Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF), the pioneer in microscale 3D printing systems, recently unveiled the microArch S240, the first and only micro-precision 3D printer designed to meet the needs of short-run industrial production. This printer combines a larger build volume, faster printing speeds and advanced materials with the same ultra-high resolution, accuracy and precision that the company is known for.
The microArch S240 is built upon BMF’s patented Projection Micro Stereolithography technology or PµSL, a technique that allows for rapid photopolymerization of an entire layer of liquid polymer using a flash of UV light at micro-scale resolution. The superior production of intricate, exact, and replicable parts makes PµSL optimal for end-part and prototyping use cases across a wide range of industries, including medical device manufacturing, microfluidics, MEMS, biotech and pharma, electronics, education, and research and development.
To meet the unique requirements of industrial production, the microArch S240 has a larger build volume (100 X 100 X 75MM / 750 cm3) and up to ten times faster print speeds, enabling the production of bigger parts, or a higher throughput of smaller parts, while achieving the same 10 µm resolution, +/- 25 µm tolerance as other BMF printers. Users can print using a number of industrial-grade materials with attributes, including mirror finishes, sharp edges and smooth channels, that are suitable for end-use applications or prototypes meant to seamlessly mirror end parts.
“Until now, this coveted combination of quality, strength and resolution had been missing from industrial production, particularly for use cases that require high precision and micron level resolution,” said John Kawola, CEO - Global of BMF. “With the microArch S240, users can finally make end-use micro parts at speeds that are required for production, with resolution, accuracy and precision that is true to CAD. Smaller parts no longer need to mean bigger headaches or bigger price tags for manufacturers and engineers.”
Additional features that make the microArch 240 ideal for industrial production include:
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An advanced spreading mechanism to enable higher print speed—resulting in a build speed of up to 10x faster
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Larger build volume allows for the production of much bigger parts and much higher throughput
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The capacity to handle higher molecular weight materials with viscosities of up to 20,000Cp, resulting in the production of stronger functional parts.
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Ability to print industrial-grade composite polymers and ceramics, including an all-new functional engineering material developed in cooperation with BASF. BMF RG material from the Forward AM Ultracur3D photopolymer resin line is being introduced for use on the microArch 240 with high strength and durability properties meeting the needs of production applications.
“The new BMF RG material from the Forward AM Ultracur3D photopolymer resin line will enable users to achieve ultra-high resolution of their parts,” said Oleksandra Blacka, business development manager – Photopolymers, Medical & Dental, BASF. “The microArch 240 printer is addressing a market that has previously been unserved. This collaboration will now enable customers, especially in the medical industry, to assemble complex items that were too small to handle on previous printing platforms.”
“We chose BMF’s microArch 3D Printer due to its ability to replicate critical micro features. Their unique Projection Micro Stereolithography (PµSL) technology prints 3D parts with ultra-high resolution and accuracy, which is key to our business. This is the first 3D printer we’ve encountered that can print micro-precision parts, with the dimensional accuracy and precision that our customers require at this stage of product development,” said Donna Bibber, VP of business development, Isometric Micro Molding. “We have put the BMF parts through the same rigorous CT scanning inspection process of our micro molded components and were amazed that dimensionally the parts fell within the tolerances required. Our customers have been equally amazed.”
