Abstract
The article discusses the influence of the post-process on the mechanical properties of elements produced with the use of the mask stereolithography (mSLA) method. Printed samples were subjected to the following post-process steps: Washing and post-curing, at various times. Then, static tensile and static bending tests were carried out, as well as Shore D hardness measurements for the inner and surface part of the sample, as well as profilographometric analysis of the surface. The post-curing time has been found to strongly affect the tensile and bending strength of printouts, and to improve their surface quality. Washing has an ambiguous effect on the strength of the printouts, but, in the end, it was found that extended washing slightly reduces the strength. Washing significantly affects the quality of the printout surface. A washing time that is too short results in a surface that strongly resembles the printing process, with high roughness. Increasing the washing time to 10 min lowers the roughness by one order of magnitude. Post-curing has also been shown to be beneficial for the cured sample with the application of shielding water. This approach results in an improvement in the flexural strength of the printouts. In general, the obtained research results indicate that, for printouts with cross-sectional dimensions of several mm, the optimal washing time is no more than 10 min and the post-curing time is at least 30 min.
Highlights
Stereolithography (SLA) is historically the first used additive manufacturing (AM)process [1,2]
In order to measure the hardness in the inner area of a sample, each sample was broken into two parts and the fracture surface was ground with abrasive paper
The samples that were produced by mask stereolithography were assessed for the effect of the post-process, divided into washing and post-curing, on mechanical properties and surface quality
Summary
Stereolithography (SLA) is historically the first used additive manufacturing (AM). process [1,2]. Devices of this type use LED matrices to harden the appropriate tracks in the resin, producing a properly pathed layer This technique is referred to as mask stereolithography (mSLA) [1,2]. Due to the optical permeability and light absorption by the dye (component of the resin), the samples may show local heterogeneity, caused by an inhomogeneous curing process intensity [5,11,12] Both stages of the post-process—washing and post-curing—are significant, and their impact has not yet been satisfactorily described in the literature. The study concerns an attempt to estimate the influence of the time of the two stages of the post-process, as follows: washing and post-curing, on the mechanical properties of the obtained printouts, in particular on the strength.
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