BRIGHT Breaks Connector Barriers with MicroArch® PμSL 3D Printing Technology from BMF

Panda3dp.com Exclusive — Micro/Nano 3D Printing Powers Connector Innovation

As the high-end equipment manufacturing industry rapidly evolves toward electrification and intelligent integration, component design is increasingly characterized by miniaturization, high precision, and system-level integration. Against this backdrop, BRIGHT, a German innovation-driven company specializing in equipment testing, has leveraged BMF’s Projection Micro Stereolithography (PμSL) technology to deliver a groundbreaking solution for high-precision connectors used in advanced automotive systems.

This collaboration not only demonstrates BRIGHT’s forward-thinking vision and engineering innovation but also reflects China’s rising role in global precision manufacturing — both technologically and strategically.

Facing the Challenge: Precision Manufacturing at Micron-Level Tolerance

As a cross-industry technology solutions provider, BRIGHT employs a professional team of over one hundred engineers, serving major sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and rail technology.

In 2024, Peter Hautke, General Manager of BRIGHT’s Electronics and Electrical Division, led the development of a next-generation vehicle control unit testing system. As the “intelligent nervous system” of modern vehicles, the control unit manages critical functions such as engine ignition and fuel injection, automatic climate control, safety mechanisms, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). These highly integrated systems must process sensor signals with absolute precision — even a minor deviation can jeopardize the entire system’s performance.

At the heart of the project was a Y-shaped adapter cable connecting the control unit and test device. The key component — an internal connector board — had to integrate approximately 100 pins with dimensional and positional tolerances under ±20 μm.

Traditional manufacturing methods, such as injection molding or standard 3D printing, could not achieve the required precision or consistency. Moreover, producing 18 connector variants, with 150 pieces per batch, demanded exceptional process repeatability and stability — a challenge that few technologies could meet.

The Breakthrough: Micro-Precision Connector Manufacturing with PμSL

To overcome these challenges, BRIGHT partnered with AM Pioneers, a leading German provider of 3D scanning, engineering, and manufacturing solutions. After extensive evaluation, AM Pioneers selected BMF’s microArch® S240 system, which offers 10 μm optical resolution and a 100 × 100 × 75 mm³ build volume.

This platform, designed for both micro-scale prototyping and small-series production, delivers the accuracy, repeatability, and process stability needed for industrial-grade connector manufacturing.

“The S240 combines exceptional precision and process reliability — essential for this project,” said Frederik Nußbaumer, Sales Director at AM Pioneers. “We are fully confident that this system can consistently maintain dimensional tolerances within 20 μm.”

The results validated their expectations: the 3D-printed connector boards achieved outstanding mechanical strength, dimensional stability, and fine-feature fidelity, ensuring full compatibility with BRIGHT’s testing systems.

Validated Results: The Advantages of Micro-Scale 3D Printing for Small-Batch Production

BRIGHT and AM Pioneers successfully delivered connector samples that met all technical specifications, securing full project approval from the client. Compared to traditional injection molding, BMF’s PμSL-based solution offered several key advantages:

· Significantly Reduced Initial Investment
Eliminates costly mold fabrication, making it ideal for low-volume, multi-variant production, and greatly reducing financial risk.

· Accelerated Development Cycles and Design Flexibility
Enables rapid iteration and quick response to design changes, substantially shortening the time from concept to batch production.

· Enhanced Testing Safety and Reliability
High-precision manufacturing allows for more rigorous component validation, ensuring superior performance and safety in final testing systems.

Following successful validation, the client authorized series production of 18 connector models, each with 150 units per batch, totaling 2,700 parts. The production uses BMF’s black high-performance HTL resin, renowned for its mechanical strength, rigidity, and high-temperature resistance, making it ideal for automotive testing environments.

Innovation through Collaboration: The Power of an Integrated Value Chain

The success of the BRIGHT project underscores the importance of collaborative innovation across the industrial value chain — a principle central to BMF’s development philosophy.

Technological excellence must extend beyond performance metrics to deliver practical, application-ready solutions, supported by close coordination between design, materials, and process partners.

Today, BMF’s micro/nano 3D printing technology is being integrated into global research and industrial ecosystems, offering unmatched reproducibility, dimensional accuracy, and reliability.

As the industry continues to evolve, this collaboration serves as a compelling example of how China’s precision manufacturing capabilities are reshaping global technology standards — proving that with bold innovation and perseverance, China’s role in the global industrial chain will only continue to grow stronger.