Stereolithography (SLA or SL)

SLA is a process where machine begins creating the layers of the support structures, followed by the part itself, with an ultraviolet laser passed onto the surface of a liquid thermoset resin. After a layer is imaged on the resin surface, the build platform shifts down and a re-coating bar moves across the platform to apply the next layer of resin. The process is repeated layer by layer until the build is complete.

SLA should be used with minimal UV and humidity exposure so they don’t degrade

One advantage of Stereolithography is that a functional part can be built in a relatively short period of time. The amount of time required depends on the size, complexity and layer thickness the part will be built with. Parts can take anywhere from a few short hours to a day or more. Parts built with an SLA machine can be used as master patterns for RTV moulding, finished and painted or simply lightly sanded and may be used for shape studies or final presentation models.

SLA are ideal for manufacturing prototypes that require very high detail. But they are also designed to produce parts for various applications such as jewellery, dental models or surgical guides, lost-wax casting, moulds for injection, thermoforming and blowing-injection, and moulds for insoles