Professional SLA 3D Printing Services in Houston, TX | ProTek Models & 3D Printing

More and more Houston-area businesses are discovering the advantages of 3D printing. ProTek Models & 3D Printing is a leading provider of professional 3D print services in Houston, TX. We have the capabilities to handle a wide range of 3D print jobs, including rapid prototyping, spare and custom auto parts, and urethane castings. We’ve handled 3D print projects for a wide range of clients, including NASA, Mitsubishi, Circor, Oceaneering, and more – contact us to find out how we can help your business take advantage of the benefits 3D printing offers.

In addition to state-of-the-art Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing, we also offer customers the option of the latest in SLA (Stereolithography) 3D printing technology as well. SLA 3D printing provides many advantages over other 3D printing technologies. The SLA process provides great surface finishes, high accuracy, fine detail, and fairly fast build times.

What is SLA 3D Printing?

Introduced way back in 1986, SLA is the original 3D printing technology. Up until recently, parts printed using SLA technology were infamous for being very fragile, heat-sensitive, brittle, and very UV unstable. Thanks to new technology, like LSPc (Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing) and the introduction of advanced production-grade resins, SLA 3D printing is giving the more established FDM process a run for the money.

SLA is a resin printing process that utilizes a method called vat photopolymerization. During the SLA process, a vat of liquid photopolymer resin is selectively cured, layer by layer, using an ultraviolet (UV) laser or other light source until the desired shape and dimensions are achieved. Thermoset polymers in the resin solidify in reaction to UV radiation.

What Are Some of The Advantages of SLA 3D Printing?

The SLA 3D printing process provides many advantages over traditional subtractive manufacturing methods:

• High resolution and detail, excellent for pieces with complex geometries and intricate surface features.
• Smooth surface finishing reduces the need for post-processing, polishing, and deburring.
• Many different types of resin materials, including standard resins, flexible resins, castable resins, and engineering-grade resins can be used.
• The SLA print process is faster than other 3D technologies.

SLA 3D Printing is Used for a Variety of Applications

With all these benefits, it’s little wonder that SLA is used for many applications. SLA is used in the research and design process to manufacture high-quality and detailed prototypes. Its high precision makes it excellent for the creation of custom dental models, crowns, and bridges. SLA is widely used in the jewelry industry to create detailed and intricate wax patterns for casting purposes. Industries like aerospace and automotive use SLA 3D printing to produce customized and lightweight components.

ProTek is Your Partner for Expert SLA 3D Printing Solutions in Houston, TX

ProTek provides fast, affordable SLA 3D printing services to businesses in Houston and all over the Lone Star State. We’ve been providing professional 3D printing solutions to businesses in a wide range of industries for nearly 20 years. No matter what your 3D printing needs – prototypes, small to medium production runs, custom parts, etc. – ProTek has the know-how and technology to handle just about any project.

In addition to SLA 3D printing services, Protek also sells NEXA3D and NXE400 3D printers.

You can contact ProTek Models & 3D Printing through our website or call us at (832) 968-6636 to discuss your 3D print project with our experienced team of engineers and designers.