WHITE PAPER

Intro to Stereolithography
3D Printing
A comprehensive guide for professional users

Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing has become vastly popular for its ability to produce high-accuracy,
isotropic, watertight parts in a range of advanced materials with fine features and smooth surface finish.
In this white paper, learn how SLA technologies work, why thousands of professionals use this process
today, and what you need to know to explore how SLA 3D printing can benefit your work.

May 2019 | formlabs.com

 Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

What is Stereolithography 3D Printing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The State of Stereolithography, Yesterday and Today. . . . . . . . 6

Why Choose SLA 3D Printing?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

SLA 3D Printing Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Bringing SLA In-House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Get Started With SLA 3D Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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 Introduction
Advancements in 3D printing continue to change the way businesses approach prototyping
and production. As the technology becomes more accessible and affordable and hardware
and materials advance to match market opportunities and demands, designers, engineers, and
beyond are integrating 3D printing into workflows across development cycles. Across industries,
3D printing is helping professionals cut outsourcing costs, iterate faster, optimize production
processes, and even unlock entirely new business models.

Across industries, 3D printing is helping professionals cut outsourcing costs,

iterate faster, optimize production processes, and even unlock entirely new
business models.
Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing in particular has undergone significant changes. Traditionally,
SLA machines have been monolithic and cost-prohibitive, requiring skilled technicians and costly
service contracts. Today, small format desktop printers produce industrial-quality outputs, at
substantially more affordable price points and with unmatched versatility.
SLA 3D printing has become vastly popular because of its ability to produce high-accuracy,
isotropic, watertight parts in a range of advanced materials with fine features and smooth
surface finish. Today, Formlabs is driving the next phase in the technology’s evolution with a new
approach: Low Force Stereolithography (LFS) 3D printing.
In this white paper, learn more about how stereolithography printing technologies work and why
thousands of professionals use this process today, along with a walkthrough of the basic SLA 3D
printing ecosystem and workflow.

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 What is Stereolithography 3D Printing?
Stereolithography belongs to a family of additive manufacturing technologies known as vat
photopolymerization. These machines are all built around the same principle, using a light
source—a laser or projector—to cure liquid resin into hardened plastic. The main physical
differentiation lies in the arrangement of the core components, such as the light source, the build
platform, and the resin tank.

SLA 3D printers use light-reactive thermoset materials called “resin.” When SLA resins are
exposed to certain wavelengths of light, short molecular chains join together, polymerizing
monomers and oligomers into solidified rigid or flexible geometries.

Upside-Down (Inverted) SLA

1 Printed Part
4
Supports
2

Resin
3

2
4 Build Platform
3
1
Laser
5

Galvanometers
6

8 7 X-Y Scanning Mirror

5
8 Laser Beam
7
9 Resin Tank
6

A graphic representation of the basic mechanics of stereolithography 3D printing.

SLA parts have the highest resolution and accuracy, the sharpest details, and
the smoothest surface finishes of all 3D printing technologies, but the main
benefit of SLA lies in its versatility.
SLA parts have the highest resolution and accuracy, the sharpest details, and the smoothest
surface finishes of all 3D printing technologies, but the main benefit of SLA lies in its versatility.
Material manufacturers have created innovative SLA resin formulations with a wide range
of optical, mechanical, and thermal properties to match those of standard, engineering, and
industrial thermoplastics.

Compare stereolithography 3D printing to two other common technologies for producing

plastic parts: fused deposition modeling (FDM) and selective laser sintering (SLS).

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 The SLA 3D Printing Workflow

1 DESIGN
Use any CAD software or 3D scan data to design your model, and export
it in a 3D printable file format (STL or OBJ). Each SLA printer includes
software to specify printing settings and slice the digital model into layers
for printing. Once setup is complete, the print preparation software sends
the instructions to the printer via a wireless or cable connection.

More advanced users may consider specifically designing for SLA,

or taking steps like hollowing parts to conserve material.

2 PRINT
After a quick confirmation of the correct setup, the printing process begins
and the machine can run unattended until the print is complete. In printers
with a cartridge system, the material is automatically refilled by the machine.

An online Dashboard from Formlabs allows you to remotely manage

printers, materials, and teams.

3 POST-PROCESS
Once the printing is completed, parts require rinsing in isopropyl alcohol
(IPA) to remove any uncured resin from their surface. After rinsed parts
dry, some materials require post-curing, a process which helps parts
to reach their highest possible strength and stability. Finally, remove
supports from the parts and sand the remaining support marks for a clean
finish. SLA parts can be easily machined, primed, painted, and assembled
for specific applications or finishes.

Post-curing is particularly important for functional resins for

engineering, and mandatory for some dentistry and jewelry materials
and applications.

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 The State of Stereolithography,
▲ Prototypes of
the Form 1,
the first desktop
SLA 3D printer. Yesterday and Today
A Brief History
The SLA process first appeared in the early 1970s, when Japanese researcher Dr. Hideo Kodama
invented the modern layered approach to stereolithography, using ultraviolet light to cure
photosensitive polymers. The term stereolithography was coined by Charles (Chuck) W. Hull, who
patented the technology in 1986 and founded the company 3D Systems to commercialize it. Hull
described the method as creating 3D objects by successively “printing” thin layers of a material
curable by ultraviolet light.
SLA 3D printing, however, was not the first 3D printing technology to gain widespread popularity.
As patents began to expire at the end of the 2000s, the introduction of small format, desktop 3D
printing widened access to additive manufacturing, with fused deposition modeling (FDM) first
gaining adoption in desktop platforms.
While this affordable extrusion-based technology sparked the first wave of wide adoption and
awareness of 3D printing, FDM machines did not satisfy the spectrum of professional needs—
repeatable, high-precision results are crucial for professional applications, as are biocompatible
materials in the dental industry and the ability to create fine features for industries like jewelry
and applications like millifluidics.

Desktop SLA Disrupts the Market

SLA soon followed FDM to the desktop, when Formlabs adapted the technology in 2011.
Small format SLA brought the promise of high resolution 3D printing—previously limited to
monolithic industrial systems—in a much smaller and more affordable setup with a wide range
of print materials. These capabilities expanded access to 3D printing for a variety of custom
and high precision applications across disciplines, including engineering, product design, and
manufacturing, as well as dental, jewelry, and other industries.

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 In 2015, Formlabs released its next generation SLA printer, the Form 2, which became the
industry-leading desktop 3D printer, with parts printed in the field ranging from affordable custom
prosthetics to a customizable line of razor handles.
The Form 2 reset the conversation for SLA 3D printing, popularizing a “distributed” model of
production, where companies can scale output incrementally, adding more small format printers
as demand increases with the flexibility to print in different materials on each printer. The maturity
of materials over time has only increased the usage of this model, as more advanced resins have
unlocked applications beyond prototyping and into production and end-use parts across industries.
In 2019, Formlabs made another step change in the industry with the launch of the Form 3 and
Form 3L, two new hardware products that set a new standard for SLA with systems built on a
completely new print process.

The Next Chapter of SLA: Low Force Stereolithography 3D Printing

Low Force Stereolithography (LFS) technology is the next phase in SLA 3D printing, meeting the
demands on today’s market for scalable, reliable, industrial-quality 3D printing.
This advanced form of SLA drastically reduces the forces exerted on parts during the print
process, using a flexible tank and linear illumination to deliver incredible surface quality and print
accuracy. Lower print forces allow for light-touch support structures that tear away with ease,
and the process opens up a wide range of possibilities for future development of advanced,
production-ready materials.

Inverted SLA introduces peel forces that affect the print as it separates from the surface
of the tank, so the build volume is limited and sturdy support structures are required.
The Formlabs Form 2 is heavily calibrated to account for the forces of the peel process
and produce high quality parts.

The Formlabs Form 3 and Form 3L are built on Low Force Stereolithography (LFS) 3D printing technology, an
advanced form of SLA which uses a flexible tank and linear illumination to turn liquid resin into flawless prints.

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 1 Build platform + part lowers into liquid resin

a
b
a Build Platform d Liquid Resin
c
b Tank e Film
d c Printed Part f LPU

2 Rollers gently squeeze resin out from under 3 Layer is cured, film adheres to the
the part to generate a thin, even layer of resin cured material

4 Build platform lifts out of liquid resin gently 5 Film relaxes and is ready to print the
pulling part away from flexible film layer next layer

LFS 3D printing drastically reduces the forces exerted on parts during the print process, using a flexible tank and
linear illumination to deliver incredible surface quality and print accuracy. Learn more about how LFS works in
this deep dive video.

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 Why Choose SLA 3D Printing?
Engineers, designers, manufacturers, and more choose SLA 3D printing for its fine features,
smooth surface finish, ultimate part precision and accuracy, and mechanical attributes like
isotropy, watertightness, and material versatility.

Isotropy
Because 3D printing creates parts one layer at a time, completed prints may have variations in
strength based on orientation of the part relative to the printing process, with different properties
in X, Y, and Z axes.
Print processes like fused deposition modeling (FDM) are known for being anisotropic due to
layer-to-layer differences created by the print process. This anisotropy limits the usefulness
of FDM for certain applications, or requires more adjustments on the part geometry side to
compensate for it.
In contrast, SLA printing creates highly isotropic parts. Achieving part isotropy is based on a
number of factors that can be tightly controlled by integrating material chemistry with the print
process. During printing, resin components form covalent bonds, but layer to layer, the part
remains in a semi-reacted "green state."
While in the green state, the resin retains polymerizable groups that can form bonds across
layers, imparting isotropy and watertightness to the part upon final cure. On the molecular level,
there is no difference between X, Y, or Z planes. This results in parts with predictable
mechanical performance critical for applications like jigs and fixtures, end-use parts, and
functional prototyping. .

Because they are isotropic, SLA printed parts like this jig from Pankl Racing Systems can withstand the variety of
directional forces they undergo during high stress manufacturing operations.

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 Watertightness
SLA printed parts are continuous, whether producing geometries with solid features or internal
channels. This watertightness is important for engineering and manufacturing applications where
air or fluid flow must be controlled and predictable. Engineers and designers use the
watertightness of SLA to solve air and fluid flow challenges for automotive uses, biomedical
research, and to validate part designs for consumer products like kitchen appliances.

OXO relies on the watertightness of SLA printing to create robust functional prototypes for products with air or fluid
flow, like this coffee maker.

Accuracy and Precision

Industries from dental to manufacturing depend on SLA 3D printing to repeatedly create
accurate, precise components. For a print process to produce accurate and precise parts,
multiple factors must be tightly controlled.

Compared to machined accuracy, SLA 3D printing is somewhere between standard machining

and fine machining. SLA has the highest tolerance of commercially available 3D printing
technologies. Learn more about understanding tolerance, accuracy, and precision in 3D printing.

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 The combination of the heated resin tank and the closed build environment provides almost
identical conditions for each print. Better accuracy is also a function of lower printing temperature
compared to thermoplastic-based technologies that melt the raw material. Because
stereolithography uses light instead of heat, the printing process takes place at close to room
temperature, and printed parts don’t suffer from thermal expansion and contraction artifacts.

⊳ An example from the dental industry comparing a

scanned component with the original CAD geometry,
demonstrating the ability to maintain tight tolerances
across an SLA printed part.

Low Force Stereolithography (LFS) 3D printing houses the optics inside a Light Processing Unit
(LPU) that moves in the X direction. One galvanometer positions the laser beam in the Y direction,
then directs it along across a fold mirror and parabolic mirror to deliver a beam that is always
perpendicular to the build plane, so it is always moving in a straight line to provide even greater
precision and accuracy, and allows for uniformity as hardware scales up to larger sizes, like
Formlabs larger format SLA printer Form 3L. The LPU also uses a spatial filter to create a crisp,
clean laser spot for greater precision.
The characteristics of individual materials are also important for ensuring a reliable, repeatable print process.

Formlabs Rigid Resin has a high green modulus, or modulus before post-curing, which means it’s possible to print
very thin parts with precision and a lower chance of failure.

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 Fine Features and Smooth Surface Finish
SLA printing is considered the gold standard for smooth surface finish, with appearances
comparable to traditional manufacturing methods like machining, injection molding, and extrusion.
This surface quality is ideal for applications that require a flawless finish and also helps reduce
post-processing time, since parts can easily be sanded, polished, and painted. For example,
leading companies like Gillette use SLA 3D printing to create end-use consumer products, like
3D printed razor handles in their Razor Maker platform.

⊲ Leading
companies like
Gillette use SLA
3D printing to
create end-use
consumer products,
like the 3D printed
razor handles in
their Razor Maker
platform.

Z-axis layer height is commonly used to define the resolution of a 3D printer. This can be adjusted in
between 25 and 300 microns on Formlabs SLA 3D printers, with a trade-off between speed and quality.
In comparison, FDM and SLS printers typically print Z-axis layers at 100 to 300 microns. However,
a part printed at 100 microns on an FDM or SLS printer looks different from a part printed at
100 microns on an SLA printer. SLA prints have a smoother surface finish right out of the printer,
because the outermost perimeter walls are straight, and the newly printed layer interacts with the
previous layer, smoothing out the staircase effect. FDM prints tend to have clearly visible layers,
whereas SLS has a grainy surface from the sintered powder.
The smallest possible detail is also much finer on SLA, given 85 micron laser spot size on the Form 3, in
comparison with 350 microns on industrial SLS printers, and 250–800 micron nozzles on FDM machines.

⊲ While FDM 3D
printed parts tend
to have visible layer
lines and might
show inaccuracies
around complex
features, parts
printed on SLA
machines have
sharp edges, a
smooth surface
finish, and minimal
visible layer lines.

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 Material Versatility
SLA resins have the benefit of a wide range of formulation configurations: materials can be soft
or hard, heavily filled with secondary materials like glass and ceramic, or imbued with mechanical
properties like high heat deflection temperature or impact resistance. Material range from industry-
specific, like dentures, to those that closely match final materials for prototyping, formulated to
withstand extensive testing and perform under stress.
In some cases, its this combination of versatility and functionality that leads to companies to
initially bring SLA in-house. After finding one application solved by a specific functional material,
it’s usually not long before more possibilities are uncovered, and the printer becomes a tool for
leveraging the diverse capabilities of various materials.
For example, hundreds of engineers in the Design and Prototyping Group at the University of
Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) rely on open access to a fleet of 12
SLA 3D printers and a variety of engineering materials to support highly diverse research
projects with industrial partners like Boeing, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, and Airbus. The team
used High Temp Resin to 3D print washers, brackets, and a sensor mounting system that needed
to withstand the elevated, and leveraged Durable Resin to create intricate custom springy
components for a pick and place robot that automates composites manufacturing.

Engineers at AMRC use a fleet of 12 SLA 3D printers and a variety of engineering materials to print custom parts for
diverse research projects, like brackets for a pick and place robot (left) and mounts for sensors in a high-temperature
environment (right).

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 SLA 3D Printing Applications
SLA 3D printing accelerates innovation and supports businesses across a wide range of
industries, including engineering, manufacturing, dentistry, healthcare, education, entertainment,
jewelry, audiology, and more.

ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DESIGN

Rapid prototyping with 3D printing empowers engineers and product
designers to turn ideas into realistic proofs of concept, advance
these concepts to high-fidelity prototypes that look and work like final
products, and guide products through a series of validation stages
toward mass production.

Learn more

MANUFACTURING
Manufacturers automate production processes and streamline workflows
by prototyping tooling and directly 3D printing custom tools, molds, and
manufacturing aids at far lower costs and lead times than with traditional
manufacturing. This reduces manufacturing costs and defects, increases
quality, speeds up assembly, and maximizes labor effectiveness.

Learn more

DENTAL
Digital dentistry reduces the risks and uncertainties introduced by human
factors, providing higher consistency, accuracy, and precision at every
stage of the workflow to improve patient care. 3D printers can produce
a range of high-quality custom products and appliances at low unit costs
with superior fit and repeatable results.

Learn more

EDUCATION
3D printers are multifunctional tools for immersive learning and advanced
research. They can encourage creativity and expose students to
professional-level technology while supporting STEAM curricula across
science, engineering, art, and design.

Learn more

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 HEALTHCARE
Affordable, professional-grade desktop 3D printing helps doctors deliver
treatments and devices customized to better serve each unique individual,
opening the door to high-impact medical applications while saving
organizations significant time and costs from the lab to the operating room.

Learn more

ENTERTAINMENT
High definition physical models are widely used in sculpting, character
modeling, and prop making. 3D printed parts have starred in stop-
motion films, video games, bespoke costumes, and even special effects
for blockbuster movies.

Learn more

JEWELRY
Jewelry professionals use CAD and 3D printing to rapidly prototype
designs, fit clients, and produce large batches of ready-to-cast pieces.
Digital tools allow for the creation of consistent, sharply detailed pieces
without the tediousness and variability of wax carving.

Learn more

AUDIOLOGY
Hearing specialists and ear mold labs use digital workflows and 3D
printing to manufacture higher quality custom ear products more
consistently, and at higher volumes for applications like behind-the-ear
hearing aids, hearing protection, and custom earplugs and earbuds.

Learn more

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 Bringing SLA In-House
Many companies start using 3D printing via outsourcing to service bureaus or labs.
Outsourcing production can be a great solution when teams require 3D printing only
occasionally, or for one-offs that require unique material properties or applications. Service
bureaus can also provide advice on various materials and offer value-added services
such as design or advanced finishing.
The main downsides of outsourcing are cost and lead time. Often, outsourcing is a gateway to
bringing production in-house as needs ramp up. One of the greatest benefits of 3D printing
is its speed compared to traditional manufacturing methods, which quickly diminishes when
an outsourced part takes multiple days or even weeks to arrive. With growing demand and
production, outsourcing also rapidly becomes expensive.
Because of the rise of affordable industrial-quality 3D printing, today, more and more companies
choose to bring 3D printing in-house right away, vertically integrating into existing shops or labs,
or in the workspaces of engineers, designers, and others who could benefit from translating
digital designs into physical parts or who are involved in small batch production.
Small format, desktop SLA 3D printers are great when you need parts quickly. Depending
on the number of parts and printing volume, investment into a small format 3D printer can
break even within months. Plus, with small format machines, it’s possible to pay for just as
much capacity as a business needs and scale production by adding extra units as demand
grows. Using multiple 3D printers also creates the flexibility to print parts in different materials
simultaneously. Service bureaus can still supplement this flexible workflow for larger parts
or unconventional materials.

Fast Turnaround Time and Quick Design Changes

Fast turnaround time is a huge advantage to owning a desktop 3D printer. When working with a
printing bureau, lead times, communication, and shipping all create delays. With a desktop 3D
printer like the Form 3, parts are in-hand within hours, allowing designers and engineers to print
multiple parts in one day, helping to iterate faster and drastically reduce product development
time and quickly test mechanisms and assemblies avoid costly tool changes.

Cost Savings
Owning a desktop 3D printer results in significant savings over 3D printing service bureaus
and traditional machining, as these alternatives rapidly becomes expensive with growing
demand and production.
For example, to fulfill tight production deadlines, a process engineer and team at Pankl
Racing Systems introduced SLA 3D printing to produce custom jigs and other low-volume
parts directly for their manufacturing line. While in-house SLA was initially met with skepticism,
it turned out to be an ideal substitute to machining a variety of tools. In one case, it reduced
lead time for jigs by 90 percent—from two to three weeks to less than a day—and decreased
costs by 80-90 percent.

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 Cost Comparison: Custom Jig at Pankl Racing Systems

In-House SLA 3D Printing 5–9 hours $9–$28

CNC Machining 2–3 weeks $45–$340

Outsourced 3D Printing 5–9 hours $9–$28

Pankl Racing Systems significantly reduced lead times and costs by 3D printing custom jigs in-house.

Scale as You Grow

With small format machines, it’s possible to pay for just as much capacity as a business needs
and scale production by adding extra units as demand grows. Using multiple 3D printers also
creates the flexibility to print parts in different materials simultaneously.

The Design and Prototyping Group at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) runs an
open-access additive manufacturing station with a fleet of 12 Form 2 stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers for hundreds of
engineers working on diverse projects across the site.

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 Get Started With SLA 3D Printing
Formlabs offers two high precision SLA 3D printing systems, a growing library of specialized
materials, intuitive print preparation and management software, and professional services—all in
one package. To continue exploring SLA 3D printing, start with feeling the quality of SLA for yourself:
Request a free sample 3D printed part in your choice of material to be mailed straight to your door.
Contact our sales team to learn more about why professionals have chosen Formlabs 3D printers
to print over 40,000,000 parts in the field.

North America Sales Inquiries Europe Sales Inquiries International Sales Inquiries
[email protected] [email protected] Find a reseller in your region:
617-702-8476 +44 330 027 0040 formlabs.com/find-a-reseller
formlabs.com formlabs.com

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