Abstract
In this paper, we developed a 3D printing system using a photo-curing resin in order to reduce the surface roughness of a sculpture produced with the 3D printer. Using the pattern of the resulting variable thickness, that gave rise to a stepped shape, and the area error of the photo-curable sculpture, a study was carried out for the process to reduce the surface roughness. At a given value of stage velocity (40~70 mm/s) and output air pneumatic pressure (20~60 kPa), the minimum pattern thickness of the pattern was achieved $65{\mu}m$ and the maximum pattern thickness of up to $175{\mu}m$. To increases the pattern resolution to about $40{\mu}m$, the process conditions should be optimized. 3D surface Nano profiler was used to find the surface roughness of the sculpture that was measured to be minimum $4.7{\mu}m$ and maximum $8.7{\mu}m$. The maximum surface roughness was reduced about $1.2{\mu}m$ for the maximum thickness of the pattern. In addition, a FDM was used to fabricate the same sculpture and its surface roughness measurements were also taken for comparison with the one fabricated using photo-curing. Same process conditions were used for both fabrication setups in order to perform the comparison efficiently. The surface roughness of the photo-curable sculpture is $5.5{\mu}m$ lower than the sculpture fabricated using FDM. A certain circuit patterns was formed on the laminated surface of the photo-curable sculpture while there was no stable pattern on the laminated surface of the FDM based sculpture the other hand.
