MIT creates a pocket-sized 3D printer that prints objects in seconds

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States have created a tiny 3D printer chip-sized device that forms the necessary objects using light in a matter of seconds.

A team of researchers led by Professor Elena Nataros has created a 3D printer that emits a reconfigurable beam of light into resin to create solid forms. This tiny printer fits in the palm of your hand. It is expected that users will be able to quickly create customized, low-cost objects.

According to the developers, the system consists of a single photonic chip measuring a few millimeters, without any additional moving parts. It emits visible light into the resin, allowing for non-mechanical 3D printing.

The team has experimentally demonstrated a stereolithography-inspired version of a chip-based 3D printer prototype using an integrated optical phased array. A guided beam of visible light changes the shape of the resin to the desired manufacturing of 3D objects. 

Researchers believe that creating 3D objects in the palm of your hand in seconds using just one photonic chip can transform modern manufacturing. Existing 3D printers use large-scale and complex platforms for layer-by-layer material creation. However, this limits the print speed, size, and form factor of the objects being produced.

In addition, the researchers also created tiny optical tweezers that use light to capture and manipulate biological material. The tiny device uses a tightly focused beam of light to capture and control the material. The innovation introduces a new modality for integrated optical tweezers, significantly expanding their utility and compatibility with existing applications.

The presented solution offers a more accessible and faster mechanism for creating 3D objects, which can be promising in the military, medical, engineering, and consumer industries. Such devices are the size of a chip allow to realize applications that previously seemed impossible, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in optics

The results of the study are published in the journal Nature

Source: Interesting Engineering