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In order to resolve the problems of the low efficiency and the anisotropy of printed object in the traditional ceramic 3D printing techniques, a novel continuous digital light processing (DLP) ceramic 3D printing implemented by utilizing the combination of an oxygen-rich composite thin film and the resin-based ceramics slurry has been proposed and developed. The basic principle and the process flow of the proposed continuous ceramic 3D printing are described. Then, the ceramic slurry used for this proposed 3D printing technique is investigated and optimized, and the effects and the rules of primary process parameters on forming process are revealed by conducting a series of experiments. Finally, two typical cases are provided to demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the proposed process. As a result, a continuous DLP ceramic 3D printing has been fulfilled, which provides a promising and novel solution for high-efficiency, low-cost ceramic 3D printing.

The emerging multi-material and multi-scale 3D printing technique possesses great potential to implement the simultaneous and full control for fabricated objects including external geometry, internal architecture, functional surface, material composition and ratio as well as gradient distribution, feature size ranging from nano, micro, to marco-scale, embedded components and electro-circuit, etc. It is able to construct the heterogeneous and hierarchical structured object with tailored properties and multiple functionalities which cannot be achieved through the existing technologies. Such technology has been considered as a revolutionary technology and next-generation manufacturing tool which can really fulfill the “creating material” and “creating life”, especially subvert traditional product design and manufacturing scheme. This paper presents a multi-scale and multi-material 3D printing process based on single printhead. A novel active mixing printhead which is regarded as one of the core functional elements is proposed and investigated systematically by combining the theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and experimental verification. The influence and laws of the impeller diameter, the impeller velocity, and fluid viscosity for the mixing efficiency and performance were revealed by numerical simulation using COMOSOL software. Three typical cases regarding the variable color model, variable stiffness model and micro-scale model printed were provided to verify the result of the theoretical analysis and numerical simulation for the active mixing printhead. These findings are valuable in providing a theoretical basis for multi-scale and multi-material 3D printing, and further enhancing the performance of active mixing printhead, developing multi-scale and multi-material 3D printers.

It is especially difficult to capture both exterior and interior shape data of a complex part with high accuracy and low cost by using the current reverse engineering measuring methods. This paper presents a novel cross-sectional imaging measurement system for reverse engineering based on existing NC milling machine, which can simultaneously acquire the full cross-sectional contours of a part with complex external and internal surfaces. The principle and architecture of the system are described. Furthermore, some key issues to implement the measuring system are discussed in detail. Finally, a real case is employed to illustrate the applications of the system. As a result, this system provides a feasible and useful scheme for many enterprises to construct their own reverse measuring system based on existing equipments to aid rapid product development and extend the function of existing equipments. It will potentially find widespread application in industrial reverse measurement due to its advantages including high accuracy, rapid construction and low cost.

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is attracting attention as a low-cost and high-throughput method for printing nanometer-scale geometries, and has been included on the ITRS lithography roadmap at the 32 and 22 nm nodes. The template making is one of the most critical issues for the realization of NIL. The ultimate resolution of the patterns fabricated by NIL is primarily determined by the resolution of the features on the surface of the mold. Because of the 1X nature of NIL compared with 4X for photolithography, the 1X template fabrication is considered as the greatest challenge for NIL. Advances in NIL template fabrication processes are reviewed. The fabrication methods of 3D, large area and high resolution templates are currently critical requirements and challenges. As a result, new mold making methods should be further developed to meet the requirements from emerging market applications such as patterned media, photonic crystals and wire grid polarizers.