Getting Started with 3D Printing, 2nd Edition

THE THREE TYPES OF RESIN PRINTERS: LASER, DLP,

AND MASKED SLA

Laser-based SLA printers trace out the curing path of the resin with a laser.

DLP (digital light processing printers project the black and white shape of the

layer directly onto the build plate (where “white” gets cured and “black” is not

cured). mSLA (masked SLA) printers have a uniform light source on the bottom,

and an LCD screen between the light and the vat turns either black (opaque) or

“off” to allow light in specific shapes through, one layer at a time. The following

chart explains the strengths and drawbacks of each type of printer.

As a general statement, resin printers, per ...