Stereolithography apparatus and resin receptacle

A bottom-up stereolithography apparatus comprising a support surface and a vat assembly for forming a vat, the vat having a transparent bottom film, the vat being configured to be placed on the support surface to receive and hold a resin curable by electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the vat through the transparent bottom film thereof;

• the vat assembly comprising a circumferential first frame part having a first lower surface defining a bottom level of the vat assembly, and a circumferential first inner side surface extending from the first lower surface to an upper level elevated from the bottom level in a thickness direction of the circumferential first frame part and defining a recess within the circumferential first frame part;
• wherein the apparatus comprises an air channel and an evacuating arrangement configured to suck air from the recess of the circumferential first frame part via the air channel;
• whereby a receptacle, at least partially formed of a transparent film material and comprising a bowl may be placed in the vat assembly with the bowl in the recess so that, with the thereby formed vat being placed on the support surface with the first lower surface of the circumferential first frame part against the support surface, air can be evacuated from the recess via the air channel to stretch the bowl against the support surface and the circumferential first inner side surface, the part of the receptacle, which then lies against the support surface, forming the transparent bottom film of the vat, the receptacle at least partially formed of a transparent film material and comprising a bowl, the receptacle being configured to be placed in the vat assembly with the bowl in the recess of the vat assembly to form a vat, with the bowl of the receptacle in the recess formed by the circumferential first inner side surface of the circumferential first frame part;
• the bowl being stretched against the support surface and the circumferential first inner side surface by means of vacuum formed by evacuating air from the recess via the air channel;
• the part of the receptacle, which then lies against the support surface, forming the transparent bottom film of the thereby formed vat.

A method of forming a vat, the method comprising

• placing a receptacle at least partially formed of a transparent film material and comprising a bowl in a vat assembly of a stereolithography apparatus, the stereolithography apparatus comprising a support surface and a vat assembly for forming a vat the vat having a transparent bottom film the vat being configured to be placed on the support surface to receive and hold a resin curable by electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the vat through the transparent bottom film thereof;
• the vat assembly comprising a circumferential first frame part having a first lower surface defining a bottom level of the vat assembly, and a circumferential first inner side surface extending from the first lower surface to an upper level elevated from the bottom level in a thickness direction of the circumferential first frame part and defining a recess within the circumferential first frame part;
• wherein the apparatus comprises an air channel and an evacuating arrangement configured to suck air from the recess of the circumferential first frame part via the air channel;
• whereby a receptacle, at least partially formed of a transparent film material and comprising a bowl may be placed in the vat assembly with the bowl in the recess so that, with the thereby formed vat being placed on the support surface with the first lower surface of the circumferential first frame part against the support surface, air can be evacuated from the recess via the air channel to stretch the bowl against the support surface and the circumferential first inner side surface, the part of the receptacle, which then lies against the support surface, forming the transparent bottom film of the vat with the bowl of the receptacle in the recess formed by the circumferential first inner side surface of the circumferential first frame part;
• and
• evacuating air from the recess via the air channel to stretch the bowl against the support surface and the circumferential first inner side surface, the part of the receptacle, which then lies against the support surface, forming the transparent bottom film of the vat.