UnionTech started to set up a DLP technology research and development group as early as 2013, and launched a DLP product for oral cavity in 2015. Since then, it has insisted on the exploration of the underlying technology, and formed a DLP R&D structure, UDS&S (UnionTech DLP Structure & Software), and has been actively expanding the blue ocean market, and expanding its product line for the fields of oral cavity prosthetics, orthodontics, animation, footwear, education, industry, jewellery, and healthcare, and has developed its DLP series of products to be half of the product family of Uniontech by the year of 2023.
Dr Zuochao Rong, Product Leader of UnionTech, talks about the principle and development status of DLP printing technology and analyses the development direction, a good article not to be missed!
DLP printing technology principle
In 1981, Hideo Kodama of the Nagoya City Industrial Research Institute invented 3D printing of solid models using light-curing polymers. In 1987, Larry Hornbeck of Texas Instruments (TI) created DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology.
Digital Light Processing (abbreviation: DLP) is more than ten years after the emergence of SLA technology, the technology is also recognized as the industry's second-generation light-curing moulding technology, more than 20 years after the development of the history of the DLP technology is mainly through the projector to cure the photosensitive polymer liquid layer by layer, so as to create a 3D printed objects. DLP is a rapid prototyping technology. This forming technology first use slicing software to slice the model, the projector to play the slide, each layer of the image in the resin layer is very thin area to produce a light polymerisation reaction curing, forming a thin layer of the part, and then the forming table to move a layer, the projector to continue to play the next slide, continue to process the next layer, and so on, up to the end of the print, so not only the molding of high precision, but also very fast printing speed.
Application scope and current situation of DLP printing technology
DLP printing technology as one of the high-end printing technology, is highly concerned by the industry, through continuous optimisation and progress. Began to appear industrial-grade, desktop machine products. Its core technology DMD chip is also constantly updated iteration, the current new research is in the printing time although short dozens of times, not only in the moulding accuracy and moulding speed has the advantage, but also in the size of the equipment and the price has a great advantage. The customer base increased, so it continues to attract many companies to stop, really opened the door to the development of DLP printing technology, UnionTech is one of them.
DLP printing materials, a hundred schools of thought, a hundred flowers blossomed
With the passage of time, SLA material performance enhancement is limited, but the future development of DLA material space is unlimited, and tends to deepen the different application scenarios. Where there is demand, there is a market!
The world's material giants Evonik, BASF, Costco, DSM, Henkel and Liqcreate have successively established additive manufacturing departments or branches to research and develop new materials of photosensitive resins, and they have coincidentally set their sights on the DLP field. With their own accumulation of technology and industrial resources, they are gradually making efforts in DLP printing materials, developing new properties and creating new applications. We have reason to believe that the attention of traditional material manufacturers can well accelerate the development and application of DLP printing technology.
With the strengthening of the width in the field of materials, DLP printing ceramics, DLP printing metal gradually into people's vision, we use four words to summarise the DLP printing materials, promising, promising future!
Printing results are better: better precision, higher efficiency, better details
3D printers based on DLP technology image millions or even tens of millions of tiny, high-precision pixels, so the print resolution is higher. The pixel size of laser-based stereoscopic flatbed printing equipment is close to the level of 100μm, while the pixel size of printers with DLP technology reaches the level of 15μm, while the width of our hair is 100μm.
Compared to other 3D printing methods
DLP printers print at a much higher resolution than other 3D printing methods
The surface of the finished product is also smoother
resulting in a more satisfactory overall print result
Almost no sanding except for localised supports
and less subsequent processing.
3. "Efficiency" is one of the important conditions for 3D printing to enter the mass production market.
