Prediction of the deformed geometry of vat photo-polymerized components using a multi-physical modeling framework

Abstract In photopolymerization-based additive manufacturing a complex interplay exists between the vat photopolymerization process characteristics and the (photo-active) resin’s material properties, which governs the trajectory from the input target geometry to the resulting true geometry of a printed component. Particularly for fine featured geometries, there might be a clear mismatch between the latter two. Determining whether the entire component is printable can only be properly assessed through a test-print. The current work proposes an alternative modeling-driven route, which, after system and material characterization, facilitates predicting the geometrical defects of the resulting solidified component (including deformation). This is enabled through a coupled multi-physical modeling of irradiation, photopolymerization, solidification and chemical shrinkage.