Advanced Additive Manufacturing: DLP and Resin Chemistry

This lecture focuses on advanced additive manufacturing technologies, specifically Digital Light Processing (DLP) and the chemistry behind resin formulation for stereolithography. The instructor begins by reviewing the principles of DLP, explaining how the spatial resolution of printed objects is influenced by optical resolution, chemical photo-response, and the projection system used. The importance of maintaining the correct imaging plane to avoid blurriness and loss of resolution is emphasized. The lecture then delves into the chemistry of resin, discussing the role of photoinitiators, monomers, and the significance of absorption in the curing process. The instructor explains the Lambert law, which describes how light intensity decays as it penetrates the resin, and introduces the concept of absorbed dose, which is crucial for achieving solidification. The lecture concludes with a discussion on the impact of oxygen on polymerization and the innovative continuous liquid interface production (CLIP) method that enhances printing speed by utilizing oxygen permeable membranes. Overall, the lecture provides a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between technology and chemistry in additive manufacturing.