Optimization of post curing in mask stereolithography

Year 2022, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 31 - 40, 30.01.2022

Ana Pilipovic Leonarda Vukonic

Abstract

Additive production (also called 3D printing) allows the production of products of complicated geometry in a short production time. Even after 35 years of development since the initial prototyping, to this day some procedures are still exclusively for prototyping. MSLA is a low-budget process that uses liquid for production in which there are many processing parameters that could affect the improvement of mechanical properties and thus allow the application of the process for making functional products. The processes have many advantages, but one of the biggest disadvantages is the need for post curing after processing. In this paper, the effect of post curing time on tensile properties was determinated. After that, the optimization of the post curing process was performed, which shows that the desirability function within the range of post curing time is only 0.566, which does not fully meet the set criteria of maximum values of tensile properties, especially tensile strain.

Keywords

analysis of variance, mask stereolithography, optimization, post curing, tensile properties

Project Number

Increasing Excellence on Advanced Additive Manufacturing - INEX-ADAM financed from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 810708

References

• [1] Bagheri, A. and Jin, J. (2019) "Photopolymerization in 3D Printing", ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 1 (4), pp.593-611. DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.8b00165
• [2] Pagac, M., Hajnys, J., Ma, Q.-P., Jancar, L., Jansa, J., Stefek, P. and Mesicek, J. (2021) "A Review of Vat Photopolymerization Technology: Materials, Applications, Challenges, and Future Trends of 3D Printing", Polymers, 13, 598. DOI: 10.3390/polym13040598
• [3] Slade, D. Effects of print and post-cure parameters on mechanical properties of 3D printed parts, NewPro3D, https://wiki.ubc.ca/images/f/ff/EFFECTS_OF_PRINT_AND_POST-CURE_PARAMETERS_ON_MECHANICAL_PROPERTIES_OF_3D_PRINTED_PARTS.pdf, consulted 12 August 2021.
• [4] Salmoria, G.V., Ahrens, C.H., Beal, V.E., Pires, A.T.N. and Soldi V. Evaluation of post-curing and laser manufacturing parameters on the properties of SOMOS 7110 photosensitive resin used in stereolithography, Materials and Design 30 (2009) 758–763, doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2008.05.016
• [5] Quan, H., Zhang, T., Xu, H., Luo, S., Nie, J. and Zhu, X. (2020) "Photo-curing 3D printing techniques and its challenges", Bioactive Materials, 5(1): 110-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2019.12.003
• [6] https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/lcd.htm#pt4, consulted 25 May 2021.
• [7] https://www.structo3d.com/pages/mask-stereolithography-msla-technology, consulted 25 May 2021.
• [8] Mao, Y., Miyazaki, T., Sakai, K., Gong, J., Zhu, M. and Ito, H. (2018) "A 3D printable Thermal Energy Storage Crystalline Gel Using Mask-Projection Stereolitography", Polymers, 1-14, 10, 1117. DOI: 10.3390/polym10101117
• [9] https://diyodemag.com/education/exploring_3d_masked_stereolithography_3d_printing 25.05.2021, consulted 25 May 2021
• [10] Vukonić, L. Influence of post curing in masked stereolithography, diploma thesis, University of Zagreb, FSB, Zagreb, 2021.
• [11] Rujnić-Sokele, M (2007) "Influence of the stretch blow moulding processing parameters on PET bottles properties", Polimeri, 284, pp.213–292.
• [12] Zguris, Z. How Mechanical Properties of Stereolithography 3D Prints are Affected by UV Curing, Formlabs, https://archive-media.formlabs.com/upload/How-Mechanical-Properties-of-SLA-3D-Prints-Are-Affected-by-UV-Curing.pdf, consulted 12 August 2021.