The new 3D printing technique can create delicate, small, soft objects in seconds

Current 3D printing technology takes a long time to create an object and it can only create hard structures. However, this limitation will soon be overcome by researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) recently developed a method of 3D printing small objects with extreme precision. high in all different textures.

Not only is it possible to create highly delicate soft objects, this new 3D printing technology also has a significant improvement in time - it takes on average less than 30 seconds to print an entire object.

It works by using a special amount of opaque, slightly opaque liquid, casting into different shapes based on the same construction scaffold-like principle (these structures will be gradually developed to create into a complete object). This approach has enormous potential for 3D biological printing, for example, to create artificial arteries to replace or repair damaged parts of the human heart.

Common 3D printing technique commonly used today is additive manufacturing technology (additive manufacturing), layers of materials are overlapped and formatted under computer control to create objects. be. This technology is only suitable for creating solid objects. Soft objects in this way will quickly collapse. To solve the problem, the team used tomography principles to harden objects with light. When the object is printed, the laser is immediately fired through the translucent gel to make it more solid.

'The laser hardens the liquid through a process called polymerization. Depending on the given object, different algorithms can be used to precisely calculate where the laser beam is aimed, from what angle, and at what dose. '

The new printing technology can now create structures that are just 2cm across, with an accuracy of 80 micrometers - almost the width of a human hair. In the next stage of the research, scientists will aim to develop processes that create objects of silicon or acrylic - do not require sanding as traditional 3D printing objects.