SLA FAQ

Process

• What is SLA 3D printing?+

  SLA 3D printing, or stereolithography, is a technique that creates objects by selectively curing a photosensitive liquid resin with a UV laser. This process allows for high precision and detail, producing parts with smooth surface finishes and complex geometries.

  
  

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• How does SLA 3D printing work?+

  SLA 3D printing uses vat photopolymerization technology, where a UV laser hardens liquid resin layer by layer to create high-resolution, smooth, and detailed parts.

  
  

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Materials

• What materials are used in SLA 3D printing?+

  SLA 3D printing typically uses a variety of resins, including standard, tough, flexible, durable, heat-resistant, rubber-like, dental, and castable resins.

Capabilities

• When was SLA 3D printing invented?+

  SLA 3D printing was pioneered in 1984 by inventor Chuck Hull. He subsequently commercialized the first SLA 3D printer in 1987, laying the foundation for modern 3D printing technologies. This groundbreaking innovation has since paved the way for rapid prototyping and complex manufacturing, making it a cornerstone in the field of additive manufacturing.

• What is SLA 3D printing used for?+

  SLA 3D printing excels at creating detailed prototypes, end-use parts, investment casting patterns, tooling aids, and consumer products due to its precision, quality, and range of material options, making it ideal for a wide range of industries and applications.

  
  

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• What are the advantages and disadvantages of SLA 3D printing?+

  SLA 3D printing offers smooth surface finishes, precision of complex patterns and miniature models, short print times, a wide variety of materials, and compact designs, but comes with higher costs, post-processing requirements, environmental concerns, potential durability issues, and size limitations.

   

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• How accurate is SLA 3D print?+

  SLA 3D printing enables fine details with layer heights of 25-100 microns and accuracy up to 10-25 microns in industrial printers, producing smooth, complex parts that closely match CAD designs for prototypes and end-use components.

  
  

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Comparison

• What are the differences between SLA and SLS 3D printing?+

  SLA 3D printing uses a UV laser to cure liquid resin into precise, smooth parts with support structures, ideal for detailed prototypes, while SLS 3D printing fuses thermoplastic powder into strong, functional objects without support structures, offering faster production suitable for rapid prototyping.

  
  

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• What are the differences between SLA and FDM 3D printing?+

  SLA 3D printing uses UV lasers to cure photopolymer resins, which provides high precision and smooth surfaces but involves expensive materials and post-processing, while FDM 3D printing extrudes thermoplastic filaments, which provides material versatility, strength and cost-effectiveness, but the surface finish is typically rougher.

  
  

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• Which is better DLP or SLA?+

  DLP 3D printing cures entire layers in one go, providing faster print times, while SLA 3D printing uses high-precision lasers to achieve exceptional detail and surface finish, making it ideal for complex projects.

  
  

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