Wide-Spectrum Resin 3D Printing for Controlled Microdevice Cure Depth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D printing technologies are limited by resolution, speed, and cost, making them unsuitable for mass production of microfluidic devices and microdevices, which require features smaller than 100 um and large build areas, while also needing biocompatible materials and smooth surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A 3D printing platform using a wide-spectrum light source and dynamic layering techniques, allowing for sub-pixel resolutions and independent layer heights, combined with a gantry system and controlled cure depth, to produce microdevices with high precision and speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional 3D printing technologies are used, then production cost and time are reduced compared to mold-based methods, but manufacturing precision and feature size resolution deteriorate (cannot achieve features smaller than 100 um)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the light source by using a wide-spectrum light source (200-1000 nm) instead of conventional narrow-band UV LEDs, and dynamically adjusts the bandwidth (e.g., 10 nm, 50 nm, 100 nm) to control cure depth and achieve sub-pixel resolution features below 100 um while maintaining high production speed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic layering where layer height is not fixed but varies dynamically during printing (e.g., 10 um for channel walls, 100 um for bulk material), and uses real-time bandwidth adjustment to modify cure depth, enabling both high precision features and large build areas in the same print job
2Manufacturing precision
If high resolution printing is attempted, then feature size improves, but build area and printing speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different layer heights and light bandwidths to different regions of the same build area - using 10 nm bandwidth for high-resolution channel features while using 100 nm bandwidth for bulk material, enabling sub-100 um features across large build areas simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the dimension of spectral bandwidth control to the traditional spatial printing parameters, allowing independent control of cure depth (Z-dimension) through bandwidth adjustment, which decouples resolution from build area constraints
3Productivity
If fast curing is used to increase production speed, then printing speed improves, but control over cure depth and layer separation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the light bandwidth parameter dynamically during printing - using narrow bandwidth (10 nm) for shallow cure depths in channel regions and wide bandwidth (100 nm) for deep cure depths in bulk material, maintaining precision control at high printing speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic alternation between different bandwidth settings during the printing process, switching between narrow and wide bandwidth modes at different stages or regions to achieve both fast curing and precise depth control
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid production of microfluidic devices with features below 100 um and large build areas, reducing production time from months to minutes, eliminating the need for molds and clean rooms, and lowering costs.
Implementation Method 1
a light engine or projector... to polymerize a liquid to a solid
Data Source
AI summary
A three-dimensional printer (3DP) or 3D printing system, including additive manufacturing (AM) systems, employing multiple bandgaps and/or multiple spectrums/multiple wavelengths to enable a controlled vertical cure-depth/polymerization via photoinitiator activation of a singular resin composition for high definition micro-printing at an accelerated rate. The invention enables a dynamic range of layers 10-1000× for macro and micro features. This in turn enables faster printing speeds without fidelity and tolerance losses typically experienced. The system of resin, a 3D printing platform, and accompanying computer controlled algorithms, can be used for the fabrication and creation of macro and microdevices via a wide range of ultraviolet photoinitiated materials.