Mechanical characteristics of fiber-filled photo-polymer used in stereolithography

The effects of the addition of short glass fibers into an acrylic-based photo-polymer (De Solite SCR310) used in the laser solidification process have been studied. Comparisons of the mechanical properties between purepolymer specimens and their fiber-filled counterparts were made by subjecting the parts to tensile tests. It was observed that the fiber-reinforced specimens yielded higher measured values of elastic modulus and ultimate tensile strength. The amount of shrinkage encountered by the reinforced prototypes during postcuring was also found to be less than their non-reinforced counterparts. It was also found that the mechanical properties of the post-cured fiber-reinforced specimens were functions of the layer pitch and laser exposure density used during fabrication. By increasing the laser exposure density and decreasing the layer pitch, the mechanical properties of the post-cured fiber-reinforced prototype can be improved, leading to the realization of end products with higher mechanical strengths and better dimensional accuracy.