Reversing multicolor tomography for precise property control in ultrafast 3D printing (REMUTO)

Conventional adhesive manufacturing (AM) methods are not adequate in building workpieces with multiscale features because of the slow speed and the limited capacity to realize internal property variation with high precision. Here we present a novel 3D printing strategy that offers two unique features:

1. Ultrafast construction of multiscale structures

2. Precise control of internal property variation

The new method, based on physically reversing computed tomography (CT) and a synergistic use of multicolor projections on photoresponsive polymers, will enable the construction of moderate-sized workpieces (up to ~10 cm in diameter) with microstructural features (~100 µm or less) in less than a minute, while offering stiffness control on a voxel-to-voxel basis.