Solidification of resin in stereolithography: comparison between measured and estimated shapes of solidified resin, and manufacturing accuracy of photo-cured model

Abstract

In a stereo-lithography, the most important procedure for improving an accuracy of modeling is to clearly identify the relationship between the method of laser irradiation and the solidification of photo-curing resin. Thus, a theoretical analysis was made in order to find any effect on the solidification, viz. Thickness and width of solidified resin influenced by laser power, laser beam diameters, laser scanning speeds, and properties of photo-curing resin, and these analytical results were compared with respective test results. The results are summarized below: (1) the cured thicknesss of solidified resin can be represented by a function of the energy density at the center of laser, the attenuation coefficient and the critical curing energy density of photo-curing resin. (2) The cured width of solidified resin can be represented by a function of laser beam diameters, the energy density at the center of laser and the critical curing energy density of photo-curing resin. (3) Photo-cured models, which have been manufactured by controlling energy density at the center of laser, would have high manufacturing accuracy, and therefore, can be applied as industrial design models.