Recommendations for printing aligners

Standard settings for printing in most SLA, DLP & LCD printers:

  • Z layer or slice height or thickness is typically between 50-100 microns (0.05-0.1 mm). Lower or higher z layers are also printable
  • Cure or Exposure or z layer or slice or thickness times are typically between 5-10 seconds for the fastest resins and 10-15 seconds for the slowest versions 
    • Depending on the power of your printer, the optimum exposure times will increase or decrease. Follow our Fast and accurate Instructions for Use. Measure and fill up the data, cure thickness vs exposure time, in the curing rate table for your specific printer specifications. Alternatively, order online the curing the table for your ordered 3D resins measured with similar light power specifications with this light meter*
  • Typically 3 initial, also known as adhesion, or bottom, or base, layer, or slice, or cure bottom count exposures of 80-100 seconds are enough for having very good adhesion on the build platform in most SLA & DLP 3D printers
  • Z lift & retract speed: low, medium, or high value of the scale (non critical variable)
  • Light off delay/off time/wait before & after print: 0.1-0.5 seconds (non critical variable)
  • Z Lift after print distance: 5-10 mm (non critical variable)
  • Printing temperature: before printing warm the 3D resins, protecting them from room light to prevent their light curing, to around 30-35ºC to reduce their viscosity and adhesion to the resin tank

    Features:

    • Low-cost printers with prices from 200 to 2000 Euro can be used with our 3Dresyns and are ideal for short-medium runs
    • Commercial DLP & LCD 3D printers can be used without any modifications with our Low Viscosity LV versions
    • During ordering you will have the option of choosing Low Viscosity LV or High Viscosity HV versions for our 3D resins for printing aligners
      • LV versions are ready to print at room temperature (20-25ºC) in most SLA, DLP & LCD printers. They can be easily warmed up with a hairdryer in the resin tank just before printing
      • HV versions are ready to print at high temperature (25-35ºC) in most DLP & LCD 3Dprinters. They exhibit higher mechanical properties than LV versions. They can be heated to 35ºC in an oven before printing.
        • The heat generated by the printer will keep their viscosity low enough for printing. Alternatively, it is recommended that a heater is installed in the printer to print at constant printing temperature and ensure improved resin flow and reduced stickiness and peeling or separation force during printing
    • Both versions are ultra safe, do not contain any Volatile Organic Compounds VOC´s and exhibit ultra-high mechanical performance
    • Affordable professional heating systems can be easily installed in any printer for 50-60 Euro: Benefits of printing with heated printers

    Biocompatibility requirements

    • Biocompatible and food contact applications require maximum control of printing, postcuring and post processing settings to ensure maximum quality and safety for final users. Nowadays, only some printers are calibrated or can be calibrated to print with constant light power over time
    • Order a light meter, such as the Chitu Systems Digital UV Light Meter and the Curing Rate Table to measure the curing rate table of your ordered 3D resins with the same power as yours, since we will match your light power (light power matching or synchronisation) for fast & easy finding your optimum printing settings in your printer

    Optimisation of your 3D printer

    • Installation of a heating unit for printing at constant temperature. A small heating fan and a temperature controller needs to be installed in the printer. The temperature probe can be located inside the resin tank in a corner to ensure that the temperature of the 3D resin is kept constant during printing. The use of a heating unit permits printing viscous 3D resins, which are normally safer and exhibit superior mechanical properties
    • A light meter is required to measure the light power across the vat. Take the readings in the centre, sides, and corners of the printer to evaluate the light power distribution across the printable area
    • A light meter is required to measure the light power of your light box. Take the readings in the centre, sides, and corners of the light box to evaluate the light power distribution across the light box

    Printing

    • Our 3Dresyns for prijnting aligners are photopolymer or light-curing resins which have been designed for DLP, LCD and Inkjet printers working with lights from 200 to 420 nm and higher upon request, including wavelengths at 385 and 405 nm

    Select your z layer thickness, or the thickness of each printed layer, typically between 50-100 microns for high resolution printing.

    Select your printing settings. How to choose the optimum exposure times?

    • Follow our
    • Measure the cure thickness vs exposure time, or order the curing rate table for your specific printer specs:
      • The ordered curing rate table can be much more accurately measured after sharing your exact printer power since this will permit the 3Dresyns team to measure the curing rate table of your ordered 3D resins with the same power as yours, since we will match your light power (light power matching) for fast & easy finding your optimum printing settings
      • It is crucial that the Curing Rate Table is filled up by us (40 Euro cost) or by you you for getting the exposure times of the chosen 3D resin in your specific printer since the optimum exposure time needed for curing the 3D resin depends on the amount of light power available across the vat, which varies from printer to printer, and in your printer depending on its cumulative working hours, since any light source, suffer a natural power decay upon time

    Follow our Detailed Instructions for Use "IFU" for printing aligners with DLP & LCD printers

    The picture shown above is of clear 3D printed aligner, without any yellowing, printed at 100 microns z layers in less than 2 hours in a low cost, 200 Euro Anycubic LCD printer.

    Aligner sofware

    Design aligners directly with Maestro, Blue Sky Bio, or other aligner software.

    For more info read: Frequently Asked Questions about 3D printed biomedical and dental resins

    Consulting

    You are welcome to contact us and order more products and services by email at: info@3dresyns.com