UpNano Unveils 3D Printer for Microparts

UpNano GmbH of Vienna, Austria, has unveiled a 2-photon polymerization (2PP) 3D printer, NanoPro VT, built for industrial mass production of microparts—the NanoPro VT. Presented at Formnext, in Frankfurt, Germany, the new high-performance printer powers the company’s new NanoPro service, offering high-volume production of microparts for industrial manufacturing processes. With the launch of the NanoPro service, UpNano offers a solution for needs in industrial microfabrication.

The machine uses mechanisms that allow 2PP 3D printing of polymeric microparts at for mass production that is offered as a fully integrated service.

“With the development of the NanoPro VT, UpNano is now in the position to offer the first fully integrated 2PP based service for industrial microparts," says Bernhard Küenburg, CEO of UpNano. "With over 20 years of experience in 2PP technology, our team is available to collaborate closely with customers to deliver tailored solutions from design via prototyping to serial production including delivery worldwide.”

Technical capabilities of the newly developed NanoPro VT include: A printing system that enables 32 megavoxels (million volume pixels) per second. Depending on the configuration, this translates into a throughput of several thousand mm3 per hour.

“This outstanding performance," explains Peter Gruber, chief technology officer of UpNano, “makes it possible to print a million identical parts, or a million parts with individual modifications." In addition, he explains that the printer's resolution enables structures and tolerances below 100 nm. it can also print the whole surface of 200x200mm substrates. Also, an automatic lens changer allows for optimized production cycles with the NanoPro VT, which is temperature-stable and vibration-isolated.

“In essence, the service we now offer reduces costs for customers by eliminating the need for clean room facilities, post-processing equipment, metrology, and inspection," Küenburg sums it up. 

Owners of the desktop version of UpNano’s 2PP 3D-printers, the NanoOne series, can perform the initial steps of designing and prototyping in-house, with support from UpNano experts, before transferring designs to serial production at UpNano via NanoPro. UpNano recently launched a new model in the NanoOne series, the NanoOne green, which is now the improved printing platform to prototype parts for NanoPro due to its green 515 nm wavelength laser, which is the same used in the NanoPro VT. This new wavelength offers over 30% higher precision compared to a 780 nm laser wavelength and the ability to work with more standard and transparent materials.

About UpNano 

UpNano, based in Vienna, Austria, is a high-tech company focused on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of high-resolution 3D printers. The systems are based on 2-photon-polymerization. UpNano provides a holistic package of hardware, software, and optimized printing materials for the fabrication of polymeric microparts as well as the possibility of bioprinting in a native cell environment. Additionally, UpNano now offers a fully integrated industrial micropart production service. 

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.