PROCESS MODELING FOR FLUID-INTERFACE SUPPORTED RESIN PRINTING

The article details the latest design and implementation of a stereolithography (SLA) based technique, Fluid Interface Supported Printing (FISP). The FISP technique involves printing from a thin resin layer above a static, immiscible support fluid. The support fluid prevents deflection of overhanging geometry by providing a buoyant force equal to that of the gravitational force due to the minute density difference between the support fluid and cured resin. Complex curing and shrinkage dynamics are a primary knowledge gap. A COMSOL multiphysics simulation model was developed to simulate the curing process, including volumetric light intensity and optimized parameters for chemical reaction kinetics. The article presents a pathway for further enhancing and validating the simulation model.