Experimental study of post‐build cure of stereolithography polymers for injection molds

Abstract

A common procedure for processing stereolithography epoxy injection molds includes a one hour post‐cure in a UV chamber. This research investigates the degree of cure achieved in the UV chamber and the degree of cure achieved by heating in a thermal oven. It is hypothesized that a more fully cured mold is harder and hence will produce more parts before failure. This research investigates various post‐cure processes and suggests a post‐cure strategy to achieve this end.