Faculty ProjectsRapid SLA 3D Printing for Project-Based Curriculum
Project Manager
Michael Beltran, Senior Lecturer; Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering
Amount Requested
$26,867.35
Summary
A set of four newly released Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers are proposed to be installed in the 3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping lab, to support the concurrent offering of additive manufacturing curriculum and production operations of the 3D Printing lab. SLA printing is a unique, low cost offering of the 3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping lab, as it requires additional lab safety that typical desktop 3D printing does not require, preventing it from being broadly deployed on campus. SLA 3D printing offers very high-resolution, low-cost printing in materials that replicate common plastic uses, even capable of printing high strength metal-forming tools, as well as biocompatible and flexible materials. However, current models in the RP lab utilize a slow method of SLA printing – newly released models from Formlabs offer a 3-5x increase in speed, which would support the ever-growing production demand to support course and research use, while concurrently permitting student use offered through various curriculum courses.
In the fast-moving field of additive manufacturing, access to quick production using high fidelity materials would is critical in supporting the growth of student use and is a cornerstone in supporting Northwestern as a leader in design and manufacturing curriculum, maker culture, and state of the art facilities. The undergraduate student experience may continue to be enhanced by providing access to state-of-the-art technology, preparing students with advanced design and manufacturing experience for their future careers.
Learn more about the newly released SLA 3D printers.
Planned Activities/Investments
The 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping lab is the primary 3D printing facility at Northwestern, offering low-cost and rapid production of prototype parts for curriculum projects, research activities, and entrepreneurial endeavors. The lab seeks to offer quick production of parts, while offering a broad range of additive manufacturing processes at a lower cost than can be found outside of the university. Production is accomplished through a set of 2-4 undergraduate and graduate student staff in the lab, with supervision by a faculty director, offering drop-in office hours throughout each week.
Currently, the 3D Printing lab offers various additive manufacturing processes capable of utilizing multiple materials and printing methods. These processes include Stereolithography (SLA) resin-based printing, Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). However, a major limitation of most production methods is speed – single parts may be produced quickly. With that said, student demand is frequently for multiple parts and quantities, resulting in multiple-day lead times. During times of high demand when multiple students, courses and projects all require high fidelity prototypes, the lab is currently unable to meet production speed needs, particularly for SLA prototypes. Newer technologies in other types of 3D printing, such as FDM have recently been upgraded to offer around a four-fold increase in speeds, however this printing process suffers from a lack of advanced materials to meet rapidly growing high fidelity and performance requirements of student projects. Students are thus only able to produce low-fidelity parts quickly, or higher fidelity components at a slower rate.
SLA printing offers a wide range of advanced high-quality materials which are cured by UV light from a liquid resin. However current technologies in the 3D Printing lab utilize an outdated slow single point layer exposure method. A recent shift in technology to a full-layer exposure method now offers the same scale of increase in speed – which opens the door to a high-fidelity, high-speed process with low costs. This proposal is to replace our current Formlabs Form 3 printers with new Form 4 Masked-Stereolithography (MSLA) 3D printers to significantly increase the production capacity of SLA printing in the 3D Printing Lab, enabling high fidelity, quick production times for high-performing, functional material components.
Impact
The replacement of current machines with this improved SLA process would fill a much-needed gap in production speed and capacity within the lab, particularly during times of high demand where the lab must balance machine use by student use in 3D printing courses and production for broader McCormick and university student needs. Similarly, faster throughput of SLA parts will permit the lab to support larger undergraduate courses which seek to offer 3D printing as part of a curriculum – classes with enrollment above approximately 20 students will now be able to utilize lab printing services for course prototyping or testing projects, with lead times that are reasonable for a 10-week course.
Undergraduate and Graduate Students in curriculum: The DSGN 348 3D printing class (30 students per year), along with project courses such as: DTC (300+ students per quarter) , Senior Capstone in MechE, MaDE, and BME (100+ students per quarter), Farley Center project Courses, DSGN 384-1 and 2, DSGN 308, DSGN 360, ME 333, ME 433, and MPD & MMM project courses.
Undergraduate and Graduate Researchers: Similar to curriculum needs, researchers will benefit from faster turnaround time, particularly during high demand times, of low-cost and high-fidelity SLA prototypes. This will continue to support the use of SLA printing in areas such as robotics and medical fields. Small batch manufacturing will also permit for larger scale experimentation by permitting larger quantities or parts to be produced.
Student Entrepreneurs will benefit in similar ways to both curriculum and research, with faster throughput and enabling of small batch manufacturing to conduct small product runs.
Impact on each group may be evaluated by examining the overall quantity of parts produced by the lab, and surveying how improved lead times and SLA printing improves final project deliverables.
Sustainability
The 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Lab is a university recharge center – a self-funded lab with income derived from charges per part produced. These funds are used for maintenance and repair of 3D printers, as well as materials purchasing. A cost structure for the Formlabs Form 4 printers will be developed based on materials costs per liter of printing resin, labor, and overhead based on university standards for recharge center pricing. Cost structures are evaluated each year to maintain low costs, balanced with costs of maintenance and unexpected repair.
Deliverables
- Purchase four Formlabs Form 4 SLA 3D printers and install in the Rapid Prototyping Lab. Lab staff will be instructed on use to offer capability to all lab users.
- Improve production capacity & lead times in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping lab to support the curriculum, research, and entrepreneurial user base, and promote the use of high-fidelity, low-cost materials in SLA printing to enhance project & prototype outcomes.
- Continue to demonstrate Northwestern and McCormick’s leadership in undergraduate design and manufacturing student experience by enabling student access to low cost, fast, advanced manufacturing capabilities supporting curriculum, maker-culture, and researchers.
Budget Overview
- $23,196.00 – 4x Formlabs 4 3D Printers
- 2 Formlabs Form 4 Printer Packages – Standard materials production capability
- 2 Formlabs Form 4B Printer Packages – Biomedical + Standard materials production capability
- All post-processing washing and curing equipment needed for basic production
- $9,168.00 – Resin Materials for Standard, Engineering, and Biomedical Production
- 2x 1L cartridges of 6 standard resins, 9 engineering resins, and 7 biomedical resins to match current materials options in the lab. Resin for new form 4 printers is incompatible with currently used form 3 resin.
- $2,235.00 – Resin Print Trays and Platforms
- Each new resin must utilize a dedicated printing tray and mixing tools. A flex build platform for each printer is also requested to permit flat-orientation printing, and easy part removal.
Total Budget Amount: $34,867.35
Matching Funds
$8,000 in matching funds to assist in the purchase of the Formlabs Fuse1 SLS Printer package have been committed by:
- ME 398 Capstone Course Funds - $4,000
- 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Lab Operational Funds - $4,000