Instead of printing an object layer-by-layer, which leads to incredibly slow speeds as well as a weak overall structure similar to that of shale, this new diaprocess uses light as a way to cure the resin, and oxygen as an inhibiting agent, to print in true 3-D.
Dr. Joseph DeSimone, CEO and Co-Founder, Carbon3D said his CLIP technology offers the game-changing speed, consistent mechanical properties and choice of materials required for complex commercial quality parts.
3D printing suddenly becomes a tunable photochemical process which rapidly decreases production times, removes the layering effect. The CLIP process relies on a special transparent and permeable window which allows both light and oxygen to get through, he said..
The machine then is able to control the exact amount of oxygen and when that oxygen is permitted into the resin pool. The oxygen thus acts to inhibit the resin from curing in certain areas as the light cures those areas not exposed to the oxygen. The oxygen creates a ‘dead zone’ within the resin which is as small as tens of microns thick.
The machine will then produce a series of cross sectional images using UV light in a fashion similar to playing a movie to build the design. You can check out the impressive end-result in the video.
