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New process dramatically reduces 3D printing times
A new 3D printing technique developed by researchers at the University of Michigan produces results 100 times faster than conventional printers.
The technique extrudes solid objects from liquid resin by curing the resin with the aid of several lights. The result is "a 3D bas-relief in a single plane rather than a series of 1D lines or 2D cross-sections," according to U-M.
The resin itself is the "key" of the printing process. Rather than just solidifying when exposed to light, it also includes a photo-inhibitor that responds to a different light frequency. Several lights can control which parts of the resin solidify and which remain liquid.
"But the real 3D approach is not just a waterfall: it was necessary to overcome the limitations of previous tank printing attempts, because the resin tends to solidify on the illuminated window, interrupting the work of the tank. 'impression.,' according to UM. "By creating a relatively large area where no solidification occurs, thicker resins – potentially with stronger powder additives – can be used to produce more durable objects.The process also improves the structural integrity of the plant. 39, 3D printing by filament interfaces between layers. "
"This is one of the first real 3D printers ever made," said Mark Burns, T.C. Chang Professor of Engineering at U-M University, in a statement released by the university. Burns co-led the project with Timothy Scott, an badociate professor of chemical engineering at U-M.
Scott would have the intention to create a new company based on the technology developed by the researchers.
An article detailing the process was recently published in the journal Progress of science.
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