Shanghai FuQi Technology Launches Mass Production of Ultra-High-Speed Oxygen Permeable Membranes for 3D Printing, Ushering in a New Era of Chinese Innovation

PanDen 2024-8-19 23:50 Business

△3D-printed high-speed oxygen permeable membrane that costs nearly $10,000 a piece"A 120*80mm imported oxygen-permeable membrane for high-speed photopolymerization 3D printing, with a thickness of 70 ...

△3D-printed high-speed oxygen permeable membrane that costs nearly $10,000 a piece

"A 120*80mm imported oxygen-permeable membrane for high-speed photopolymerization 3D printing, with a thickness of 70 microns, costs 9,000 CNY per sheet. In contrast, our product is far more affordable, offers larger dimensions, and boasts an annual production capacity of tens of thousands of sheets!"

"The photopolymerization 3D printing industry in China is poised to enter a high-speed era!"

Technical Background

Since its inception, 3D printing technology has transformed perceptions of manufacturing with its unique production approach. However, traditional 3D printing methods have often been constrained by slow print speeds, limited precision, and material restrictions. In 2015, the American company Carbon3D introduced a groundbreaking technology called CLIP (Continuous Liquid Interface Production). This innotankion not only significantly accelerated printing speed but also enhanced print precision and expanded the range of usable materials, marking a revolutionary leap forward in the 3D printing industry.

Technical Principles

The core of CLIP technology lies in the ingenious use of oxygen's influence on the curing process of photosensitive resins. In traditional photopolymerization 3D printing, photosensitive resin cures layer by layer under the action of lasers or light sources. However, CLIP technology introduces a light-permeable, oxygen-permeable layer at the bottom of the resin tank, typically a thin, flexible membrane. When the laser illuminates the resin from below, the presence of this oxygen-permeable layer prevents the resin in contact with it from curing, thereby creating a continuous "liquid interface."

As the laser continues to project, the cured layers move upward, and the uncured resin replenishes through the liquid interface. This process eliminates the repetitive peeling steps required in traditional 3D printing, dramatically reducing print time. Theoretically, this technology can boost print speeds by tens or even hundreds of times, significantly accelerating the printing process.

Advantages of the Technology

- Extremely Fast Printing Speed: By harnessing the polymerization inhibition effect of oxygen, CLIP technology ensures that models can grow continuously during the printing process, significantly shortening the overall printing cycle and making 3D printing more suitable for large-scale industrial production.

- High Print Precision: Traditional 3D-printed parts, due to their inherent layered structure, exhibit varying mechanical properties in different directions, particularly poor shear resistance along the stacking direction. In contrast, parts printed using the CLIP method maintain consistent mechanical properties across all directions, effectively enhancing mechanical performance and surface smoothness. The ultra-high print precision offered by the CLIP method can meet the demands of mid-scale semiconductor devices, sensors, and biochips above 10μm, making it particularly valuable for producing products with complex geometries, such as precision mechanical components and medical devices.

- Broad Material Compatibility: CLIP technology is not limited to traditional photosensitive resins; it is also compatible with a variety of high-performance polymer materials, including elastomers, foams, and rubber-like substances. This greatly expands the application scope of 3D printing, for instance, in high-performance sports shoe soles, bicycle saddles, and medical implants.

Prospects for Application

Thanks to its superior performance and broad application potential, CLIP technology is increasingly being adopted across various industries. For instance, in the automotive sector, it is used for rapid prototyping and small-batch custom parts production. In the medical field, it facilitates the creation of personalized medical devices. In the consumer electronics industry, it can manufacture highly intricate internal components. Furthermore, as the technology continues to advance, it is expected that CLIP will further enhance print speed and precision while developing new materials to meet the specific needs of different industries, thus opening up even broader application avenues for 3D printing technology.

Shanghai FuQi Technology's Independent Development: A New Ultra-High-Speed Release Film

As the core component of CLIP printing equipment, the bottom membrane of the resin tank, which combines high light transmittance with excellent oxygen permeability, is crucial for both printing speed and the quality of finished products. Shanghai FuQi Technology has independently developed and mass-produced a new ultra-high-speed oxygen-permeable membrane, undoubtedly a powerful tool for the high-speed, high-precision 3D printing industry to achieve a breakthrough in development. FuQi Technology stated to panda3dp.com that the price of a 65μm thick imported oxygen-permeable membrane, smaller than A4 paper, exceeds 10,000 CNY per sheet. The high cost of imports and the need for a stable supply chain are the biggest obstacles to the widespread application of these membranes.

It is said that currently, there are only two materials globally that can produce such oxygen-permeable membranes: Teflon AF 2400 from the American company Chemours and FuQi Technology's gas-permeable resin series. The oxygen-permeable membrane independently developed and produced by FuQi Technology has a light transmittance comparable to Teflon AF, with slightly superior temperature resistance and oxygen permeability. With the assistance of oxygen equipment, the oxygen-permeable membrane can help customers reliably achieve large-format, high-speed continuous 3D printing. Thanks to a unique release process, the printing speed is increased, while the precision and success rate of printed objects are improved, significantly enhancing the added value of products.

This membrane product boasts the following characteristics:

1. Excellent dimensional stability and mechanical strength, with various thicknesses and widths to accommodate the size requirements of different resin tanks;

2. High light transmittance and good UV resistance, ensuring long-term, high-intensity printing stability and good printing performance;

3. High gas permeability, with a unique resin substrate offering ultra-high free volume, and an oxygen permeability rate exceeding 1000 Barrer;

4. Outstanding chemical stability and very low surface energy, capable of withstanding various photosensitive resin monomers and harsh chemical environments, while still exhibiting high-speed release characteristics even without additional oxygen supply;

5. Exceptional thermal stability, with a long-term operating temperature of up to 300°C, impervious to localized exothermic reactions during the printing process;

6. The self-developed material, combined with a unique film-forming process, significantly reduces production costs compared to similar foreign products;

7. The curing action does not occur on the membrane, giving the membrane a very long lifespan, approaching that of an accessory rather than a consumable.

FuQi Technology's oxygen-permeable membranes can be customized in size and thickness according to customer needs. The common standard size products are A4 (300*210mm) and A5 (210*150mm), with a thickness of 100 microns. FuQi Technology also has the capacity for mass production of single sheets up to 700*350mm, with an annual production capacity of tens of thousands of sheets.

About FuQi Technology

FuQi Technology is a company dedicated to the process development and manufacturing of high-performance functional resin. Its high-performance breathable membrane products have achieved full process chain integration, from substrate to processing, and possess 100% independent intellectual property rights both domestically and internationally. The company has the capacity for rapid production expansion and continuous cost reduction. Its products have successfully entered the North American market and passed stringent verification by several leading American 3D printing companies. The product fields involved include digital dentistry, jewelry, footwear, micro-nano printing, high-end medical devices, and precision industrial components.

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