CUSTOM SLA 3D RESIN PRINTING SERVICES
Tangible Creative offers custom SLA 3D printing services that cater to clients seeking high-quality, intricate, and detailed parts. Our state-of-the-art custom resin printing technology enables us to produce accurate prints with exceptional precision, making it a great choice for creating appearance models, product prototypes, experiential marketing material, and other intricate parts. Our team of experienced designers works closely with clients to ensure that every aspect of their project is tailored to meet their specific needs, from the initial consultation to the final product. Our custom SLA 3D printing services provide clients with the flexibility to experiment with different designs and materials, ultimately leading to a superior final product. With our commitment to quality and attention to detail, Tangible Creative is the ideal partner for clients who demand nothing less than the very best in SLA 3D printing services.
Resin 3D Printing
SLA or Stereolithography is a vat polymerization type of additive manufacturing process. This was the first 3D printing process ever developed. In 1981, Dr. Hideo Kodama first attempted to 3D print using the fundamental AM principle of layer-by-layer manufacturing. But Charles Hull acquired the patent. Hull also founded 3D Systems. In 1988, 3D System released the first commercial SLA printer.
The Process:
In our SLA 3D printing service, a laser or a light source cures the photosensitive resin, called photopolymer, layer by layer, creating a 3D object. This resin 3D printing process is called photopolymerization. The SLA 3D printer has an inbuilt tank to store the resin, called a vat. At first, a laser or light source hits the resin from the bottom of the tank, curing the resin on an inverted build platform (in the case of desktop printers). Later, the printer platform rises after each layer print finishes. To achieve a smooth resin layer, some SLA resin printing processes employ a blade in the printer. This blade moves over the resin bed after each layer to get a smooth layer.
When the SLA resin printing is complete, the resin is drained, and the 3D object is removed. In the post-processing step, alcohol detergent (generally isopropyl alcohol) and later, water, cleans the 3D printed part. Around this time, the support structures, if any, are removed from the part. Then, a UV light cures the part to solidify the outer layers. After that, again water cleanses the part from any residual resin. Lastly, the 3D model might require final finishing, depending on the application.
Our SLA resin 3D printing service has the advantage of higher precision and better print quality because layer thickness is governed by a laser that has precise motion and a tiny diameter (minimum diameter 20μm), allowing finer detail and resolution. Drawing out the layer in 3D resin printing is more time-consuming but provides improved quality.
SLA Printing Materials:
We provide a wide range of resins for our custom SLA 3D printing service. To categorize a few:
- Standard resin: The resin produces moderate strength parts and is brittle. Commonly used in desktop SLA printers, ideal for prototyping aesthetic models.
- Engineering resin: The resins in this category produce versatile material properties. Commonly used resins are flexible resin, durable resin, and castable resins. All these resins create parts with unique properties, depending on the application.
- Medical Grade resin: As the name suggests, these resins are employed for medical applications. For this reason, resins under this category are biocompatible certified, meaning, these resins would not produce any toxic reaction when in contact with living tissues. Some applications of it are dental retainers, surgical tools, etc.
