Micro photoforming fabrication using a liquid hollow shaped by pressure difference and surface tension

In this paper, the development of a free surface-based stereolithography sy stem for micro machine manufacturing has been reported. A real-time surface control, hollow surface control, is proposed to overcome viscosity and sur face tension of a resin in order to yield a thin free surface layer and att ain a high accuracy in the Z direction. The concave hollow is formed beneat h the nozzle of a tube, which is inserted upside down into the photocurable resin vat. The bottom of the hollow is. used as the building surface. The depth of the hollow surface is determined by the height of the free surface of liquid resin in the vat. Because cured parts are free from contact with any mechanical structure above, it is possible to manufacture flexible mic rostructures. The system was developed, and some models were designed and b uilt.