3D Printing
3D printing is relatively cheap, quick and effective. We can now produce some quite complex designs with multiple materials via 3D printing. However it is not suitable for mass production.
Stereolithography
Stereolithography(SLA), also known as additive manufacturing, uses a cooling laser and photopolymer resin to produce parts. This is undertaken by the laser sketching an imprint on the resin, which is slowly cured by every pass, adhering to the layer below until the process is completed and a finished part is produced. It is best for models and complex designs and is quite competitive in relation to cost, but the parts produced maybe fairly fragile and they may degrade when exposed to humidity and UV light.
