Xolography: recent advances and future developments in rapid volumetric 3D printing

Conventional layer-by-layer 3D printing processes are well developed and widely used, but are limited in terms of material homogeneity, surface quality and speed, the latter being an obstacle to mass production. Xolography is a dual-color technique using photoswitchable photoinitiators to induce local polymerization by intersecting light beams of different wavelengths. An optical system consisting of a thin UV light sheet and a DMD-based slice projection is used to translate the digital model into a physical object. Fully assembled multi-component systems can be produced directly in the volume with micrometer resolution and low surface roughness within minutes. The linear technology is currently undergoing targeted development for the fabrication of free-form polymer optics, biological scaffold structures and dental products. Based on the method and its current performance, we look at the challenges and solution strategies to exploit its full potential.