SLA and support structure removal

[Destriarch]

I'm currently looking at getting a 3D printer and am considering the best technology for the job. I need high detail results with a good tolerance for overhangs and undercuts. I'd like to use SLA for the precision and resolution this provides, but I'm concerned about excessive support structures ruining the fine detail and requiring too much trimming. Can anyone give me any idea of the difficulty of removing support structures from SLA, or any techniques that can be used to make this easier? With other types of 3D printer you could use water-soluble PLA for supports and simply wash them away when the model was complete, but that's not going to be possible with UV-cured resins - is there some equivalent?

-Ash

[JSenior]

What level of machine are you looking at?

If you're going for a commercial machine, then chances are you'll be using Materialise Magics (or even better e-stage) but I believe prices are $10k+ for the most basic options.

With this supports are wafer thin and taper away to a fine point when it attaches to the model. Meaning you can break them off by hand and they leave next to no cleanup required.

Nobody else seems to be offering a quality support option a part from them. You have to be very careful where you put your supports and yes they will require you to sand/dremel them away afterwards.

The magics support system also won't work for much of the current range of cheap SLA machines which have lasers below the resin and which require much more strength in the support as they have to separate the model from the vat each layer.

[Destriarch]

I'm only a hobbyist; it wouldn't be wise for me to spend too much on a machine. I've been looking at FormLabs' Form1+ as an affordable machine but I'm open to suggestions. Production quality machines are probably out of my range though.

Ash