Researchers from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology have created an ultra-thin optical film capable of enhancing light quality in LCD resin-based 3D printers, a development that may bring professional-grade precision within reach of budget systems used in medical, industrial, and consumer applications. Resin-based 3D printing, also known as vat photopolymerization, works by projecting short-wavelength light onto liquid photosensitive resin to cure it layer by layer. While this method produces smooth, highly detailed parts, many affordable systems rely on LCD backlights that compromise accuracy.  “LCD-based liquid 3D printing suffers from surface roughness or dimensional inaccuracies due to improper light angular distribution from the backlight systems used,” said research team leader Ding-Zheng Lin from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.…