Uniform Resin Curing in 3D Printing

High-performance 3D printing curing device with features to improve low temperature performance, odor control, and prevent cover detachment during printing. The device has an external heating plate around the resin storage box, powered by an internal battery and controlled by a board. This prevents resin solidification at low temps. An exhaust fan sucks and exhausts odors. A rotating mechanism clamps the cover to prevent falling during printing.

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Heating control method for 3D printers to improve print quality and avoid defects when using resin-based 3D printers. The method involves detecting the temperature of the resin in the print chamber and automatically heating it if needed. This prevents local hot spots and ensures even heating. The temperature is monitored during printing, and if it falls below a threshold, the resin is heated. If new resin is added, it's circulated to mix. This ensures the printed layer temperature is consistent, preventing issues like warping or incomplete curing.

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UV oven for curing 3D printed parts with improved clamping, curing efficiency, and heat dissipation. The oven has a box with clamping mechanism for holding the 3D printed part, UV lamp tubes, and ventilation system. The clamping mechanism has adjustable springs to accommodate parts of different sizes. The UV lamps are horizontally arranged on both sides of the part to maximize coverage. The ventilation system uses inert gas and fans to dissipate heat. This provides stable downward pressure, accurate rotation positioning, and uniform UV exposure for better 3D part curing.

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Precision projection frame for a light-curing 3D printer that ensures consistent curing of printed parts. The frame has a lifting mechanism with a telescoping cylinder, sliding frame, and rotating lamp holders. This allows adjusting the height of the curing light to match the build plate. The lamp holders can rotate to align the curing light for each layer. This prevents light variation across layers during curing.

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Using 3D printing to prepare thermosetting polymers with improved yield and ability to make complex shapes compared to traditional bulk polymerization methods. The process involves mixing the monomers, initiators, crosslinkers, etc. and pre-polymerizing them. Then, the slurry is 3D printed into the mold and polymerized in situ. This allows controlled polymerization without the explosive gel effect.

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Varying physical and mechanical properties of 3D-printed products using techniques like grayscale image stacks, adjusting light intensity, and varying post-print curing to create regions with different cure levels. This allows creating products with variable properties like elasticity, stiffness, and optical properties from a single resin, printing process, and curing process.

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Device for post-curing 3D printed objects that improves strength by minimizing oxygen during the curing process. The device uses nitrogen injection between the loading area and the UV LEDs to create a nitrogen environment for curing. The LED array has a central element surrounded by multiple elements spaced apart in a circular pattern. This ensures even UV distribution for balanced curing. The device also has features like rotating trays, heat sinks, coolers, and UV sensors.

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A device for post-curing 3D printed objects that uses nitrogen to improve strength by minimizing oxygen during curing. The device has a case with a loading area for the 3D printed object, surrounded by UV LEDs for curing. Nitrogen is supplied between the loading area and LEDs to create a nitrogen environment. This reduces oxygen concentration during curing to enhance the strength of the post-cured 3D printed objects. The device also has a heat sink, cooler, and cage to manage heat and contain the nitrogen.

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Using cyanate ester monomers for 3D printing without post-curing. The cyanate ester monomers, along with a photoinitiator and optionally an oxidizing agent, are used to create a polymerizable composition for 3D printing. The composition is heated above 70°C and then irradiated to initiate polymerization. The oxidizing agent shortens the polymerization time. The high-temperature curing allows 3D printing of cyanate ester polymers without post-curing.

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Using cyanate ester monomers in polymerizable compositions for 3D printing to create parts with good thermomechanical properties without post-curing. The cyanate ester monomers are cyclotrimerized through repeated cycloaddition reactions to form crosslinked polymers with triazine rings. The 3D printing process involves using a laser to selectively cure the cyanate ester resin layer by layer. This allows complex shapes to be printed without the need for energy-intensive thermal post-treatment. The cyanate ester monomers provide high glass transition temperatures, strength, and dimensional stability in the resulting printed parts.

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3D printing of carbon fiber reinforced thermosetting composites using UV curing with pre-curing to enable 3D printing of carbon fiber composites using UV curable resins. The method involves pre-curing the carbon fiber tow before 3D printing to cure the resin on the surface. An elliptical mirror system focuses UV light onto the carbon fiber tow as it passes through. This pre-cures the surface resin. The pre-cured tow is then printed using a 3D printer with a heated chamber to complete curing. The pre-curing ensures internal resin cure since UV can't penetrate carbon fiber.

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3D printing systems that enable precise and consistent curing of green parts (unfinished 3D printed parts) to reduce post-processing time and improve quality. The systems use sensors and feedback loops to monitor the curing process in real-time and adjust parameters like temperature, light intensity, and exposure duration as needed. This adaptive curing improves green part properties and reduces the need for subsequent post-processing steps. The systems can also use machine learning to optimize curing based on part geometry and material properties.

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Curing device and method for 3D printed objects that provides uniform curing of the inside and outside of 3D printed parts without issues like discoloration, deformation, or cracking. The curing device has a chamber that can be vacuum or non-vacuum. Light sources with UV and longer wavelength emitters are inside the chamber. The parts are cured first in air then vacuum to sequentially cure the inside and outside. This avoids overcuring on bends or cracks from internal curing. The vacuum removes oxygen hindrance for UV curing and the longer wavelength emitters enable thermal curing. The light sources are arranged on the chamber walls for uniform curing.

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Controlling temperature at the resin interface in an additive manufacturing process improves 3D printing quality and avoids issues like warping and delamination. The process involves independently heating the bulk resin, building chamber, and resin-interface layer to specific target temperatures. This allows selective curing of layers without disrupting the bulk resin temperature or building chamber environment.

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Dual curing resin for digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing that has improved mechanical properties compared to conventional DLP resins. The resin is a combination of light curable and thermally curable components. The light curable component is made of acrylate-based oligomers like soybean oil acrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, tripropylene glycol diacrylate, epoxy acrylate, and Bisphenol A epoxy. The thermally curable component is made of epoxy resins like cycloaliphatic epoxy and bisphenol A epoxy. By combining light and heat curing, the resin can have better mechanical properties compared to just light curing. The dual curing allows for 3D printing with improved strength and accuracy compared to pure light curing resins.

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3D printing of parts with improved mechanical properties and reduced warping. The method involves using a photopolymer composite ink with a dual-cure system that enables complete curing of each layer in a 3D printed object. The composite consists of a polymer matrix, inorganic fillers, and a combination of photo and thermal initiators. The dual-cure initiators allow the composite to be partially cured by UV light after each layer is printed and then fully cured by heat. This prevents uncured resin from accumulating stress and warping the part.

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Thermosetting material for 3D printing that can be used to make 3D printed objects with improved thermal and mechanical properties compared to existing thermosetting materials. The material contains specific compounds like epoxy resin A, elastomer-modified epoxy resin B, resin C with low viscosity at high temps, and curing agent D. This combination allows 3D printed objects with glass transition temperatures (Tg) and heat deflection temperatures (HDT) above 80°C, high resistance to chemicals and solvents, and good flame retardance and dielectric strength. The material also has reduced warping during printing, improved dimensional accuracy, and reduced agglomeration of powdered material.

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3D printing method using a two-component resin with improved print quality and success rate. The method involves thermally precuring the resin before UV curing. The resin composition contains photocurable resin, a thermosetting resin, a chain extender, and a thermal initiator. The thermosetting resin has blocked active groups. By precuring at 70-120°C for 10-30 minutes, the resin forms a loose network. Then UV curing creates a tight network. The precuring step improves print success and conversion during thermal curing.

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3D printing resin composition and printing method for creating 3D printed parts with improved strength, toughness, and aging resistance compared to traditional light-curing resins. The composition is a photo-thermal dual curing resin that combines UV curing and heat curing in a multi-step process. The resin contains a photocurable resin monomer, a thermosetting resin prepolymer, a chain extender, and a photoinitiator. First, UV curing forms a loose network. Then, UV curing again followed by heat curing completes the polymerization and forms a dense, compact interpenetrating network.

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Apparatus for dispensing and curing liquid media like resins for 3D printing and other applications. The apparatus has a nozzle to dispense the media, a microwave source to cure it, and a displacement assembly to move the nozzle relative to the workpiece. The microwave irradiation zone is between the nozzle and the reservoir, so curing happens before the media enters the workpiece. This allows moving the nozzle to fill complex molds without viscosity changes during curing. The media properties are also controlled by mixing and metering devices upstream of the irradiation zone. Moving the nozzle, dispensing, and curing simultaneously allows it to fill large molds with precise control for quality 3D printing.

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Optimizing exposure light distribution and intensity improves stereolithographic 3D printing efficiency and LED light source service life. The method uses a spatial light modulator like a micromirror array to expose the 3D printer's build area selectively. The modulator's mirror tilt angles are adjusted to even out exposure intensity across the build area. This way, all parts of the build area receive the same average intensity for optimal curing. Before each layer exposure, the modulator is brightened to ensure at least one mirror uses the full intensity range. This allows full utilization of the LED light source's power across the build area.

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High-efficiency 3D printing of thermosetting polymers using in-situ self-propagation curing. The method involves 3D printing thermosetting materials layer-by-layer without requiring post-curing. During printing, an exothermic reaction is initiated at the resin-air interface that polymerizes the resin in-situ. This eliminates the need for separate curing steps, reducing energy consumption compared to traditional thermoset 3D printing. The system includes a movable platform with an extruder head, a resin source, and a light source to transmit light to the resin-air interface.

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A method for three-dimensional lamination molding of objects using resin material that allows for flattening the resin before curing. The method involves iterative steps of discharging, flattening, and curing resin layers. The key aspect is using a roller to partially transfer and flatten the resin off the previous layer before curing. This helps prevent the build-up of droplets and unevenness that can occur when just discharging and curing resin on top of the resin.

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A constant temperature system for 3D printers that improves the quality and consistency of printed objects. The system uses an enclosed resin tank with a heating assembly and temperature sensor. The heating assembly is placed inside the tank and connected to an external control box. The control box monitors the temperature sensor and can heat the resin to a desired level. This allows precise control of resin temperature during printing, preventing issues like cold starts or uneven curing. The enclosed tank prevents rapid heat dissipation and uneven heating. The heating assembly can also have a silicone heating belt embedded in the tank walls for more even heating.

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DLP 3D printing method using a specialized resin that enables complete curing and demolding without post-processing. The method involves making a photothermal double initiation printing polymer using monomers, thermal initiator, photoinitiator, and light absorber. During DLP printing, heating rods are preheated to specific temperatures corresponding to the printing pattern of each layer. The bottom plate is then moved to print at the set light curing time. This preheating allows complete curing without post-processing. The heating rods are progressively hotter per layer to compensate for the bottom plate's cooler starting temperature.

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A 3D printing composite material rapid solidification integrated device that can be used in a laboratory to efficiently and safely cure 3D printed composite materials. The device integrates multiple curing methods like infrared, ultraviolet, and heat solidification. It has a base, curing light module, workbench, motion regulation, and control module. The modules are integrated on the base, with a display screen for user interaction. The curing light can adjust height, and the workbench slides horizontally. A feedback unit measures light intensity and temperature. The control module drives the curing process based on feedback. This allows precise and comprehensive curing of 3D printed composites in a closed lab environment.

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A 3D printer that uses cumulative illumination along a specific path to achieve higher resolution than conventional layer-by-layer printing. The printer has a tank of photocurable resin, a spatial light modulator (SLM) below it, and a positioning stage to move the SLM. The SLM selectively delivers light to regions of the resin while stepping along a path with overlap. An algorithm generates the path and illumination pattern to cure subpixel-sized regions. This allows cumulative exposure with lower energy per pixel than conventional layer printing, enabling subpixel resolution.

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Selectively post curing 3D-printed objects to create cured objects with variable properties. The method involves using a post-curing chamber with a movable light source to selectively expose different regions of the 3D-printed object to curing light along a predetermined curing path. By curing the object along this path, variable properties like color, opacity, strength, or modulus can be achieved in different regions of the cured object.

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System and method for removing uncured resin from 3D printed parts prior to final curing to avoid unevenly cured areas. The system uses a rotating device to move the printed part within an enclosed space shielded from UV light. The rotation allows uncured resin trapped in cavities to drain out. After draining, the part can be safely and fully cured without the risk of uneven curing due to trapped resin.

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Optimizing additive manufacturing processes improves 3D printing quality and prevents damage to parts during fabrication. The optimization involves implementing several operations, including tailored separation forces based on layer overhangs, reducing adhesion forces as resin containers wear, waiting after squishing to prevent deformation, and using controlled curing to avoid partially cured resin. This helps produce higher-quality parts with fewer defects.

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A method for 3D printing transparent objects using UV-curable resins that improves transparency and reduces artifacts compared to conventional methods. The key steps are: 1. Using a photocurable resin with excess photoinitiator. 2. 3D printing the object as normal, leaving unreacted photoinitiator in the printed part. 3. Post-processing by illuminating the printed part to initiate the unreacted photoinitiator and complete curing. This extra curing step using the same UV wavelength as printing removes residual initiator and improves transparency compared to just printing. The excess initiator helps in Z-axis resolution to prevent light leaking between layers.

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A 3D printing method that uses a dual curing system to improve the properties and performance of 3D printed parts made from photopolymer composites. The method involves adding a thermal initiator to the resin premix along with the UV initiator. This allows thermal polymerization to occur along with UV curing when the resin is extruded and irradiated during printing. The dual curing reduces anisotropy and improves mechanical properties compared to just UV curing.

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3D printing using photocurable resin with improved print speed and efficiency by immersible heating during printing. A heating module with a temperature sensor is moved inside the resin container during printing to heat and reflow the resin after each layer is cured. This prevents voids and enables faster printing compared to waiting for resin reflow. The heating module is detachable and can also stir the resin. The temperature sensor ensures accurate resin temperature control.

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3D printing system with a moving printing head and curing system that allows fast and flexible printing of complex objects. The system uses a moving extruding head and a curing system with multiple angled curing sources focused on a small focal point. The curing system rotates and adjusts intensity during printing based on feedback to prevent collisions. The moving head and curing system are synchronized and positioned accurately to cure extruded material without collisions.

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Controlling the material properties of 3D printed objects using a stereolithography 3D printer that can adjust the curing degree of the photocurable resin by varying the light intensity during printing. The brightness of the output image for stereolithography printing is adjusted to control the degree of curing. This allows creating gradient materials with varying hardness, flexibility, etc. by selectively curing regions with different light intensities. The brightness can be discontinuously or continuously changed in the in-plane or thickness direction. The method involves dividing the photocurable resin into hard and soft regions connected by a transition with varying brightness. The hardness of the material can be calculated based on the brightness.

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A 3D printing system that enables successful fabrication of high-viscosity materials like zirconia using a bottom-up printing method. The system has features to improve fluidity, curing depth, and surface quality of high-viscosity materials. It uses a heating bat to maintain the material at an elevated temperature. This reduces viscosity for easier printing. The bat has a cylindrical shape with sidewalls that contain the material. A heatable member in the center heats the material. The printing platform and resin tank can also be heated to lower viscosity. A triple-edged blade with a material inlet flattens the material surface and recoats without descending the platform. This reduces blur and minimizes measurement errors.

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3D printing system that allows parallel printing and curing of thermally curable binders to significantly reduce the time needed to generate green parts for sintering. The system enables simultaneous application of the binder agent and curing of the printed layers instead of sequential steps. This is achieved by using a 3D printer that can heat the build platform to cure the binder while printing the next layer. The binder agent has a curing temperature above the boiling point of its carrier liquids to prevent evaporation during printing. This allows the binder to be cured in place as it's applied, avoiding the need for separate curing steps. The heated platform and parallel curing enable faster green part generation compared to traditional sequential printing and curing.

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Efficient curing method for 3D printed parts using a heating device inside the printer's build chamber. The method involves printing the part as normal, but after completion, a heating module is placed inside the chamber to cure the part. This allows using binders like phenolic resins, inorganic binders, and metal binders that require high temperatures to function. The infrared heating device inside the chamber provides uniform penetrating heat to fully cure the printed part.

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Special curing device for 3D printed resin models that allows precise curing without cleaning. The device has a rotating support plate that holds the model and a curing lamp mounted in the host. The lamp can rotate around the model as it spins to provide even curing from all angles. The device has a separate compartment for the lamp to prevent dust contamination. This allows focused curing without the need for integrated cleaning functions.

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Curing device for 3D printing resins that improves the quality of 3D printed parts by providing mechanisms for mixing, impurity removal, and discharging inside the device. The device has a rotating ring with a bevel frame, discharge mechanism, impurity removal mechanism, and stirring mechanism. The discharge mechanism has a steering rod, telescopic frame, and rotating chassis. This allows efficient mixing, impurity removal, and discharge of the resin during 3D printing to improve part quality.

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A curing machine for 3D printers that provides uniform curing of printed objects using adjustable LED lamps to avoid uneven hardness and glossiness. The machine has a rotating cover over a side compartment to create a dust-free environment. Inside the compartment, a motorized screw mechanism adjusts the height of a curing lamp. A driven wheel connects to the lamp and is driven by a second motor to rapidly rotate the lamp around the printed object for even curing. This prevents dead spots from the unidirectional UV light used in some 3D printers.

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Curing and modifying the surface of 3D printed parts by immersing them in a hot liquid bath. This involves submerging green 3D printed parts containing reactive moieties in a liquid bath at high temperature to polymerize and cure the reactive regions. It also allows adding reactive molecules to react with the 3D printed part surface. The immersion process reduces adhesion and cleaning needs compared to traditional post-processing. The high temperature bath promotes curing and modifies the surface texture. It also allows coatings like slippery films to be applied.

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A method and device for 3D printing using thermosetting resins like epoxy instead of traditional thermoplastics. The process involves extruding the thermosetting resin through a single-screw nozzle and curing it layer by layer using lasers. The extrusion system provides enough shear and heat to mix the resin and curing agent. The lasers then cure the printed layers. This allows 3D printing of thermosetting resins with improved properties compared to thermoplastics.

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A 3D printer that can effectively print using resins with controlled viscosity. The printer has a resin tank surrounded by a guide with a thermoelectric element inside. The element can heat or cool the resin tank based on temperature sensors. This allows selective heating/cooling to properly control resin viscosity during printing. The guide also has insulation and heat sinks to distribute temperature evenly.

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3D printing system that enables forming polymeric objects with customized material properties in each layer. The system allows selective temperature control of the resin before curing to tune the final material properties. The resin is heated, applied to a carrier, cooled, then cured layer by layer. This allows forming objects with regions having different physical properties like elongation, modulus, stress, glass transition temperature, etc. The system has elements like temperature-controlling elements, light sources, and carrier platforms to enable spatially controlled temperature zones for the resin before curing.

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3D printing method for making fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) preforms that can be used to create complex shapes for composite parts like aircraft and vehicle components. The method involves 3D printing double-curable resin-coated fibers containing both UV curable and thermosetting components. The UV curable component is cured first, partially curing the fibers. Then the fibers are brought into contact and cured further using UV light. This allows the fibers to adhere together. The 3D printer moves the print head to build up the preform shape. By partially curing the UV component, it allows the fibers to be repositioned and adjusted during printing. This reduces cycle time compared to full UV curing. The thermosetting component is fully cured during post-forming processes like resin transfer molding.

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A method for 3D printing using ink extrusion and near-infrared (NIR) light curing that allows high-resolution, fast, and efficient 3D printing of large structures without collapsing. The method involves extruding the ink from a printing nozzle and curing it with NIR light. The curing time is kept short by ensuring the NIR light diameter, nozzle movement speed, and ink extrusion speed are in a certain ratio. This prevents the core from undercuring while allowing multiple structures to be cured simultaneously. The ink contains resins, monomers, photoinitiators, thixotropic agents, fillers, and upconversion materials. The upconversion materials convert lower energy NIR light into higher energy visible light to initiate polymerization.

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Resin handling improvements for a resin-based additive manufacturing device like a 3D printer that deposits and cures resin layers to build objects. The improvements include a resin conditioning system to optimize resin quality, a scraper system to collect unused resin for reuse, and a foil flattening device to keep the build substrate flat. The conditioning system controls resin properties like viscosity and humidity. The scraper system collects unused resin after each layer. The foil flattening device keeps the flexible substrate flat during printing.

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A light-heat dual curing 3D printing method that enables producing 3D printed objects with improved toughness. The method involves a two-stage curing process using different mechanisms. First, 3D printing is done using a light-curable resin. Then, the printed object is heated and cured using a thermally curable epoxy resin. This dual curing process provides better toughness compared to just using light curing or thermal curing alone. The initial light-curing step with a flexible polyurethane acrylate allows the object to retain flexibility below room temperature. The subsequent thermal curing with an epoxy resin completes the crosslinking and hardening.

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3D printing curing machine that enables uniform curing of 3D printed objects using rotating UV light modules and containers. The machine has a housing with a rotatable curing container and multiple UV light modules that can rotate relative to the container. This allows the UV light to surround and cure the object from all angles as it rotates. The container and lights can be enclosed in a rotatable inner cavity of the housing. The container can also be detachable for easy filling and removal. A timing module controls the UV light and rotation sequence. A transparent mask allows viewing inside.

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