Build Your Own SLA/SLS

Yeah direct from cs Hyde just checked out with a credit card

I got the 0.005in thick 24inch by a foot size

No adhesive which in hind sight was a mistake I think,

More description of these flex vats would be good.

But I'll see when I get the film

Here is my version on a mUVe DLP. It is a work in progress so don't look to close. The first pic is the lower portion showing the acrylic tension walls. The second is the complete assembly with the 0.005" FEP pulled down taught. I think a tension system is a must. I'm still playing with exposures as they are too high at the moment (16s). I removed a PC sheet I was using for protection but that didn't seem to help much. I have to look at my projector settings next. Once I have the exposure set correctly I have had no issue with sticking to the FEP. This FEP sheet has seen about 25 parts and has a few scratches from poor cleaning procedures.

im going to give this vat a try looks nice and easy

watch the you tube vid

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2044

16sec on exposure time seems a bit hight iv only done one failed print (due to crappy vat) but it seemed to be good around 3s

My Vat ist now also working. I have Stresstest it and Print a lot of Objects on the same film with out of negativ results.

General Question - If I place a thin piece of polycarbonate (say about 0.03") underneath the FEP film with a gap in between both (say about 7mm) will the image deflect from the thin 0.03" thick polycarbonate sheet causing image distortion on the FEP film?

PacManFan - Is your thin layer of polycarbonate directly underneath your FEP film or is there a gap between the poly and the FEP? Also, what thickness of polycarbonate are you using?

Finhead - Was your 0.02" polycarbonate silicone layer a thin solid sheet or was it more flimsy? If it was a solid sheet where did you buy it from? I've been told by a supplier that 0.02" would be film-like whereas 0.03" would be a solid sheet.

Dangre: Did you figure out why your exposure times (16s) were so high and have you remedied the situation?

the FEP film will tend to adhere itself to any smooth surface its resting on, so if you had a non adhesive backed FEP film resting on some polycarb sheet it would essentially become bonded with the polycarb.

thanks phife i will give it a go, im hanging for this fep film to turn up

getting 50+ prints out of a vat is need to make bottom up sla printing viable in the long term

who knows 10 years from now resin could be $10 a litre and everyone would be building top down

hi dangre what size is your build plate?
we can send you a flexvat for sure

hp