RepRapMicron Debuts PIKA UV Head for 9 µm Resin Printing
The PIKA UV Head uses a single-mode fiber trimmed with a hacksaw and a 3W UV LED module to cure standard SLA resin in place.
RepRapMicron, also known as µRepRap, has introduced the PIKA UV Head, a UV print head that creates 3D structures in-situ in UV resin with a resolution of about 9 µm. The project's announcement was reported by hackaday.com.
The head relies on off-the-shelf components. Its assembly uses a single-mode fiber patch cord trimmed with a hacksaw, combined with a 3W UV LED module to cure SLA resin.
Testing used regular eSun Standard Resin. Completed prints need the usual SLA post-processing: liquid resin is cleaned off the part and the fiber before curing.
Overhangs remain a weak spot, which the project says it will address in future revisions.
Background
RepRapMicron is a microscopic counterpart to the RepRap project, which applied open-source, self-replicating principles to macroscale manufacturing.
Quick answers
What is the PIKA UV Head?
It is a UV print head from the RepRapMicron project that uses off-the-shelf optical fiber and UV LED modules to create 3D structures in-situ in UV resin.
What resolution does the PIKA UV Head achieve?
It reaches a resolution of about 9 µm.
Which resin was used with the PIKA UV Head?
The project used regular eSun Standard Resin.