If you’ve ever sent a 3D print off to be made, you know there’s more to getting a functional part than hitting “print” and waiting. At our SLA printing shop, we get this question all the time: “How long does the curing process take for SLA printed parts?” It’s not a one-size-fits-all answer, honestly—there are so many small details that change things. Let’s break it down like we would chatting at the shop floor, no stuffy jargon, just real info you can actually use. SLA Printing
First, let’s recap what SLA is, quick, for anyone who might be new here. Stereolithography (that’s the full term, but everyone just says SLA) uses a UV laser to cure liquid resin layer by layer, right? But wait—when the printer is done spitting out the part, it’s still got this sticky, uncured resin on the surface, and the tiny layers only have a surface cure, not full. That’s where the post-print curing comes in. It’s like baking a cake: you mix the batter (print the part), put it in the oven (cure station), and wait for it to firm up fully so it doesn’t crumble the second you touch it.
Now, the big question: time. Why can’t I just say “it takes X hours”? Because it depends on three main things: the type of resin you’re using, the size and thickness of your part, and the curing station we use here. Let’s go through each one, because that’s where most people get tripped up.
First up, resin type. Not all SLA resins are the same. We stock a bunch—rigid resins for snaps and claps, flexible ones for gaskets, high-temperature resins for parts that sit near heat, even casting resins for jewelry. Each reacts differently to UV light. For example, our standard rigid resin (we use this for most prototypes) needs about 10 to 15 minutes in our standard cure station. But if someone uses a high-temperature resin—say, for a part that’s going to sit on a car engine or a 3D printer hotend—we have to bump that up to 20 to 30 minutes. Those resins have bigger molecules, so they need more UV exposure to crosslink fully. Then there’s flexible resin, like the kind you use for phone cases or seal rings. That one? It’s trickier. Too much UV and it gets brittle, not enough and it’s still sticky. We usually do two short cycles: 5 minutes on each side, total 10 minutes, because flexible resins don’t absorb UV the same way rigid ones do. Oh, and casting resin? That’s a whole thing—we cure those for 15 to 20 minutes, but after that we do a quick wash with isopropyl alcohol to get all the leftover resin out before casting, so that adds a tiny bit of time if you’re planning on using it for metal casting.
Next, part size and thickness. If you print a tiny test part—like a 1cm gear for a toy robot—vs. a big bracket for a factory machine that’s 20cm thick, the difference is nuts. Small, thin parts cure super fast. A 2cm cubed part? 10 minutes, easy. But a big, thick part? Let’s say a 10cm tall structural bracket with solid sections. The UV light has to penetrate all the way through the part, not just the outside. If you only cure it for 10 minutes, the inside might still be soft, and when you try to machine it or drill a hole, it’ll crack. We’ve learned this the hard way—had a customer send a big thick bracket once, we only cured it for 12 minutes, and when their machinist tapped a thread, it split right down the middle. Oops, that was a bad day for both of us. Now we check every big part: if it’s thicker than 10mm, we add 5 to 10 minutes per extra 5mm of thickness. That 10cm bracket? Probably 30 to 40 minutes, split evenly on front and back so both sides get equal UV. Also, hollow parts vs. solid? A hollow part with thin walls (like a pipe or a housing for a sensor) cures faster than a solid block. The walls are only 2mm thick, so UV gets through quick—about 8 to 10 minutes total.
Then, our curing station—because not all cure stations are equal, and that makes a difference. We have two types here at the shop: the standard conveyor-style UV cure oven, and a high-intensity batch cure station. The standard one is for most small to medium parts. It has a few UV bulbs that rotate, so parts spin while they cure to make sure no sides are missed. That’s why we can count on that 10 to 15 minute time for small rigid parts. But the high-intensity one? It’s for big, thick, or tough resins. It has way more UV power, so it penetrates deeper. A big bracket that would take 35 minutes in the standard oven only takes 20 in the high-intensity one. That’s a game-changer for rush orders—if a customer needs a big part in 24 hours instead of 48, we can bump it to the high-intensity station and cut curing time in half. But we only use that for certain parts, because too much intensity can cause small parts to warp if they’re not propped right.
Wait, also—we do “pre-cure” before washing, right? Oh, right! After printing, the part is covered in liquid resin, so if we wash it first, the sticky stuff gets washed away, but the part is still fragile. But a 2 minute quick pre-cure (a low UV blast) right after printing keeps the layers from shifting when we wash. That’s not counted in the final curing time, but it’s part of the process that people don’t always know about. If we skip that, parts break way more often during washing, so it’s a small step that saves us from redoing jobs.
Now, let’s talk about rush jobs, because we get a ton of those. If someone sends an emergency part—like a replacement gear for a machine that’s down on a Friday—can we speed up curing? Sort of, but not too much. We can crank the intensity a little, but if we go under 10 minutes for a small rigid part, the inside is still undercured. We’ve had customers ask for a 5 minute cure, but we have to tell them no—because a part that breaks after 2 weeks is way worse than a 1 day delay. That’s why we always give a timeline that’s a little flexible—we might say “curing takes 15 minutes, but plan for 20 to be safe” so if something goes wrong (like a part warps mid-cure, so we have to fix it), we don’t miss the deadline.
Another thing: part orientation. Wait, that’s a big one for SLA prints. If you print a part with big flat faces facing the build plate, vs. standing up, the layer thickness can change, which affects curing. For example, if you print a wrench head lying flat, the layers are thicker, so curing time needs to be a little longer—maybe add 2 to 3 minutes. If you print it standing up, the layers are thin, so 10 minutes is enough. We always adjust curing time based on how the part was printed, because we see how orientation affects the final strength all the time.
Let’s put this all together with real examples, so you can picture it. Last week, we had three jobs:
- A customer needed 10 small rigid prototypes (each 1cm, thin) for a product design test. We ran those through the standard cure station: 12 minutes total. Perfect, no issues, they got them back the next day.
- Another customer sent a large industrial bracket (15cm tall, 12mm thick solid). We used the high-intensity station: 25 minutes total, split front and back. It’s going to be used for heavy machinery, so we made sure it was fully cured.
- A third order was a flexible phone case prototype, made from our flexible resin. We did 5 minutes on the front, flipped it, 5 minutes on the back—total 10 minutes. It’s soft, not brittle, fits the phone right, the customer loved it.
What are the mistakes people make when they cure at home, vs. using a service like us? A lot of hobbyists with small SLA printers use a cheap UV flashlight, hold it for a few minutes, and their parts end up weak. Because DIY setups don’t have consistent UV light. We have calibrated our cure stations to make sure the intensity is exactly what each resin needs, every time. That’s why our curing times are reliable—we test every resin batch we get, so we know how long to set the timer.
Now, if you’re sending a part to us, how can you plan for curing? Let’s say you’re a product designer or a manufacturing engineer. When you submit your SLA order, tell us: what resin you’re using, the size and thickness of your part, and if it’s a rush job. We’ll tell you the exact curing time, and how that fits into your overall order timeline. For example, if your total order turnaround is 48 hours, curing is usually 1 to 2 hours total across all parts, but we have to add time for any post-processing (like sanding, painting, machining) that you want.
Wait, also—what about post-curing after the main cure? Some customers ask for that. If you’re using the part for outdoor use, or high-stress applications, we do a secondary post-cure in a heated chamber. That adds another 30 to 60 minutes, and makes the part way more durable. We tell customers if their part needs that—if it’s a bracket that’ll hold 50lbs, or a part that’s going to be outside in the sun, we recommend the heated post-cure, even if it adds time.
Let’s wrap this up. The key takeaway: there’s no fixed time, but for most standard SLA parts (rigid resin, small to medium, not too thick), curing is 10 to 15 minutes. Big, thick, or high-performance parts go up to 30 to 40 minutes, flexible parts are around 10 minutes total (split sides). It all boils down to resin type, part specs, and the equipment we use here. If you’re not sure, just send us your part details—we’ll break it down for you.
If you’re looking to get SLA printed parts made, no matter the size or type, we can handle it. We work with product designers, small businesses, and big manufacturers, and we’re used to both standard and rush orders. We’ll tell you exactly how long curing takes for your specific part, no hidden fees, no vague timelines. Get in touch with our team to discuss your project and get a custom timeline that works for you.
5 Axis CNC Machining References:
- Gibson, I., Rosen, D. W., & Stucker, B. (2015). Additive Manufacturing Technologies: 3D Printing, Rapid Prototyping, and Direct Digital Manufacturing. Springer.
- "SLA Post-Curing Best Practices." Additive Manufacturing Media, 2022.
- "Resin Type Effects on SLA Curing Times." Journal of Manufacturing Processes, Vol. 47, 2021.
- "Industrial SLA Curing Equipment Guide." Manufacturing Engineering Association, 2023.
Dongguan Xinchuan Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
As one of the most professional sla printing manufacturers and suppliers in China, we offer a quick lead time for customized orders. Please feel free to buy precision sla printing made in China here from our factory. Contact us for quotation.
Address: #16 Gangjian Road, Changping Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong, China. 523000
E-mail: FreeQuote@xcprecision.com
WebSite: https://www.xcprecisions.com/
