Resin printers are a variant of 3D printers that use liquid resin instead of thermoplastic filaments to build 3D objects. This technology is called SLA (Stereolithography), LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and DLP (Digital Light Processing), each using different methods to create 3D objects from resin.
Here is a detailed description of these three technologies:
SLA (Stereolithography): SLA printers use a laser or ultraviolet light source to etch dots onto the surface of liquid resin. The resin reacts to the ultraviolet light and hardens. Subsequent layers are added on top of the previous one until the entire 3D object is built. After printing is complete, the 3D object is removed from the resin containing it and placed in a special cleaning station, where it is washed of excess resin and given its final appearance.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display): LCD printers also use ultraviolet rays, but in this case the light passes through a special liquid crystal screen. The screen is located below the contained resin and acts as a mask, allowing UV light to pass only through certain points that define the shape of the layer. These points are brought to the surface of the resin and harden the resin, forming a new layer of the 3D model. This process is repeated many times until the entire object is completed.
DLP (Digital Light Processing): DLP printers use digitally projected light to harden the resin. In this technology, a lamp or LEDs emit light that passes through a DLP chip containing many microscopic mirrors. These mirrors reflect light onto the surface of the resin, forming a new layer of the 3D object. Like SLA and LCD, DLP printers gradually build up the entire object by adding new layers of resin.
Advantages of resin printers include higher print detail and smoothness, fewer visible layers, and the ability to produce complex and precise patterns. In addition, these printers are suitable for working with a variety of materials, including transparent, elastic and hard resins, making them suitable for a variety of applications in engineering, medicine, design and other industries.
