What AM process uses a controlled ultraviolet (UV) laser to cure specialized liquid plastic or resin?

The process that uses a controlled ultraviolet (UV) laser to cure specialized liquid plastic or resin is known as vat photopolymerization. This technology is based on the principle of photopolymerization, where light is employed to initiate a chemical reaction that transforms liquid photopolymer resin into a solid structure layer by layer.

In vat photopolymerization, a build platform is submerged in a vat of liquid resin. The UV laser selectively targets specific areas of the resin to solidify it, creating the desired shapes and features of the object. This method allows for high precision and detail in the final printed products, making it well-suited for applications that require intricate design, such as dental and jewelry industries.

Fused deposition modeling involves extruding thermoplastic material to build parts layer by layer, and selective laser melting utilizes a laser to melt powdered metal to form solid parts, neither of which involves curing liquid resin with a UV laser. Digital light processing also employs light to cure resin, but it utilizes a digital light projector instead of a UV laser for the curing process. Thus, vat photopolymerization is the specific process characterized by the use of a controlled UV laser for curing liquid plastic or resin.