Technology

Projection Micro Stereolithography (PµSL) Technology

PµSL 3D printing technology supports continuous exposure for faster processing. Like other 3D printing processes, PμSL begins with a CAD file. This file is then sliced into a series of 2D images called digital masks that show or hide specific areas of a layer. Each layer has a mask, and each layer is added until the entire 3DP structure is complete. To fabricate individual layers, slicing data is sent to BMF’s microArch™ 3D printing system. Different model printers are available, but each BMF platform features a digital light processing chip (DLP), a projection lens, motion control stages, and a reservoir for the UV-curable resin.

Within a BMF microArch 3D printing system, UV light is projected onto a DLP chip according to the layer’s mask pattern. By controlling the projection lens, PμSL technology can achieve resolutions of several micrometers or hundreds of nanometers. UV curable materials include plastic resins that are rigid, tough, high temperature resistant, biocompatible, flexible, or transparent. In addition to engineering and biomedical plastics, PμSL technology supports the use of hydrogels and composite resins that contain ceramic or metal particles.