The growth of reshoring has catalyzed interest in leveraging additive manufacturing (AM) for very large parts, most notably those used in U.S.maritime applications.As the momentum behind reshoring continues to build, we should expect that just as much attention will gravitate towards using 3D printing for the smallest parts.
One company that excels at that task is Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF), which incorporates its proprietary Projection Micro Stereolithography (PµSL) technology into a range of 3D printers and specially formulated materials.The newest release in BMF’s catalog, the microArch D1025, was introduced in 2024 and brought the company’s dual-resolution optical system to market.In the D1025, the technology enables users to switch between 10 microns (µm) and 25 µm with the same system, also facilitating the same switch between different layers of the same print.
BMF just solidified its position as the purveyor of this unique process: the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted the company a patent on it, “Multi-Scale System for Projection Micro Stereolithography.” The USPTO issued the patent on September 23 to BMF Material Technology Inc.of Shenzhen, BMF’s parent company, with Dr.
Chuanguang Xia and Dr.Jiawen Xu named as inventors.As with BMF’s offerings, in general, the microArch D1025 is especially suited for electronic components and medical devices.
Along with the versatility of its printing process, the company’s open material platform gives customers an edge in the pace of application development.BMF microArch D1025.Image courtesy of BMF.
In a press release about the USPTO’s grant of a patent to BMF for its dual-resolution 3D printing process, Dr.Xia, one of the named inventors of the technology, as well as a BMF co-founder and the company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), said, “The microArch D1025 embodies our mission to push the limits of what’s possible at the microscale.This dual-resolution system is not only a major optical breakthrough — it’s a platform that enables the next generation of micro-fabricated devices.” The company’s CEO, John Kawola, said, “This patent reinforces our leadership in ultra-high-precision [AM].
The dual-resolution architecture delivers a unique combination of speed and accuracy, allowing engineers to fabricate micro parts with both fine features and larger geometries in a single print.” John Kawola, CEO of BMF, at BMF headquarters in Boston.Image courtesy of 3DPrint.com.BMF is a fascinating company for a variety of reasons, not least of which is its ability to maintain equal footholds in the U.S.
and China.It seems noteworthy that, at a time when so much is being made of tensions between the world’s two largest economies, the U.S.is still granting patents to Chinese companies for critical technologies, serving as a reminder of how intertwined the two nations are in spite of all the discord.
Even so, the U.S.looks poised to continue ramping up its reshoring efforts, and this may, in fact, be the best way to maintain a balance between the U.S.and China in the long term.
Above all, revitalizing the U.S.’s domestic production of consumer electronics should be key to gradually alleviating conflicts with China centered on global supply chains.That is a very difficult challenge, but cultivating capabilities in advanced manufacturing techniques like PµSL is a realistic tactic that the U.S.could employ in its attempts to make its domestic electronics manufacturing landscape relevant once again.
In that context, companies like BMF might do well to form partnerships with U.S.research universities that focus specifically on accelerating commercialization.Something that too often gets lost in the reshoring narrative is that reshoring doesn’t have to be based on antagonism.
Ultimately, there is a path to diversifying the world’s manufacturing ecosystems in a way that would lead to the best outcomes for everyone involved.Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.Print Services Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.
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