Novel course of for 3D-printing macro-sized fused silica elements with hi-res options

UpNano co-developed a revolutionary manufacturing course of for fused silica elements within the mm-range utilizing 2PP know-how.

UpNano GmbH (Vienna, Austria) has co-developed a novel manufacturing course of for 3D–printed fused quartz objects. This progressive know-how permits the manufacturing of high-precision formed elements within the mm and cm-range. The course of is predicated on Glassomer GmbH’s (Freiburg, Germany) innovation and has been modified for two-photon polymerization (2PP) 3D-printing utilizing UpNano’s NanoOne high-resolution printing system. These are the best efficiency 2PP 3D-printers available on the market, able to printing over 15 orders of magnitude.

Manufacturing minuscule and complicated 3D objects in glass is a difficult course of. That is much more the case, if the required materials is to be high-quality fused silica (SiO₂) glass, which has an exceptionally excessive melting level. The one attainable strategies that can be utilized are primarily based on non-commercially accessible gear and embody melting glass fibers utilizing laser beams or fused deposition modeling to supply soda lime glass. These strategies usually lead to remaining merchandise with tough surfaces which might be undesirable. Now, UpNano and Glassomer have developed a fast 3D printing course of to supply clean fused silica elements within the mm and cm vary with options within the μm vary.

THREE STEPS AHEAD…
“It’s a three-step course of”, explains Markus Lunzer, group lead of Supplies & Software at UpNano. “Step one is to design and print the specified construction utilizing all the benefits 2PP 3D-printing presents. The second step is to take away natural binder materials adopted by a excessive temperature sintering course of, the third step.” On the core of this can be a newly developed nanocomposite “UpQuartz”. Along with SiO2 nanoparticles, it accommodates a specifically designed polymer matrix that enables the composite to be 2PP 3D–printed within the first place. The printing course of produces a “inexperienced half” that already has the form of the ultimate and desired construction. To acquire the fused silica product in the long run, the polymer matrix should be eliminated. Heating the inexperienced half to 600°C successfully removes the polymer matrix, abandoning the “brown half”. That is all SiO2 nanoparticles within the form of the ultimate product. The construction is sintered and fused after publicity to 1,300°C. Through the post-processing, the article undergoes isotropic shrinkage of roughly 30%. This will simply be compensated for by an acceptable upscale of the inexperienced half utilizing UpNano’s software program.

“This progressive manufacturing course of we developed”, says Markus Lunzer, “is ideally fitted to bigger 3D–printed glass elements that require high-resolution and high-precision, within the fields of engineering, and chemical, medical or analysis purposes.” Fused silica presents superior optical properties, together with biocompatibility in addition to excessive chemical inertness and distinctive warmth resistance, making it an excellent materials for an unlimited vary of purposes. This new improvement marks a big development within the potential of 2PP 3D printing, following UpNano’s current success in advancing the fabric testing of 2PP 3D–printed elements utilizing UpNano printers and resins for macroscopic check specimens. As well as, the corporate’s printers have lately been used to attain a big milestone in 2PP 3D-printing by producing holistic embedded microfluidic chips in addition to tungsten and platinum microstructures with (sub-)μm decision.

The manufacturing of fused silica objects by 2PP 3D printing was a joint improvement between UpNano and Glassomer. The German firm has beforehand enabled the manufacturing of fused silica objects by using applied sciences comparable to mushy lithography, injection molding, in addition to standard 3D-printing. Now, the joint materials improvement from UpNano and Glassomer additionally permits using high-precision 2PP 3D-printing to supply fused silica objects.

…WITH INNOVATION CAPITAL
This collection of developments exemplifies UpNano’s innovation capital within the extremely aggressive 2PP 3D-printer market, complemented by the continued and rising business success of the NanoOne printer vary. In truth, gross sales in 2023 had been up 57% on the earlier yr and clients at the moment are served on 5 continents. All NanoOne printers are outfitted with patented adaptive decision know-how, which permits the laser beam to be expanded by an element of 10 for any given goal. A current software program replace has enabled seamless stitching, and given all of the accessible modules, the NanoOne vary of printers now’s thought of probably the most versatile and quickest 2PP 3D-printer available on the market. “The pace, decision, and flexibility of our printers make them highly effective instruments for the mass manufacturing of extremely exact elements. Our ever-expanding vary of supplies extends the vary of purposes. Sooner or later, we may even increase the vary of providers we provide”, provides Bernhard Küenburg, UpNano´s CEO.