New Sustainable, Multicolor 3D Printing Method Was Inspired by Chameleons

3D printing continues to advance. The latest innovation comes from a group of researchers from the Beckman Institute in the U.S. who have developed a printing technique capable of delivering results in multiple colors from a single ink. Inspired by the fascinating ability of chameleons to change color, researchers were able to develop a more sustainable process for true multicolor 3D printing.

To this day, most colors are still produced from pigments or chemical dyes, and the production of paints can be environmentally damaging. In the world of additive manufacturing, this is no exception. Although there are machines capable of printing in different colors and automatically switching from one color to another, the number is limited and each color is required separately. However, this new breakthrough could mean the creation of colors with less energy consumption and less waste, according to the research team.

This process can be done on a modified FDM 3D printing (photo credits: Beckman Institute)

Chameleon-Inspired, Color-Changing Ink 3D Printing

The 3D printing process proposed by the researchers is based on a “direct writing” technique capable of altering the color during the printing process thanks to a UV-assisted ink. To achieve this result, an FDM 3D printer was modified by adding a UV guide and a pressure moderator for the ultraviolet light. This guide radiates light directly to the extruder and this light changes the color of the ink as the material hardens. Depending on the concentration of the UV rays, the ink will be one color or another. This technique is similar to that used in resin printing, though with specially designed copolymers.