Smooth surface finish with Pixel Shifting

Projectors deliver light in square-shaped pixels, which creates volumetric pixels, or voxels, as resin cures.

Along curved edges, however, square pixels create a jagged edge – what the industry often refers to as “stair stepping.”

As the size of printed objects and build volumes increase, stair stepping becomes more pronounced.

ETEC printers use patented pixel-shifting technology to move pixels at the edge of parts half a pixel in both the X and Y directions, cutting stair-stepping by half and delivering significantly improved surface finish.

Smooth surface finish with Pixel Tuning

Anti-aliasing technologies are ubiquitous today — used virtually everywhere digital images appear, from cell phones to TV screens and more.

ETEC brings the same technology to the 3D realm by using anti-aliasing techniques at the edge of print layers to improve surface finish. Since voxels grow from the center of a part to the edges, applying less power to these outside pixels ensures they only  grow to the desired edge of the part and not beyond. (Less power = slower polymerization growth)

Called pixel tuning, that process dramatically reduces pixelation on the edges of parts, resulting in a surface finish that requires little to no post-processing.

Smooth surface finish with CDLM and Top-down Printing

Most forms of DLP require each layer to be peeled off the film between each layer as the build plate moves up. As each layer is peeled, a small lip is formed on the part, which roughens the surface finish.

The patented CDLM process of the Envision One and top-down printing of the Xtreme 8K eliminate the need for peeling. With no peeling, lipping does not occur, resulting in a significantly better surface finish than other DLP processes. 

During top-down printing, parts are fully submerged in the resin. With the parts supported by the resin, fewer support structures are needed, ultimately resulting in a better final surface finish.

Superior part properties with New Backbone Chemistry

For decades, polymer 3D printing has been used for prototyping and tooling applications, but the technology hasn’t been widely adopted for the production of end-use parts.

One key to unlocking those end-use applications is the ability to create long-chain molecules in printed parts, resulting in significantly improved material properties, including isotropic strength – a key factor for many end-use parts.

ETEC printers and the DLP process include a number of hardware features – including high-powered projectors, custom-designed optics that minimize power loss– ensuring the creation of those long-chain molecules.

Superior part properties with Isotropic Material Properties

Isotropic material properties are essential for end-use components, but until recently have rarely been achievable with polymer 3D printing.

With FDM printing, very weak mechanical – not chemical – bonds form between each layer, resulting in anisotropic properties, or greater weakness along the Z axis than on the X or Y axes. This lack of uniformity has long kept FDM parts from being used as end-use parts.

With DLP printing, by comparison, each layer is left in a slightly uncured state, allowing it to chemically bond with the next layer as it prints. That bonding helps to create long chain polymers throughout parts, resulting in truly isotropic parts which are strong enough for end-use applications, and rival the properties of injection molded parts.

Superior part properties with 385nm Wavelength

All UV-curable resins require the addition of photoinitiators to start the polymerization process. Resins cured with 385-nm wavelength light require significantly less than many other materials, because the 385-nm wavelength is where absorption peaks for most common photoinitiators.  Limiting the amount of photoinitiator in a part is particularly important for clear materials, because higher concentrations of photoinitiator result in parts with a yellow tint. 

Easy to use Software-Controlled Workflow

The software that powers all ETEC printers, Envision One Rapid Prototype (RP) simplifies the process of setting up and starting a print.

With optimized support strategies for every material and automatic part orientation calculation, Envision One RP helps ensure printing success. For users who want more control over prints, the software allows for manual editing of a range of support parameters, including tip thickness, beam thickness, beam spacing and more.

To help increase productivity, prints can even be started remotely.

Easy to use Fast Material Switching

With the ability to swap between any of ETEC’s 190-plus materials in just minutes, users can tailor their material choice to each specific application.

All ETEC materials come in a single pot, with no two-pot mixing required, simplifying the process of adding resin to the printer.

While the short shelf life of many competitor resins means they must be used within hours of being opened, all ETEC materials feature shelf lives of more than a year, ensuring no material ever goes to waste.