Stereolithography

An Innovative Technique for Rapid Product Development and Rapid Prototyping by using Stereolithography Process and Microwave Radiation.

Prasad KDV Yarlagadda, Berg K., "All India Manufacturing Technology Design and Research Conference", Kharagpur, India, Dec. 1998.

ABSTRACT

The work attempts to investigate the feasibility of curing epoxy resin layers using microwaves for physical models and prototypes. Investigations have been carried out to use epoxy resins or a combination of epoxy resin mixed with a different material in powder form followed by a curing process using microwave radiation.

The microwave radiation supports the polarization of epoxy resin through heating based on the effect of the dielectric property. The curing process of the epoxy resin using microwave radiation takes place more rapidly and supports the temperature rise, as the dielectric value of the epoxy resin rises with the increase in temperature, primarily through changes in frequency.

The maximum increase in temperature takes place at a critical frequency.

The penetration of the microwaves through the epoxy resin is controlled by the wavelength of microwave radiation as a function of the frequency. Reducing the operational frequency of microwave radiation compensates an increase in thickness of the layer.

In this work attempts have been made to determine the relationship between curing time, curing temperature for different mixtures of epoxy resin and hardener.

The physical model is built using the layer technique, in which the epoxy resin or mixture of epoxy resin and material powder is applied as a thin film sprayed on top of the previous layer.