Light, Materials and Interfaces: The Complex Dance That Allows CLIP-based 3D Printing

• Prof. Joseph DeSimone, Dept. Chemical Engineering, Stanford University
• Jointly sponsored by Golden Gate Polymer Forum and Silicon Valley ACS
• 6-7pm, Online via Zoom, Free/$5 Donation, Registration required (Registration deadline: June 20^th at 1pm)
• Download flyer

Abstract

Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP) provides an alternate means of creating 3D objects from polymers.  Digital programming and additive manufacturing combine to produce commercial quality parts rapidly and at scale.  CLIP uses oxygen-inhibited photopolymerization to generate a continual liquid interface of uncured resin between a forming part and a printer’s exposure window. This allows parts to ‘grow’ from a pool of resin, formed by light.  The principle has been demonstrated at Carbon in Redwood City (formerly Carbon3D) on large-scale production of running shoes (Adidas, Futurecraft 4D), customized football helmets (Riddell), dentures, and numerous parts for the automotive, consumer electronics, and medicinal markets. Academic research continues at Stanford in multi-material printing, recyclables, therapeutic devices in pediatric medicine, and in the design of higher resolution printing microelectronics and drug/vaccine delivery. 

Bio

Professor DeSimone’s role at Stanford University spans multiple departments including Chemical Engineering, Radiology, Materials Science and Business. Previously, he was in the chemistry department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the chemical engineering department at North Carolina State University. He was also the co-founder, Board Chair, and CEO of the additive manufacturing company, Carbon (formerly Carbon3D).

DeSimone has published over 350 scientific articles and is on over 200 issued patents.  In addition to 3D printing, his previous research included environmentally friendly manufacturing processes for the synthesis of fluoropolymer materials and imprint lithography-based nanoparticle manufacturing.  In addition to Carbon3D, DeSimone co-founded Liquidia Technologies to produce uniform nanoparticles for medicine with independent control over particle parameters such as size, shape, composition, modulus, and surface chemistry.

DeSimone received his B.S. in Chemistry from Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA (1986) and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Virginia Tech (1990).  He has received numerous recognitions for achievements in science, engineering, invention, and business, including a National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Obama in 2016.