TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Volumetric Subtractive Manufacturing

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Volumetric Subtractive Manufacturing

Background:

LLNL’s and UC Berkeley’s U.S. Patent No. 10,647,061 invented Computed Axial Lithography, otherwise known as Volumetric Additive Manufacturing.  By projecting tomographically patterned light into a rotating vial filled with photo-polymer resin materials, the resin is selectively polymerized, and a 3D structure is formed all-at-once within seconds.  However, the invention is lacking when it comes to negative feature fabrication.  In general, due to its additive nature, AM methods are inherently not suitable for negative feature fabrication. 

Description:

This LLNL invention is comprised of (1) a volumetric subtractive manufacturing system which can tomographically manufacture 3D structures with negative features (materials in negative space is degraded with light exposure), and (2) a hybrid volumetric additive/subtractive manufacturing system in which a gelled/solid structure is printed by resin material polymerization using one light, and subsequently some part of the printed structure is removed by polymer material degradation using another light.

Advantages/Benefits: 

• Ability to “3D print” negative features with better performance
• Works with standard VAM machines
• Potential to achieve hybrid volumetric additive/subtractive manufacturing by using photo-selective resin materials: a resin will polymerize under illumination of light with one wavelength and degrade under illumination of light with another wavelength.

Potential Applications: 

• Microfluidics fabrication
• 3D printing of vascular structures

Development Status: 

Current stage of technology development:  TRL 2

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. 

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note:  THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT.  Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Volumetric Subtractive Manufacturing should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.
2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Volumetric Subtractive Manufacturing.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA  94551-0808

Attention:   IL-13962