Login
If you have any trouble logging in to your account, contact us.
Sign Up
To start 3D printing or Laser Cutting, you'll need to create an account here. Once done, you'll be able to upload your files and get live quotes of yours parts
Already have an account? Log In
Discover Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing, an additive manufacturing technology used to produce precise, highly detailed resin parts with an excellent surface finish. From visual prototyping to transparent parts, benefit from professional SLA 3D printing to bring your projects to life.
Stereolithography (or SLA) is a resin 3D printing technology based on photopolymerization. It uses a UV light source to selectively cure liquid photopolymer resin and build a part layer by layer from a 3D model.
SLA is one of the earliest additive manufacturing technologies ever developed. Today, it remains widely used for its precision, high level of detail, and excellent surface quality.
Unlike processes that use thermoplastic filament or powder, SLA uses a vat filled with photosensitive liquid resin. A UV laser selectively cures the resin in the areas corresponding to the geometry of each layer of the digital model.
This technology is particularly well suited for projects requiring fine details, smooth surfaces, complex geometries, or realistic visual prototypes.
The Stereolithography process transforms a digital 3D model into a physical part through the successive curing of thin layers of resin.
1.Preparing the 3D file
Before printing, the 3D model is prepared and positioned within the build volume. Part orientation and support placement are optimized to ensure good print quality and reduce the impact of support marks on critical surfaces.
2.Photopolymerizing
The build platform is positioned in relation to a vat containing liquid photopolymer resin.
A UV laser traces the cross-section corresponding to the first layer of the part. When exposed to the light, the photosensitive resin reacts and solidifies.
3.Printing layer by layer
Once the first layer has been created, the build platform moves to allow a new layer of liquid resin to be exposed.
The laser then traces the next section of the model. This process is repeated until the entire part has been manufactured.
4.Cleaning support
Once printing is complete, the part is removed from the build platform. Excess uncured resin is cleaned away, and the support structures required during printing are removed.
5.UV post-curing
Finally, the part undergoes UV post-curing. This step helps the resin reach its final mechanical properties and dimensional stability.
Additional finishing operations may then be carried out depending on the material and the desired appearance.
Stereolithography offers a lot of advantages, it can help you for rapid prototyping, or develop your whole final product. SLA parts have a really smooth surface finish, which is particularly adapted if you need a realistic prototype with high quality and detailed features, quite similar to injection molding parts.
Thanks to its speed and accuracy, Stereolithography is an interesting manufacturing method for concept models and rapid prototyping.
If you need complex shapes, high detail precision and work on a really accurate visual, SLA 3D Printing might be a perfect choice.
High level of details
If you need accuracy, SLA is the additive manufacturing process you need to create highly detailed prototypes
Various applications
From automotive to consumer products, many companies are using Stereolithography for rapid prototyping
Design freedom
Design-driven manufacturing allows you to produce complex geometries
Sculpteo is offering SLA prototyping resin. This 3D printing material is ideal for creating prototypes and might enhance your entire prototyping procedure. With the help of this resin, intricate pieces and unfinished prototypes may be produced.
Keep in mind that products created with SLA resins and this photopolymer may change in shape and color when exposed to sunshine. Before sending your 3D file, please be aware that you must adhere to the material’s design specifications in order to fully benefit from its advantages. Additionally, the technical section of this material page contains details about the tensile modulus, chemical resistance, and heat deflection temperature for this SLA resin material.
Sculpteo’s transparent resin is an SLA material for clear, detailed parts, ideal for visual prototypes, medical models, and transparent components.
Stereolithography offers a lot of benefits, it can help you rapidly prototype, or develop your whole final product with high resolution.
These photopolymer parts do not have the strength of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) or FDM 3D printed parts, but can typically achieve much higher levels of detail and great complex geometries. As the photopolymer is UV sensitive, these products are susceptible to deforming and changing colors in sunlight. SLA is commonly used to generate highly detailed artwork, non-functional prototypes, and can be used to make molds in investment casting applications.
SLA parts have a really smooth surface finish, which is particularly adapted if you need a realistic prototype with high quality and detailed features, quite similar to injection molding parts. But resin parts printed with Stereolithography are not suitable for functional prototypes.
SLA (Stereolithography) Prototyping resin is perfectly suited to the production of aesthetic rapid-prototypes. The finished product has a smooth, matte surface finish. SLA resin allows you to achieve a finished product look for your prototype. This SLA 3D printing technology is best suited to small/medium pieces with an elevated level of details.
Are you looking for the perfect manufacturer? Sculpteo provides you the best online 3D Printing Services for your resin parts. Thanks to our expertise in Stereolithography technology, you can choose between several options, instantly receive a quote, and let us handle the manufacturing in our ISO 9001 certified factory.
Start using Stereolithography today by uploading a 3D file.
| AVAILABLE AT | LAYER THICKNESS | MINIMUM WALLTHICKNESS | ACCURACY | MAX SIZE (mm) | MINIMUM VISIBLEDETAIL | ENGRAVING | EMBOSSING | ||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
| SLA Technology | Transparent Resin |
 |
100 µm | 0.8mm | ±0.2% (with a lower limit of ±0.2 mm) | 200 x 125 x 210 mm | - | 0.3 mm | 0.3 mm |
| Prototyping Resin | 100 µm | 0.8mm | ±0.2% (with a lower limit of ±0.2 mm) | 144 x 144 x 174 mm | - | 0.5mm | 0.5mm | ||
| Type PA |
 |
100 µm | 0,7 mm | NFT 58000 Standard Class (Category 3) | 750 x 650 x 550 mm | - | - | ||
| Type PP | 100 µm | - | NFT 58000 Standard Class (Category 3) | 750 x 650 x 550 mm | - | - | - | ||
| Type ABS | 100 µm | - | NFT 58000 Standard Class (Category 3) | 750 x 650 x 550 mm | - | - | - | ||
| Type PC | 100 µm | - | NFT 58000 Standard Class (Category 3) | 750 x 650 x 550 mm | - | - | - | ||
| Tough | 50 µm | - | NFT 58000 Standard Class (Category 3) | 750 x 650 x 550 mm | - | - | - | ||
| High temp | 50 µm | - | NFT 58000 Standard Class (Category 3) | 750 x 650 x 550 mm | - | - | - | ||
| FLEX 80SH | 100 µm | - | NFT 58000 Standard Class (Category 3) | 750 x 650 x 550 mm | - | - | - | ||
Post-processing is also part of the manufacturing process with Stereolithography. At the end of the process, the amount is removed form the platform and the excess resin must be removed for the 3D printed part. The part will then undergo a curing process in a UV oven, which will help the final piece reach is absolute stability.
Maybe SLA is not the perfect resin technology for you. Discover some alternatives also available at Sculpteo.
The liquid resin is contained within a vat, or tank, cured against a build platform, slowly rising out of the tank as the part is formed, layer by layer. These two 3D printing technologies are similar but have one main difference: their light source.
Like inkjet printing, polyjet printing dispenses layers of curable liquid photopolymer into a build tray rather than individual drops of ink onto paper.
Carbon created this resin 3D printing method. Continuous Liquid Interface Production, or CLIP, improves upon the drawbacks of existing 3D printing technology by prioritizing a customizable photochemical process above a conventional mechanical strategy.
Contact our sales team for your commercial inquiries
Connect with Google
Connect with Facebook