Designing an Open-Source Multi-Vat Digital Light Processing Printer

Abstract Additive manufacturing has undergone rapid evolution in modalities that can mimic some of the aspect of native human tissue architectures with high resolution. Among these emerging approaches, digital light processing (DLP)-based printing enables the fabrication of intricate biomimetic architectures through the photopolymerization of polymer-based hydrogels. The recent emergence of multivat printing further enhances this capability, enabling the spatial arrangement of differently formulated or labeled photocrosslinkable resins. However, the widespread adoption of DLP printing remains constrained by the high cost, proprietary hardware, and limited customizability of commercially available systems. Here, we present an open-source multivat DLP printing platform developed through the integration and modification of two low-cost commercially available 3D printers. A dedicated Python-based graphical user interface was developed, providing user-defined control over critical printing parameters, including exposure time, layer height, printing sequence, and vat switching. Comprehensive hardware documentation and a complete bill of materials (BOM) are provided to ensure reproducibility and accessibility across research laboratories. In addition to multivat printing, the system enables spatial modulation of mechanical properties within a single photocrosslinkable formulation through programmable light exposure and supports enhanced z-axis resolution through user-defined layer thickness control. The platform was validated through the fabrication of geometrically complex, multivat, and mechanically heterogeneous constructs. Collectively, this work establishes an accessible and customizable DLP printing platform that enables advanced hydrogel fabrication and demonstrates automated multivat printing.