BCN3D Announces New Company, Supernova, to Run VLM Business

Back in 2022, leading IDEX 3D printer manufacturer BCN3D made waves when the company announced the new Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) technology. However, since then, we have heard little about the groundbreaking process. That changed today when BCN3D held a press conference to announce officially that the part of the company dedicated to the development and adoption of VLM technology will be separating into a separate entity, named Supernova.

What was exceptional about VLM in comparison to other resin 3D printing technologies is its use of highly viscous resins rather than ones with a lower viscosity. The lithography-based AM technique works by using a transparent film to transfer the resins to a build platform, where they are then cured. Supposedly, it has a number of advantages over the conventional resin processes, including DLP, SLA and MSLA, as it can handle resins with up to 100 times higher viscosity allowing for superior mechanical properties and performance. In the press conference, Supernova even noted that end-use parts made with the process could be compared to those made with powder 3D printing or injection molding.

A rendering of the VLM solution

Indeed, the technology made such a stir that today there are over 500 companies in the Technology Adoption Program as well as ongoing partnerships with Puma, Saint Gobain, Orbea, Hutchison, and Prodrive, according to BCN3D. But the company seemingly found it difficult to work on both the main IDEX FDM business, including the Omega i60 which started being shipped in September 2023, and the VLM department. This decision was thus made to separate the two to allow VLM to grow and allow it to develop and come to market, with BCN3D noting the decision will ensure that “each has its own space to flourish in the long term.”