DLP 3D Printer
Explore the Benefits of a DLP 3D Printer for Jewelry Business
In the world of advanced technology, choosing and buying the best 3D printing process for your business can be difficult as there are different options available such as SLA, FDM, and DLP. However, DLP is considered one of the most advanced 3D printing technologies for your business due to its capabilities to print faster, better surface finish, and improvement in designs and quality.
Suppose you're in a jewelry business and require bulk production daily or need precision in your designs. In that case, you can buy a DLP 3D printer from Sculptoris Innovation, it’s the right choice for you as it offers multiple benefits of DLP 3D printers installed into your business.
In this blog, we will take you through its characteristics and the checklist to remember before purchasing a 3D printer.
What is a DLP 3D printer?
DLP 3D printing is a process where a projector selectively cures liquid resin from a vat, creating solidified layers on a build platform in a layer-by-layer process.
DLP 3D printers stand apart from the crowd as it uses a digital light projector screen to create a light source, while traditional technologies such as SLA printers use galvanometers to cure the resin.
Its projector flashes an image of an entire layer at once, whereas other technologies have to cure the resin layer by layer.
The pixelation will be higher because of the capability of creating thinner resin layers compared to the traditional methods.
Now that you have explored what the term DLP printer means and potential benefits of DLP 3D printers over traditional methods, let’s review the criteria before making a final purchase decision.
Selection criteria of DLP 3D printer
Before finalizing a DLP 3D printer online for your business, it's essential to prepare a checklist that considers various factors such as:
1. Business capacity
2. Types of resin
3. Accuracy of diamond and minimum layer thickness
4. Physical dimension and weight
Let's explore each of these factors in detail
1 Business capacity
If your business is small and focuses on making small prototypes, go for Sculptor 1X. On the other hand, if you need a printer that can produce in bulk quantity and with great precision, then purchasing a Sculptor 1 Plus would be a better choice.
2 Types of Resin
There are several resins used, such as Standard, Clear, tough, flexible and others that may not be suitable for every type of 3D printer. If you’re unsure which materials will be used, buy a DLP 3D printer compatible with various materials.
Moreover, the type of resin used will indirectly affect the speed with which the printer finishes the work.
Also See: A Comprehensive Guide on Castable resin for 3D Printers
3. Accuracy of diamond and minimum layer thickness
When purchasing a DLP 3D printer for jewelry, it's crucial to consider the accuracy of the diamond and minimum layer thickness. Make sure that the printer you buy meets your business requirement in terms of the following:
1. Layer thickness
2. Minimum details sizes
3. Maximum dimensions
4. Standard accuracy specifications
4. Physical dimension and weight
Make sure you purchase a DLP 3D printer that best suits your business's physical location. Each DLP 3D printer has its pre-defined build volumes, so if your business is small-scale, go for printers with a small platform and low-volume mats. On the other hand, if you're looking to print large volumes, choose a printer with a larger platform.
Benefits of DLP 3D printers
DLP 3D printers for jewelry have gained immense popularity in recent years among jewelry marketers due to its numerous benefits. Let’s learn about them:
1. Smooth surface finish
DLP 3D printers can achieve the smoothest surface finish with the help of digital polishing. This advanced technology produces the final output from simple to complex geometric shapes without faults and delivers a smooth surface finish that was previously difficult to produce with traditional 3D printing methods.
2. Less post-processing time
Compared to other traditional methods, it requires less post-processing time because they eliminate excessive polishing and machining for high-performance parts. Additionally, they require only minimal removal of the support structure.
3. Rapid printing speed and large printing area
DLP printers for 3D jewelry can print quickly and efficiently, as they cure an entire layer at once, which takes only a few minutes compared to SLA or FDM technology. Moreover, because of its larger printing area, the batch orders do not require much time and can be completed quickly and efficiently.
4. Transparent printing
For jewelry or any other industry which aims to print clear or colored transparent objects, buying a DLP 3D printer online from Sculptoris Innovation is an ideal choice because their printer uses a high-resolution light source to create precise and clear prints with fine details and smooth surfaces.
To conclude, the advantages of DLP 3D printers mentioned above will definitely provide an effective and efficient benefit for the jewelry business. Additionally, it also helps in reducing waste and providing more cost effective production solutions for jewelry marketers.
How does DLP work?
Before installing a 3D printer at your business, you should learn how it’s working. Let’s dig deep into each step:
Light source and projector
A light source shines into the projector, which consists of a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) and a focusing lens. During this process, the printer is put under a safe light condition, filtering the light source and exposing only necessary lights to the resin.
The DMD comprises thousands of tiny mirrors in a matrix and projects an entire layer simultaneously with the exact dimension needed. Moreover, DMD is responsible for directing lights to the coordinates portrayed in the 3D model in pixelated projection.
Photopolymer vat and liquid-photocurable resin
VAT photopolymerization is an additive manufacturing process that creates 3D objects by selectively curing photopolymer liquid resin using light waves.
Liquid photo-curable resin means that a vat is selectively cured by a UV laser layer by layer, causing the resin to solidify.
In the bottom - up models, the photopolymer vat has a transparent floor that allows the light to pass through the vat onto the build platform and also has a non-stick surface that ensures no cured resin adheres to the inside of the vat.
Build platform
The build platform is the part of the printer where an object is printed. Resin hardens between the build platform and the vat when the projector is turned on. After each layer is completed,
1. Part of the bottom of the vat is peeled off by the lift.
2. Reset the resin liquid and
3. Re-adjust the part to another level of thickness away from the vat floor.
The process continues until the elevator pulls out the vat.
Post-processing procedure
Post-processing refers to a finishing touch required for an object after it comes out of the building platform. The process includes the following:
1. Removing excess material or resin.
2. Washing and curing.
3. Polishing a model by painting or colouring.
To wrap up
To sum up, DLP 3D printing has emerged as a cutting-edge technology in the jewelry industry, offering time and cost savings while producing large quantities of resin-based models.
We discussed the advantages of DLP printers, including their speed, precision, and pixelation, making them the top choice for jewelry marketers. We also emphasized the importance of preparing a checklist before purchasing a printer, ensuring you make the best decision for your business.
Furthermore, we took a deep dive into the working of a DLP 3D printer for jewelry and outlined the benefits of incorporating one into your business. By choosing a reliable company like Sculptoris Innovation for your DLP 3D printer needs, you can be confident in the quality and performance of your investment.
Ultimately, the demand for DLP 3D printers for jewelry has skyrocketed due to their exceptional capabilities and the wide range of benefits they can provide, making them a profitable investment for your business. Don't miss out on the opportunity to revolutionize your jewelry business with a DLP 3D printer from Sculptoris Innovation.
