LCD and DLP are two different resin-based 3D printing technologies used in vat polymerization. While both technologies use a light source to cure the resin, they differ in the way the light is projected.
LCD 3D Printing: LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) printing employs an array of LEDs that emit UV light, which passes through an LCD screen.
The LCD screen acts as a mask, selectively revealing the current layer for curing while blocking the rest.
This process flashes complete layers at the resin tank. LCD printing is known for its cost-effectiveness and is suitable for producing large, detailed functional parts.
It is often used for mass manufacturing and resin 3D printers with larger build trays.
DLP 3D Printing: DLP (Digital Light Processing) printing utilizes a digital light projector as the light source.
The key component in DLP printers is the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), which consists of thousands of micromirrors arranged in a semiconductor chip matrix.
These micromirrors manipulate the light beam projected by the digital light projector, creating the desired curing patterns layer by layer.
Both LCD and DLP technologies enable the gradual formation of objects by curing the liquid resin layer by layer, allowing for the creation of intricate and precise 3D printed models.