New Very Fast 3D Printing Technologies
TRADITIONAL
3D printed parts are notoriously inconsistent. Their mechanical properties vary depending on the direction the parts were printed due to the layer-by-layer approach.
Limitations of size: 3D printing technology is currently limited by size constraints. Very large objects are still not feasible when built using 3D printers.
Limitations of raw material: At present, 3D printers can work with approximately 100 different raw materials. This is insignificant when compared with the enormous range of raw materials used in traditional manufacturing. More research is required to devise methods to enable 3D printed products to be more durable and robust.
CLIP
CLIP shapes the part. CLIP is a photochemical process that carefully balances light and oxygen to rapidly produce parts. It works by projecting light through an oxygen-permeable window into a reservoir of UV-curable resin. As a sequence of UV images are projected, the part solidifies and the build platform rises.
Parts printed with CLIP are much more like injection-molded parts. CLIP produces consistent and predictable mechanical properties, creating parts that are solid on the inside.
Isotropic parts with exceptional surface finish
Conventional 3D printed materials often exhibit variable strength and mechanical properties depending on the direction in which they were printed. CLIP parts behave consistently in all directions. The resolution and gentleness of our process — where parts aren’t harshly repositioned with every slice — make it possible to exploit a range of materials that have the surface finish and detail needed for end-use parts.
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Watch this complex object get 3D printed in less than 15 minutes. Sean and Norm visit Carbon, the makers of the M1 3D printer, to get a demo of this new super fast 3D printing technology working in real-time. We chat with Carbon’s VP of Product, Kirk Phelps, to learn how the CLIP 3D printing tech works, and why it’s more than just about really fast prints.