Air-Diffusion-Channel Constrained Surface Based Stereolithography for Three-Dimensional Printing of Objects With Wide Solid Cross Sections

Abstract

Oxygen inhibition has been proved capable of reducing the separation force and enabling successful prints in constrained surface vat photopolymerization (CSVP) based three-dimensional (3D) printing processes. It has also been demonstrated as a key factor that determines the feasibility of the newly developed CSVP-based continuous 3D printing systems, such as the continuous liquid interface production. Despite its well-known importance, it is still largely unknown regarding how to control and enhance the oxygen inhibition in CSVP. To close this knowledge gap, this paper investigates the constrained surface design, which allows for continuous and sufficient air permeation to enhance the oxygen inhibition in CSVP systems. In this paper, a novel constrained surface with air-diffusion-channel is proposed. The influences of the air-diffusion-channel design parameters on the robustness of the constrained surface, the light transmission rate, and light intensity uniformity are studied. The thickness of the oxygen inhibition layer associated with the proposed constrained surface is studied analytically and experimentally. Experimental results show that the proposed air-diffusion-channel design is effective in maintaining and enhancing the oxygen-inhibition effect, and thus can increase the solid cross section size of printable parts.