60

As trends continue toward highly industrial, critical applications, Shapeways customers turn to advanced SLA materials like the following: This clear plastic produces rigid and durable parts with similar properties to molded Polycarbonate (PC). It has the ability for fine details making it apt for tough, functional prototypes, lighting components, medical instruments and fluid flow and visualization models.

Accura® Xtreme

A material with similar physical properties to polypropylene and ABS, Accura® Xtreme is an ultra-tough grey plastic with outstanding durability, accuracy, moisture and thermal resistance and the ability for great detail. It is ideal for snap fit assemblies, enclosures for consumer and electronic products, master patterns for vacuum casting, and general purpose prototyping.

Accura® Xtreme 200

This white plastic is the toughest SLA material available and can replace CNC-machined polypropylene and ABS articles. It is perfect for projects that must withstand extreme, harsh conditions making it ideal for challenging functional assemblies. It can be applied to similar projects as Accura Xtreme as well projects that demand the highest durability like automotive parts, drill/tap applications, assemblies with self-tapping screws, enclosures for consumer electronic components, general purpose prototyping, and master silicone molding.

Applications Suitable for SLA Materials

All three of these SLA materials produce rigid, robust parts that resist breakage and are durable enough to create functional parts as well as provide excellent detail and accuracy. SLA Plastics are printed on large format 3D printers which is great for creating more sizable parts for visual prototypes, short-run production, and mass customization including specific applications such as:

• Master patterns for vacuum casting
• Shell investment casting patterns for metal casting
• Complex assemblies
• Wind tunnel models
• Rapid production of flow test rigs
• Mass customization production (orthodontic, dental)
• Custom assembly jigs and fixtures

These materials have a larger build volume than standard SLA technology, which means your projects will have less limitations. Following through on your latest innovations all begins with that first upload! Create an account with Shapeways and upload a 3D model now, along with receiving an instant quote.

Support Structures and Post Processing for SLA 3D Printing

SLA 3D printing does not end with the 3D printer. Support structures are always required for SLA 3D printing, but with proper design and part orientation, they can be reduced as much as possible. These types of structures are much thinner in SLA 3D printing, and although dealing with them in post-processing can be a slight hassle, their presence allows for greater latitude in creating complex geometries and expanding innovation.

Supports aid in stabilizing complex geometries during printing, along with protecting models that may include overhangs extending outward from the design. Supports keep models 3D printed with SLA in place on the print bed, offset high temperatures in some cases, prevent warping, curling, and sagging, and overall, reduce the potential for misshapen or collapsed prints.

Ultimately, post processing presents the opportunity to finish parts with impressive quality. Before removing supports, each SLA part is washed clean of extra material, typically employing a bath of one or more solvents to remove unwanted resin. Parts must dry completely, and then can be post-cured with UV light and higher temperatures to ensure the highest quality in finish and mechanical properties too. Supports are removed with caution, however, models may still bear marks left over from removal. They can be easily sanded away at the end of the post-processing phase though.

About Shapeways

Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to make over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here. Contact Shapeways now to enjoy the benefits of advanced technology and materials for 3D printing with accuracy, complex detail, and no limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders.

The post SLA 3D Printing Materials: Focus on the Finer Details appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Industrial 3D Printing Continues to Gain Traction

Brought to light by Chuck Hull in 1983, SLA 3D printing came about in response to the inventor’s need for more rapid prototyping of plastic parts. The long-ago desire to create higher quality products faster and with a more streamlined workflow still resonates with designers, engineers, and industrial companies, reflected in action as SLA 3D printing hardware and software continue to be refined, with a focus on the potential for mass customization.

Groundbreaking concepts like Shapeways on-demand 3D printing are taking hold too, fulfilling the manufacturing of customized products as needed in limited quantities, and carrying the process all the way to the end, even to include shipping in custom packaging. Businesses of all sizes are able to cut back on inventory, reducing the need for warehouses altogether, and enjoying small runs of high-quality products.

Since the 1980s, 3D printing has progressed into a billion-dollar industry that just continues to grow. As patents began to expire around 2014 3D printing continued to solidify its presence on nearly every level just as predicted, from the DIY market to the highest industries relying on additive manufacturing not only for test parts but also for high-performance, functional parts in applications like medicine, aerospace, automotive, and much more.

Why Stereolithography Is Still Such a Good Fit in Additive Manufacturing

Surprisingly, the original additive manufacturing methods have been hard to beat over the last few decades, and serious users continue to return to technology like SLA 3D printing, as well as selective laser sintering (SLS). For designers and engineers who understand how to lean into the many benefits of SLA, the results can be impressive for manufacturing precise, high-quality industrial parts that require smooth surface finishes and more intricate detail than others; in fact, that is one reason industrial users may use SLA as a go-to technology over SLS—when seeking intense detail and dimensional accuracy. SLA 3D printing can also be used as an accompaniment to more conventional manufacturing practices like injection molding, 3D printing the molds for making a versatile range of industrial parts.

Settled into the vat polymerization category—along with direct light processing (DLP)—SLA relies on lasers and resin to build 3D printed structures. A powerful laser solidifies, or cures, each thin layer of liquid resin deposited onto the build platform at the top of the resin tank. As the platform moves up and out of the resin tank, the part is 3D printed in a repetitive process building the part layer by layer. A high-powered laser beam traces or draws the design of the part in each layer, which then solidifies, or cures, due to the heat of the laser.

The average layer height in SLA 3D printing is about 100 microns, with a minimum of 25 microns. The potential for accuracy and precision are hard to top—especially when enhanced by advanced materials from Shapeways. Strong adhesion is another huge benefit stemming from SLA, creating an excellent foundation from the start in each print, and eliminating worries over structural integrity later.

SLA 3D printing is also appealing to Shapeways customers because it is so scalable, offering the ability to manufacture small, intricate, but accurate parts—as well as larger structures with much greater build volumes.

Advanced Applications Require Advanced Materials & Technology

As trends continue toward highly industrial, critical applications, Shapeways customers still turn to advanced materials made for SLA 3D printing.

SLA Plastic Accura® 60: Available in semi-clear, this rigid acrylate-based plastic material lends the transparency many designers seek for a wide range of parts to be used in important applications like medicine, as well electronics like lighting.

Relying on Accura 60 for high-performance products, medical professionals can order 3D printed medical instruments like forceps, clamps, or specialized handles on-demand. Even more popular are models 3D printed with SLA for pre-visualization of surgeries. In 3D printing medical models that are specific to the patient, surgeons can focus on diagnosis, treatment, and begin preparing for rare or altogether new procedures. Models and guides can also be used in the operating room, reducing time in surgeries, recovery time, and aiding in a better experience for the patient, ultimately, in terms of their treatment and comfort.

Other Shapeways customers use Accura 60 for a variety of impressive lighting components, designing 3D models for tough, functional parts that may be used indoors or outdoors, and in commercial or residential environments. Because it is possible to print with such thin layers of resin, Accura 60 offers the complete transparency often necessary for use with more utilitarian devices like casings or vents. SLA 3D printing also allows for intricate details like grooves, small holes to facilitate hanging or attaching, openings to expose keypads or screens, and countless other uses.

SLA Accura® Xtreme presents advantages that are required for serious industrial mechanical parts like snap-fit assemblies, enclosures whether engineers are designing parts for consumer products or electronics, as well as other more specialized applications like master patterns for vacuum casting, a process that uses a vacuum to draw liquid material into a mold where the desired structure is then formed.

Enhanced strength and durability along with water and heat resistance make Accura Xtreme even more appealing to industrial users, along with excellent surface texture that compares to parts made with conventional techniques. This rigid acrylate-based plastic is available in ultra-tough grey plastic, which is better for fine details, and suitable for 3D printing a wide variety of versatile parts, to include frames for eyeglasses, as well as both the front and back components of casings that must connect with tiny, intricate snaps, and parts that must twist and fasten together with precisely manufactured grooves. Cylindrical parts can also be 3D printed with a variety of detail, no matter what size.

SLA Accura® Xtreme 200 – This material is the toughest that Shapeways offers for industrial applications in SLA 3D printing. Available in ultra-tough white acrylate-based plastic—best for smooth appearances—this resin offers all of the best features, from durability to great dimensional accuracy and surface finish. Accura Xtreme 200 stands apart, however, due to its extreme strength. Taking industrial additive manufacturing to the next level, Accura Xtreme 200 is used for functional parts in automotive applications, able to withstand stress and strain, as well as exposure to the elements or other harsh environments.

Accura Xtreme 200 is also used for other mechanical parts requiring intensive durability, to include drill-tap applications, assemblies with self-tapping screws, enclosures for electronics, and also as SLA 3D printed master patterns for urethane casting, where silicone molds are filled with polyurethane to achieve a desired structure. Parts are not only strong, but they are also extremely accurate, making it easy to 3D print detailed areas for parts that snap or attach to other parts, areas for ventilation, and a variety of areas on parts that may be raised or indented, or require ornate features for functionality.

This material is also used to replace items which may have previously been manufactured through conventional techniques with CNC-machined polypropylene or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), a commonly used thermoplastic polymer.

Support Structures & Post-Processing Procedures for SLA 3D Printing

SLA 3D printing does not end with the 3D printer. Support structures are always required for SLA 3D printing, but with proper design and part orientation, they can be reduced as much as possible. These types of structures are much thinner in SLA 3D printing, and although dealing with them in post-processing can be a slight hassle, their presence allows for greater latitude in creating complex geometries and expanding innovation.

Supports aid in stabilizing complex geometries during printing, along with protecting models that may include overhangs extending outward from the design. Supports keep models 3D printed with SLA in place on the print bed, offset high temperatures in some cases, prevent warping, curling, and sagging, and overall, reduce the potential for misshapen or collapsed prints.

Ultimately, post processing presents the opportunity to finish parts with impressive quality. Before removing supports, each SLA part is washed clean of extra material, typically employing a bath of one or more solvents to remove unwanted resin. Parts must dry completely, and then can be post-cured with UV light and higher temperatures to ensure the highest quality in finish and mechanical properties too. Supports are removed with caution, however, models may still bear marks left over from removal. They can be easily sanded away at the end of the post-processing phase though.

Explore Expanded Options With Shapeways

For products like Accura Xtreme, it is possible to achieve enhanced optical clarity, but that option is not included for standard orders. Contact the Shapeways Sales Team to discuss additional post-processing options. Start by scheduling a one-on-one consultation with a 3D printing expert and let the Shapeways team provide the best solutions to fit your manufacturing needs!

Get Help from the User Application Team

The Shapeways User Application Team is available for extended help in 3D printing. In some cases, customers may be curious about pushing the limits of technology and materials to produce a unique part or for example, a high-end piece of designer jewelry. While 3D design and 3D printing are methods born from a refusal to accept limits in innovation, the reality is that parts simply are not printable if the proper materials are not researched ahead of time, and used with a suitable technology.

The UA team can be very helpful in exploring the compatibility of materials, as well as modifying print orientations to help improve the quality—and printability—of a model. Expert file fixers can offer advice on how to fix problematic files as well as sometimes working their magic on models that initially were not printable at all. Shapeways file fixers are also adept at helping customers tackle other unique issues that may stand in the way of successful 3D printing.

Upload Your 3D Model Now

Following through on your latest innovations all begins with that first upload! Create an account with Shapeways and upload a 3D model. The automated system performs a printability analysis, and also sends an instant quote.

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of SLA 3D printing technology and materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 20 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post Everything You Need to Know About SLA 3D Printing for Industrial Applications appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Precise, specialized, and powerful.

As the original 3D printing technology, Stereolithography still reigns in the production of finely detailed, complex geometries. Chuck Hull produced his first part on an SLA 3D printer in his small lab in 1983, and that small, resin-based part set a revolutionary manufacturing trend in motion. Decades later, SLA 3D printing has made impacts in nearly every industry imaginable.

Shapeways offers a versatile range of advanced 3D printing services, continually expanding options for industrial manufacturers–whether resin-based, thermoplastics, steel, or precious metals. The goal is to ensure compatibility of 3D printing materials and technology for maximum printability and quality. Engineers tend to design 3D models for SLA technology when making smaller, detailed parts.

What is SLA 3D Printing?

Operating under the subcategory of vat polymerization, SLA technology relies on liquid resin to build 3D models. Objects are cured and solidified by UV light as each thin layer of material is deposited onto the build platform at the top of the resin tank. During the SLA process, a laser traces or draws the design of the part in each layer. 

Famous for accuracy and precision, this 3D printing process offers strong adhesion between layers, resulting in good structural integrity for parts and superior dimensional accuracy. The average layer height for SLA technology is 100 microns, with a minimum of 25 microns. 

Stereolithography technology has advanced over decades, always in step with the momentum of the 3D printing industry. Designers and engineers rely on SLA 3D printing for expedient low-volume production of complex master patterns for molds in traditional technology like Injection Molding, as well as additive manufacturing for 3D printed models and industrial parts.

SLA 3D Printing in Product Development

While it may have taken decades for SLA 3D printing to infiltrate the mainstream market, 3D printing played a continued role in success behind the scenes.. With advancements in SLA 3D printing, it is possible to make products that would have been impossible with traditional manufacturing, prompting innovation for complex prototypes for automotive and aerospace.

SLA 3D printing is more accessible now than ever, making it possible to create detailed, realistic products for a wide range of applications, many of which are within the medical industry:

“Stereolithography is particularly versatile with respect to the freedom of designing structures and the scales at which these can be built: submicron-sized structures as well as decimetre-sized objects have been fabricated. In the biomedical field, these developments have led to the fabrication of patient-specific models for mold-assisted implant fabrication, aids for complex surgery, and tailor-made parts such as hearing aids. More recently, biodegradable materials have been developed for the preparation of medical implants, such as tissue engineering scaffolds, by Stereolithography,” state researchers in ‘A review on stereolithography and its applications in biomedical engineering.’

Without 3D printing, traditional manufacturers remain stalled during prototyping and development, which can impact deadlines and overall cost. Shapeways customers are reliant on SLA 3D printing services for rapid prototyping to accelerate research and development, making it possible to garner feedback expediently. 

The Benefits of SLA in Additive Manufacturing

SLA 3D printing provides good mechanical qualities and a smooth surface finish, making it a popular choice for 3D models or prototypes requiring a realistic look.

Although SLA additive manufacturing technology is used for functional parts, manufacturers rely on 3D printed rapid prototyping services more than ever before. One important difference is that now they may use the same material and technology for both prototyping and functional use. This is made easier due to the ever-growing selection of advanced 3D printing materials and technology.

No lead time is required. Designers have the freedom to choose when they want to design, prototype, and manufacture. At Shapeways, the process is as easy as uploading a 3D model and getting an instant quote back along with file analysis to ensure quality SLA 3D printing. While some customers may create prototypes for intricate 3D printed architectural displays or for client presentations, others may be iterating their way to perfection. 

The 3D printed rapid prototyping process with SLA technology and materials could require a couple of different iterations before product development moves on to the final part, but there are some Shapeways customers who go through a much more intense process, prototyping, making changes after feedback, and then continuing to iterate over a hundred times.   

SLA 3D Printing Materials and Applications 

Manufacturers continue to be loyal to SLA 3D printing over other technology, including desktop 3D printing, because of the need for detail and accuracy as well as the versatility to make a variety of smaller parts like industrial jigs and molds. 

3D printing acrylate materials are extremely effective but present challenges too, and researchers have outlined their findings in recent work:

“Acrylate-based resins are common in the SLA process, as they exhibit high reactivities, which is advantageous for fast building speeds. Different types of acrylates are readily available to tune mechanical properties and thermal resistance for example by altering the number of reactive groups or by employing different oligomers such as urethane acrylates. One disadvantage of acrylate resins is their high-shrinkage during printing, causing potential distortion of the printed part. As a solution, the combination with methacrylates is often implemented,” state researchers in ‘Experimental Characterization Framework for SLA Additive Manufacturing Materials.’

Originally the number of materials may have been somewhat limited for SLA users, but Shapeways has remained dedicated to offering more as users are moving past using 3D printing as solely a prototyping tool and making high-performance parts for critical applications. 3D printing users have much higher expectations too as they make designs with greater complexity, requiring quality materials that promise higher performance and smoother surface finish.

SLA additive manufacturing materials and corresponding applications include:

SLA Plastic Accura® 60

Also referred to as Clear Plastic, Clear SLA, or Translucent Resin, this SLA 3D printing acrylate is semi-clear in color, rigid, and offers watertight properties. SLA Plastic Accura® 60 is recommended for SLA 3D printing projects that require complex functional assemblies which must also be transparent, to include industrial parts like:

• Technical accessories
• Lighting components
• Casting patterns
• Snap-fit assemblies
• Prototypes and models

SLA Plastic Accura 60 is offered in a standard, semi-clear finish, and 3D printed products are sanded lightly to remove any potential nubs that may be leftover from support removal. This material may also present slight variations in clarity and texture over the surface of the 3D model, depending on 3D printing orientation and post-processing procedures. It is possible to achieve further optical clarity in post-processing, but that level is generally not included with standard orders using this SLA 3D printing material.

For this material, 3D models must meet the following minimum and maximum bounding box sizes:

Bounding Box Min

3.8 x 3.8 x 3.8 mm

Bounding Box Max

609 x 711 x 457 mm

Find out more about SLA Plastic Accura 60 design guidelines here. 

SLA Plastic Accura® Xtreme

A gray acrylate-based plastic suitable for 3D printing a versatile range of prototypes and parts at any size, SLA Plastic Accura® Xtreme is also known as Gray SLA or Gray Resin. This material is also watertight, good for printing on the small and large scale, and is used for complex, functional assemblies for applications like:

• Tech accessories
• Mechanical components
• Snap-fit assemblies​

Using SLA technology, Plastic Accura Xtreme 3D printed parts are known for their high resolution and detail. Offered in a standard gray finish, this material is also good for 3D printing parts with smooth surfaces and limited layer lines–similar to the finish that can be achieved through injection molding–but without the added time or expense. 

For Plastic Accura Xtreme, SLA 3D models must be within the following minimum and maximum bounding box sizes:

Bounding Box Min

3.8 x 3.8 x 3.8 mm

Bounding Box Max

482 x 482 x 558 mm

Find out more about SLA Plastic Accura Xtreme design guidelines here.

Accura® Xtreme 200 

A watertight photopolymer resin, Accura® Xtreme 200 offers benefits like dimensional accuracy in parts, excellence in strength, durability, and surface finish. This versatile 3D printing material is a white acrylate also referred to as White SLA, White Resin, or Accura Xtreme White 200.

Accura Xtreme 200 is an ultra-tough material recommended for the following industrial 3D printed parts:

• Mechanical parts
• Display models
• Snap-fit assemblies
• Master patterns for vacuum casting

Offered in a standard white finish, products are sanded lightly to remove any nubs from support removal, although some markings from supports may remain. 

For this material, 3D models must be within the following minimum and maximum bounding box sizes:

Bounding Box Min

3.8 x 3.8 x 3.8 mm

Bounding Box Max

609 x 711 x 457 mm

Find out more about SLA Accura Xtreme 200 design guidelines here.

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways additive manufacturing solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post The Expert Guide to Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printing appeared first on Shapeways Blog.