For industrial users, R&D teams and OEM integrations, working-curve analysis provides a rigorous way to describe photopolymer system behaviour beyond basic exposure trial-and-error. This service converts printer-specific curing measurements into an engineered photopolymerization characterization.
If you only need a fast, practical calibration for production printing, see our CRT calibration service.
What you get
- Working curve plot: Cure depth (Cd) vs ln(E)
- Dp: optical penetration depth at the evaluated wavelength
- Ec: critical energy required to reach gelation (system-dependent)
- Recommended exposure window: practical operating range for selected layer thicknesses
- Interpretation notes: implications for accuracy, overcure control and process robustness
Why Dp & Ec are useful
Dp and Ec are widely used to describe how a photopolymer system responds to light dose. They support:
- Process transfer: comparing curing behaviour across printers (when irradiance is known)
- Resolution engineering: understanding overcure tendency and depth sensitivity
- Robustness monitoring: tracking changes due to printer ageing or optical drift
- Structured optimisation: making controlled adjustments with absorbers / Fine Tuners
For the fundamentals behind the model, see: Fundamentals of stereolithography (Cd, Dp, Ec) .
How the analysis is performed
We build a printer-state curing fingerprint (cure depth vs exposure), convert exposure to energy dose (E = irradiance × time, when irradiance is provided), and fit the semi-log working curve:
Cd = Dp × ln(E / Ec)
Fitting is performed on the most representative linear region of the curve to avoid artifacts from the early undercure regime or high-dose saturation effects.
What we need from you
- Printer model and wavelength (e.g., 405 nm)
- Measured irradiance at the build plane in mW/cm² (recommended)
- Exposure series and measured cured thickness values
- Resin and setup details (vat film type, temperature, modifiers if used)
Many printers show significant variation across models and natural output decay over time. For deeper context, see: power differences across printer types and light power decay and black-box effects .
When to choose CRT vs Advanced Analysis
Choose CRT (fast calibration)
- You want a practical exposure window for printing
- Your goal is production settings rather than model parameters
- Irradiance is unknown and you prefer a purely empirical approach
Choose Advanced Photopolymerization Analysis (Dp & Ec)
- You need engineering-grade characterization for R&D or OEM integration
- You want deeper control of accuracy and overcure behaviour
- You want parameter tracking over time (printer ageing / process drift)
How this fits within SSF
This service is one pillar of the 3Dresyns Structured Selection Framework (SSF), which combines:
- Engineering Selection : stiffness logic (E × t³)
- CRT : empirical curing behaviour under real printer conditions
- Advanced Photopolymerization Analysis: Dp and Ec characterization when required
- SMSP : mechanical fingerprint validation
Together, these tools treat materials not as generic resins, but as engineered photopolymer systems.
Pricing and ordering
Advanced Photopolymerization Analysis is a premium engineering service designed for industrial use-cases. To request a quote or order, email info@3dresyns.com with your printer model, wavelength, and whether you can provide irradiance (mW/cm²).
If you are already purchasing a CRT, you may request an upgrade to include Dp & Ec characterization.