Supernova to Launch Viscous Materials and 3D Printer at Formnext - 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing

Ahead of Formnext 2024, Supernova has launched a new ecosystem for polymer additive manufacturing (AM), with the introduction of its proprietary Viscogels materials and the Pulse Production Platform. The ecosystem is meant to enable the production of parts that mimic molded plastic properties at scale, a difficult task with more traditional stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP) technologies due to their inherent material limitations.

At the heart of Supernova’s new ecosystem are Viscogels, proprietary photopolymers characterized by exceptionally high viscosities that often exceed 1 million centipoise (cP). This viscosity level—hundreds of times higher than typical 3D printing resins used with SLA and DLP, as well as inkjet—permits a significantly higher oligomer content, resulting in materials with enhanced properties for demanding applications. Supernova’s Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) technology, specifically designed to harness rather than mitigate high viscosities, enables this breakthrough, making Viscogels the cornerstone of the company’s new Pulse Production Platform.

The unique composition of Viscogels brings key mechanical advantages to the table, such as improved impact resistance, flexibility, flame retardancy, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. This feature set positions Viscogels as an appealing choice for applications like automotive cable grommets and connectors, where resilience to environmental wear is essential. Additionally, the materials allow for higher additive loads without compromising viscosity, expanding their versatility across various industrial applications.

Viscogels are offered in four material families, each tailored to meet specific performance demands:

Designed to print with Viscogels, the Pulse Production Platform is a complete 3D printing workflow that includes a printer, post-processing cell and software, all meant to enable streamline the fabrication process:

BCN3D’s entry into high-viscosity 3D printing already upped the ante for the rest of the vat photopolymerization space, but dedicating an entire company to it was a big indicator of just how important the technology would be. Since its spinout of BCN3D at the start of the year, Supernova has been quietly putting its entire product package together, making news only once to announce an explosive materials division. The time was well spent, as the company has come out of the gates with a complete ecosystem.

The printer and materials are enough to suggest that the Pulse could make true end parts using Viscogels and VLM technology. However, to truly enable high throughput production, Supernova’s automated post-processing system is meant to take the manual labor out of post-processing as much as possible. Combined, the ecosystem is telling customers that this is for true production of real-world goods.

An industry-first feature of Supernova’s VLM technology is its dual-material capability, enabling manufacturers to incorporate two distinct materials in a single build, essentially unheard of with SLA and DLP outside of research settings. This flexibility allows applications that traditionally require costly overmolding, such as creating rigid connectors with integrated elastomeric seals, to be produced more cost-effectively with Pulse. By integrating two materials seamlessly, this system reduces tooling costs and lead times compared to traditional methods, offering unprecedented design freedom in polymer additive manufacturing.

Viscogels also provide significant environmental benefits over conventional 3D printing resins, primarily due to the reduced emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The higher oligomer content in Viscogels not only enhances mechanical properties but also leads to fewer VOC emissions, offering a more sustainable option for industrial manufacturing. With its material properties resistant to environmental factors, Viscogels are potentially less toxic than traditional DLP and SLA processes, which often rely on acrylate materials that degrade and affect the surrounding environment.

Supernova plans to launch the Viscogels and Pulse Production Platform at Formnext 2024 in Frankfurt, also taking early access inquiries from potential adopters interested in evaluating VLM technology and its materials prior to the projected shipment date of Fall 2025.