Understand the principles, application areas, development trends and common problems of UV 3D printers
Principle of UV 3D Printer
Ultraviolet 3D printers mainly work based on the principle of light curing. Specifically, ultraviolet rays play a key role in this technology. Ultraviolet rays are high-energy electromagnetic waves with wavelengths between 100-400 nanometers.
The photocurable 3D printer puts liquid photocurable resin as the printing material into a can to start working. During operation, ultraviolet lasers are first applied in the X and Y directions to cure the liquid epoxy resin fixed on the surface of the forming stage, thereby completing the printing of the first layer. During this process, when ultraviolet rays irradiate the surface of the photocurable resin, the chemical bonds in the resin molecules change, which triggers the photocurable phenomenon. Because of this change in chemical bonds, the liquid resin becomes solid, thereby completing the forming of the layer.
After the first layer is completed, reduce the lamination spacing sampling stage to the Z direction, solidify the next layer in a similar manner, and then repeat this operation to stack multiple layers, ultimately completing the entire required modeling product.
The photocuring process cannot be separated from the resin material that matches it, which is usually similar to epoxy resin or acrylic resin. However, these materials also have certain limitations. For example, epoxy resin may deteriorate under sunlight, so it is not suitable for making long-term use or objects that require force. Acrylic resin is relatively fragile and not suitable for products that require large external forces and durability requirements.
UV 3D Printer Application Areas
Industrial manufacturing
In the industrial field, UV 3D printers have great value. They can manufacture complex parts, prototypes, and molds, etc. For example, in industries such as aviation, automotive, and machinery, they can quickly and accurately manufacture products that meet demand. As this 3D printing method can greatly reduce production costs, improve production efficiency, and manufacture parts with special requirements, it occupies an important position in the industrial printer field, accounting for more than 76.0% of global revenue share in 2022, especially in industrial production such as prototype production, design, and tooling.
Medical industry
The medical industry is also an important aspect of the application of ultraviolet 3D printers. High-precision medical apparatus, prosthetics, orthodontic appliances, etc. can all be manufactured through 3D printing. Among them, the 3D printing technology of ultraviolet LED curing light source plays an important role. It not only improves the accuracy and reliability of medical equipment, but also helps doctors observe the three-dimensional structure of the patient’s surgical site more intuitively, which enables doctors to develop more accurate surgical plans and provides strong support for personalized medicine and surgery.
Field of education
In terms of education, it has brought great help to teaching. Through this technology, various models can be made, which helps students better understand and learn concepts, structures, shapes, etc. Whether it is a basic teaching model with a relatively simple structure or a learning example with a complex spatial structure, 3D printing can accurately restore and enhance the intuitiveness of learning.
Cultural and artistic fields
For artists, UV 3D printers are a good helper for creating high-precision artworks. They can create complex structural artworks and replicas of cultural relics. They also have advantages in architectural model manufacturing, as they can produce exquisite architectural models. Architects can use these models to more intuitively display the appearance, internal spatial structure, and other details of the building.
Jewelry and eyewear industry
In the jewelry industry, it helps designers create precise jewelry models and samples, helping designers better showcase design intentions and make precise size and shape adjustments. In the eyewear industry, highly customized eyewear frames can be manufactured to meet different consumers’ personalized needs for frame styles, comfort, and more.
Development trend of ultraviolet 3D printer technology
High precision and complexity improvement
With the continuous advancement of technology, the accuracy and complexity of UV 3D printers are constantly improving. Driven by the growing demand for high-precision and complex structural products in fields such as industrial manufacturing, medical care, and scientific research, 3D printers need to be able to print smaller feature sizes and finer internal structures. For example, in the production of miniature medical apparatus or precision electronic connectors, poor accuracy may cause components to become unusable or performance to decline. The proposal and improvement of new materials also provide the possibility for the printing of such high-precision and high-complexity structures, such as the continuous development of some special light-curable resin materials to meet higher printing requirements.
Multi-material compatibility enhancement
In the past, traditional printing equipment often only used specific materials for printing work. But now the trend is that more and more ultraviolet 3D printers are beginning to support the mixed use of multiple materials. This development brings greater flexibility to production and can play a positive role in cost control and shortening production cycles. Taking SLA printers as an example, they used to only use specific resin materials, but now they are expanding to support printing of materials with different properties and attributes such as metals and ceramics. For example, if you want to manufacture a product with a complex ceramic structure inside and a metal material wrapped outside, if there is no multi-material compatibility function, you need to divide it into multiple steps and use different equipment to manufacture. Now, you can use a multi-material compatible 3D printer to complete it all at once, which has a significant effect on reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Increased degree of intelligence and automation
Due to the continuous development of artificial intelligence and Machine Learning technologies, UV 3D printers are becoming increasingly intelligent and automated. Intelligent FDM printers can automatically adjust important parameters such as printing speed and temperature based on pre-set parameters, which can significantly improve production efficiency and product quality. Moreover, it is gradually possible for automated robots to work with 3D printers, which will achieve a fully automated production process. For example, some large 3D printing factories have begun to use robots to move materials, clean printing sites, and even assist in some simple post-printing processing processes. The printer automatically judges the printing situation according to the settings, adjusts and reports errors in a timely manner, greatly improving production efficiency and reducing labor costs.
Enhanced green environmental protection
Against the backdrop of the deeply rooted environmental protection concept, the green environmental protection of 3D printing technology is constantly increasing. Traditional manufacturing methods often produce a large amount of waste and pollutants, causing serious harm to the environment. However, 3D printing technology uses a layer-by-layer stacking method for production, which can reduce the amount of waste generated and achieve waste-free production. In addition, the development of new materials also helps to promote the concept of green environmental protection. For example, some biodegradable materials can be naturally degraded without the need for post-processing, thereby reducing the impact on the environment. In the process of UV 3D printing, the development of more environmentally friendly light-cured resin materials is one of the directions for future sustainable development, such as the development of low-volatility, non-harmful additive resin materials, which can ensure the printing effect and protect the environment.
Common problems and solutions for UV 3D printers
Nozzle clogging problem
Nozzle blockage is a common malfunction that UV 3D printers may encounter. This may be because the cooled consumables solidify inside the nozzle, causing the consumables to be unable to be extruded during the printing process. The solution is to first heat the extruder and nozzle to soften the blocked material, and then use a needle to push it out. You can also use a hot air gun to manually heat the nozzle without turning it on, and then perform the needle pushing operation. In addition, regularly cleaning the nozzle is a good preventive measure, especially for users who frequently replace different consumables for printing. Before cleaning the nozzle, it is necessary to confirm whether the nozzle can work normally, and it is necessary to ensure that the nozzle tip and the surrounding area of the heating block are clean. You can use a wire brush to lightly brush the nozzle and its surrounding area, but pay attention to maintaining the strength of the brush to prevent damage to the components.
Print layering problem
The phenomenon of layering of printed parts is also a common problem, which may be caused by the unstable bonding between layers during printing. The reason may be incomplete curing between layers, which may be caused by insufficient UV intensity, insufficient exposure time, or poor resin material performance. If the UV intensity is insufficient, you can check whether the UV lamp is aging or the power setting is too low. If there is a problem, you can replace the lamp tube or increase the power appropriately (but be careful not to exceed the safe and reasonable range to avoid affecting the resin performance). If the exposure time is insufficient, you can appropriately extend the exposure time of each layer in the software. If the material performance is poor, you can try to replace different brands or batches of resin materials to ensure that they can achieve good curing effect and interlayer bonding under normal printing parameters.
Printing accuracy is not ideal
Printing accuracy that does not meet expectations is also a problem. When the printed model has rough edges, shape deformation, or large dimensional deviations, it belongs to this situation. One possible reason is that the printing platform is not calibrated. The solution is to recalibrate the printing platform. Generally, it is necessary to adjust the level of the platform. You can use a level or the calibration tool provided by the equipment to ensure that the printing platform is horizontal in the X, Y, and Z directions, so as to ensure that the base of the model can be uniformly irradiated by ultraviolet rays and cured by resin during printing. Another possible reason is the accuracy problem of the printing mechanical structure. If there is a gap between the coordinate axes or wear of the moving parts, it will also affect the printing accuracy. At this time, it is necessary to check the mechanical parts. If the clearance is too large, adjustments can be made (such as adding gaskets). Parts with severe wear need to be replaced.
Printing process interruption problem
The interruption of the printing process will affect the final printing result. It may be due to various reasons such as sudden power failure of the device, software failure causing data transmission failure, or printer hardware failure. For the problem of sudden power failure of the device, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can be equipped for the printer to ensure that the device can still operate normally in the event of a temporary power outage. Software failure may be due to software program vulnerabilities or compatibility issues between the software and the printer. It is necessary to update the software to the latest version or reinstall the software, and ensure that the firmware of the printer is also the latest version to ensure the stability of data transmission. For hardware failures, such as motor failure or sensor failure of the printer, it is necessary to repair or replace the specific faulty components.
