Experimental mechanical characterization of parts manufactured by sla and dlp technologies

Since the beginnings of additive manufacturing (AM) in the 1980s, vat polymerization was the first and most intensively developing technology that enabled the production of very precise parts from photosensitive polymer resins. One of the most studied polymer materials is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), but mostly in the form of filaments for the FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) process. The objective of this research was to investigate in detail the mechanical properties of ABS resin specimens fabricated by stereo lithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP). Specimen geometries were based on standards for tensile, threepoint bending, and compression tests. By combining deformation and mechanical tests with optical microscopic analyses of the morphology and fracture surface structures, as well as Shore A hardness measurements, a deeper insight into the behaviour of commercially available ABS resins was gained.