Harmatys Wiktor, Gąska Adam, Gąska Piotr, Gruza Maciej
Cracow University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Laboratory of Coordinate Metrology, 24 Warszawska Street, 31-155 Cracow, Poland.
AGH University, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, Department of Manufacturing Systems, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
Materials (Basel). 2025 May 1;18(9):2082. doi: 10.3390/ma18092082.
This study investigates the influence of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) washing time on the surface roughness of stereolithography (SLA)-printed parts fabricated using the Formlabs Form 3B+ printer. Three photopolymer resins provided by the manufacturer were evaluated: Gray, Tough 2000, and Rigid 10K. Samples were printed in standardized geometries and post-processed under controlled conditions, with IPA washing times ranging from 6 to 30 min, followed by UV post-curing. The surface roughness parameters (Ra, Rz, Rt, and RSm) were measured using a Taylor Hobson Form Talysurf i-Series profilometer under metrologically controlled conditions. The results revealed a clear correlation between increased IPA exposure time and improved surface finish, though the magnitude and monotonicity of this effect were material dependent. Rigid 10K exhibited the most consistent reduction in roughness with longer washing, while Tough 2000 showed substantial improvement with extended durations but also demonstrated temporary surface degradation at intermediate wash times. Gray resin achieved near-optimal roughness after moderate rinsing, with orientation-dependent differences observed. The findings indicate that the careful optimization of washing duration can significantly enhance the surface quality in SLA prints, potentially eliminating the need for secondary finishing processes. The implications are relevant to both industrial and medical applications where dimensional fidelity and surface smoothness are critical. Recommendations for optimal washing durations are proposed for each material, and directions for further research are outlined.
本研究调查了异丙醇（IPA）清洗时间对使用Formlabs Form 3B+打印机制造的立体光刻（SLA）打印部件表面粗糙度的影响。对制造商提供的三种光聚合物树脂进行了评估：灰色、坚韧2000和刚性10K。样品以标准化几何形状打印，并在受控条件下进行后处理，IPA清洗时间为6至30分钟，随后进行紫外线后固化。在计量控制条件下，使用泰勒·霍普森Form Talysurf i系列轮廓仪测量表面粗糙度参数（Ra、Rz、Rt和RSm）。结果表明，IPA暴露时间增加与表面光洁度改善之间存在明显的相关性，尽管这种影响的程度和单调性取决于材料。刚性10K在较长时间清洗后粗糙度降低最为一致，而坚韧2000在延长清洗时间后有显著改善，但在中间清洗时间也出现了暂时的表面降解。灰色树脂在适度冲洗后达到了接近最佳的粗糙度，观察到了与取向有关的差异。研究结果表明，仔细优化清洗时间可以显著提高SLA打印件的表面质量，可能无需二次精加工工艺。这一结果对尺寸精度和表面光滑度至关重要的工业和医疗应用都具有重要意义。针对每种材料提出了最佳清洗时间的建议，并概述了进一步研究的方向。
