Abstract Ultraviolet (UV) post-curing represents a critical, yet often under-optimized, stage in stereolithography (SLA), as it directly governs polymer network evolution, residual stress redistribution, and the resulting component performance. In this study, resin-dependent trade-offs between dimensional fidelity and mechanical reinforcement induced by UV post-curing are systematically investigated in SLA-fabricated photopolymers. Five commercially available resins with distinct network architectures were processed under identical printing conditions and subsequently subjected to controlled UV post-curing. Dimensional fidelity was quantified using the mean absolute dimensional deviation (MAD) relative to nominal CAD geometries, while mechanical performance was assessed through uniaxial tensile testing. The results indicate that UV post-curing markedly enhances stiffness and tensile strength in rigid photopolymers; however, this improvement is accompanied by increased secondary shrinkage and dimensional deviation. In contrast, elastomeric formulations exhibit dimensional stabilization driven by stress relaxation, albeit with limited mechanical reinforcement. To rationalize these competing effects, a quantitative dimensional–mechanical trade-off index (TDI) is introduced, enabling process-oriented comparison of post-curing efficiency across different resin families. These findings highlight that UV post-curing cannot be considered a universal finishing step but must instead be tailored to resin chemistry and geometric constraints. Overall, this work establishes a transferable framework for SLA process optimization based on application-specific performance requirements.
Menargues et al. (Sat,) studied this question.