Vat Photopolymerization 101: The Importance of the Membrane
In vat photopolymerization 3D printing, photopolymers are cured by projecting UV light into a vat of material. In bottom-up style 3D printers, the UV light must travel through the bottom of the vat to reach the material, passing through a flexible, transparent layer known as the membrane.
In addition to serving as a window for the layer projection, the membrane is also the lower boundary and initial support for each layer. As each layer is cured, it is bonded both to the previous layer above and the membrane below; encouraging the part to release cleanly from the membrane after each layer cab be one challenging aspect of vat photopolymerization.
In an open-source vat photopolymerization 3D printer developed at Technical University of Denmark (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet or DTU), researchers have introduced an additional layer below the membrane; in the 3D printer seen in this video, a pane of glass raises the membrane just enough to help break the tension and enable parts to peel cleanly away. See this system and learn more about the importance of the membrane in this video, filmed at the university’s lab in Denmark.
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