Sanded FEP Films as Interface Layers in Inverted Vat Polymerization Additive Manufacturing
Contemporary three-dimensional printing, also referred to as additive manufacturing, has been popular for rapid prototyping due to its capacity for relatively facile design iteration and low investment per prototype. Object fabrication speeds, however, have lagged behind other manufacturing technologies, and existing approaches for accelerating the printing process are limited in their applicability and accessibility.
This work explores the viability of using sanded FEP films as resin-irradiation window interface layers in inverted vat polymerization additive manufacturing for reducing layer separation requirements and expediting the printing process. The effects of sanding FEP films on the equilibrium contact angle of commercial vat polymerization resin on the FEP films are investigated, and the forces required to separate cured resin from the FEP films in a simulated inverted vat polymerization setup are explored. Scanning electron microscopy is used to reveal the effects of wear on these sanded surfaces. The findings of this work offer insight into methods for dramatically accelerating existing additive manufacturing and vat polymerization systems.
