New light-based 3D-printing tech can print complex models in 0.6 seconds

A research team from Tsinghua University, led by Academician Dai Qionghai, has developed a breakthrough 3D-printing technology that can create millimeter-scale, high-resolution objects in just 0.6 seconds. The innovation, published in Nature, addresses the long-standing trade-off between speed and precision that has limited 3D printing's utility in mass manufacturing.

Traditional volumetric additive manufacturing methods like computed axial lithography require the physical sample to rotate 360 degrees during printing. This mechanical rotation introduces instability and necessitates the use of high-viscosity resins to prevent objects from sinking during the lengthy print process. The new digital incoherent synthesis of holographic light fields (DISH) technology eliminates these limitations through a fundamentally different approach.

Instead of rotating the sample, DISH employs a high-speed rotating periscope that revolves up to 10 times per second around a stationary container. This stationary sample approach allows the entire three-dimensional light intensity distribution to be projected simultaneously through a single optical flat surface. The result is a staggering printing rate of 333 cubic millimeters per second with a minimum printable feature size of 12 micrometers.

The speed advantage is transformative. Because fabrication is completed in fractions of a second, the technology is fully compatible with low-viscosity materials, such as aqueous PEGDA solutions. The object solidifies before gravity can cause it to sink, eliminating the need for thick, difficult-to-work-with resins.

To demonstrate practical applications, the researchers integrated DISH with a fluidic channel, enabling continuous mass production of diverse structures. This sub-second breakthrough opens doors for rapid, high-throughput manufacturing of photonic computing devices, smartphone camera modules, micro-robots, and highly detailed biological tissue models.

The research represents a significant leap forward in 3D printing capabilities, potentially enabling applications that were previously impractical due to speed constraints. By achieving both high resolution and extreme speed simultaneously, DISH technology could revolutionize fields requiring precise, rapid prototyping and manufacturing.

Source: Nature via CGTN