Additive Manufacturing Resin Removal For Photopolymerization Printed Parts

Additive manufacturing post-support material removal for SLA (stereolithography), DLP (Digital Light Processing), and other photopolymerization techniques remains limited by the absence of advanced cleaning process equipment capable of matching the rapid throughput of these methods. Current cleaning protocols predominantly utilize low-temperature solvents, such as isopropyl alcohol, to prevent chemical dissolution or structural compromise of the printed parts during post-processing. The Vacuum Cycling Nucleation (VCN) process represents a high-efficiency, thorough cleaning methodology; elevated temperature application within this process can further optimize cycle times. Field units typically complete VCN cleaning cycles within a span of 15 seconds to 2 minutes.

The provided video illustrates a typical Vacuum Cycling Nucleation (VCN) cycle, which generally spans between 3 and 10 minutes from start to finish. The specific cycle depicted lasts approximately 5 minutes, including a 1-minute contact phase with the solvent and the subsequent complete drying of both the components and the chamber.