Continuous Vat Photopolymerisation Dead Zones: Oxygen Transport, Membrane State, Heat and Print-Speed Limits

Continuous vat photopolymerisation replaces a discrete separation cycle with sustained growth above a liquid interface. Its apparent simplicity hides a coupled transport problem: inhibitor supply must preserve a non-adhering zone, reactive species must still form above it, resin must feed the growing cross-section, heat must leave the reaction region, and the window or membrane must retain its optical, mechanical and permeation state. A speed demonstrated for one geometry is therefore not a universal machine capability.

This review defines a non-compensatory qualification framework for oxygen-mediated dead zones and related continuous interfaces. It separates dead-zone existence from usable process clearance, treats membrane state and thermal history as controlled inputs, and requires geometry-specific limits for cure, feed, suction, heat and part mechanics. The outcome is not a headline velocity but a bounded operating envelope with explicit stop criteria.

3Dresyns Engineering Review ER-247, version 0.2.